Casuarina Beach is one of the snorkel sites on Lizard Island Resort's guided local tours. The resort describes it as a place to snorkel with resident green turtles, where visitors can watch them grazing in the shallows and see Hawaiian (Picasso) triggerfish hiding in their little coral homes. Green turtles feed on seagrass and algae, and the shallows off the beach provide both.

Snorkelling here is mostly about watching the turtles as they go about their business – grazing on the bottom, surfacing to breathe, resting on the sand. They are generally relaxed if approached slowly and given space. The reef patches in the shallows host reef fish, including the triggerfish mentioned by the resort, which dart into holes in the coral when approached.

The water is shallow, making the site suitable for snorkellers of all abilities. Depths are not published but are likely no more than a few metres. Conditions depend on wind and tide; the resort's guides choose the best time and place.

Casuarina Beach lies close to the resort, and access for non-guests is limited; campers and yachties should respect resort boundaries. For a gentle, wildlife-focused snorkel, Casuarina Beach is a highlight of a stay at Lizard Island. Remember that turtles are protected – never touch, chase or ride them, and avoid blocking their path to the surface.

Lizard Island is remote: the nearest recompression chamber is in Townsville, several hours away by aeromedical evacuation, so divers should dive conservatively, stay well within no-decompression limits and hold dive insurance that covers evacuation.

Lizard Island lies about 27 km off the Cape York coast and roughly 240 km north of Cairns. Most visitors fly: resort guests take the scheduled light-aircraft transfer from Cairns (about 1 hour) to the island airstrip, and campers can charter flights or arrive by private boat. There is no public ferry.

The dive and snorkel sites are reached by the Lizard Island Resort dive centre's boats (reserved for resort guests) or by liveaboards – Spirit of Freedom uses Lizard as the fly-in/fly-out changeover point for its 3- and 4-night trips, and Mike Ball's Spoilsport visits on Cairns-based expeditions. Campers at Watsons Bay must carry gear about 1.2 km from the airstrip and bring all supplies.

Lizard Island sits in the path of the south-east trade winds, which blow strongly (often 20–30 knots) from about April to September. The island's western and northern bays (Watsons Bay, Mermaid Cove, Anchor Bay) are sheltered, but open-water crossings to the outer ribbon reefs (Cod Hole, Dynamite Passage, No Name) can be rough and are cancelled in strong winds. October–December usually brings lighter winds and the clearest water; the wet season (December–April) brings northerly winds, storms, cyclone risk and marine stingers (November–May).

Tides are significant – shallow bay snorkelling (e.g. Clam Gardens) is best around high tide. Visibility around the island is typically 10–20 m; the outer ribbon reefs often exceed 25 m.

Snorkel quietly along the shallows off the beach, watching for turtles grazing on the bottom; keep a few metres away, stay low in the water and let them approach.

Lizard Island Resort – guided local snorkel tours for guests; the beach is near the resort, which restricts general visitor access.