Horseshoe Bay is the best-known of Bowen's snorkelling bays: a small, curved sandy beach at the north-east tip of the cape at the southern end of Queens Bay, flanked by granite rocky walls and served by a cafe and car park. The North Queensland Underwater Explorers Club treats it as an easy shore dive, with sand at about 5 m in the middle of the bay and the interest along the rocky sides. Near shore the walls are cut by small cracks and gutters.

Painted crayfish, sea slugs and nudibranchs (white/cream and purple/black species are common) sit in the crevices, along with cleaner shrimps and honeycomb moray eels. Fusiliers, wrasse, damselfish, surgeonfish, drummer and coral trout populate the reef. The club warns about the damselfish, which defend their algal gardens aggressively and 'will go out of their way to peck and prod you'.

Sand ripples on the bottom are a handy navigation aid across the middle of the bay. In 2019 the bay became part of the Whitsundays' Ngaro Underwater Marine Sculpture Trail with Bywa, by Torres Strait artist Brian Robinson – a 3.4 m concrete and stainless-steel piece whose name means 'waterspout' in Kala Lagaw Ya. Installed partly submerged near the shore, it is the most accessible sculpture on the trail, since visitors can simply drive to Bowen.

The trail was created to encourage visitation after Cyclone Debbie. Visibility is the limiting factor: from 2 m after wind to 7–8 m in ideal conditions, and poor after the late-November/December coral spawn. Early mornings are calmest and make parking easier.

With a patrolled beach, cafe and simple entry, Horseshoe Bay is a good family snorkel and an easy, fishy shore dive.

Bowen is on the Bruce Highway about 2.5 hours' drive south-east of Townsville and about 1 hour north of Airlie Beach/Proserpine. The town's northern beaches – Queens Beach, Horseshoe Bay, Murray Bay, Rose Bay and Grays Bay – lie on the headland north-east of the town centre, reached via the Lower Don Road/Soldiers Road and signposted beach turn-offs near the Bowen aerodrome. For Horseshoe Bay, take the Lower Don Road to the left as you approach the aerodrome and follow the beach signs.

There is a car park above the beach with a cafe; arrive early, as it fills on weekends and holidays. It is a short walk (under 50 m) down to the sand. The beach is patrolled by Surf Life Saving Queensland on weekends and holidays.

Enter from the sand and swim to either rocky side.

Bowen's bays sit on the northern side of a headland, which shelters them from the prevailing south-east trades, but strong south-westerlies and northerlies make them choppy. Visibility is typically 2–8 m – down to 2 m after high wind, 7–8 m in ideal calm conditions – and it deteriorates after coral spawning (late November–December) and wet-season rain when the Don River discolours the water. Dive in the morning before the sea breeze, on a calm day at high-tide slack.

Marine stinger season (box jellyfish and Irukandji) runs roughly November to May – wear a full-length stinger suit or wetsuit with hood and gloves, carry vinegar. Cyclone season November–April; tropical lows and cyclones can close sites and damage coral (TC Yasi 2011, TC Debbie 2017). Cyclone Debbie (2017) crossed near Bowen and damaged delicate coral in the bays.

NQUEC flags strong south-westerly winds as the problem for Horseshoe Bay.

Swim out along one rocky wall exploring the cracks and gutters near shore, cross the sand at about 5 m using sand ripples for orientation, and return along the other wall. Visit the Bywa sculpture near the shore.

No dedicated dive shop in Bowen at time of research – divers dive independently or with NQUEC club trips; nearest dive centres and air fills are in Airlie Beach (e.g. Whitsunday Dive Adventures).