How Fit do I Need to be for a Snorkel Safari?

We get a lot of questions about the level of fitness required to join one of our snorkel safaris, and the truth of the matter is we can’t really answer that question with a simple statement of “Guests need to be at this level of fitness to join the Komodo safari,” for example. Reason being is that there are certain fitness factors which will vary from person to person. Some people might have difficulty with walking or climbing steps but feel perfectly comfortable in the water while others might be a bit of the opposite. Prior to booking or selling a tour we do our absolute best to paint as clear of a picture as possible of the physical requirements so as to give you an idea of what the trip will look like so you can make an assessment for yourself. Something else we’d like to mention is that since we started running our snorkel safaris in 2018 we’ve had people of all fitness levels on our tours, including people with limited mobility on land, and we’ve always been able to make sure every guest was as comfortable as possible on land and in the water, for the duration of the trip. We’ll do whatever we can to make sure every guest is there to witness those magical moments. That being said, if you do have specific physical limitations it’s always a good idea to let us know in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements for the tour. 

Aerial view of papua paradise resort and house reef

Common Questions and Concerns

Will we be snorkeling in current?

In just about all of our tours, particularly in Indonesia, there is a good chance we will see current, BUT we rarely encounter it unless we have a gentle drift snorkel planned. We are constantly monitoring the tides and currents and will always select the snorkeling sites where there is very little to no current.

How many stairs are at the resort?

This depends a lot on the individual resort, and this is one of the criteria we actually look at when selecting a particular resort to run our safaris through. Most of the resorts we work with will have the very least amount of steps possible, with just two to three steps leading up to the bungalows or restaurant. However, on some of the tours do have more than a few steps in which case we will try to identify this on the tour description. If you are physically limited by large amount of steps it’s a good idea to let us know so we can make the necessary arrangements. 

What if I get tired in the water?

Unless we’re on the house reef where you can easily get in and out of the water through the resort’s pier or at the beach, there is always a support boat shadowing us just in case a guest does become exhausted. Also, there are multiple guides in the water with at least two of them carrying large floats for guests to rest on if they get exhausted.

How much walking is involved with the land tours?

Some of the land tours will quite a bit of walking, but we can always make arrangements for a shorter or alternative land tour to suite your needs. On our Komodo tour for example the full trek to see the Komodo Dragons is probably just bit more than a mile in total with some hills, but if you didn’t want to do the full trek and still see the dragons the walk can be about ¼ mile round trip on flat land. Whatever the occasion, we will come up with something unique so you can still have a special la

nd excursion.

happy snorkel venture guests

VIDEO: What it’s Like Being on Tour with Snorkel Venture

happy snorkel venture guests

This video should hopefully paint a better idea of what it’s like to come on tour with us.

 

Key Points:
  • Destinations and snorkel operators
  • Arrival and where to meet
  • Group travel
  • Tour organization and daily schedule
  • Safety
  • Group dynamics

What to Expect on a Snorkel Venture Tour

What should you expect from one of our guide led group snorkel safaris? Well, we have a ton of different locations all across the world—from Indonesia to the South Pacific, all the way to Cuba and Mexico. On some of these tours we will be based out of amazing resorts, while on other tours we will be cruising the coastline via luxurious liveaboards, and on a select few will be doing both. Regardless of the different styles of accommodation, the trips will for the most part run the same with a few obvious logistical differences between the different tours. The basic idea behind these tours though is for our Snorkel Venture guide or guides to escort our snorkeling guests to the worlds best locations for day after day of epic snorkeling while staying in the areas best resorts or yachts who will look after our every need—from the meals to the time spent snorkeling.

snorkeler swimming through overhang in reef

The First Day

The first day we all meet up can vary depending on the location. On some tours the whole group meets up at the resort or onboard the vessel. While on other tours we convene at the airport hotel we will all be staying at the night before jetting off to our ultimate snorkel destination. Prior to the tour you will have a detailed description of when and where to meet. Regardless of venue, before the trip gets underway you will have a chance to meet your tour leader or leaders along with the other guests over a nice meal where you will be given a thorough briefing on what the following days will look like.

Group Travel

Any time we are traveling together as a group, whether it be via plane, bus, or boat, all you need to do is follow the leader. They will assist with checking in for flights, lifting your heavy bags, and making sure no one gets left behind. Everything has been organized in advance for us so worrying about taxies between airports and harbors and hotels is something you don’t need to think about, leaving your only obligation to the details of your favorite podcast.

Snorkel, Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Guests laughing in the sunset

Once we’ve arrived at our destination and you’ve made yourself at home in your room or cabin we will be given an all encompassing briefing on how the following days and weeks will look. We will cover all the essential safety information, geography of the area, and of course what to expect in the water. Once this is all out of the way the routine of wake up-breakfast-snorkel-lunch-snorkel-snack-snorkel-sunset cocktails or night snorkel-dinner-sleep-repeat, begins It’s a hard life. Of course, if you don’t feel like joining all the organized snorkel sessions feel free to just relax a the resort’s beach, get a massage, drift over the house reef, or enjoy the view from the boat. There are usually kayaks or paddle boards around which is also a nice way to spend a couple hours.

