Latest news with #snorkeling
Condé Nast Traveler
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Condé Nast Traveler
Uncovering the Rich Underwater Wildlife of Wales
It's just before sunrise, and the car is packed with thermoses of coffee, fleece-lined waterproof jackets, and underwater camera gear, as we drive toward the quaint Welsh seaside town of Tenby, Pembrokeshire. My close friend, wildlife photographer and documentarian Tatiana McCabe, has invited me to join her in snorkeling around Britain's first statutory Marine Nature Reserve, Lundy Island. Though I moved to London from Chicago over a decade ago, the Welsh coast is entirely new to me. But its rugged landscape, with cliffs that plunge into the sea and give way to hidden coves and wide bays, have inspired poets and painters for centuries. On arrival in Tenby, a timelessly alluring slice of British seaside, we're warmly greeted by Richard Rees, who moves with the ease of a surfer, having spent years paddling through all sorts of waters. Rees is an accomplished free-diver and marine conservationist; he's also the founder of Celtic Deep, a social enterprise run by ocean-lovers that offers in-water wildlife experiences off the coast of Pembrokeshire, the westernmost county in South Wales. Through day excursions, Celtic Deep wants travelers to experience the rich wilderness of Wales—and remind them that diverse underwater life can be found here in the UK, not just in tropical waters. By inviting water sports lovers into this vibrant and ever-changing world beneath the sea's surface, Rees seeks to build the kind of connection that drives real conservation by educating visitors about the importance of marine ecosystems, conducting research and hosting researchers, and assessing their own impact on the environment.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Best Snorkeling Tours in San Juan for Families and Couples
06/01/2025, San Juan,Puerto Rico // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // Puerto Rico is a paradise for snorkeling fans of all ages. Whether you're searching for an unforgettable circle of relatives journey or a tranquil, romantic getaway, snorkeling in Puerto Rico offers a top-notch way to experience the island's vibrant coral reefs, marine life, and pristine waters. San Juan, the island's buzzing capital, is a hub for some of the best snorkeling in Puerto Rico, supplying proximity to marine sanctuaries, sea turtles, and even manatees. We explored the top snorkeling excursions in San Juan. From family-friendly adventures to intimate tours for couples, these excursions will make your vacation unforgettable. Why Choose San Juan for Your Snorkeling Adventure? San Juan isn't only a colourful cultural hotspot; it's also a gateway to numerous ecosystems teeming with marine lifestyles. Its coastal waters provide clear visibility, calm waves, and tremendous snorkeling conditions. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced snorkeler, you'll discover something that fits you. Plus, Puerto Rico snorkeling tours frequently encompass perks like green courses, snorkeling tools, and transportation for a seamless revel in. If you're googling snorkeling near me, San Juan is one of the most accessible locations, offering top snorkeling beaches and curated tours that start right from the city's shoreline. What Makes Snorkeling in Puerto Rico Special? Top Snorkeling Tours in San Juan 1. Escambrón Beach Snorkeling Tour Escambrón Beach is one of the best snorkeling beaches in Puerto Rico for families. The water here is clear and shallow, providing a haven for kids and beginners. Guided tours focus on teaching basic snorkeling techniques, so no prior experience is necessary. 2. La Cordillera Nature Reserve Snorkeling Tour For those in search of a greater adventurous experience, La Cordillera Nature Reserve is a must. This snorkel area, available through boat, capabilities untouched reefs and several marine species. The excursions frequently encompass snacks and refreshments for a chilled day. 3. Snorkeling with Sea Turtles at Laguna Grande Imagine swimming alongside sea turtles in their natural habitat. Tours to Laguna Grande make this dream a reality. After snorkeling, many tours also encompass a paranormal bioluminescent bay kayaking. 4. Culebra Island Snorkeling Excursion Though barely farther from San Juan, Culebra is really worth the ride. Known for Flamenco Beach, one of the maximum pristine seashores in the Caribbean, this location offers snorkeling reviews you won't neglect. Families will love the shallow, warm waters, at the same time as couples will locate the non violent environment ideal for a romantic trip. 5. Manatee Snorkeling Tour at Condado Lagoon If you are intrigued by using the concept of snorkeling with manatees, Condado Lagoon is the ideal spot. These gentle giants often come near sightseers here, making for a mystical revel. Guides will train snorkelers the way to engage respectfully with the manatees and the surrounding ecosystem. 