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How to Spot Sea Turtles in Bermuda
Updated: September 2026
Bermuda is one of the most reliable places in the Atlantic to swim alongside wild sea turtles. You will find them grazing in shallow seagrass beds and gliding through the warm waters just off the coast.
I have spent many afternoons scanning the bays for that familiar little head popping up for air. It never gets old.
Photo: Digital Render by Raj.B
At a Glance
| Essential Detail |
What You Need to Know |
| Best Time to Go |
Late May to October (warmest water for snorkeling) |
| Top Location |
Turtle Bay (Cooper's Island Nature Reserve) |
| Cost |
100% Free to swim at public beaches |
| Primary Transport |
Taxi or Twizy rental (bus stops require a long walk) |
Are There Sea Turtles in Bermuda?
Yes, the waters around the island are packed with them. If you are wondering what kind of sea turtles live in Bermuda, you will mostly see Green Sea Turtles. They love to chew on the extensive seagrass meadows in the shallower bays.
You might also spot the occasional Hawksbill turtle hanging out near the coral reefs. It is important to know that almost all the turtles you see here are juveniles. They use the island as a safe feeding ground to grow up before heading back out into the open ocean.
Best Places to Spot Turtles in the Wild
Finding them requires knowing where they eat. Here are the most reliable spots.
Turtle Bay and Clearwater Beach (Cooper's Island)
If you want the highest chance of a sighting, head straight to
Turtle Bay at the edge of the
Cooper's Island Nature Reserve in St. David's. This area is connected to
Clearwater Beach. The water here is incredibly calm, shallow, and heavily carpeted with seagrass.
The sand is soft, but the facilities are basic. Bring a card or cash if you want to buy a cold drink or a famous Bermuda fish sandwich from Sunjammers, the beachfront bar and grill.
I usually rent an EV Mini-Car or take a taxi out here, though you can also take the Route 6 public bus. Be sure to check the schedule or ask the driver first, as only specific departure times route directly to the Clearwater Beach entrance, otherwise, you will be dropped off a fair walk away.
Turtle Bay Location Map
Daniel's Head and The HMS Vixen Shipwreck
On the far western end of the island in Sandys Parish, the waters around
Daniel's Head Park are another hotspot. The nearby seagrass beds attract plenty of hungry turtles.
Just offshore sits the wreck of the HMS Vixen. If you take a
jet ski tour or a
glass-bottom boat tour departing from the Royal Naval Dockyard, the captains almost always stop here.
The turtles often swim right up to the boats, expecting a handful of bread crusts, though feeding them is strictly illegal and harmful to their health.
Other Notable Seagrass Beds
If you are an experienced snorkeler willing to do a little hiking,
Hog Bay Beach in Sandys Parish is an excellent option. You have to walk down a long, sometimes muddy dirt path through a park to get there. Once you hit the water, the seagrass beds are vast and usually empty of other tourists.
Ferry Reach near St. George's also has healthy seagrass patches. Just watch out for boat traffic in this channel if you decide to swim out far.
Where to See Turtles Without Getting Wet
Not everyone wants to snorkel, and that is perfectly fine. The easiest way to see them up close is at the
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) in Flatts Village.
They have a large, open-air turtle pool near the entrance. You do not even have to pay admission to look at this specific pool, though the rest of the facility is well worth the ticket price.
Pro-Tip: Do not try to visit Devil's Hole Aquarium. Devil's Hole permanently closed to the public years ago and is now a private property. You cannot buy tickets, and showing up will just leave you staring at a locked gate.
At BAMZ Zoo
Essential Visitor Insights
Who this is for: Snorkelers, families, and wildlife photographers will love the shallow bays. If you expect to see tiny hatchlings crawling down the sand at night, you will need to adjust your expectations.
What surprised me the most: How incredibly fast a grazing green turtle can bolt. If you splash your flippers too hard, they will disappear into the blue in the blink of an eye.
Common mistakes: Trying to touch or chase them. It is strictly illegal to harass sea turtles in Bermuda. Always keep a respectful distance of at least ten feet and just float quietly above them.
Practical details: The best time to snorkel is from late May to October when the ocean warms up to the high 70s and 80s. If you are heading to Cooper's Island, bring your own snorkel gear. While Sunjammers Bar & Grill at adjacent Clearwater Beach does rent equipment, their watersport rentals are seasonal (summer only) and availability can be unreliable on quiet weekdays.
The Fascinating History of Bermuda's Turtles
You might be surprised to learn that sea turtles rarely nest on Bermuda's beaches anymore, though a rare green turtle nesting event did occur in 2015.
When early settlers arrived in the 1600s, there were massive nesting populations. Unfortunately, they were over-hunted for meat.
The island actually passed legislation all the way back in 1620 to protect them against over-harvesting. It was one of the earliest conservation laws in the world.
In the 1970s, scientists even tried burying turtle eggs from Costa Rica on local beaches to restart a nesting colony, but the experiment did not work.
Today, the famous Bermuda Turtle Project catches, tags, and releases turtles to track their migration. Because of these strict protections, the current juvenile population is thriving.
About the Author
By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj has been writing about Bermuda since 2008, when he launched bermuda-attractions.com, one of the longest-standing independent guides to the island. A Certified Bermuda Specialist (Bermuda Tourism Authority), his work draws on personal visits, local contacts in Bermuda, and questions and trip reports from thousands of readers over the years.
Learn more about Raj Bhattacharya
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Visitors' Reviews and Comments
Karen Lelonek (July 2013) Subject: Sea Turtle Excursions in Bermuda
I will be visiting in the first part of September via cruise. My ship will be in port for two nights. I am a sea turtle enthusiast and was told by a friend who visited last year that they were lucky enough to be on a tour that had no problem finding turtles. I believe it was a snorkeling tour but they do not remember any contact information.
I would be able to cross this off my bucket list if I was fortunate enough to see these majestic creatures myself. Any information you can provide that could make this more likely would be appreciated.
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) July 2013
Hi, Snorkel boat tour and Glass Bottom tour by Reef Explorer takes you through the water area which is a natural habitat of Atlantic green turtles. You can usually see lots of them there. You will find information about such tour in their website: bermudareefexplorer.com
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