Group Snorkeling

One of the most exciting things about these tours is no matter where we are, everything is catered to snorkelers. For the liveaboad tours we charter the entire boat, and this is also the case for most of our resort based tours as well. For those larger resorts like Wakatobi or Komodo Resort, there will most likely be other divers staying at the resort, but they will be doing their own thing. These larger resorts always make sure we have a boat or two for ourselves along with our own local guides who will remain with us for the duration of the tour.

Every time we go out for a snorkel, with the exception of self guided house reef snorkels, there will will always be a Snorkel Venture guide as well as the local guides in the water with you and of course surface support from either a dinghy or the main vessel. With regard to snorkeling the house reef, there will always be someone present on the pier, and if you would like the Snorkel Venture guide to snorkel with you all you have to do is ask and they will be happy to join you.

The sites we will be selecting for our snorkels will be based solely on our snorkeling needs.  At all the different destinations we know where the best shallow reefs are, when the currents (if there is any at all) are best suited for us, and in the case of any choppy water we will always look for the reefs with a bit more protection from the wind and waves.

Safety in and Out of the Water

Safety is something we’ve put a lot of thought into and of major importance to us. All of our Snorkel Venture guides are first-aid trained along with the guides from the resort or boat. Things like emergency oxygen, first aid kits, and life jackets are always pointed out at the beginning of the tour. Before jumping in the water we always do a head count, and once again back onboard. There are briefings about each site before we start our snorkels which will explain things like what way the current is going, which way we will be going (always with the current if there is any), hand signals, and what we hope to see on that particular snorkel.

Silhouette of snorkelers on the surface

In the water we like to keep a loose group formation with one guide in the front of the group clearly marked with an orange life ring or float, and one in the rear as well. There will then be a couple more guides mixed about the middle of the group.  We encourage people to spread out and snorkel at your own pace and style, but we do ask that you stay behind the lead guide and in front of the guide in the back. If you prefer to stay close to the guides they will go out of their way to point things out to you, and will of course hold your hand if you need it. We want to provide maximum safety and comfort at all times while still allowing those more confident in the water to explore at their leisure.

Straight up Fun 

happy guests at papua explorers eco resort

In short the trips are an absolute blast. Everyone turns up as strangers with a common passion, and finishes the tour as a group of friends

VIDEO: What to Wear on a Snorkel Safari

This video explains everything you need to know about all the different options of what to wear during one of our snorkeling safaris.

What to Expect on a Snorkel Venture Tour of the Philippines

Local Philippine boat

The Philippine’s unique location in the heart of the Coral Triangle makes it one of the world’s premiere snorkeling destinations. Much like Indonesia, the Philippines hold some of the world’s most bio diverse and pristine reefs, vast quantities of reef fish and larger marine species like sea turtles and whale sharks. With 7,641 islands to choose from in the Philippines it can be a daunting task of choosing the right one to visit. To save you a bit of a headache we’ve taken on the task of narrowing down the destinations to the three we feel offer the best balance between travel logistics, the resorts, and of course the snorkeling.  For those of you who have not had the pleasure of visiting the Philippines, here a little run down of what you’re missing or should expect on a Snorkel Venture trip to the Philippines.

The Snorkeling Around Moalboal-Cebu Island 

Green sea turtle swimming over coral reef

Moalboal is typically our fist stop on our current Philippines itinerary and it’s reefs are on the doorstep of the resort. Moalboal is a small town on the southern side of Cebu, and given the islands elongated shape the reef that fringes it just continues on and on and on. In the shallowest portions of the reef you’ll find vast sea grass and sargasum seaweed beds where strange little critters like pipe fish and file fish hide among the aquatic vegetation. When the water gets to be about three feet deep the sea grass tapers off and you’ll find yourself amongst the fields of hard coral and sponges. The reefs are home to many different marine species from the famous lion fish, a number of species of clown fish, sea turtles, sea snakes, and a rainbow of colorful reef fish that look like multi colored glitter suspended in the water column. One thing that is unique to Moalboal is that just a few meters off the doorstep of the resort is a residential colony of mandarine fish!

The Snorkeling around Cabilao Island

Snorkelers floating above coral wall

Cabilao is a much smaller island just a bit east of Cebu and a few hundred meters west of the island of Bohol. The reefs here in Cabilao are in my opinion some of the most unique of the this particular tour. First of all, the area is quite remote and secluded so you can be sure that you will be the only snorkelers in the area. But what really sets this place apart in my mind is that the shallow reefs, which eventually give way to breathtaking walls full fo sea fans and soft coral, are a labyrinth of coral structures which gave me the feeling of floating over a fantastical city. Dive down and you can get a ‘street view’ of the underwater world as you swim through the surreal coral architecture. 

The Snorkeling around Anda-Bohol Island 

Anda is a small rural town on the south coast of Bohol and along it’s entire coast line is a stunning fringing reef which just goes on and on like Moalboal’s does. The reef itself start a bit deeper than the other two sites with the shallowest point we’ve found to be around a meter or so, but average around two to three meters. While Moalboal tends to be more hard coral, Anda’s reefs can largely be characterized as a mixture of sponges, leather corals, and hard corals. The reefs are home to many green sea turtles as well as sea snakes, scorpion fish, and once again all the glittery little reef fish. Once of the favorite things to do here is to just float over the point of the reef which abruptly turns into a deep blue wall. This allows us to keep an eye in the blue for larger marine life like turtles and the odd whale shark which are not uncommon in the area, while also enjoying the stunning view of the reef. 

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