Discover the best places in the world to snorkel on board an explorer yacht charter

With more than 70 percent of the planet’s surface area covered by the ocean, and up to 80 percent of all earthly life located in it, there really is no shortage of remarkable creatures to encounter when diving beneath the surface. 

Rest assured too, that no matter what your level of experience, as long as you can swim, the ocean’s bounty is within your reach. Simply put on a mask and snorkel (and perhaps also a pair of flippers) and effortlessly float through some of the world’s most tranquil waters, experiencing the natural beauty of the underwater world without the heavy equipment or time-consuming certification involved in scuba diving.

Be sure to avoid contact with all marine life, including the reef. Coral wounds can be incredibly painful and hard to heal in hot and humid climates. Check to see if you need to cover up with full length rash guards and/or gloves to protect your skin from swaying fire coral, stinging jellyfish and even some plankton. Extra protective layers will also protect you from the sun and, in some areas, are more respectful to the local communities. Covering your shoulders is anyway highly recommended as over a couple of hours this area can burn terribly if left exposed. 

Not only does an explorer charter vessel provide the perfect platform for accessing those hard-to-reach locations, but their facilities also include everything required to ensure the most comfortable snorkeling experience possible. Whether you are looking to go further with the aid of a SeaBob, to take the tender to a snorkeling hot spot, or looking to stay close to shore, their experienced crew will know the best snorkeling spots and will have the best tips on how to make the most of your snorkeling experience. 

Once back on board you can also take advantage of all the welcoming facilities, which might range from a warming sauna, a relaxing massage, to a spa pool and perhaps a viewing window to revisit your findings with fellow guests, sundowner to hand. Burgess charter experts reveal their top recommendations on where to snorkel while cruising aboard an explorer charter yacht below. 

The nooks and crannies of the more than 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays on the Great Barrier Reef make perfect homes for a vast array of exotic marine life. A thousand fish species, along with a handful of sea turtle species, inhabit what is in fact the largest reef in the world. What is more, just over half the species of fish that live along the Great Barrier Reef can be discovered in easy-to-access snorkelling spots located just off the beaches. 

Don’t miss … The riot of brightly hued coral at Heron Island, located towards the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. The late Jacques Cousteau named the Heron Bommie off Heron Island one of his top ten favourite diving sites in the world.  

Don’t miss… The extinct sunken volcanic cone known as the Devil’s Crown, with a kaleidoscope of underwater coral reefs which attract a myriad variety of fish, sea turtles, reef sharks and eagle rays.  

Don’t miss…The underwater cave at Thunderball Grotto, located to the west of Staniel Cay.  Great for snorkeling, the waters are home to a myriad of brilliantly coloured coral reefs that attract exotic marine life including yellow-tail snappers, angel fish and the like. Enter at the ebb tide (low) with snorkeling equipment.  

Don’t miss… The entirety of the Baa Atoll is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Simply don your mask and snorkel and jump into the shallow, clear waters and swim with protected manta rays, whale sharks, docile reef sharks and sea turtles. Visibility is generally best during the dry season from December to April, but the marine life can still be wonderful through the rainy season, although sea conditions then are less predictable and the visibility less swimming pool-like. 

The calm waters of the Bora Bora Lagoon are home to coral gardens and a comprehensive range of marine life including triggerfish, colourful wrasse, surgeon fish, angel fish, parrotfish, and more.  Adventurous snorkelers will find that the outer reef off the Teavanui Pass is stuffed with a stunning array of both hard and soft corals which play host to both manta and sting rays, friendly black-tip reef sharks and shy lemon sharks.  

Don’t miss… The pastel coral garden off the southern end of Motu Pitiaau and Motu Piti Uuuta, nicknamed the ‘Aquarium’.  

Don’t miss…The Japanese Gardens, a dive site littered with granite boulders covered with hard and soft coral that host spectacular aquatic life.  

Explore the underwater world through your mask and see dream-like coral structures; and swim with turtles, sharks, lionfish, rays and eels, and discover clownfish in their anemone and reef flats covered by giant clams. No matter where you snorkel in the Red Sea, you will encounter an array of colourful life lying just beneath the surface.  

Don’t miss…The opportunity to explore the reef under the light of the moon (full moon of course recommended for the best visibility), with the glow of bioluminescent plankton.  

The extraordinarily biodiverse waters here contain approximately 75 percent of all the known coral species in the world – making for literally perfect coral reefs with both hard and soft corals and endless marine life. Calm bays and crystal-clear waters are ideal for all levels of snorkelers. Drift with the current alongside more than 1,000 different species of fish, manta rays, sharks and green and hawksbill sea turtles.  

Don’t miss… The network of channels and bays that make up Manta Sandy and Manta Ridge are amongst the most popular snorkeling sites in Raja Ampat. The underwater topography is ideal for plankton and therefore the most likely place to find manta rays and whale sharks.