Snorkeling next to ocean giants like turtles, mantas, whale sharks, and even whales is one of those dreams every snorkeler shares. Whether you're snorkeling in Belize, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Tonga, or any of our awesome snorkeling destinations, there's a pretty good chance at least one of these beauties will come say hello. The important thing to remember now though is how to behave when this much anticipated moment happens. Here's a few tips on what to do and what not to do when we are snorkeling with large marine life. Stay Calm The most important thing to remember is to stay calm. If we start flapping about on the surface, either trying to swim faster or get our buddies attention, then there is a good chance our frantic movements will put off whatever creature has decided to grace us with it's presence. Do Not Swim at the Animal No matter how friendly and inquisitive the animal may seem, it's always a good idea to not swim directly at the animal. Instead, let the animal come to you if it is clear it is going to stay in the area for a bit. If you start swimming an a manta on the surface for example, it's going to spook and disappear. Even your pet dog or cat—an animal who is familiar with you—would do the same if you ran straight at it. Swim Parallel- Slow and Steady For creatures that that clearly have no intention of stopping, like a passing whale shark or mola mola, I suggest giving the animal a bit of space, five meters or so, and swim parallel with it in a steady pace. I've always found that if I let the the animal see me by swimming next to it the encounters are longer than if I'm
Snorkeling next to ocean giants like turtles, mantas, whale sharks, and even whales is one of those dreams every snorkeler shares. Whether you’re snorkeling in Belize, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Tonga, or any of our awesome snorkeling destinations, there’s a pretty good chance at least one of these beauties will come say hello. The important thing
GoPro cameras have become probably the most popular camera for snorkeling, and for a number or solid reasons. Their small size is perfect for traveling, not to mention all GoPro's from the Hero 5 on are waterproof to certain depths without a housing. That being said, it's wise to use a housing for added security. Even though the GoPro's are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand they pack a serious punch where image quality is concerned-both in the film and photo department as they offer 4K footage and a solid 12 megapixel photo with RAW format capabilities. However, despite all of these stellar specs and intuitive design—I see a lot of people struggling with their GoPro cameras in a variety of areas. So, to hopefully alleviate some of these camera issues to make your snorkeling experience better, I've put together a quick list of the most common problems I see with simple remedies. Here we go. I never edit my footage because I always have too much If you're one of those people who strap the GoPro on your wrist and swim around with your arm constantly extended like Mega man while the camera records the entirety of the snorkel session...herein lies your problem. It's a good idea to fall into the habit of pressing record only when you want to film something. Just by doing this you will then have a series of short clips which are easy to scroll though so you can find the exact moment you are looking for, rather than scrubbing through hours of dizzying footage. Everything I film looks so small and far away All GoPro's are equipped with a very wide fish eye lens which causes this effect. This is a good thing though as a really wide lens
GoPro cameras have become probably the most popular camera for snorkeling, and for a number or solid reasons. Their small size is perfect for traveling, not to mention all GoPro’s from the Hero 5 on are waterproof to certain depths without a housing. That being said, it’s wise to use a housing for added security.
Komodo is famous for a lot of things—most notably it's giant carnivorous lizards—which rule the uninhabited islands. As tourism started to grow in Indonesia people quickly learned that the Komodo Dragons were not the only thing unique to the area—and that it in fact had some of the most biodiverse marine life in the world. Diving and snorkeling became even more popular than the large terrestrial reptiles and now people are coming from all over the world to witness Komodo' underwater splendor. After spending years diving and snorkeling Komodo, we've put together a quick list of what we believe to be Komodo's best snorkeling sites. #5 Turtle City As you may have guessed, the site known as Turtle City is riddled with sea-turtles. The shallow protected hard coral reef has become a natural sanctuary for the large green sea-turtles and as snorkelers we can casually float above them as they go about their naps and enjoy the many cleaning stations where small cleaner fish peck off any parasites and algae from their shells. #4 Batu Bolong Batu Bolong is a small rock island in the middle of Komodo National Park where all sort of marine life congregate. It hosts one of the most immaculate and diverse reefs in the park and come just a few centimeters from the surface. Living within the reef is a massive colony of orange anthias who explode from the reef in a brilliant flurry. Larger marine life like tunas, giant trevallies, and the occasional pod of dolphin are all things that can be seen on this magical site. #3 Tatawa Besar If you like drifting over reef and just watching everything go by—you'll love Tatawa Besar. This elongated island is the perfect drift for snorkelers as it's fringed by another bustling shallow reef home to
Komodo is famous for a lot of things—most notably it’s giant carnivorous lizards—which rule the uninhabited islands. As tourism started to grow in Indonesia people quickly learned that the Komodo Dragons were not the only thing unique to the area—and that it in fact had some of the most biodiverse marine life in the world.
