When & Where to Swim with Turtles in Barbados

If you want to go swimming with turtles in Barbados, you’re in luck. This tropical island is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean and is a popular turtle nesting spot, so there are often sea turtles around.

Snorkelling with turtles in Carlisle Bay was a dream come true. So I had to book another trip to see them again. Whether you are a first-timer or an experienced snorkeller, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to see turtles in the water.

Let’s get right into when and where to swim with turtles in Barbados. 

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Best Time to Swim with Turtles in Barbados

The best time to see turtles in Barbados is during their nesting season, which depends on which type of turtle you want to swim with.

February – July = best for leatherback turtles

May – October = best for green and hawksbill turtles

I visited in September and October and saw turtles while snorkelling on both trips. It made me so happy and left me in awe. 

Where to Swim with Turtles in Barbados

Carlisle Bay is the best place to swim with turtles in Barbados. With its soft white sand and calm, crystal-clear waters, Carlisle Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados and is a great place to go snorkelling and diving.

Keep an eye out when snorkelling over the Bajan Queen shipwreck as a turtle calls it home and is often found swimming around.

Strong swimmers can choose to snorkel out from shore or swim with turtles as part of a snorkelling tour. As a strong swimmer, I snorkelled from the beach using my own gear. I slowly swam out to where the tour boats were and saw turtles along my route and a few of the shipwrecks in Carlisle Bay. It was an incredible experience, and I highly recommend swimming with turtles and shipwrecks as part of your Barbados itinerary.

Prefer something closer to shore? Here are other places to snorkel with turtles:

Along the West Coast:

• Alleynes Bay Beach – is known for having near-shore turtle encounters
• Paynes Bay Beach – a popular place for swimming and snorkelling with turtles in Barbados, especially with cruises

Along the South Coast: 

• Dover Beach – a Hawksbill turtle nesting beach where you can see them on the beach and swimming
• Drill Hall Beach – is known for turtle nesting, where you can watch hatchlings make their way to the ocean
• Worthing Beach – a shallow water snorkelling spot, you can swim with turtles from the shore

While Folkestone Marine Park is often noted as a good spot to swim with the turtles in Barbados, I didn’t see any while snorkelling there and the staff said the turtles no longer come there after the hurricane. Hurricane Beryl really damaged the shallow reefs.

Guided Sea Turtle Tours

The best way to encounter sea turtles in Barbados is to go on a snorkelling catamaran cruise tour. Whether you don’t want to swim out from the beach, have limited time, or prefer a guided experience, there are many cruises available. Most tours stop at multiple snorkel spots for more chances of seeing turtles and include beverages and lunch, so you can fully enjoy a day out on the water.

Even if you only have one day in Barbados, you can find a snorkel tour to fit your limited time so that you don’t miss out on swimming with sea turtles.

The most popular tour is the turtle and shipwreck snorkel adventure, where you cruise on a glass bottom boat through Carlisle Bay to see shipwrecks, turtles, and other marine life. I’ve done both this tour and swam out on my own to see multiple wrecks, plenty of fish, and a few turtles. It’s a far swim from shore for a beginner. The waterslide is fun to play on after you finish snorkelling.

🤿 Join the snorkelling tour I did

Or find the tour that best suits you:

Tips for Swimming in Barbados with Turtles

• Keep your distance. If you do get close, do not touch the turtles
• Do not feed the turtles. Remember, they are wild animals, and giving them food will make them reliant on humans and can cause them harm
• If you see a turtle, do not chase it. It can make the sea turtle feel threatened or scared
• Approach turtles from the side slowly and calmly. They are easily startled. You don’t want to scare them away or disrupt their natural behaviour.
• Bring a waterproof camera to capture memories of you swimming with sea turtles in Barbados
• If you don’t see turtles while on your own, consider a tour as guides often know secret spots

FAQs about Turtles in Barbados

The Barbados Sea Turtle Project monitors turtle nesting and hatchings through volunteer patrols and public calls to ensure turtles don’t have interference or get disoriented on their way to the ocean. It’s illegal in Barbados to disturb or endanger turtles, their eggs, or their nests.

Final Thoughts on Swimming with Turtles in Barbados

Swimming with the turtles in Barbados is one of the best things to do on the island and is sure to be a highlight of your trip like it was mine.

With its beautiful calm waters, the southern and west coasts are the best places to go snorkelling with sea turtles in Barbados. While you can see them year-round, the best months to visit are February – October.

So get ready to grab your snorkel gear to swim out from shore or book your catamaran cruise. 

Happy travelling!