This Resort Lets You Snorkel for Booze

I might just take up snorkeling–I’ve finally found a cause.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort hides bottles of Cruzan Rum in the water so that while you are snorkeling, you have a chance of discovering a bottle of rum.

From news.com.au:

At Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on the idyllic island of St Thomas, a resort that’s part of the US Virgin Islands, snorkellers compete once a week to find rum.

The family-owned resort carries out a weekly rum scavenger hunt, officially (and appropriately) called the “Snorkel Booze Huntâ€. The resort hides bottles of Cruzan Rum in the ocean, which is the local rum of the US Virgin Islands that’s distilled on the nearby island of St Croix. Guests have a one in two chance of snagging the local rum, with about half the amount of bottles as guests strategically placed on the ocean floor.

For those ready to really clean up while doing this, apparently there’s a limit of one bottle person finder.  If you find two, you must go put the second back.

From Bongo Bay's promo photos.
From Bongo Bay’s promo photos.

Of course, you could hunt for Cruzan in a local liquor store, but would you really feel like you earned it?

The website explains it as:

Bolongo Bay is known for many things; great service, friendly staff, island charm, great food and drinks, and of course, the snorkel booze hunt! For more than 30 years, the beach staff at Bolongo has been hiding bottles of rum out in the bay for their guests to find. It’s definitely one of the most anticipated events of the week, with guests from all over the country lining up on the shore waiting for the go-ahead! All hotel guests have complimentary use of snorkel equipment, making it easy to participate in the fun. The best part of all? You find it, you keep it!

Here’s a video of someone diving for rum:

Would you go?  I think it’s a noble cause.

About Jeanne Marie Hoffman

Former bartender, still a geek. One equal part each cookies, liberty, football, music, travel, libations. Stir vigorously. +Jeanne Marie Hoffman Jeanne on Twitter

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3 comments

  1. Someone else on BA posted this a while ago. And frankly it’s horrible. Reefs are dying at an alarming rate but this hotel feels it’s necessary to damage theirs through this stupid stunt.

    • Jeanne Marie Hoffman

      It looks like in the video that it isn’t actually out in the reefs. It’s pretty shallow in the water just dumped in the sand.

    • Hi Ty,

      On behalf of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, we share your concern for protecting nature. Rest assured that reefs are not in the area of the resort’s Snorkel Booze Hunt. The sand and sea grass shown in the video are indeed what the entire underwater area consists of for the hunt.

      You’re welcome to reach out to me if you have any other concerns. My email is amy@madiganpratt.com.

      Best,
      Amy Kerr

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