6. Fajardo Snorkeling and Beach Hopping Tour Located a quick distance from San Juan, Fajardo is a treasure trove of snorkeling spots. Many excursions consist of stops at nearby cays like Icacos and Palomino. You'll explore vibrant reefs and might even spot dolphins or stingrays alongside the manner. Why Snorkeling in San Juan Is Perfect for Families and Couples For Families Families may have a great time snorkeling together in San Juan. It's the perfect place for young children or novice snorkelers because of its shallow waters, serene beaches, and safe, guided tours. In Puerto Rico, a lot of snorkeling tours prioritize enjoyment and safety, making sure kids have a great time without getting overstimulated. One of Puerto Rico's top snorkeling spots for families is Escambrón Beach, where you can readily see vibrant fish and other marine life in shallow water. Families will like the chance to explore, discover marine life, and have a fun-filled day out. For Couples Snorkeling in San Juan provides couples with a romantic retreat in breathtaking, serene surroundings. Private or semi-private cruises that transport you to remote beaches like Condado Lagoon, where you might be able to swim in quiet, clear water with sea turtles, are available for booking. There are also options for sunset snorkeling tours, which provide a calm and romantic way to cap off your day. For those looking to experience the best snorkeling in Puerto Rico, San Juan provides plenty of opportunities for peaceful underwater exploration, from private beach locations to luxury snorkeling boat tours. Best Times for Snorkeling in San Juan The waters around Puerto Rico stay warm year-round, making any time ideal for snorkeling. However, the first-class seasons are spring and early summer season (March–June) when the water is clearest, and the climate is reliably sunny. Whether you're hoping for a close encounter with turtles, hunting for the best snorkeling beaches in Puerto Rico, or checking off your list of Puerto Rico snorkeling tours, the right timing can enhance your adventure. Tips for a Great Snorkeling Experience Getting the most out of your snorkeling adventure requires a little preparation. Plan Your San Juan Snorkeling Adventure Your snorkeling enjoyment in San Juan awaits. Whether you're swimming with turtles, exploring colourful reefs, or snorkeling with manatees, the waters of Puerto Rico will leave you. Adventure, relaxation, and once-in-a-lifetime encounters make snorkeling San Juan the highlight of any experience. Book your Puerto Rico snorkeling excursion these days and enjoy the unmatched beauty of the island's underwater global. Original Source of the original story >> Best Snorkeling Tours in San Juan for Families and Couples
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Travel + Leisure
25-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Tiny Island Is One of Thailand's Best Hidden Gems—With Crowd-free Beaches, Luxury Hotels, and Fruit-loving Monkeys
Koh Lanta is a small island located in southern Thailand—and it's one of the country's most underrated destinations. Although it flies under the radar of most American travelers, it's home to luxury resorts such as Rawi Warin Resort & Spa and Pimalai Resort & Spa. The island is also great for snorkelers and has healthy reefs that teem with marine life. Koh Lanta, an island in the southern Andaman Sea off Thailand's west coast, is one of the country's true hidden gems. There are no Western chains here. No bar girls. There is still unbuilt beachfront, although in five years it may be gone. There are plans to build a bridge that will soon connect Koh Lanta to the mainland. Once it's done, it'll be an easy 45 minutes to Krabi International Airport (KBV). But that's a travel writer's worry for another day. For now, Koh Lanta remains relatively undiscovered, especially by Americans. During my second consecutive January visit—November to March are the best months to come to the island in terms of the weather—I didn't meet another American. Scandinavians, however, are a different story. There are nonstop flights from Stockholm to Krabi International Airport, and I spoke to quite a few Swedes and Norwegians who were eager to escape the winter darkness. I found plenty of those snowbirds at both Rawi Warin Resort & Spa, a kid-friendly luxury hotel, and at Pimalai Resort & Spa, one of the island's top properties (it has two Michelin Keys)—my wife and I spent a nearly perfect week there this year. A colorful longtail boat on the sandy shore of Ko 22 years ago on 100 unspoiled acres, Pimalai boasts 3,000 feet of prime Kantiang beachfront. Most mornings, I slow-jogged its entire length, which verges on the Platonic ideal of a tropical beach: mostly empty, with soft sand that can be found both in and out of the gentle water. Pimalai is luxury done right, with more beach and poolside lounges than hotel guests. While there are small resorts at both ends of Kantiang, in the morning, I saw almost no one. Because of the terrain, Pimalai feels like two resorts, each with an infinity pool and restaurants. There are only 121 total accommodations. Deluxe rooms are located near the beach, while pool villas are tucked into the terraced hillside. All guests get access to round-trip van service to the Krabi Airport and a speedboat transfer to Pimalai's pier—this cuts 45 minutes off travel time. Again, real luxury. Rustic beach bars and restaurant along the Long Beach in Koh Lanta Island, Krabi province. Tuomas A. Lehtinen/Getty Images One memorable morning, my wife and I were picked up at Pimalai to begin a day-long snorkeling charter to Koh Haa and Koh Rak. Because we're old and crafty, we sat up front beside the driver, Jaroon, while other passengers crammed into uncomfortable bench seats in the bed of the pickup. After 40 years of chasing the sun on unspoiled (and then only slightly spoiled) Thai beaches, we've