Best Diving and Snorkeling Spots Across The World

I have always been intrigued by the underwater world and the life in our oceans. Our oceans and seas are home to some of the most beautiful life forms on earth. For decades now, scuba divers and snorkeling enthusiasts throng to the seas not just to witness those colourful life forms but also to experience the most serene surroundings on our planet. It is the calm realisation of self-existence we feel while snorkeling and scuba diving that pulls us to the oceans, besides our intrigue about the vast range of life under water. In the first part of this series of articles, ten bloggers share their favorite snorkeling and scuba diving spots across the world.

Bay Of Pigs, Cuba – Sarah Carter, ASocialNomad

Dive the Bay of Pigs, Cuba and you’ll be diving into history as well as the Caribbean sea. Here you’ll find clear water and an abundance of fish, a great wall to explore and a superb sense of history.The Bay of Pigs is the location of the failed US invasion of Cuba in 1967. It’s around 3 hours south-east of Havana and can be visited on a dive or snorkel trip from Havana or the main resort area of Varadero. It’s much better, though, to stay in a local casa particular in either Playa Giron or Playa Larga. Most diving in Cuba, and here is no exception, is cheap because you dive (or snorkel) from the shore. So no boat trip. Just a gentle jump into the water. You’ll pay US$25 a dive and diving happens here in the morning. Equipment and guides are provided and included in the price. If you’re a novice you can even take a taster dive for an additional US$10. It’s a fabulous experience, diving and snorkelling here. It won’t break the bank, the water is clear,
the folks are friendly and diving into history is an experience in itself!

Read more about this amazing experience here and follow the thrilling journey of Sarah Carter and Nigel Dockerty on ASocialNomad.  They like to travel slow, eat and drink local. You’ll find them in museums, on wine tours, hiking trails and exploring temples. Or, you can catch up with them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina – Owen Ter, My Turn To Travel

Puerto Madryn lies on the eastern coast of Argentina and is the mecca of diving activities in Argentina. Due to its proximity to Punta Loma, a rookery of Southern Sea Lions, it is also a popular place to snorkel and dive with sea lions in South America. Sea lions are territorial on land and violent with trespassing humans, but underwater, they are inquisitive and friendly creatures. You can touch, play and even kiss the sea lion pups! The good thing is that only 3 dive groups are allowed in the protected reserve at one time, so it does not get too crowded. There are many tour operators in the Patagonian town and it helps to shop around before committing as some operators may push you to go for the more expensive drysuit option, or do not include photos in the price. For non-swimmers, fret not. The neoprene suit provides positive buoyancy and maintains body heat; therefore, it is not a requirement to know how to swim. Follow the journey of Owen Ter on facebook and twitter.

Vancouver, Canada – Hannah Logan, Eat Sleep Breathe Travel

One of the most unique snorkeling opportunities I have ever had was in West Vancouver, Canada. A local scuba diving company, Sea Dragon Charters, offers visitors the chance to snorkel with the local seals in the Howe Sound. I visited in August; the perfect time of year because the weather was warm (for Vancouver) and it was seal pup season. Tiny, fluffy pups stretched out across the rocks beside their protective mom’s, curiously watching as we bobbed in the water nearby. A few older, braver seals got in the water with us; swimming around and underneath, popping up for a quick peek before ducking away. They were as curious about us as we were of them. The tour took us to three separate viewing spots for the seals, and at each one we found more of the curious creatures. I was one of the best snorkel activities I have ever had, especially seeing the precautions made by the crew to ensure that the seal’s safety and comfort was the number one priority. It was an ethical and eco-friendly encounter that I highly recommend to any ocean lovers headed to Vancouver.

Catch up with Hannah through her blog and social media : Facebook, Twitter.

