13 Best Places to Snorkel in the World:
Reefs & Wildlife
Just imagine it.
Brilliant clear seas teeming with life. Tropical reefs, colourful fish and even some large animals like turtles, sharks and maybe whales or dolphins if you’re very lucky.
This is not a fantasy, it’s very real. Snorkelling opens the gateway to an underwater world filled with life. You don’t need to be an experienced diver to experience the underwater kingdom. A decent snorkel, some flippers and maybe a wetsuit if the waters are a bit cold, and you’re ready to go.
But where do you go?
You can snorkel pretty much anywhere it’s safe to do so. Anywhere the waters are calm. But you don’t want to snorkel just anywhere. The majority of the ocean is pretty empty. Even most of the bits that aren’t probably don’t interest you.
Life in the ocean is often found concentrated in a few places of great abundance, and this is where you want to go snorkelling. In this guide, we’ll talk you through the best places to snorkel in the world, so you don’t end up wasting your time floating around in the gloom.
The Best Snorkelling Spots in the World
The Maldives Snorkelling
The Maldives is a dream destination for many travellers. It’s a slice of decadence secreted away within the heart of the Indian Ocean. Part of The Maldives charm comes from the fact that it is essentially an oasis in the middle of the blue. That means it attracts marine life like a magnet. Surrounded by shallow coasts and reefs, The Maldives might just be the best place to snorkel in the world.
Whitehaven Beach Snorkelling
Whitehaven Beach is known for being a true slice of Australia paradise. Beneath the waves, the paradise stretches on, with exotic fish, vibrant corals and a variety of turtles and (harmless) sharks like reef sharks and lemon sharks.
Costa Rica Snorkelling
The waters of Costa Rica are teeming with life. You’ll find a vast array of large fish species here, including barracuda, snapper and parrotfish. Rays, turtles and sharks are all present here too, with Costa Rica being one of the best places in the world to swim with turtles.
Hawaii Snorkelling
Hawaii is a place like no other. There is so much beauty to see while snorkelling in the shallows around the islands, particularly Maui. The volcanic soils ensure rich and vibrant undersea life, while the nature of the Hawaiian coastline means that there are plenty of amazing reefs to explore right along the shore.
Crystal River Snorkelling, Florida
There is only one reason to go snorkelling in Florida's Crystal River, but that one reason makes this location one of the best places to snorkel in the world. Manatees are found in large numbers here. Gentle grass-eating mammals that float around lazily day-to-day, they’re a must-see.
Cancun Snorkelling, Mexico
Lush reefs packed full of exotic creatures ranging from vibrant turtles to scuttling lobsters, the seas around luxurious Cancun are a bounty just waiting to be discovered. A favoured holiday spot of travellers around the world, Cancun snorkelling opportunities only add to the allure of this world-class vacation hotspot.
French Polynesia Snorkelling
The bright blue waters surrounding the islands of French Polynesia are hard to resist. From Bora Bora to Tahiti, it doesn’t matter where you visit, dip beneath the surface and you'll find a world that is arguably more stunning than the lays along the shores of these picturesque islands.
Barbados, Caribbean Snorkelling
Like most islands across the Caribbean Sea, snorkelling around the coasts of Barbados can be a dream come true. What sets Barbados apart from the islands then? Really, you can take your pick, but the crystal clear waters, diverse range of wildlife and underwater scenery like rock formations and shallow-water shipwrecks make Barbados one of the best places to snorkel in the world.
Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling
Whitehaven Beach in Australia is a very specific hotspot for snorkelling, but in truth, there are so many other places along the Great Barrier Reef that have the potential to be amazing snorkelling destinations. While much of the Great Barrier Reef is located in deep water and not easily accessible by snorkelers, stick to the islands spread amongst the reef and you’ll be sure to find plenty of stunning snorkelling spots.
Bali Snorkelling
One of the rising stars of the Eastern Asia travel scene, Bali has fast-becoming one of the most popular destinations for tourism anywhere on the continent. The draw is often the serene landscapes and natural beauty of the island. This natural beauty is found both above and below the water, with the coasts around Bali offering some of the best snorkelling in the world.
