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You don’t have to dive to see Aruba’s reef. One boat has a see-through floor, one has windows below the waterline, and one is a real submarine. You can also paddle a clear kayak or walk in with a mask. Here is what each option is, what it costs, and who it suits.

Every price below was checked on the operator’s own website at the time of writing. Prices change with the season, so confirm before you book.

Quick comparison

Option Duration What you see Swimming optional? Good for small kids? Price (at the time of writing)
Clear boat (transparent boat) 1.5 hours Antilla wreck, Boca Catalina, turtles at Tres Trapi Yes. Snorkeling at each stop is up to you Yes, from age 1. Every child needs a seat $60 per person (groups of 5 to 10) or $600 private for up to 10
Seaworld Explorer (glass-sided boat) 1.5 hours Reef, tropical fish, wreck sites through underwater windows Yes. No swimming at all Yes, all ages (no price listed under 3) $55 adult (10+), $42 child (3 to 9)
Atlantis Submarine 1 hour 45 minutes Barcadera Reef and several shipwrecks, down to 130 feet Yes. No swimming at all Ages 4 and up $99 adult (10+), $89 child (4 to 9)
Clear Kayak Aruba, day tour 2 hours Mangroves and sea life through the kayak floor You stay in the kayak, but you must be able to swim No. Children 8 and younger are not allowed $70
Clear Kayak Aruba, night tour 2 hours Sea life lit by LED lights under the kayak You stay in the kayak, but you must be able to swim No. Children 12 and younger are not allowed $80
Shore snorkeling As long as you like Depends on the beach No. You are in the water Not for toddlers or non-swimmers Free (gear rental extra)

The clear boat

This is the option with an actual see-through floor. It is a transparent acrylic boat with a glass floor, so you watch the reef slide by under your feet. The trip takes 1.5 hours and carries up to 10 guests.

It makes three stops. The first is the Antilla, the biggest World War II shipwreck in Aruba. The second is Boca Catalina, known for its coral and marine life. The third is Tres Trapi, the turtle spot. At every stop you can snorkel or stay dry on board. Snorkel gear, life jackets, water and soda are included.

At the time of writing, the clear boat tour costs $60 per person for groups of 5 to 10, or $600 to charter the whole boat for up to 10 people. Boats leave at 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from the Palm Beach area (the exact meeting point comes with your booking confirmation). You reserve with a $10 per person deposit ($100 for a charter) and pay the rest on the day.

Good to know: the minimum age is 1, but there are no infant seats and babies can’t ride on a lap. The operator doesn’t recommend the trip for pregnant travelers or anyone with back problems or a heart condition. The boat isn’t wheelchair or stroller accessible.

De Palm Seaworld Explorer

The Seaworld Explorer is not a glass bottom boat in the strict sense. De Palm Tours calls it a glass-sided boat or semi-submarine. You sit in an air-conditioned cabin that rides about 5 feet below the surface and look out through the glass sides.

That setup makes it the most protected option on this list. There is no swimming and no swimsuit needed, and De Palm’s Seaworld Explorer page says it was designed with families, small children and the elderly in mind. Along the way you may see reef, tropical fish, sea turtles and wreck sites such as the Antilla and the Pedernales. The route changes with sea and weather conditions.

The tour lasts 1.5 hours and departs at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. At the time of writing, prices start at $55 for adults (10 and up) and $42 for children (3 to 9).

Atlantis Submarines Aruba

Atlantis runs a real, fully submerged submarine. It is air-conditioned and goes down to about 130 feet, with a guide explaining what you see along the way. The tour visits Barcadera Reef and several shipwrecks.

The full experience takes 1 hour and 45 minutes, and it departs at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. Atlantis Submarines Aruba lists its address as L.G. Smith Boulevard 82 in Oranjestad. It is for ages 4 and up. At the time of writing, De Palm Tours lists adults (10 and up) from $99 and children (4 to 9) from $89.

