For sure is an absolute bucket list adventure, to be able to swim with the world's largest shark. Considered the holy grail by many. Even though the world's largest shark sounds a bit scary, they are in actual fact harmless. Gentle giants is a name affectionately given to them and suits them well. They are ocean nomads crossing great distances all over the world. Fortunately for us we know a few areas where they like to congregate. Here in Indonesia we have Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay in West Papua. I recently just explored Gorantalo in the north of Sulawesi. While in Mexico you have the famed La Paz area in Baja. These are places we visit on our Snorkel Venture tours, and while nothing is guaranteed this is our best chance to snorkel with whale sharks. Though they can turn up anywhere on any one of our trips. Just got to be lucky. So let's jump into some quick facts about the whale shark. As mentioned before it is the largest fish (Shark) in the ocean, With the largest specimen measuring at 20 meters. Most weigh between 15 and 20 tons when mature. If you think of a big bus, that’s about the size of a whale shark. Whale sharks can live up to about 60 years with some reports believing they can reach 100 or even 150 years old. Whale sharks give birth to live young that develop from eggs inside the mother. They can give birth to up to 300 pups, measuring between 35 and 70 cm in length. Whale sharks have a vast area they populate. With the majority living in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with a small percent living in the Atlantic. Whale sharks have been spotted as far north as New York. Whale
For sure is an absolute bucket list adventure, to be able to swim with the world’s largest shark. Considered the holy grail by many. Even though the world’s largest shark sounds a bit scary, they are in actual fact harmless. Gentle giants is a name affectionately given to them and suits them well. They are
Here in Indonesia we are very lucky to find 6 out of the 7 species of sea turtle. Green turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea) Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys Coriacea) Flatback sea turtle (Natator Depressus) Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta). The Leatherback sea turtle is the largest of the species, reaching up to 2.75 metres length and 600 - 900 kilograms weight, while the smallest sea turtle in Indonesia is the Olive Ridley weighing around 50 kilograms. The most commonly encountered species we come across almost every trip are the Hawksbill and Green turtle, both on the endangered list. Despite the abundance of sightings during our trips with the high numbers we see on our trips it's hard to believe. This is due to the great work of the Indonesian government and conservation efforts in making the trade in turtle products illegal, and designated national park areas. Which is why we are so lucky to go to some of the best destinations to see them. Our Snorkel Venture trips run to - Komodo Resort is on the Komodo National park, Siladen resort in Bunaken. Papua Explorers in Raja Ampat and of course Misool Eco resort in the Misool sanctuary. Making any one of these trips gives you the best chance for a great turtle interaction. Green Turtle Green turtles are one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. The name is due to the greenish colour of their cartilage and fat and not their shells. In the Eastern Pacific, a group of green turtles that have darker shells are called black turtles by the local community. Green turtles are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. Like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances
Here in Indonesia we are very lucky to find 6 out of the 7 species of sea turtle. Green turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea) Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys Coriacea) Flatback sea turtle (Natator Depressus) Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta Caretta). The Leatherback sea turtle is the
In terms of sea conditions, there is very little difference between the snorkeling trips we would recommend for beginners and the snorkeling trips we would recommend for more advanced snorkelers. Regardless of if we are snorkeling in the Caribbean where the currents are mild to none, or Indonesia's Alor where the currents can rip like a river, the areas where we snorkel are essentially the same. Yes, in very specific sites there could be some current, but it's never the main current, we brief you fully before it, and we always drift with it. Any site we are taking you to, on any of our snorkeling safaris around the world can easily and safely be snorkeled by someone who's never snorkeled before. The biggest reason why the following list of snorkel safaris have received the “Advanced” rating has more to do with overall trip logistics than anything else. These trips are longer, might require a bit more domestic travel, and a few have slightly more basic accommodation as a result of their remoteness. While these tours are amazing, and we want everyone to join them, we just want to make sure that you don't bite off a bit more than you can chew, so to speak. Basically, the hardest part of these specific snorkeling tours are the flights. Alor & Komodo Safari | 14 Nights This is not a particularly difficult snorkeling trip, it's actually our most popular snorkel safari by far. We run anywhere from six to ten of these each year and have run these tours with everyone from advanced freediving folks to beginners without any issues whatsoever. The big reason why I say it's advanced is that it requires quite a bit of flying at uncomfortable hours. The snorkeling is as good as it gets in both
