Snorkeling in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia encompasses a large area in the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the South China and Celebes Sea. Whether you choose to snorkel in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand or Indonesia, there are a multitude of snorkeling destinations in Southeast Asia. Indonesia and the Philippines alone have over 15,000 islands between them.

Southeast Asia is synonymous with mythical seas, such as the Andaman Sea and the Java Sea. From these seas some of the most famous islands in the world emerge, such as the Phi Phi Islands, Ko Tao and Bali.

The coral reefs and shipwrecks in Southeast Asia are brimming with clams, angelfish, turtles and small sharks. Southeast Asia provides endless opportunities for avid snorkelers to explore underwater paradises.

Snorkeling destinations in Southeast Asia

Andaman & Nicobar

(1 spot online)

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are two Indian island groups in the Bay of Bengal, just 600 miles (1000 kilometers) off the western coasts of Thailand. Still little visited compared to some other destinations in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, visitors generally head to the few islands open to (...)

Vietnam

(3 spots online)

Vietnam is not a top snorkeling destination, but some sites are fascinating and the country is slowly growing in popularity. You’ll find along the extensive Vietnam coastline several islands and small archipelagos hosting various and diverse snorkeling spots, especially in Nha Trang, Phú Quốc and Cô (...)

Philippines

(22 spots online)

With more than 7600 islands to explore, it makes sense that the Philippines is one of the best snorkeling destinations in the world. Part of the Coral Triangle, the epicentre of global marine biodiversity, the archipelago has a mind-blowing array of sea life. With pristine coral reefs, lush soft cor (...)

Thailand

(15 spots online)

Despite an overtourism contributing to the overall decline of the country's coral reef, Thailand remains a good snorkeling destination. Its lush tropical coastlines, reefs and islands offers a diversity of snorkeling spots, in both Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. More than 900 species of reef (...)

Indonesia

(26 spots online)

Indonesia is a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands located at the heart of the Coral Triangle. The country features some 30% of the world’s coral reefs. The archipelago hosts pristine coral gardens, which are home to the richest marine biodiversity on earth. You will never get tired exploring its war (...)

Malaysia

(27 spots online)

Consisting of two land regions divided by the South China Sea, Malaysia comprises more than 850 islands, of which 394 are located in the state of Sabah, in Borneo. Most of the Malaysian coasts and islands are fringed by spectacular coral reefs. This exceptional geography offers a huge variety of sno (...)