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Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach
Shore snorkeling where the catamarans anchorChecked October 21, 2026 shade, parking and the shore from the sources below; distances by road, rounded; wind, sunset and ships from today's readings
Boca Catalina and Malmok are 2 small beaches on the same 500 m of coast, with the Tres Trapi steps between them. They're 12 km by road from the cruise terminal and 4 km north of the Palm Beach strip: 7.5 and 2.5 miles. Boca Catalina is a sandy cove down a few steps from a free lot. Malmok Beach is a narrow strip of sand in a limestone shelf. The snorkel catamarans anchor just offshore, and you swim in the same water from the sand. Green sea turtles feed on the seagrass in front of Boca Catalina. Boca Catalina and Tres Trapi have no public restrooms. I know of no bar or rentals on this stretch. Bring water and your own mask. Arashi Beach has a beach bar, 700 m up the road.
Today: Airport wind at 2 a.m.: 13 mph from the east. Meteo Aruba has sheltered water at about 1 ft today. 2 ships in port today. Come early if you want a palapa. Sunset is at 6:17 p.m., and this shore faces west.
Map
Where are Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach
12.6049° N, 70.0519° W Directions in Google Maps Apple Maps OpenStreetMap
How to get there
- By taxi from the port About 15 minutes from the cruise terminal, and about 6 from the Palm Beach strip. Taxi fares in Aruba are fixed by destination. Agree a pickup time with your driver for the way back.
- By bus Arubus line 10A stops at Malmok Beach, Tres Trapi and Boca Catalina on its way to Arashi. A ride costs $2.60. On weekdays it leaves the Oranjestad terminal from 6:15 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. Most departures are 20 minutes apart. On weekends it leaves hourly, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last bus back leaves Arashi at 6:20 p.m. on weekdays and 6:28 p.m. on weekends. Boca Catalina is its next stop.
- By car Free parking on 2 unpaved lots next to Boca Catalina, and along the road at Malmok. Your road from the strip is 4 km up the coast, past the Fisherman's Huts.
- On foot from Arashi Arashi Beach is 700 m north of Boca Catalina on the same road. Walk it early: the road has no shade.
At a glance
Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach at a glance
| From the cruise terminal | 12 km (7.5 miles) by road; about 15 minutes by taxi |
| From the Palm Beach strip | 4 km (2.5 miles) north; about 6 minutes by taxi |
| The 3 spots | Boca Catalina in the north, the Tres Trapi steps 300 m south of it, Malmok Beach 200 m further |
| Water | clear and usually calm. Most of the snorkeling at Boca Catalina is beyond the buoy line, in water you share with tour boats. Stay inside the swimming area if you're unsure or the current picks up |
| Entry | sand at Boca Catalina. Rock steps at Tres Trapi, slippery and rough on bare feet. A narrow strip of sand at Malmok, with rock on both sides |
| Snorkeling | yes, from the shore. Seagrass in 12 to 20 ft of water in front of Boca Catalina, where turtles feed. Rocks in 3 to 7 ft at its north end. Coral patches about 100 m off that point, in 10 to 12 ft |
| Shade | a few free beach huts at Boca Catalina, first come |
| Parking | free, on 2 unpaved lots next to Boca Catalina and along the road at Malmok |
| On the shore | no public restrooms at Boca Catalina or Tres Trapi, and no bar or rentals that I know of. Arashi Beach, 700 m north, has a beach bar |
| Offshore | the wreck of the Antilla lies about 700 m out. You reach it by boat |
From the desk
- I'd come to Boca Catalina with my own mask, early in the morning. The reef is free from the sand. You share the water beyond the buoys with the tour boats. Keep an eye on them.
The beach
What Boca Catalina, Tres Trapi and Malmok are like
This is where the hotel strip turns into a row of houses on a limestone shelf. The coast road runs next to the water, and the beaches are small breaks in the rock. Boca Catalina is the sandy one. It's a cove below the road, with steps down from the lot and a few huts for shade. Come on a weekday morning if you want room on the sand. Weekends belong to the island's families.
You come for what's under the water. In front of Boca Catalina the seagrass starts in 12 to 20 ft, and green turtles feed there. The rocky point at the north end is 3 to 7 ft deep, with schools of young grunts. Coral patches lie about 100 m off that point in 10 to 12 ft, and the angelfish are there. Most of this is beyond the buoy line, where the catamarans anchor. Look up before you swim across.
Tres Trapi means 3 steps. The steps are cut into the rock 300 m south of the cove, and they take you straight into the sea. They're slippery, so wear water shoes. The water starts shallow and drops to 10 to 15 ft. You'll find starfish on the sand to your left and turtles where the seagrass begins. Look at the starfish and leave them in the water.
Malmok Beach is 200 m further south. It's a narrow strip of sand with rock on both sides and the same clear water. The Antilla lies about 700 m off this shore. She's a German freighter from the Second World War, 400 ft long, and the boat tours come for her. You reach her by boat.
Tours
Tours that snorkel at Boca Catalina and Malmok
3 tours on the list are guided turtle snorkels from this shore. Underdog and Coral Ocean meet you at Tres Trapi, and Turtle tours at Boca Catalina. The catamarans on the list anchor off Boca Catalina and the Antilla wreck.
Catamaran and boat tours 12 tours · from $63 per adult8 of the 12 boats on the list snorkel at Boca Catalina. 7 of them are shared sails with an open bar, and 1 is a private boat.
Arashi Beach
Palm Beach
Eagle Beach
Good to know
People also ask
- Is Boca Catalina good for snorkeling?
Yes, Boca Catalina is good for shore snorkeling when the sea is calm. You walk in from the sand. Seagrass starts in 12 to 20 ft of water, and green turtles feed there. The rocky point at the north end is 3 to 7 ft deep. Coral patches start about 100 m off that point. Most of it lies beyond the buoy line. Keep clear of the catamarans.
- Can you see turtles at Tres Trapi?
You can look for turtles from the shore at Tres Trapi. Nobody can promise them. Enter by the rock steps and look toward the seagrass in the deeper water. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when fewer tours are around. Keep 6 to 10 ft from a turtle and don't touch it.
- Is there parking at Boca Catalina?
Yes, and it's free. 2 unpaved lots sit next to the cove, with steps down to the sand. At Malmok you park along the coast road.
- How do I get to Boca Catalina from Palm Beach?
It's 4 km north along the coast road, about 6 minutes by taxi. By bus you take Arubus line 10A toward Arashi and get off at Boca Catalina. A ride costs $2.60. On weekdays most buses are 20 minutes apart, and on weekends they're hourly.
- Are there restrooms or a bar at Boca Catalina?
Boca Catalina has no public restrooms, and neither has Tres Trapi. I know of no bar or rentals on this stretch. Bring water and your own snorkel gear. Arashi Beach is 700 m north and has a beach bar, with lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent.
- What is the difference between Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach?
Boca Catalina is a sandy cove with steps from the lot and a few shade huts. Malmok Beach is a narrow strip of sand in the limestone, 500 m south. Tres Trapi sits between them: rock steps into the water. For a sand entry and shade, I'd choose Boca Catalina.
- Can you swim to the Antilla shipwreck from Malmok?
I wouldn't. The wreck lies about 700 m offshore, and the tour boats use that water. Take a snorkel sail from Palm Beach. Every sail on our snorkeling list stops at the wreck.