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Adventures

Top Snorkeling Destinations for Ultimate Ocean Exploration

15 Oct 2024

There are more ways to enjoy the beaches, apart from swimming or sunbathing and snorkeling is one of them. It is a good substitute for scuba diving, which usually requires you to have a license to dive. In both cases, you will have eye masks, so you can see clearly underwater and fins as your footwear so you can swim more comfortably. But the main difference between them is the breathing apparatus, which in the case of snorkeling is a snorkel that allows you to breathe under the surface of water offering you fresh air, while in the case of scuba diving you will get air to breathe through oxygen tanks tied to your backs. This means that you will require much more training to scuba dive, to use the equipment correctly, than to learn snorkeling.

Not just a dip

Yes, there are beaches along the edges of most continents, but the opportunity to snorkel is limited to a few. If this is the main activity you are interested in, you should find out if the right equipment will be available to hire. Also, there should be something worth looking at like marine plants like coral reefs, underwater rocks, and of course sea creatures. If you are traveling with your family, all of you will be able to enjoy snorkeling together, as there is no minimum age limit but you will need to look after your young ones if you are not sure about what they will get up to. Here we list some destinations across the world that will make your underwater exploration dreams come true.

Baa Atoll in the Maldives for Manta Rays

This atoll, which is a biosphere reserve, consists of 3 atolls of different sizes, the atolls being horseshoe-shaped islands with a lagoon in the middle. Apart from the accommodations, the villas over the seas, activities like snorkeling are the main attractions here. You will find more than one tour operator to assist you with anything. They will tell you the right time of the day when large fish like Manta Rays come to the surface, so you don’t have to dive deep to take a look at them swimming. They will even take you on boat rides for a day to different snorkeling sites, so you can enjoy a range of views. They will even make arrangements for after-dark snorkeling.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia for coral reefs

This reef is one of the natural wonders of the world, largely due to its size, spread over hundreds of kilometers with hundreds of coral islands. If you want to see these for yourself, you will need to get to Queensland in Australia, next to the Coral Sea, to a coastal city like Cairns. You will have a choice of boats, small or large and some of the tour operators have stationary platforms over the sea, from which you can jump and get close to the sea life underneath. Apart from this, you will either stop at a point, get into your gear, dive into an area covered with nets, or get to a small island for the same. Your meals will be taken care of onboard and the guides will be pointing out important parts of the reef. As for snorkeling, you will be expected to swim close to the surface.

Koh Tao Island, Thailand for turtles

This island in the Gulf of Thailand offers a lot of attractions for the tourists and one of them is snorkeling. There are more than a few beaches and bays where you will find tour operators ready with the gear and the guides. You can choose between half-day and full-day tours, or choose among the morning and afternoon tours. To reach the island itself, you will have to reach Koh Samui airport, one of the larger islands in the region and then you should get ready for a ferry ride of over 3 hours, which will prepare you for what is to come. Among the various life forms, you will come across turtles as you snorkel.

Punta Mita, Mexico for underwater caves

If you are an American looking for a snorkeling adventure in Mexico, you should come to Punta Mita, on the tip of a peninsula on the Pacific coast. It rains here when it is summer up north, so you will be able to enjoy good temperatures when it is cold up there, with seasonal flights to Mexico to bring you here. It is close to Puerto Vallarta but is not a major tourist destination like it, offering you a lot of privacy so you can focus on snorkeling. There are islands close by offering you underwater caves for this activity, which you can reach through boat rides.

Florida Keys, Florida for shipwrecks

This archipelago consists of a few small islands and is at the southernmost point of the USA. You will have the option of choosing one of these islands for your snorkeling adventure. You will also get to choose whether you go to the beaches or try a boat ride to take you to a spot where you will have something interesting to see like a shipwreck. You will come across sea creatures large like Manatees, the sea cows, totally vegan, and small colorful fishes that swim as a bunch. Most tourists come here as groups and there are numerous tour operators offering from budget trips to luxury tours.

Conclusion

If you are curious about underwater life, snorkeling will be the simplest activity that will allow you to see them without much training or effort. All you need to know is how to swim and you will snorkel in the presence of an expert ever ready to help you with your needs. Here we have suggested some destinations that are ranked very high in terms of the snorkeling experience they offer.

By FlightsChannel Team
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Featured Blog
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