Top Destinations for a Vibrant Snorkeling Experience
The tropical belt that encircles the globe on both sides of the equator, offers travelers an endless paradise on the coasts and the islands. People from around the globe travel to destinations in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, but the number one tropical destination is, hands down, the Caribbean Sea.
Once known as the Spanish Main, the Caribbean is made up of hundreds of islands and islets each with vibrant fringing and barrier reefs, white sand beaches and windblown palms. The Caribbean is a premier destination for vacationers, honeymooners, sailors, adventurers, families and scuba divers and snorkelers. Although scuba diving requires the taking of classes to receive a certification to dive, anyone can learn to snorkel in a very short order and the Caribbean is filled with fascinating and beautiful areas to observe the undersea life with just a mask, fins and snorkel.
The Caymans Islands are a number one choice of divers and snorkelers alike. Snorkeling sites are plentiful with Stingray City being the most popular. Scores of stingrays interact with snorkelers having grown accustomed to the procession of humans who feed and play with them.
Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands is host to a popular snorkeling site called The Baths. The Baths are mounds of jumbled giant boulders that form a labyrinth of caves, swim-throughs and grottos that extends from the shore to seaward. Farther out, the rocky substrate offers an interesting break from coral reefs.
Utila is the smallest of Honduras- Bay Islands and offers snorkelers the opportunity to swim the world-s biggest fish. The gentle, giant whale shark is a plankton eater and can attain a length of 50 feet and a weight of 15 tons. Dive shops offer tours to snorkel with these amazing giant fish.