You don’t have to be a certified diver to come face-to-face with some of the sea’s most fascinating creatures. In fact, in some destinations, you can simply wade from the sand into the shallows with your mask and snorkel and enjoy some incredible marine life encounters.
From gazing upon colorful cichlids in Malawi to wading out to spy rare aquatic mammals near protected reefs in Egypt, here is our guide to the very best places in the world to snorkel.
1. Lady Elliot Island, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Best for coral and manta rays
The Great Barrier Reef‘s southernmost coral cay, Lady Elliot Island offers some of the best snorkeling in Australia and is known for its manta rays, nesting sea turtles, and eco-credentials.
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Explore a seabed of coral gardens and abundant marine life, including giant manta rays, barracudas and leopard sharks. The shallow lagoon fringing the eastern side of the island is best for families and beginners, while the coral gardens on the western side have deeper waters ideal for the more seasoned snorkeler.
Sitting in one of the Great Barrier Reef’s “Green Zones,” a “no-take” area where destructive behavior is prohibited, Lady Elliot Island enjoys the highest level of environmental protection. That’s one of the reasons the humpback whales that migrate through these waters between June and October keep returning.
2. Fernando de Noronha, Brazil,
Best for warm waters with great visibility
A volcanic archipelago off Brazil‘s northeast coast, Fernando de Noronha is a fiercely protected eco-wonderland, favored by naturalists and marine biologists, with a rugged coastline and diverse ecosystems.
It’s renowned for its undeveloped beaches and unparalleled snorkeling. With visibility reaching up to 40m (131ft) in its warm, emerald waters, you can spot sea turtles, rays, lemon and reef sharks. The beach also has the highest concentration of resident spinning dolphins in the world.
At Baía do Sancho, considered by many to be the most beautiful beach in Brazil, the sandy seafloor allows boats to stop without damaging the coral. Other good snorkeling points include Baía dos Porcos, Sueste, Morro de Fora, and Porto, with its accessible shipwrecks teeming with marine life.
3. Thumbi, Malawi
Best for colorful fish
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