place for excellent snorkeling
Replies: 13 - Last Post: Dec 17, 2012 8:39 PM Last Post By: laberge
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place for excellent snorkeling
hi there,sort or running out of places to go here. spent like 6 months in total diving & snorkeling in SEA. Now looking for a little tropical paradise (a new country?) to go to with a decent reef in front of our bungalow (could be 'anywhere' in the world but since we only got 2 weeks this time it should be easy to reach from Europe; January - April 13).
Accommodation should be decent (fan, flushing toilet.. idially a bungalow directly on a calm beach ..)
Snorkeling should be OFF THE BEACH and compare to:
Sipadan and Surin Islands (but with proper accommodation )
Bunaken (but with proper beach)
Banda Islands (but easy to reach)
Ko Phi Phi-Long Beach (but with less people on the beach)
that kind of thing..
something like Malapascua or Perhentian Islands just with much better snorkeling
thought of the Maldives. looking at $$$, the chosen island and resort would need to be perfect and have an EXCELLENT housereef. also would not mind staying on an island beeing a little bigger, offering a little more possibilities - (going for a hike, maybe try annother restaurant, sneaking into the jungle.. :)
how would Seychelles, Belize, Mexico, Dominican Republic compare? any decent snorkeling there?
any ideas?
Andrea
1
Hi - there's some excellent snorkeling (and diving, if you're interested!) at Vilamendhoo in the Maldives. The reef goes all the way round the island and is fantastic - plus, the marine reserve park is close by so there's a chance of manta rays, and whale sharks on a specific trip! Not something to be missed. Kuredu is also very good and a bit cheaper.As expected in the Maldives, both resorts were perfect :)
3
thought about Palawan surfboy. but I read that for (the good) snorkeling you need to take boattrips?if not, could you recommend a specific island/beach/resort?
4
Yes you would need to take day trips out to the Islands but not expensive.Another option would be Moalboal in philippines, wonderful snorkeling and about 10 km of beach to do it on..
5
I was on Mahe in the Seychelles and I would say it's a no for off the beach snorkelling. All our diving was boat based. However, the other islands might have reefs closer to shore.6
@surfboy: been to Moalboal this year. was okay, would not revisit thoughwant to be based on a beach/island where you do not NEED to take boat trips to see great stuff below surface (doesn't matter if this is big or small stuff as long as there is plenty to keep on occupied watching); want to be independant..
8
oh okay, was aware of fantastic diving, but there is also great snorkelling off the beach???though, the beach itself is not the sandbeach type we usually think of, is it? thats why I did not consider Bali
did some really great diving and snorkeling so far, often put up with long boattrips, non existing beaches, bad accommodation etc would love to change this this time and get as close as possible to 'perfect'.. hey, its my bloody holiday :)
9
Well the best diving Ive seen in anywhere in SEA has been in Indonesia. maybe look in that direction..12
My suggestion: Cabilao. There's a beach - maybe not the very greatest, but at least a stretch of sandy beach -, there is slope and drop off reef with very good diversity in short walking distance from the Polaris dive center, which I found quite okay when I was there (2002) and heard it got even better since then. And Cebu / Mactan international airport is not far. Polaris will come to pick you up if you book them (at least they did when I was).What I liked best was the reeftop at high tide, right outside the Polaris. It's like the best of coral reef and muck diving in one place, in 1 to 2 meters of water. Need a good eye to see the critters though.
Have you been to Mabul? Then could you perhaps answer here ? Thank you!
13
Grand Cayman at Seven Mile Beach or various beaches off Maui but accommodations aren't cheap. Some locations in Cuba too.