In terms of sea conditions, there is very little difference between the snorkeling trips we would recommend for beginners and the snorkeling trips we would recommend for more advanced snorkelers. Regardless of if we are snorkeling in the Caribbean where the currents are mild to none, or Indonesia’s Alor where the currents can rip like
We have a full range of snorkeling safaris all over the world that we believe suit a vast range of snorkeling preferences. We have open ocean pelagic snorkeling safaris, we have reef-based snorkeling safaris, we have snorkel safaris that offer a solid mix of reef and big animals, we have remote resorts, liveaboards, short trips, long trips, photo workshops, and snorkel trips that combine multiple different destinations. Each snorkeling trip is unique in its own right, and of course, uniqueness is subjective to each person's own set of preferences and past experiences. For someone that has only ever snorkeled in the Caribbean, a trip to Alor & Komodo will be very unique. For someone like myself who has spent the vast majority of my time snorkeling in Indonesia, a snorkeling trip to Cuba or Belize is very unique. Anyway, with so many great snorkeling trips to many different destinations, we've done our best to put together a list of what we consider to be just some of our snorkeling safaris where people can have truly unique experiences. Alor & Komodo Photo Workshop | 14 Nights Our Alor & Komodo Snorkel Safari is one of our most sought-after snorkeling safaris as it combines two of Indonesia's most unique snorkeling destinations where you can encounter everything from blue whales and mola molas, to fleets of mantas, turtles, and fields of stunning reefs. This snorkeling tour is unique in itself, but we've made the experience even more original by offering it as an underwater photography workshop which will be led by one of our photo pros who will be hosting daily lectures to help you get the most out of your camera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6ZEOWGyxbA Alor & Komodo Family Safari | 14 Nights Again, like the Alor-Komodo Photo Workshop, this snorkeling safari combines two of
We have a full range of snorkeling safaris all over the world that we believe suit a vast range of snorkeling preferences. We have open ocean pelagic snorkeling safaris, we have reef-based snorkeling safaris, we have snorkel safaris that offer a solid mix of reef and big animals, we have remote resorts, liveaboards, short trips,
If you've looked through our website or seen our newsletter you'll notice that we have a pretty extensive inventory of snorkeling safaris available all over the world. Not only that, but the snorkeling safaris range in length from one week to one month. We know, based on inquiries and guest feedback, that many of you are interested in longer trips, or even combining multiple snorkeling trips together to make one long snorkeling adventure. However, we also know there are a good number of you who are more interested in quick snorkeling trips that don't involve a ton of travel logistics or planning. Here are our recommendations for quick snorkeling safaris to world-class destinations that are one week to ten days in length. Shorter Flights (from The States) Mexico Mobula Expedition | 6 Nights This is the shortest snorkel safari that we currently offer, and also one of our most unique. This tour is all about finding fleets of mobula rays as they congregate in the Sea of Cortez during their bi-annual migration. This is a fantastic adrenaline-pumping snorkel safari that is unlike any other snorkel safari out there. Belize by Liveaboard - Belize Aggressor IV | Length – 7 Nights This fantastic liveaboard snorkel safari is one of our easiest trips when it comes to travel time, while still delivering some outstanding snorkeling. Basically, arrive at the airport, board the vessel, and you're off on an extraordinary snorkeling adventure around some of the best reefs in Belize. Belize Photography Workshop – Belize Aggressor IV | Length – 7 Nights This tour runs nearly identical to our Belize by Liveaboard snorkeling safari, same easy logistics, the same great snorkeling, same great liveaboard. The only difference about this tour is that it's aimed at those interested in improving their underwater photo skills
If you’ve looked through our website or seen our newsletter you’ll notice that we have a pretty extensive inventory of snorkeling safaris available all over the world. Not only that, but the snorkeling safaris range in length from one week to one month. We know, based on inquiries and guest feedback, that many of you