A lot of people wonder what type of wetsuit they need for a snorkeling trip, if any at all. My recommendation would be yes, no matter where you go snorkeling and how warm the water, purely for protection from the sun. But that's just me being hyper-aware of anything that involves being in the sun, as I happen to be 'blessed' with a skin type that turns a really awesome shade of reddish pink after several minute of sun, then right back to that shade of white that can only be described as pale after the peeling process is over. So yes, this blog is going to be all about what type of wetsuit you need for several different locations. Skin Suits and Rash Guard Best for warmer waters of if you just naturally run hot. These types of exposure suits are great for warmer waters as they really just protect you from the sun and the little stingers in the water, without letting you get too warm. The skin suits are great options as they are basically just a thin lycra material that will either be full body design or a long sleeve t-shirt you can wear with your swimming shorts. If you want to do a bit of freediving, this option is great as you won't need to pack along any extra weights to help you dive down since the lycra suit is neutrally buoyant. 1 mm Wetsuits Good for warmer waters or if you have a tenancy to get a bit chilly. The 1mm option will give you a bit of added protection if you happen to get a bit cold even in warmer waters, or if you plan to do a long snorkel session. If you intend to do0 some freediving I would recommend taking
A lot of people wonder what type of wetsuit they need for a snorkeling trip, if any at all. My recommendation would be yes, no matter where you go snorkeling and how warm the water, purely for protection from the sun. But that’s just me being hyper-aware of anything that involves being in the sun,
I have been very lucky to explore a huge variety of snorkel spots in asia – ranging from sparkling reef systems of all colors of the rainbow, to mangroves and drop offs into the deep blue. Snorkeling in Asia has so many remarkable options it is a real challenge knowing where to go and making sure you get the most out of your holiday abroad, so I have decided to list my top three favorite destinations to help you make the right decision on where to go next with Snorkel Venture: Komodo – Indonesia In a tiny corner of east Indonesia, cutting through the glassy waters of the Flores Sea the Komodo resorts is a hidden island gem, a well-kept secret that offers some of the best quality snorkel spots in asia. Everything can be found here – Manta Rays, reef sharks, schooling pelagics and weird and wonderful critters. The local islands are curious and home to the legendary Komodo Dragon. The Komodo Resort is a sensational place to relax and drink a cold beer after a day in the water. Our 9-day group snorkeling tour takes in the absolute best of what the Komodo Resort has to offer. 2.Wakatobi - Indonesia Wakatobi is slap bang in the middle of the coral triangle – an area famed for having some of the highest numbers of coral and fish species found anywhere else on the planet. Wakatobi is located on Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia’s tropical north and is an easy one-hour charter flight from Jakarta, the capital of the country. The countless number of snorkeling sites is mouthwatering; you are able to flexibly explore and snorkel all day (and even at night) until your heart is content. Combining the experience with the comfort and luxuries of an outstanding resort makes
I have been very lucky to explore a huge variety of snorkel spots in asia – ranging from sparkling reef systems of all colors of the rainbow, to mangroves and drop offs into the deep blue. Snorkeling in Asia has so many remarkable options it is a real challenge knowing where to go and making
