Beautiful colorful coral reefs, exotic fish and lots of crystal-clear, warm water: snorkeling on vacation is one of the most popular leisure activities when traveling. Put on your mask and snorkel, put on your fins and you're ready to go. What do you have to consider when snorkeling on vacation? And which are the most beautiful places for snorkeling? We give you lots of valuable tips and information for a quick introduction to the underwater world.

I put on my diving mask, put the snorkel in my mouth and put on my fins in the knee-deep water. I don't paddle far, maybe 10 meters, when I see a huge shadow dart by next to me. I am briefly frightened by the huge creature, which curiously appeared next to me just a minute after the start of my snorkeling tour. The animal is a real hawksbill turtle - a beautiful and huge sea creature that also likes to get lost on the beaches and reefs of hotels.

The turtle and I then swam together for about 30 minutes - an indescribable experience! I snorkeled on the surface, the sea turtle chased me underwater. Occasionally I took a deep breath and dived down to her, but always with the necessary respect and distance so as not to scare the animal. This peaceful and harmonious encounter was something very special - and I will probably never forget it for the rest of my life. snorkeling is an excellent leisure activity on holiday - because it is simple, easily accessible and at the same time has a sporting effect.

Various encounters with sea creatures

I have now experienced various encounters with sea creatures while snorkeling on vacation - Hedge, dolphins, many times with turtles and even the Marsa Alarm manatee I was able to meet while snorkeling. And colorful coral reefs are also animals, not plants. At the right travel destinations, snorkeling can become a really big adventure. It's not without reason that snorkeling is incredibly popular on vacation, because compared to freediving and scuba diving, it's incredibly easy:

You put on a diving mask, put the snorkel in your mouth and start paddling with your diving fins. While scuba diving generally involves diving in a team of two (“buddy team”), you can also sometimes dive alone snorkelingas long as you take good care of it, within sight of the shore and of people remains. Couple or in the group is of course better. Below we have put together the most important information about snorkeling.

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What you need for snorkeling on vacation

The special advantage of snorkeling is that you really don't need much to get into the water. You need your ABC equipment - mask, snorkel, fins - which you can rent from a water sports center while on vacation or buy cheaply before the trip. Snorkeling is the introduction to the underwater world if you don't yet have a diving license. When I'm on vacation, I often see beachgoers who have made it a habit to go snorkeling in the water two or three times a day.

So if you want to go snorkeling on vacation, you should buy the following products before your trip or rent them on vacation. If you would like to rent them, you should check in advance whether there is a local diving center or a water sports center with a corresponding rental facility. However, snorkeling gear is not heavy and is not particularly expensive compared to scuba gear. You can also buy the products in advance and take them with you - especially if you plan to snorkel more often on vacation in the next few years. You should then buy the following products:

• Diving mask and snorkel or full face mask – Attention: Not all full face masks are suitable for freediving. However, experience shows that you will make your first freediving attempts relatively quickly - at the latest when a turtle or manatee swims two meters below you.
• Shorty or long diving suit – depending on how warm the water is, I would choose a neoprene thickness between 3 and 7mm. You can dive in warm water without a suit. However, a suit also protects against injuries - for example from jellyfish nettles.
• Life jacket or inflatable life buoy – I would one lifebuoy Recommend because you can also freedive with it. You can also use it to send signals if you are tired or drifting off. A life jacket is more of a hindrance if you are an advanced snorkeler. If you feel unsafe in the water, be sure to use a life jacket.
• Smartwatch for snorkeling – You wear your fitness watch when running and during all other sports. Why not snorkeling too? I use that Apple Watch Incredibly familiar with the Oceanic+ appto record my snorkeling trips. I can only warmly recommend this. This gives you an overview of when you went snorkeling, where and for how long.

As you can see, you really don't need much to start snorkeling. I recently saw while vacationing in Egypt that some people only go into the water with a mask and snorkel - i.e. without fins. That seems a bit tedious to me. On the other hand, it's a good workout.

So now you know what you need to get started. That's the most important thing. But before we can get started, there is a short safety briefing. Because one thing is certain - I've learned this - that people completely overestimate themselves as soon as they go into the water. Therefore, always keep the following in mind if you want to snorkel:

1. No matter how smooth and inviting the water may look, there may still be invisible currents that grab you and pull you out to sea. You should therefore go into the water carefully and check whether there is a current. Surf back currents in particular can be fatal. If there is a current - never paddle against the current, but always paddle out to the side of the current to save energy.
2. Always carry a buoyancy aid with you when snorkeling. I recommend an inflatable life buoy or a lightweight swimming buoy. A whistle as a signal generator is also recommended.
3. Always snorkel in pairs. This is familiar from diving – the buddy system. You should also keep this in mind when snorkeling. I experienced it myself. You are 300 meters from the shore and get a cramp - suddenly nothing works anymore. Therefore: Always nice as a couple, it doesn't double security, but multiplies it.

