Snorkeling with turtles at Tres Trapi in Aruba

Tres Trapi Snorkeling Guide: [Rated + Reviewed]

by Nichole | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 | Aruba, Best Snorkeling Caribbean

Want to snorkel with turtles in Aruba? Tres Trapi is the spot! My husband and I are experienced snorkelers, and this was one of our favorite stops on the island.

But to make the most of your visit, there are a few key tips you’ll want to know. In my snorkeling guide, I’ll share exactly how to get there and where to snorkel for the best chance of spotting those adorable turtles.

With a little planning, this experience can be unforgettable — and totally worth adding to your Aruba trip!

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Aruba Snorkeling Rating System

My snorkeling guides will always be rated using my snorkel key. I hope this helps you figure out which sites are worth visiting.

Please see the rating key below.

OVERALL SNORKEL RATING KEY

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 = World-class snorkeling and worth traveling just for the snorkeling alone!

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 = Incredible snorkeling and should be on your list of top things to do!

🤿 🤿 🤿 = Decent snorkeling and worth the effort!

🤿 🤿 = Worth consideration if you are running out of things to do!

🤿 = Not worth it!

If you want to discover my 4 FAVORITE Aruba snorkeling sites in ONE comprehensive list, click on the link below!

ULTIMATE ARUBA SNORKELING GUIDE

Tres Trapi Snorkeling

Entrance to Tres Trapi in Aruba

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Rating: 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿

If I had only seen a few turtles, I would have given Tres Trapi a 🤿 🤿 🤿.

But because we saw SO MANY turtles I lost count, it gets a 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 rating. It’s a pretty unique experience.

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How to Get There

Tres Trapi Parking in Aruba

Tres Trapi (which means 3 steps) is located on the northern end of Aruba, just south of Boca Catalina Beach.

Boca Catalina and Arashi Beach are other nearby snorkeling sites worth checking out, but I like Tres Trapi better.

The entrance to Tres Trapi is located right off the main highway, L.G. Smith Blvd. There are plenty of parking spots right outside the Tres Trapi entrance.

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Snorkeling Map

A map of where to snorkel at Tres Trapi

The area to snorkel is straight out from the shore.

You will see buoys in the distance (see photo below). Snorkel just outside the buoys along the seagrass for the BEST turtle encounters.

Always be aware of boats though.

Where to snorkel at Tres Trapi in Aruba

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Entry

Navigating the steps at Tres Trapi in Aruba

Entry is fairly easy if you are careful.

Before snorkeling out, you must navigate down the steps into the cove-like area.

If the waves are crashing in, the steps can get slippery, so take your time.

Also, start putting on your snorkel gear once you are a little further out from the rocky cove. Otherwise, a wave could unexpectedly knock you into the rocks if you are trying to balance and put on your fins.

I strongly recommend bringing your snorkel fins, making swimming out past the buoys easier.

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Aruba Fish Sightings

According to Snorkeling Report, you can see cushion sea stars at Tres Trapi.

And we saw NONE.

We snorkeled at the end of November. Did we come at the wrong time? Are the current snorkeling guides outdated? Did we not snorkel far enough?

Not sure, but we did see LOTS of turtles!

In my opinion, if you want to see lots of them, arrive early (like 8 am or earlier)! At this time, they are very active feeding on the seagrass below.

If you wait long enough, they will surface for air for a close encounter. Always respect them, and do not chase them.

We snorkeled here in the afternoon a few years ago, and I only saw one turtle. This time we arrived early, and we saw so many turtles I lost count!

I also saw one stingray, a goldspotted eel, and a barracuda.

All photos are taken with my favorite underwater snorkeling camera.

Friendly turtle at Tres Trapi

Enjoying snorkeling with a turtle at Tres Trapi

Turtle diving back down to munch on seagrass at Tres Trapi

Turtles will swim pretty close at Tres Trapi

Turtle coming up for air at Tres Trapi

Goldspotted eel at Tres Trapi

Barracuda at Tres Trapi

Tres Trapi Snorkeling Tours

If you need a little extra help finding and snorkeling with the turtles, there are two highly rated snorkel tours who will guide you:

→ Coral Ocean Aruba

→ Underdog Divers Aruba

Final Thoughts

If you love snorkeling, do not miss Tres Trapi! This is one of the top snorkeling sites in Aruba for turtles! The only other places I have seen close to this many turtles were Salt Pier and 1000 Steps in Bonaire and Francis Bay and Maho Bay in St. John.

Go early though to have the best experience and snorkel just past the buoys. A magical experience.

If you have more advanced snorkel skills, another fantastic snorkeling site in Aruba is the drift snorkel at Mangel Halto.

I’m Nichole, the author of all the blog posts on Enriching Pursuits. Think of me as your geeky discerning travel friend who dives deep (Google Page 20, forums, travel groups deep!) to uncover the best ways to enjoy exceptional outdoor adventures and foodie experiences.

My husband and I are experienced snorkelers, day hikers, and casual cyclists who also love delicious street food, an incredible glass of wine, and the occasional Michelin-starred meal.

Balancing full-time careers, we cherish every second of our vacation days and love sharing tips to help you do the same. If this sounds like your kind of travel, subscribe below or drop me a note with any questions. I’d love to hear from you!