learned that the best part of travel is the people you meet and talk to. Like most Thai people, Jaroon was gentle, affable, and warmly friendly to tourists. He apologized for his English (which was quite good) and laughed when I told him my name was 'Khun Khon-di,' which roughly translates to "Mister Goodman ." Because Koh Lanta is in the far south of Thailand—near Malaysia—90 percent of its inhabitants are Muslim, including Jaroon. He admitted that many of his friends drank alcohol, although he didn't, perhaps because he had 500 rubber trees on his property, from which he gathered latex each morning starting at 3:30 am, before going to work. Income from his rubber trees doubled his monthly salary as a driver, which had enabled Jaroon to send his daughter to college in Bangkok, a fact of which he was justifiably proud. The snorkeling that day on Koh Rak was spectacular. I saw lots of healthy soft and hard coral. There were fish everywhere, large and small, and though I've been diving and snorkeling in Thai waters for quite some time, I saw something I'd never seen before: a 15-legged crown-of-thorns starfish. It was an electric blue mammoth with black thorns peppering its surface. One of the many Longtail Macaque monkeys in the nature of Thailand's Koh Lanta island. On the boat back from Koh Rak to the pier, our captain made a detour past a mangrove forest inhabited by a large band of swimming, fruit-loving monkeys. I'd never seen monkeys in the water before, but I got the idea these monkeys eagerly awaited our boat's arrival for their daily treat of leftover watermelon and pineapple. One evening later in the week, we hired Jaroon to drive us to Old Town, on the east side of Koh Lanta. This coast fronts the Straits of Malacca, rather than the Andaman Sea, and lies along a traditional trade route to Malaysia. The east coast of the island doesn't have sandy beaches or upscale resorts, but it does have Moken (a group of Indigenous sea nomads) communities. The other big attraction of this unique place is the simple restaurants that are built on wooden pilings—we listened to the waves break as we feasted on squid and grouper. We loved our time on Koh Lanta and at Pimalai, which was incredibly well-run; our room was serviced, unobtrusively, three times a day. The international breakfast buffet included obscure regional specialties, Thai noodle soup, an array of tropical fruit, and organic juices. The food at Rak Talay, the beachside seafood restaurant where we often ate dinner, was not only sumptuous, but for a five-star, surprisingly affordable. If you visit, try the soft-shell crabs. You'll be amazed by the flavor and by how many crabs comprise a single order. I can still taste them—and hope to again.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tourists stunned by 'lifetime moment' off the Aussie coast
Tourists swam within metres of one of the world's largest fish off the Aussie coast this week. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen A boat full of tourists were treated to a "lifetime experience" of swimming within metres of whale sharks off the Aussie coast, with the species being the largest fish in the ocean. More than 20 tourists were on board the boat operated by Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours at the start of the week and headed out to a known whale shark habitat situated near the small resort town of Exmouth in Western Australia. Skipper Richard Goddard, fondly known to the crew as Dickie, told Yahoo News he never tires of spotting the majestic fish in the wild. "The sharks are singular... it can be difficult to find them, but then sometimes there can be 20 or 30 of them," he explained to Yahoo. "They're very slow, very graceful, and obviously they're not harmful." ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement One of the crew members jumped into the water with their snorkel and goggles in search of one of the sharks, and a handful were found. The tourists followed suit, splashing into the water. "Their just in amazement of swimming so close to one of them. They come back frothing with excitement," Dickie said. A boat of 20 tourists were treated to getting up close and personal with whale sharks. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen Whale sharks are regularly spotted on the Ningaloo Reef. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen Swimmers warned to keep distance from largest fish in ocean There are strict rules about swimming with whale sharks, with the species protected by both state and federal laws. Swimmers are required to keep a minimum distance of three metres from the shark's side and four metres from its tail, ensuring the sharks can swim freely and those in the water can also stay out of harm's way — their powerful tails are potentially dangerous. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Whale sharks usually grow to 12 metres in length, however, they can reach up to an incredible 20 metres long and weigh 20 tonnes. In comparison, great whites grow to a maximum of seven metres. Whale sharks are considered gentle giants of the ocean who are filter feeders, scouring the water for plankton. They are commonly found at Ningaloo Reef, where they migrate annually. The team at Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours operate between March and October, with the species frequently spotted in the area. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