Buy snorkel gear

The difference between snorkeling, freediving and scuba diving

Snorkeling is the easiest way to get in touch with the underwater world. All you need is a diving mask, snorkel and fins to get started. Basically, snorkeling consists of moving along the surface of the water using swimming movements, primarily with your legs, and looking at the underwater world through your diving goggles. This will give you an insight into the marine world and the fascinating ones sea ​​animals, without diving. You can basically look around from the surface of the water and see what's going on underwater.

freediving

The next step is that freediving - also freediving or Apnoetauchen called. For this one uses a similar equipment as with the snorkeling. However, there is still a lead belt and often a wetsuit, In contrast to snorkelling, you do not stay at the water surface, but dive after a few strong breaths. The lead belt helps to get into the depths. Depending on how long the freediver can hold his breath, he can noiselessly dive through the underwater world with just one breath.

Scuba diving

In the ordinary Diving – i.e. scuba diving – the diving experience becomes more complicated, but also significantly more intense. For scuba diving you not only need a mask, snorkel and fins, but often also a suit and diving equipment, consisting of a buoyancy vest and diving bottle, which is connected to your mouth via a breathing device - the regulator. You can regulate the depth using the buoyancy vest.

While you can do snorkeling and freediving on your own, diving with equipment requires special diving training and you have to learn to dive. In return, scuba diving also gives you the most intensive insight into the underwater world, as you can stay underwater for up to 60 minutes with one tank.

Snorkeling Destinations - the best places to snorkel

Snorkeling is most fun when there is a lot to see underwater. Many beach vacationers don't even know what's hidden in the water right under their noses. You can discover the underwater world at many travel destinations on a snorkeling tour from the beach or on the reef. There are beautiful places for snorkeling all over the world - we recommend snorkeling in Egypt, the Maldives, Mauritius, Thailand and all of Southeast Asia, throughout the Mediterranean and especially in Mallorca, Sardinia and Croatia, in the Caribbean and in Australia. Below we will introduce you to some of the most beautiful places for snorkeling.

1. Snorkeling in Egypt

Yes, the Red Sea in Egypt is ideal for snorkeling. The beautiful fringing reefs, which are in close proximity to the coast and the hotels and resorts, as well as the numerous bays and beaches are ideal for an underwater discovery tour. We have already snorkeled in Sharm El Sheikh, Makadi Bay, Marsa Alam and Safaga. You can often jump into the water directly from the hotel beach or the associated jetty and snorkel along beautiful coral reefs.

When snorkeling in Egypt you can not only see lots of colorful corals, but also turtles, dolphins, countless large and small fish and, if you're lucky, even one manatee or Sharks in the Red Sea, The destination is cheap and offers excellent value for money. You can discover a great snorkeling spot for little money.

2. Snorkeling in the Maldives

One of the most beautiful destinations in the world is also one of the very best areas for snorkeling. In the Maldives you can also snorkel on beautiful reefs or simply discover the lagoon of your resort island. There is plenty to see underwater and you can usually see numerous animals on every snorkeling tour - or on Maldives stand-up paddling -: turtles, Maldives sharks, dolphins, manta rays, dial sharks, eagle rays, Napoleons and many other marine animals are not uncommon when snorkeling in the Maldives. We have already been to the islands Coco Bodu Hithi and Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu and have discovered a lot of snorkeling every time.

3. Snorkeling in Mauritius

Mauritius is located in tropical climes and deep in the Indian Ocean - these are the best conditions for snorkeling and diving around the island. At this paradisiacal travel destination you can also simply grab a mask, snorkel and fins and discover an incredible number of sea creatures. These include turtles, dolphins and, with a bit of luck, even sharks in Mauritius. Mauritius is also a great island for scuba diving - the waters are simply fantastic - but you can also discover a lot with snorkeling equipment.

4. Snorkeling in Thailand

If your after Thailand If you travel, you should definitely pack your snorkeling equipment. Because the travel destination in Southeast Asia is one of the most outstanding diving areas in the world. You can easily jump into the water at every bay and every beach and discover the underwater world. Here, too, you will regularly come across the usual suspects: turtles, large and colorful fish, lots of corals and, if you are very lucky, Thailand sharks, dolphins and whale sharks. We were on Koh Lipe, on Phuket, on Koh Samui Koh Phangan and snorkeling during a Thailand liveaboard. Truly incredible how rich the marine life is in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. 

