Snorkel safari vacations in Sulawesi and Borneo

It’s easy to combine Sulawesi and Borneo on a snorkel safari, as they are just a short domestic flight away from each other. By doing so, you can experience a diverse range of superb snorkelling sites, as well as both small and large marine wildlife, around the islets and reefs of both destinations. You can enjoy some other land-based experiences too, such as a visit to an orangutan sanctuary or some rainforest trekking.

Daily short boat trips will take you out to tropical islands and reefs where you’ll explore marine life of astonishing diversity. Not for nothing is the Coral Triangle regarded as one of the finest areas in the world for divers and snorkellers to get their kicks. In the afternoons you’ll return to stay in island eco-resorts, on a full board basis due to their isolation.

Most snorkel safaris are small group tours which have set departure dates throughout the year but make for a very fun, sociable experience. Small group tours usually have a tour leader, which can be very useful in building confidence for beginners, and also means you benefit from local knowledge on where to go each day. The great thing about snorkelling is that even after your organised activities are over for the day, there’s nothing to stop you just popping your mask back on to explore the ‘house reefs’ just off the island you’re staying on. Ensure you set aside some time for tanning your front to even things up, though!

Just a short boat ride from Manado and an excellent base for exploring Bunaken National Park, Siladen Island is surrounded by reefs that harbour a kaleidoscopic variety of marine life, with everything from green and hawksbill turtles to lobsters, giant clams and feather stars as well as vast shoals of tropical fish breeding and feeding over coral and anemones. Dolphins and pilot whales are also frequently seen in these waters.

The lagoons and reefs of the Maratua atoll are little short of paradise for snorkellers. You’ll encounter leopard, hammerhead and nurse sharks here, manta rays and vast numbers of green turtles that come to lay their eggs in the sand. As Maratua Island grows in prestige and visitor numbers increase, it pays dividends to be traveling as part of a small group where you can get away from the main herd.