Does Atlantis still sell a glass bottom boat? Its site doesn’t list one. De Palm Tours sells the Atlantis submarine and the Seaworld Explorer side by side on its submarine tours page, so the Seaworld Explorer above is the glass-sided option in that lineup.

Clear Kayak Aruba

Here you do the work. Clear Kayak Aruba runs guided tours in clear-bottom kayaks. Both tours last 2 hours and include fruit, water and all equipment.

The day tour paddles through a mangrove forest, with fresh fruit at Mangel Halto Beach. It costs $70 at the time of writing. The night tour takes place at Arashi and starts around sunset. Once it gets dark, LED lights strapped under the kayak light up the water, and the route includes a shallow shipwreck. It costs $80 at the time of writing.

The rules are stricter than on the boats. On both tours you must be able to swim and weigh less than 200 pounds (90 kg). The day tour also asks that you’re fit enough to paddle for 2 hours. Children 8 and younger can’t join the day tour, and children 12 and younger can’t join the night tour. Snorkel gear is not included. For where to paddle on your own, see our clear kayaking guide.

Shore snorkeling: the free option

Every beach in Aruba is public, and the tourism authority describes the west and south coasts as calm and protected. That makes them good for swimming and snorkeling. Bring or rent a mask and you can see fish a few steps from the sand for nothing.

The catch is that you have to be in the water, so it isn’t for non-swimmers or toddlers. Some entries can be rocky, and the wrecks are farther out than most people should swim. Our guide to the best snorkeling spots in Aruba covers which beaches are easy, which ones need water shoes, and where the currents get strong.

Which one should you pick?

Families with babies and toddlers

The Seaworld Explorer takes all ages and nobody gets wet. The clear boat takes children from age 1, as long as each child has a seat. Skip the kayaks, which start at age 9.

Non-swimmers

The Seaworld Explorer and the Atlantis submarine never put you in the water. On the clear boat you can stay aboard at every stop and still see the wreck and the reef through the floor.

Cruise passengers

All three boat options last under two hours and run more than once a day, so they fit a port day. Pick a departure that leaves a cushion before your all-aboard time.

Seniors

The Seaworld Explorer is the gentlest choice: air-conditioned, dry and short. If you have back or heart trouble, read the health notes before booking the clear boat. If steps or ladders are hard for you, ask any operator how boarding works before you pay.

Couples and confident swimmers

The night kayak tour is the most different experience on the list. The clear boat mixes looking and swimming, with the Antilla and the turtle spot on one trip. For the history of the wreck, read our Antilla shipwreck guide.

Tight budget

Shore snorkeling is free if you can swim. If you can’t, the Seaworld Explorer has the lowest adult price of the boats at the time of writing. For other ways to see the island, browse our guide to the best tours in Aruba.

You can also book a clear boat tour directly with us: the Antilla wreck, Boca Catalina and the Tres Trapi turtle spot in 90 minutes, with a small deposit online and the balance in cash when you board.

FAQ

Is there a real glass bottom boat in Aruba?

Yes. The clear boat has a transparent hull and a glass floor. The Seaworld Explorer is different: it has windows on the sides of a cabin that sits below the waterline rather than a glass floor.

Do I need to know how to swim?

Not for the clear boat, the Seaworld Explorer or the Atlantis submarine. You do for Clear Kayak Aruba’s tours, which require guests to be able to swim on their own.

Which option is best for kids under 5?

The Seaworld Explorer, which takes all ages, or the clear boat, which takes children from age 1 with their own seat. Atlantis starts at age 4. The kayak day tour starts at age 9 and the night tour at 13.

How much does a glass bottom boat tour in Aruba cost?

At the time of writing, the clear boat is $60 per person for groups of 5 to 10, or $600 for a private charter. The Seaworld Explorer starts at $55 for adults and $42 for children. Shore snorkeling costs nothing beyond gear.

Sources

Featured photo: reef fish at Mangel Halto. Photo: Ginelly.Q, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons