Discover Tropical Underwater Beauty by Learning to Snorkel

Discover Underwater Beauty by Learning to Snorkel

For people who have never tried snorkeling, this is the perfect time in Thailand to give it a try. With the absence of tourists, many of the boats operating in the most popular maritime areas of the country have not been running. The peace and quiet have increased the multitude of fish and sea creatures on the reefs and in the inlets along the coast. 

Maya Bay is a prime example of this phenomenon. The bay on Koh Phi Phi Le was overrun by tourists who had seen the beautiful bay in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie ‘The Beach.’ It and suffered a lot of damage to the seafloor and reefs and caused the government to close it to allow the area’s sea life to recover. The dramatic improvement in the activity and numbers of sea life after the closing was remarkable. 

The same thing is happening all over the country because of the pandemic. The waters of Thailand have benefitted from the lockdown and lack of tourists. If you haven’t tried snorkeling, now’s the perfect time to dive in. 

Rent Your Equipment First

There are two ways to experience snorkeling, from the beach or a boat. It’s best to start from the beach so you can stand in waist-deep water until you get the techniques down.

If you travel to a tourist town, you can also visit a scuba diving shop to rent your mask, fins and snorkel, which is all the equipment you’ll need. You may also be able to book snorkeling lessons, although there really isn’t much to it. The instructor will show you how to keep your mask from fogging up (by using saliva). They’ll also show you how to clear your ears when you dive down below the waterline. 

Other than those two tips and keeping well off the reef to ensure your fins don’t damage the coral, you should take to your new hobby and enjoy hours frolicking with the colorful marine life along the shores of Thailand.