Tour operator Dive Worldwide is associated with liveaboard and resort trips for scuba divers, but sometimes snorkelling is all that is required – by divers wanting close encounters with big animals but not permitted to interact with them on scuba, for example, or simply by non-divers who crave longer-term experiences out at sea.
Dive Worldwide, which features more than 200 destinations worldwide, reports “a growing trend amongst its customers” for snorkelling-specific itineraries as it introduces two such holidays for 2025, in Indonesia and the Maldives.
“From iconic animals like whale sharks and manta rays to vibrant coral reefs, much of the magic in our oceans happens in the shallows, and these wonderful experiences are now as accessible to snorkellers as to divers,” says the operator’s brand manager Phil North.
The Coral Triangle Snorkelling Adventure is a week out on Indonesia’s Coral Sea on the 27m Bugis – which sleeps only eight guests, and has eight crew to match.
Built in 2022, the timber boat was designed to make a minimal environmental impact, with no single-use plastic used onboard, and running on a synthetic fuel made from plastic waste.
From May to September it visits Komodo and from November to late March switches to biodiversity epicentre Raja Ampat. The snorkelling trips start in March and cost from £3,495pp for seven nights’ accommodation and one night in Jakarta (all two sharing), transfers and return flights from the UK.
Maldives Snorkelling Conservation Cruises are dedicated to encounters with either manta rays or whale sharks and are run in partnership with the Manta Trust and Maldives Whale Shark Program, with opportunities to engage in citizen-science projects and experience local culture along the way.
Seven nights’ onboard (two sharing a cabin) including activities and guiding, transfers and return flights from the UK are priced from £2,545pp. Departures are on 2 February, 2 March, 23 March, 18 August, 4 October and 21 December.
Also on Divernet: How to choose the right snorkel for you, The joy of snorkelling, RAID dives into snorkelling – and public safety
