Nothing beats dipping your head underwater to explore the best islands for snorkeling in the world—the vast array of whimsical marine creatures and landscapes never ceases to amaze and delight ocean lovers.
When you consider the ocean’s scientifically proven healing power, there’s no doubt that a snorkel session can provide instant relaxation and peace.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, consider hitting the reset button with a snorkeling trip before returning to the hustle and bustle of daily life. We cover the best islands for snorkeling, from over-water bungalows to swirling seas of tropical fish, dolphins, and manta rays.
We have a remote Asian island, a Hawaiian beach resort, a sparkling lagoon in French Polynesia, and so on.
21 Best Islands for Snorkeling You Should Explore
The Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are truly unique and one of the best islands for snorkeling because of their endemic wildlife, which is extremely tame due to a lack of predators.
You can easily rent snorkeling equipment and dive into the waters off the beaches of San Cristóbal, but make time for a day trip or two because some of the best snorkeling is only accessible by boat.
Many of the Galápagos’ iconic creatures, such as marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions, live on Espanola Island, a two-hour boat ride away.
To truly experience the best snorkeling, book a week-long cruise with Ecoventura—voted one of the best expedition ships in the world for daily snorkel excursions off several remote islands.
Where to stay: For those seeking a central location with access to various snorkeling sites, Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island is an excellent choice. If tranquility and proximity to pristine snorkeling sites are your priorities, then Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island is an ideal destination.
Loreto Mexico
Because of their rich biodiversity, the waters surrounding this sleepy Mexican town have been dubbed the “world’s aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau. Loreto Bay National Marine Park, which consists of five islands, has some of the best places for snorkeling.
Dive for blooming coral and an estimated 900 fish species, and on lucky days, meet mobula rays, bottlenose dolphins, friendly seals, turtles, and other sea creatures. Danzante Island is a popular snorkeling destination, and you can frequently hear the haunting calls of humpback whales underwater.
Where to stay: Villa del Palmar on the Islands of Loreto, with its sprawling 39,000 square spa, is ideal for rejuvenation in between lazy dips in the water.
Curaçao
Curaçao is the largest of the ABC islands, sister to Aruba and Bonaire and definitely one of the best islands for snorkeling.
There are over 30 beaches, but one of the best places for snorkeling is the sheltered bays on the west coast. Make a point of snorkeling at the Tugboat shipping wreck, which is only 15 feet deep and covered in tube sponges and coral.
Head north to Playa Lagun to meet the island’s sea turtles; Curaçao Underwater Park has more shallow wrecks with over 30 species of hard coral.
Where to stay: Your stay at Sandals Royal Curaçao includes guided snorkeling excursions, equipment, and boat rides to the island’s best spots.
Bonaire
As the world’s first Blue destination, Bonaire was a pioneer in coral conservation, and as a result, snorkelers can enjoy some of the world’s most flourishing reefs. To access the Bonaire National Marine Park, which spans the Caribbean island’s entire coastline, all snorkelers must pay a yearly nature fee of $40.
Fortunately, 1000 Steps Beach is only 70 limestone steps away, and it’s a popular snorkeling destination with abundant staghorn corals, silly parrot fish, and crystal-clear waters. Don’t miss the Alice in Wonderland dive site, which is home to gorgonian corals, glittering tropical fish, and sea turtles.
Where to stay: Harbour Village Beach Club is an oceanfront boutique retreat just feet from the best snorkeling spots on Bonaire.
Hengchun, Taiwan
Come to Kenting National Park, Taiwan’s first national park, for the warm waters and snorkeling. Head west to Wanlitong, a more tranquil snorkeling location with coral reef ditches, valleys, pinnacles, and tunnels. Hide and seek with adorable anime-like nudibranchs and clouds of small wrasse and sergeant majors once there.
Baishawan, one of the Life of Pi filming locations, is only a ten-minute drive away and features white-sand beaches and clear waters with occasional dolphin sightings.
Where to stay: Chateau Beach Resort is conveniently located near many beaches, just a five-minute walk from Dawan Beach and a short drive from several others.
