Heading to Aruba this June with our 4 year old daughter. Last year we took her on the glass bottom boat ride and she loved it. This year my wife and I would love to take a snorkeling trip as we did fouryears ago. Has anyone taken their child on a boat trip that would last 4 hours? Would it be advisable? Thanks for any advice.

i think the first thing you need to do is contact a few of the snorkel boat operators and ask if children that young are even allowed. there are others but this one will get you started and give you a clue what the captains think of the idea. http://www.visitaruba.com/attraction...html#tranquilo


second, i would think carefully about my child's behavior. these trips are not for anyone who can't sit still. the decks get wet and slippery. the rails are not safety rails that a child can't slip thru in most cases. is your child a good enough and fearless enough swimmer to be calm in 20-30 foot water? for that matter, are you good enough swimmers to be able to watch her in that water? does she react positively to the motion of a boat including one at rest and rocking?

third, many of these trips include drinks and i have seen more than one very 'happy' and loud participant. will you and your child be comfortable around this.

finally, is your child well behaved enough to not be a nuisance to others. i know you may love your child and accept specific behavior but if your child tends to be tough on strangers you need to remember that the other snorkelers are spending a lot of money on these trips too.

to be honest, i would never take my grandchildren on one of these trips because there aren't very many of the specifics i mentioned that i could give a positive answer to. (unless you consider the fact that they really are good swimmers, lol).

a snorkel trip might really be something that you hire a babysitter for and go without your child. then drive down to baby beach the next day and the child will be extremely content.

I agree with Sherry. I have been on two snorkeling trips and the youngest child I saw was about 10 or 11. The boats do get slippery and the passengers do get tipsy!

Thanks for the replies. I just wanted to get some other opinions and this has always been a forum that will answer in a straight forward manner. We will not take our child with us on the snorkeling trip. We can instead go to the Butterfly Farm or the Ostrich Farm. She would have more fun there anyway! I will definitely post a trip report when I get back.

If you do go to the Butterfly Farm, get there early - it gets very warm in there, as it's surrounded by clear plastic and it's very humid. Excellent trip!

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Donnie, if your 4 yr old can swim and wants to snorkle, you can take her to baby beach or arashi and just walk in. If she cant, then you and your wife could take turns snorkeling in those areas while child and spouse play in the shallow water. You can leave whenever you want to. Take a picnic lunch.

ArubaBob,

Great Idea, baby beach is the perfect place to take a child snorkeling for
the first time. The water is shallow, wind is calmer, water clarity is also
good. Heck, I might even have to go snorkeling there myself again.

later,
millertime

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ARUBA....One Happy Island

Later,
millertime