Thailand Snorkeling
The islands of Thailand, Phi Phi, Koh Samui, the Similan Islands and Koh Tao to name but a few, are all isolated paradises that see their coasts coated in vibrant and tropical life. Being a popular destination, Thailand is one of the best snorkelling locations in the world for travellers who are looking to discover an underwater world alongside other travel experiences.
Sea of Cortez Snorkelling, Mexico
Snorkelling in the Sea of Cortez is a little different to the other options on this list. More often than not, the best snorkelling in the world takes you to shallow reefs covered in life. The Sea of Cortez though is all about deep water snorkelling. It’s about encountering megafauna like whale sharks, manta rays, sea lions and turtles. This makes it more seasonal than other locations, with the best snorkelling to be had between November and February.
Key West Snorkelling, Florida
Key West hosts the only living barrier reef in the entire continental United States. While it’s still part of America, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d taken a dive into the Caribbean, which isn’t surprising as Key West is actually as close to the equator as The Bahamas. Packed with tropical marine life, there’s an endless supply of snorkelling adventure across Key West.
How to Snorkel With Wildlife
Snorkelling with wildlife isn’t difficult to get right, but it’s also not difficult to get wrong. It’s important to remember that the animals you encounter often live in a delicate ecosystem and are attuned to very specific behaviours. Your outside intrusion can be quite harmful to wellbeing if you don’t make the effort to avoid being a disruptive presence in the ocean.
We’ll get to the point.
Observing Passive Behaviour
Passive behaviour is the best way to view wildlife as it is the best way to ensure you don’t change how they behave or intrude upon their world. It’s all about being a non-presence. There is no force involved here. No chasing animals for a closer look, or making sure you get in their way so they can’t avoid you. In the case of snorkelling, imagine you’re a log bobbing around on the water’s surface. You’re just part of the scenery, an object without agency. You exist only to observe what’s happening around you without any kind of influence.
Keep Calm in the Water
Relatively speaking, you’re a large animal when you enter the water. That means you have the potential to create a great deal of disturbance. The most common types of animals you’ll see when snorkelling are creatures like rays, fish and turtles. These are all prey animals. Splashing, quick movements and other disruptions are signs of a struggle. Prey animals are sensitive to this activity, as avoiding danger is vital to their survival. Disruptions can elicit responses that alter behaviour and distress animals. Keep calm while you snorkel and you’ll give these animals no reason to be alarmed.
Don’t Touch or Ride Animals
Touching coral (yes, coral is an animal) even gently can damage its protective layering enough to kill it. And while you may think patting a turtle on the back isn’t going to cause it much harm, did you know turtle shells are quite delicate? Marine animals are not used to being handled and touch can be distressing. You’ve also got to remember you’re not the only person snorkelling here. If you visit hotspots, there may be thousands of other snorkelers in the water over the year. If everyone is reaching out and touching the wildlife and coral, that’s a lot of potential damage.
Snorkelling with Dolphins: What You Should Know
It’s a dream of many to swim with dolphins. And of course, it is. Dolphins were voted the second most beloved animal in the world, after tigers. The problem with this dream is that we’ve come to realise that captive dolphins suffer immensely in their unnatural environment, which makes it impossible anyone who cares about dolphins to fund such places.
Where does this lead you? To the wild.
But wild dolphin swimming has its problems. And we’re not even talking about touchy tourists who don’t respect the boundaries of animals. No. In locations like Panama City Beach, dolphin snorkelling is common. It’s sold as its own package trip.
Which is unusual.
Dolphins are very rarely resident animals. They’re nomadic wanderers. They might stay close to certain areas, but to remain in one location as they do along Panama City Beach seems strange. And that’s because it’s not natural. A paper by Florida State University highlights how these animals are kept here through baiting and food, disrupting their natural behaviour. What’s worse is that because they’re relying on food from humans, they’re getting close to boats that smell of fish, leading to propeller strikes and injuries from fish hooks.
The dolphins shouldn’t be here, and it’s getting them into trouble.
Swimming with dolphins in the wild is possible. Just as it is possible to swim with whales. But it has to be managed properly. Snorkelling in locations known to have dolphins and enjoying a chance encounter is one thing, being promised the chance of seeing dolphins can be a red flag. There is a difference between a chance encounter and a guaranteed experience. If your snorkel tour claims to allow you to snorkel with dolphins, make sure you do your research on the location first.
