Reader Rankings: Top 10 Snorkeling Experiences
Leave your tank at home for these worldclass underwater experiences. Here's how our readers ranked the best snorkeling experiences in the world.
These rankings are part of our 2017 World's Best Platinum Awards, a readers survey. For more on the survey and method, click here.
TOP 10 SNORKELING EXPERIENCES
| SITE | RESULTS |
|---|---|
| Stingray City, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands | 15.79% |
| Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii | 14.12% |
| Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii | 13.55% |
| Akumal, Riviera Maya, Mexico | 10.81% |
| Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI | 9.77% |
| Salomon Bay Beach, St. John, USVI | 7.73% |
| Lawai Beach, Kauai, Hawaii | 7.36% |
| Whale Sharks, Isla Mujeres, Mexico | 7.03% |
| Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii (Big) Island | 6.12% |
| Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos | 6.02% |
The Top 3
Grand Cayman snorkeling
iStockphoto
Stingray City | Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
There is no one way to experience Stingray City. Granted, the most popular option is an afternoon boat trip to this sand-bottom site — as shallow as 5 feet in spots — found amid the North Sound, a bay protected on three sides by land. Once guests hop in the water, as many as 20 to 30 stingrays arrive, swooping overhead and brushing against arms and legs. Most tour operators give visitors nuggets of squid, showing them how to stuff the snacks in their fists to keep the rays engaged for long encounters. Because photo subjects are guaranteed, this site is especially popular with underwater shooters. A handful of dive centers offer dawn and dusk trips, allowing shooters to capture the rays with new or fading light. Go in early morning or late afternoon and you will beat the crowds.
Molokini Crater | Maui, Hawaii
Molokini Crater, Maui
iStockphoto
Visibility exceeds 100 feet at this C-shaped volcanic formation 2½ miles from Maui’s south coast. Although the crater lagoon is well-protected, it’s the backside that holds the most appeal, given the sheer wall is the cruising grounds of whitetip sharks, amberjack schools and sometimes mantas.
Hanauma Bay State Park | Oahu, Hawaii
Hanauma Bay State Park, Oahu
iStockphoto
Reachable from shore on the eastern side of Oahu, this park allows swimmers to observe up to 400 fish species. It’s a given that visitors will meet green sea turtles, but what’s perhaps more fascinating are the cleaning stations where scores of butterflyfish pick detritus from their shells. The only catch: Parking fills quickly.