Rangiroa, Tahiti
Drift with Tiputa Pass’s famously friendly wild bottlenose dolphins and tornados of reef fish at the ‘Aquarium,’ a popular snorkeling spot. Take a day trip to the Blue Lagoon to enjoy a traditional Polynesian grilled meal surrounded by swarms of silvery fish hoping to catch a crumb.
Swim with dozens of black-tip reef sharks right from your dining table in the warm waters of the baby shark nursery.
Where to stay: Stay in an overwater bungalow at Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa and snorkel from your room into the crystal turquoise lagoon.
Mauritius
Blue Bay Marine Park is an excellent starting point for exploring the underwater treasures of this independent island nation east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The visibility is nearly perfect, and you can snorkel right from the beach, making it ideal for beginners.
Angelfish, damselfish, parrotfish, and clownfish, among other colorful exotics, can be found in the park. Remember to look up from time to time to see planes landing and taking off from the architecturally impressive Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
Where to stay: Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa guests have access to exclusive snorkeling at its private island—Ilot Mangénie—less than an hour’s drive northeast.
Mikura-Jima, Japan
Take the 7.5-hour overnight ferry to the remote island of Mikura-jima—it’s well worth the trip. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can snorkel with wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. It’s 124 miles south of Tokyo.
The waters of this remote island are choppy, making it only suitable for experienced snorkelers. The season for dolphin snorkeling runs from mid-April to October.
Where to stay:Accommodations, meals, dolphin swimming tours (with videography), and a village tour are all included in the Tamami HASHIMOTO homestay.
Ilha Grande, Brazil
Ilha Grande, almost exactly halfway between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, is heaven on earth—somewhat untouched, still, with lush green jungle, turquoise water, and a completely relaxed vibe.
Snorkeling here may include exploring colonial-era shipwrecks, but first take a dip in the Lagoa Azul (think Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon), where water temperatures in the mid-to upper-70s provide the ideal habitat for seahorse.
Where to stay: Set on the calm Bay of Abraäo, for its authentic simplicity (candles and gas lights at night).
Palau
Palau, a country of 250 islands in the western Pacific, has dozens of unusual seawater marine lakes connected to the ocean via tunnels and channels. Only one, Jellyfish Lake on Eil Malk, is accessible and home to millions of—you guessed it—jellyfish.
Floating through swarms of these gelatinous creatures is an out-of-body experience, but don’t worry—their non-poisonous stings are barely felt.
Where to stay: Stay in an overwater bungalow at the Palau Pacific Resort on Koror, or board the Four Seasons Explorer, the brand’s liveaboard dive and snorkeling boat, which will be sailing for the first time in the region on October 1st, 2023.
Cayman Islands
The opportunity to snorkel at Stingray City, surrounded by a virtual fleet of 50 of the ocean’s most fascinating and friendly creatures, is one of the more unusual highlights of a trip to Grand Cayman Island.
Because the water is shallow (less than five feet deep) and clear, it is one of the best places for snorkeling for beginners. Visitors are given ray-appropriate treats, and snorkeling equipment is included in the admission price.
Where to stay: The ultra-luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman (their sushi restaurant, Taikun, is excellent).
Anguilla
Nestled among the best islands for snorkeling, Anguilla is a snorkeler’s paradise with water visibility of up to 100 feet.
There are numerous places to explore, but one standout is the massive coral gardens, some exceeding eight feet in height, off Great Dog Island, which is home to only feral goats. Here, you’ll encounter plenty of puffer fish and even a school or two of squid.
Where to stay: Though Anguilla is known for its flat terrain, rooms at Four Seasons Resort & Private Residences Anguilla sit atop small cliffs, providing rare island views over sprawling bays.
Turks & Caicos
Positioned among the best islands for snorkeling, the White House Reef Snorkel Trail is well-marked and a delight for anyone looking to encounter a barracuda, spiny lobster, or a harmless nurse shark or two.
Situated directly off Grace Bay Beach and protected by Bight Reef a mile offshore, it offers an immersive and captivating underwater experience.
From January to April, take a boat cruise out to the small island of Salt Cay to swim with migrating humpback whales.
Where to stay: Wymara Resort & Villas is located on Grace Bay Beach, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, with white-sand beaches and simple sophistication.
