Snorkeling farther afield

Wakatobi guests often spend entire days snorkeling the House Reef, but there’s much more to enjoy. A majority of the 40-plus dive sites visited by the resort’s dive boats feature large expanses of shallow coral formations that provide exceptional snorkeling opportunities.

Many of the dive sites visited by the resort’s day boats feature large expanses of shallow coral formations that provide exceptional snorkeling opportunities. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

To get the most from a snorkeling trip,  you engage the expertise of a Private Snorkel Experience Manager and head out to a site fittingly called the Zoo. After the divers submerge, the boat idles closer to the reef for you and your private snorkel experience manager to drop in.

The reef’s vertical face crests a few feet from the surface, and the sun-dappled shallows are carpeted in a vibrant garden of hard and soft corals that create the illusion of a huge underwater flower garden. Unfazed by human presence, a hawksbill sea turtle casually noshes on sponges. You guide motions “come have a look”, his outstretched hand pointing to a spot a couple of feet down in the corals. At first, you don’t see anything, then all is revealed as a well-camouflaged broadclub cuttlefish suddenly changes its color pattern and puts on a mesmerizing light show.

Seeing cuttlefish while snorkeling is common at Wakatobi. Cuttlefish are referred to as “chameleons of the sea” because of their ability to alter the color and pattern of their skin. Photo by Walt Stearns

Back on the boat the guide explains that cuttlefish are known as “chameleons of the sea” for their remarkable ability to alter the color and pattern of their skin. In addition to using this ability to camouflage themselves, cuttlefish make rapid color changes to communicate with each other.

“We had a great snorkeling guide. We have snorkeled all over the world, and Wakatobi is fantastic. Here are the best snorkeling sites we have ever seen.” ~ Jo Anne Allison and Doug Heard

Back at the resort, you take in the sunset from a perch at the Jetty Bar and contemplate the wonders of the day. Tomorrow will bring more opportunities to explore Wakatobi’s vibrant underwater landscapes and experience dazzling and sometimes bizarre marine life encounters. Wakatobi truly is an underwater paradise, not only for divers but also for those who discover its aquatic treasures from the surface.

Discover the treasures that await you at Wakatobi. Your own snorkeling adventures are just an email away. Contact us at office@wakatobi.com or complete a quick trip inquiry at wakatobi.com.

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