Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on March 6, 2021
Located at the western end of Terre de Haut island, Anse Crawen is one of the nicest beaches in Les Saintes. It is home to a reef covered with gorgonians and seagrass beds in which snorkelers can spot reef fish, cushion starfish, and green sea turtles.
Anse Crawen is a wild beach nestled on the western tip of Terre de Haut, the main island of Les Saintes. It is located exactly 3km from the jetty, following Bois Joli road. Near the jetty, there are several bicycle, scooter and small car rental companies.
About 700m before arriving at Anse Crawen, you will see on your right the path that goes down to the Pain de Sucre, maybe the most popular snorkeling spot on the island.
You can get in the water wherever you want from the beach, depending on the area you want to explore. In case of rain, stay away from the manchineel tree (the trees with a red mark on the trunk): their milky-white sap contains toxins and can cause blistering.
The best areas for snorkeling at Anse Crawen are located in front and on the right side of the beach.
On the right, along the cliff, you can swim above large areas of sea fans, with sponges and corals here and there. The reef attracts many parrotfish, sergeants majors, damselfish, and bluehead wrasse.
In front of the beach, snorkelers can discover sandy areas and extensive seagrass beds on which many cushion starfish are found. Encounters with green sea turtles are also quite frequent in the bay, mainly feeding on seagrass beds.
There is no snack or restaurant on the beach. The closest accommodation is the Hôtel du Bois Joli, located 300m from Anse Crawen going up to Terre de Haut.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