5. Snorkeling in Mallorca

Who is just a trip to Mallorca planned, you shouldn't do without the snorkel in your luggage either. Snorkeling in Mallorca is certainly not as spectacular as in the previously mentioned travel destinations. Nevertheless, there is still a lot to discover in the shallow water on Mallorca: there are octopuses, lots of colorful fish, rock formations, aquatic plants - and with a bit of luck you can even spot barracudas.

6. Snorkeling in Sardinia

Sardinia, like Mallorca, is a travel destination that is not particularly spectacular for snorkelers, but certainly has the potential for one or two snorkeling tours. In the beautiful bays and beaches you can jump into the water with your equipment and explore the bays. There are often rocks, especially at the edges of the bays, where you can snorkel along and discover marine animals. There is nothing left to discover Sardinia Similar to Majorca, big crabs, octopus, fish and maybe one or the other barracuda.

7. Snorkeling in Croatia

As in Mallorca and Sardinia, you will find great bays and beaches in Croatia where you can go snorkelling. There are many caves and rock formations in the Adriatic, so you can go on a discovery tour and search for hidden sea creatures. In the Croatia holiday, a round snorkeling certainly offers.

8. Snorkeling in Florida

Of course, Florida's coasts also offer wonderful opportunities for snorkeling. When visiting Key West or the Florida Keys in general, you will find numerous great spots for diving and snorkeling. But there are also wonderful opportunities to discover exciting things while snorkeling in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. For example, we were able to snorkel with dolphins in Naples. A little further north you can jump into the water with manatees. Snorkeling in Florida is therefore one of the highlights for anyone who would like to discover the underwater world on vacation.

9. Snorkeling in Germany

Basically, when snorkeling in Germany you can jump into any lake that is on your doorstep. Many lakes are teeming with life, especially in midsummer, late summer and early autumn, when the vegetation in the water is well developed and the young fish have hatched. A really wonderful affair that you can easily enjoy with snorkeling equipment.

Of course, there is also the opportunity to go on a discovery tour in the North Sea or snorkeling in the Baltic Sea. There are numerous aquatic plants, crabs, many mussels, smaller fish and the very special greenish water to discover here. Snorkeling in Germany and especially snorkeling in the Baltic Sea are definitely worth an experience.

Take your own snorkeling equipment with you on the trip?

If I know in advance that a destination is particularly suitable for snorkeling, I always take my own snorkeling equipment. This includes a very high-quality mask with a particularly large viewing area, a snorkel with an additional blow-out valve and my fins. I'm not a fan of full face masks because you can't go underwater with most models. However, there are now some models that supposedly allow you to freedive - but you would have to try it out to see if it works.

Here you can either choose fins with an integrated foot section or, for longer tours, use so-called device fins into which you insert your foot and a neoprene shoe. With this equipment you are actually ready to go snorkeling. Depending on the water and your personal preferences and needs, you can also add other important components and useful holiday gadgets to the equipment.

Make sure you have appropriate equipment such as a diving suit

Optionally, you can also use a diving suit, especially in colder waters. It also makes sense to have a diving watch and a diving computer like this during the snorkeling tour Apple Watch Ultra when diving, wear a sports watch, smartwatch, outdoor watch or similar timepiece to record activity, keep track of time and even determine depth if necessary.

Additionally, in some difficult waters, it may be useful to carry a rescue buoy that is worn on the hip and inflated in an emergency. If you are in a really great place for snorkeling, you should also pack your underwater housing with an iPhone or any other smartphone to take great photos and video recordings on the reef with colorful corals and sea creatures.

Safety when snorkeling – what should you pay attention to?

Of course, the safety of snorkeling also has a great importance. So you should never go snorkeling alone if possible - even if this is theoretically possible. In any case, you should stay in sight of a person on land who can call for help in an emergency. In addition, you should rely on high-quality snorkeling equipment from renowned suppliers. Furthermore, you should pay attention to dangerous currents. And especially in colder waters wear a diving suit, so as not to cool off.

FAQs Snorkeling on vacation - the most important questions and answers

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My conclusion

Snorkeling on vacation is one of the most exciting sports that you can do on any trip without much preparation. If you're out and about, you can also rent snorkeling equipment locally from a diving center or from the water sports center of a nearby hotel. Basically, I prefer my own equipment because the products are much higher quality and snorkeling is much more fun with it than with rental equipment.
Snorkeling on vacation is very easy.

All I need is a lake or a sea at your holiday destination. After just a few minutes you are already in the water and can discover the underwater world. Many exciting adventures await you in the sea - maybe even one that you will not forget for the rest of your life.

Have you ever snorkeling on vacation? What did you see under water? Share your experience in the comments.

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