Coral and reef formations are great finds when snorkeling the warm waters of Caribbean and South Pacific destinations. But the real ooh’s and ahh’s come from wildlife encounters.
The photographers and diving experts at ISLANDS practically breathe saltwater, so we’ve asked them for their Top 10 Snorkeling Tips for Wildlife Encounters. Find out where they find the brightest fish and most playful creatures of the briny deep.
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Whale Sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
In the last few years, Isla Mujeres has become THE place to snorkel with whale sharks. These sharks are the antithesis of the “Jaws” image – think 25-foot-long puppy dogs of the sea and you’ll be close. Every year hundreds of these gentle giants congregate from June to August to slurp in the local fish spawn while about a hundred lucky snorkelers swim in their midst. See more ama ing a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/10-ama ing-snorkeling-spots-caribbean
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”Caribbean snorkeling spots./a [Photo by Tanya Burnett]Swimming with Dolphins, Bahamas
Summer’s calm seas make it easier to locate the resident dolphins that are primarily found in 20 to 30 feet of beautiful Bahamian water. This is a wholly different world from swimming with captive dolphins; here the dolphins call the shots, and it makes every moment unique. (Find out how to enjoy the Bahamas’ top resort, Atlantis, a href=”http://www.islands.com/blogs/money-saving-tip-atlantis-bahamas-affordable-vacation
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”while saving tons of money/a.) [Photo by Tanya Burnett]Stingray City, Grand Cayman
Perhaps the single most popular snorkel spot in the world is Stingray City a href=”http://www.islands.com/article/Best-Islands-to-Live-On-Grand-Cayman
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”in Grand Cayman/a. Any dive shop or resort can arrange to get you to this shallow sand bar with a jar of squid parts for the local deni ens. Rays soar in and suck bait from fingers using smell, not sight, which can lead to occasionally awkward but harmless encounters as they explore with their rubbery lips while snappers clean up the stray bits. The challenge is not losing your snorkel while laughing at the antics! (See the a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/snorkeling-top-10-must-see-caribbean-fish
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”top 10 must-see Caribbean fish/a.) [Photo by Tanya Burnett]Sea Turtles in Cayo Diablo National Park, Puerto Rico
Only a 20 minute boat ride from the Fajardo shore, Cayo Diablo straddles the border of the Atlantic and Caribbean sea. Stands of Elkhorn and Staghorn coral play host to countless tropicals, but the real reason snorkelers come to Cayo Diablo is for the sea turtles. They are almost always found la ing in the shallows – with “la y” being the operative word. (Download a href=”http://www.islands.com/wallpaper/snorkel-and-dive-puerto-rico
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”free wallpaper/a of Puerto Rico.) [Photo by Tanya Burnett]Humpback whales, Dominican Republic
Silver Bank is a remote bank 90 miles north of the Dominican Republic – with no beach or facilities in sight. But it’s the best place to swim with wild North Atlantic humpback whales that migrate to the Silver Bank to mate and calve. When floating above a male humpback singing to a female, you feel the experience as much as hear it. (Check out the a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/10-punta-cana-all-inclusive-surprises
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”best all-inclusives/a at Punta Cana.) [Photo by Tanya Burnett]Sea Lions, Galapagos Islands
From the town of Puerto Ayora on the main island of Santa Cru , take a boat ride to Pla a Sur, home to over a thousand sea lions. Jump off the boat into the shallow water and you’ll be an instant hit with the juveniles, who like to swim up for a closer look. (See our list of the a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/worlds-best-islands-snorkeling
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”25 best islands/a for snorkeling.) [iStock photo]Sharks, Bimini, Bahamas
Remember this advice from the amiable folks at Bimini Undersea Adventures: The more you free dive, spin around and act like a fish, the more likely you’ll be to end up looking a curious creature in the eye. Hopefully it’s a dolphin, but the Bahamas has its share of shark encounters too. (a href=”http://www.islands.com/wallpaper/snorkel-and-dive-bahamas-wreck
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”See wreck photos/a from another Bahamas dive adventure.) [Photo by Ty Sawyer]Les Medes Islands, Spain
You may not think of Spain as a snorkel destination, but tell that to the tiny Mediterranean town of L’Estartit on the main island’s Costa Brava, which boasts at least nine dive shops. They’ll probably inform you that the renowned archipelago of Les Medes, less than a mile offshore, has the richest marine life in the Med. (a href=”http://www.islands.com/wallpaper/canary-islands-0
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”See more photos/a of the Canary Islands.) [Photo by Shutterstock]Angelfish, Corn Islands, Nicaragua
The Caribbean still has secluded hideaways perfect for snorkeling – if you know where to look. Nicaragua’s Big Corn Island offers angelfish, southern stingrays, green morays and yellow fairy basslet fish that appear to swim upside down near overhangs. (See more hot spots on our list of the a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/worlds-best-islands-snorkeling
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”25 best islands for snorkeling/a.) [Photo by iStock]Menjangan Island, Bali
Long a favorite of scuba divers, Menjangan Island is part of the West Bali National Park system, which means that fishing and species collecting are not allowed. The island boasts calm waters year-round, but the best conditions are from April through November, when underwater visibility exceeds 100 feet. Get a href=”http://www.islands.com/gallery/worlds-best-snorkeling-and-scuba-diving-wallpaper
?src=SYNdom=huffpocon=022813″ target=”_hplink”more snorkeling photos/a to use as wallpaper. And see more of our editor’s “best” a href=”http://www.islands.com/best” target=”_hplink”picks for travelers/a. (Photo by Shutterstock]
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Islands: 10 Snorkeling Tips For Fish Fans
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