Moorea, French Polynesia – Chris Roman, Explore Now or Never

The water in French Polynesia is so crystal clear that you could almost skip the dive or snorkel gear and just look down instead! Moorea is a convenient hour-long ferry ride over from Tahiti, where your international flight will no doubt be arriving. With wide reefs and warm, shallow waters, it’s easy to get up close and personal with up to 200 species of tropical fish as well as stingrays and black-tip reef sharks. (You’ll even see little shark babies clinging to their mom’s stomachs!) White sandy beaches and turquoise waters abound. To maximize your snorkeling experience, consider a morning or afternoon at The Lagoonarium, a protected area just off the coast, where they feed the fish, sharks, and stingrays daily in the coral garden twice a day. For many, it ranks as their #1 snorkel experience. Bring a picnic lunch or buy one there. Nap in a sweet private beach hut between dives.

For more about what to do on Moorea, see this post. Chris Román blogs on restorative travel for busy professionals at https://explorenowornever.com. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook.

Bora Bora – Amy, Out Chasing Stars

Our idea of Bora Bora prior to visiting was that it was going to be a tourist trap;expensive and not worth the hype.  It is expensive, but we found Bora Bora to be worth all the hype when we passed through on our sailboat in 2016.  What makes it so worthwhile is the life under the water. We did two dives in Bora Bora, and many, many snorkels.  The water is crystal clear in most places.  The coral reefs are very healthy despite an active tourism industry nearby.  We swam with a wide variety of fish, but also swam with black-tip sharks, stingrays, and my absolute favorites, manta rays.  Bora Bora has a manta ray feeding station, and I visited twice while snorkeling and once on a dive.  Manta rays are a pleasure to swim with, as they are so graceful and majestic.  Their large cephalic fins that funnel krill into their mouths make them look other-worldly. Staying in one of Bora Bora’s over-water bungalow would just be a bonus!

Catch up with Amy through her blog and social media : Facebook and Youtube channel.

Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia – Natalie, Love & Road

Rio Da Prata, Brazil – Leanne Scott, The Globetrotter GP

Named as one of the best freshwater snorkelling destinations worldwide, it’s easy to see why. With an average visibility of around 50metres, a plethora of wildlife and a gentle current which gently carries you along a 90 minute stretch of 2 rivers in the Brazilian rainforest, this is not a snorkel trip you will forget in a hurry! The plant life resembles an underwater garden and there is a chance you will even see a caiman crocodile or even an anaconda! To be truthful, this terrified me a little initially but I was assured river otters are actually more dangerous to humans which made me feel a little better! The locals actually feel lucky if they get face to face with one of these beasts in the wild! This was easily one of the best snorkel trips I have taken and I would encourage anyone to check it out! To read more about Rio de Prata and other ecotourism activities in the area, see my post – Day trips from Bonito.

Follow Leanne and her journey through her blog and social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Similan Islands, Thailand – Greta Omoboni, Greta’s Travels

The Similan Islands are one of the best snorkelling spots in Thailand and the world. The Similan Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Southern Thailand, and can be visited on a day trip from Phuket. Depending on where in Phuket you are staying the journey can take up to 90 minutes by car to get to Pakarang Beach, where you then need to take a speed boat for 70 minutes. Journey times can become longer due to traffic and bad weather. The experience snorkelling in the Similan Islands is well worth the long journey to get there. The water in the Similan Islands is amongst the clearest and most turquoise I have ever seen, paired with white sandy beaches it’s a real tropical paradise. They’re also a perfect snorkelling spot since they are a protected national park, meaning there is abundant marine wildlife which isn’t scared of humans. While snorkelling in the Similan Islands we were also lucky enough to see turtles and snorkel with them.

Follow Greta on her blog and social media : Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Coron, Philippines – Noel Morata

Coron, Philippines is one of the most spectacular snorkel and diving spots in the Philippines. In fact the Palawan island chain is typically in many worldwide publications of a must visit place to explore. The pristine coral, tropical sea life and spectacular landscape stand out in Coron with striking islands, jagged limestone cliffs and the ocean is many shades of blue to aqua colors. Still underdeveloped from mass tourism, the islands around Coron are a fantastic experience to discover on the long boats or bancas which travel via set tours to the various islands. You can see more stunning images and highlights to visiting Coron here for more inspiration and details.

Follow Noel Morata through his photography blogs Noel Morata and Travel Buzz Media.

Sardinia – Claudia Tavani, My Adventures Across The World