How to Snorkel Like a Pro

An archipelago spread out over the Indian Ocean; the Maldives is richly blessed with marine biodiversity. Scuba diving is ideal for exploring the waters of these clusters of islands; however, it requires a lot of training as well as certification, hence snorkelling is widely chosen by lovers of the underwater world. If you want to be a deft snorkeller to truly savour the wide canvas of underwater beings read on to discover some essential tips.

Snorkelling in the Maldives

The warm tropical waters surrounding the Indian Ocean are conducive for snorkelling with an average 270 C temperature and calm waters at most of the snorkelling sites throughout the year. Your fascination for the underwater world is bound to grow witnessing around 70 species of coral reefs and other marine species, flora, and fauna on the various islands and exotic resorts of the archipelago.

One of the primary things to do is to choose a good luxury resort in Maldives that has its house reef which makes it convenient to snorkel whenever you wish to. This saves the time of having to do a boat ride to a different island thus enabling you more time to enjoy and master snorkelling especially if you are spending several days in the Maldives.

Know about the Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are living ecosystems created by thousands of tiny organisms called polyps. These corals are made up of numerous species that live harmoniously together attracting varieties of fish and other marine life towards their habitats.

These ecosystems provide a home to fish and other marine life frequenting their habitat while also protecting the islands during storms and by producing oxygen.

The Maldives has hard corals, a mix of brain coral, table coral, plate coral, staghorn coral, lobe coral, finger coral and boulder corals. There are also soft corals like leather coral seen in the Maldives.

Most of the reefs here offer good snorkelling depths and the waters are crystal clear during the dry periods, offering excellent visibility for snorkelling.

Best periods for Snorkelling

The period of the Northeast Monsoon is the dry season in the Maldives which is generally from January to April and many snorkel enthusiasts prefer to travel during this period.

The wet season is from May to December which is the Southwest Monsoon period. As the season changes in April, the latter part of April can be somewhat wet, and visibility can be lower.

Hence using January to mid-April is ideal for the best visibility for snorkelling.

Starting to Snorkel

While being an adept swimmer is not required to enjoy snorkelling, it is advisable to do a snorkelling excursion with an experienced guide initially, most resorts have trained guides to facilitate guests who are novices to snorkelling.

If you have chosen a resort such as NH Collection Maldives which has its house-reef this facility can be easily used to become a pro in snorkeling during your stay.

Snorkelling Equipment

One of the best things about snorkelling is that one has only a few pieces of equipment to worry about. However, get the best snorkelling gear that fits you well and if you intend to rent try it on and see how it fits and whether you are comfortable in it.

Mask – A good well well-fitting traditional mask is best.

Fins – Full-foot plain fins are quite reliable and last longer.

Snorkel – A simple snorkel with no valves is an easier type to use.

Once you get underwater, you are going to have this equipment on for a few hours at a time hence it must not be too loose or too tight and are in good condition. Keep these essential tips in mind and look forward to many awe-inspiring hours of underwater exploration.