Are you looking to do some snorkeling on your vacation? If so, read on to learn about the top 8 snorkeling destinations in the world.
The average American worker gets about ten vacation days a year.
That’s a small amount of time to take big advantage of. You may already be planning how to best take advantage of your window of free time this year. If you’ve already seen museums, hiked mountains, and dined abroad, you may be on the hunt for something new and adventurous.
The snorkeling industry is exploding in popularity, as new tech innovations in snorkeling gear make it more enjoyable for families to dive underseas. Thinking about taking a snorkeling trip for your next family vacation? You’ll want to know where to head.
Read on, and we’ll walk you through the eight best snorkeling spots around the globe.
1. The Coral Triangle
If you’re going to be diving into the blue abyss, you’re likely doing so to explore the amazing underwater marine life. It makes sense then to travel to the most diverse biological region of the world, and The Coral Triangle is exactly that.
The region stretches from Eastern Borneo across the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. It is the most biodiverse region of marine life on the planet.
Seventy-five percent of coral species in the world call the Coral Triangle home (hence the name). And 2,000 different species of reef fish make their home among the coral structures. These coral structures are located just below the surface of the water, making it an easy and amazing trip for snorkelers.
2. Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a remote region located on the coast of Brazil. With the exception of a few towns and hotels along the coast, the area remains mostly untouched. Surrounded by wild forests and beautiful beaches, it can be the perfect place for a real adventure.
When it comes to snorkeling, Ilha Grande provides the goods. Beautiful blue waters are filled with fish of colorful variety, with seahorses and turtles to boot. The wildlife of the coast of Brazil is diverse and beautiful, as are the natural underwater structures.
A special and unique feature to Ilha Grande: sunken ships. Shipwrecked remnants of Portuguese and pirate ships rest below the surface, creating a sight that you truly won’t forget.
3. Silver Bank
The waters at Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic offer an opportunity almost nowhere else in the world does. At Silver Bank, human snorkelers can swim alongside majestic humpback whales for an unusual family vacation.
The Silver Bank is a slim region of water located in the Caribbean Sea that large ships are not allowed to pass through. This makes it a safe area for humpback whale populations to reside and repopulate.
Humpback whales are large and amazing creatures to be able to experience up close. But if you want to see them, you’ll need to be in the area during their mating season: approximately December to April of each year.
4. The Great Barrier Reef
If you were already familiar with one snorkeling destination, it was probably this one. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s most iconic and famous underwater locations, but it isn’t without reason.
With 2,300 kilometers of reef ecosystem, there’s a lot to explore. The reef itself is nearly half a million years old and is home to a huge range of creatures from fish, to turtles, and octopuses to crabs.
The warm water off the coast of Austrailia makes it enjoyable swim for most snorkelers, and the on-land accommodations are obviously plentiful. You may want to see the reef sooner rather than later, as well. Scientists are sadly predicting that climate change may eradicate the great reef by as soon as 2050.
5. The Big Island
All of Hawaii is surrounded by amazing snorkeling spots. But if you have to visit just one, The Big Island has a lot to offer.
The Big Island gets its namesake from, as you may have guessed, its size. It’s larger than all the other islands put together.
It also has quite a bit of history. If you snorkel off the peak of Kealakekua Bay, for example, you’ll be swimming in the same waters that Captain Cook went through when he first landed on the island.
They’ll be nary a boring moment under the gorgeous Hawaiian waters. The water itself is filled with a diverse range of aquatic life, including dolphins. And coral reefs surround the island on all sides, meaning no matter where you settle, a perfect spot is close by.
6. Key Largo
If you don’t want to have to leave the country to go snorkeling, then Key Largo might be the perfect spot for your trip.
A quick hike down to Florida is all you need to enjoy the beautiful waters and brilliant undersea experience. The Molasses Reef, the most well-known part of the region, is home to nursing sharks, stingrays, tortoises, and all kinds of aquatic life.
With the money you save on airfare, you can invest in snorkeling tech to make your trip even more enjoyable, like a wetsuit or Ninja Shark snorkeling mask.
7. Palau
If you want a truly one of a kind snorkeling experience, head to the waters of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean.
Jellyfish Lake is an open snorkeling area of the region, and it more than lives up to its name as home to millions of golden floating jellyfish. While many jellyfish can be harmful to humans, this variety is non-poisonous and their stings can barely be felt by humans.
Swimming with millions of these golden creatures can be an experience that is truly unforgettable.
The Best Snorkeling Destinations
Snorkeling can be a way to see the world in a new and amazing way. It can be the perfect family vacation or solo venture, and you can’t go wrong with any of the locales mentioned above. With the right location and snorkeling gear in hand, you’re guaranteed to have an incredible trip to great places to snorkel.
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