Kauai, Hawaii
It’s all about the opportunity to swim with graceful Green Sea Turtles in the waters of this lush Hawaiian island. Snorkeling is best from October to April, especially from Lawai Beach on the south shore.
There are also rainbow-colored Wrasses and Convict Tangs, which are some of the more unusual fish in the Pacific Ocean.
Where to stay: The Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach welcomes you with an authentic aloha spirit, ocean access to Coconut Beach’s golden sand, and a pre-pandemic renovation worth more than $35 million.
Whitsunday Islands, Australia
Situated among the best islands for snorkeling, Bait Reef in Whitsunday islands boasts some of the most spectacular coral formations on the planet. The most famous among them are The Stepping Stones, nearly 20 flat-topped pinnacles lined up like soldiers in formation on the reef’s southwest side.
Each rises from a depth of 80 feet to a height of three feet above the surface. They are entirely covered in coral. Keep an eye out for small tropical fish swarming around the tops of the stones.
Where to stay: The InterContinental Hayman Island Resort is unquestionably worth it for its sublime seclusion.
Moorea, French Polynesia
Moorea, often overshadowed by neighboring Tahiti and Bora Bora, is a hidden gem for and one of the best islands for sonorkeling. The best place to get up close and personal with black-tip reef sharks is in the lagoon facing Motu Irioa.
If you want to learn more about the area and its inhabitants, join a full-day tour group or hire a private guide and boat.
Where to stay: On the north shore, the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa has direct access to two beaches for snorkeling.
The Seychelles
The Seychelles, made up of 115 tiny islands, is one of the best snorkeling destinations in the Indian Ocean. We prefer La Digue, Félicité, and Coco for their diverse marine life, which includes surgeonfish, Bengal snappers, green humphead parrotfish, and gentle hawksbill sea turtles.
Where to stay: Nothing beats North Island for the ultimate private island escape.
Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Take a long-tail boat from Tonsai Pier on Koh Phi Phi Don to Pi Leh Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh. You’ll snorkel in incredibly clear, green water surrounded on both sides by 330-foot-tall limestone cliffs (keep in mind that the sun only shines on the water between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., so plan accordingly).
Where to stay: On Koh Phi Phi Don, stay at the opulent Zeavola resort.
Bora Bora French Polynesia
In the realm of the best islands for snorkeling, this destination stands out. Snorkeling here couldn’t be easier, with many properties offering over-water bungalow accommodations.
Don’t miss the waters off the main island’s southern tip, which are teeming with reef sharks, friendly stingrays, and colorful fish, not to mention the manta ray cleaning station on the east side at Anau..
Guests at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora have unlimited access to the resort’s private lagoon, which winds through the center of the resort. Sign up for the coral restoration activity with the resort’s marine biologists at Wise Ocean to dive underwater and plant coral.
Where to stay: The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora’s over-water.
The Maldives
Known for being one of the world’s most geographically dispersed countries, with a chain of 26 atolls and over 1,000 islands in the Indian Ocean, it’s unrivaled for underwater exploration, making it one of the best islands for snorkeling.
We’re hard-pressed to pick a top spot because each island is barely the size of a small estate in the Hamptons, but consider the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa—winner of multiple Readers’ Choice Awards—as your first stop.
Where to stay: After Kuda Huraa, take a 35-minute seaplane ride to Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru.
The Great Barrier Reef
Despite its popularity, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most visited destinations and deservedly one of the best islands for snorkeling on the planet. It is the world’s largest coral reef habitat, stretching over 2300 kilometres.
Snorkelers can easily reach a diverse selection of fish and coral on the reefs. While snorkeling in warm seas, you can see unrivalled underwater scenery.
According to scientists, climate change could lead to its extinction by 2050 because of rising carbon dioxide levels warming the waters and changing the pH. level, bleaching the reef’s corals to death.
Where to stay: Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns is a great place to stay.
Conclusion
The world offers best islands for snorkeling, each with its unique marine life and underwater landscapes.
From the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives to the vibrant coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, snorkeling enthusiasts have a plethora of options to explore.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced snorkeler, these top islands provide an unforgettable underwater experience. So pack your snorkel gear and get ready to discover the beauty that lies beneath the waves.