Aerial view of the Rock Islands of Palau, Micronesia You don\'t necessarily have to strap on gas tanks to see spectacular sights beneath the waves. In some places, all you need are a mask, flippers and a snorkel. This lack of cumbersome equipment can be liberating. It encourages a long, languorous approach to underwater exploration, stretching it out over a day rather than compressing it into an hour or so. These places, some of the finest places to snorkel in the world, also happen to have beautiful coastlines as well.
1 The Maldives
This string of nearly 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean copes with an annual influx of tourists greater than its total population, while rising sea levels threaten to engulf the country, whose average ground height is 1.5m above sea level.
Add to that the devastation caused by the tsunami in 2004, and the tragedy of this place becomes almost Shakespearean in quality: beauty and ruin are inextricably intertwined. Yet it is one of the most spectacular places to snorkel in the world. Lily Beach Resort, on the tiny Ari Atoll, has coral reefs metros from the shore where you can see all manner of vibrant reef dwellers, from fish to turtles. Refurbished in 2009, the resort\'s deluxe water villas have marble and wood interiors and sit on stilts above the water - the perfect base for leisurely snorkelling expeditions.
Water villas at the Lily Beach Resort and Spa (www.lilybeachmaldives.com; 00 960 668 0013) cost from US$1,593 (Dh5,851) per night, based on two sharing, including meals and drinks.
2 Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef, extends through Belize, Guatemala, the Honduras and Mexico. Belize is good for English speakers because its official language is a Creole dialect of English. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a few kilometres from the town of San Pedro and about 15 minutes by boat, is perfect for a day trip snorkelling on the reef. The reserve is divided into different zones according to its different habitats. The reef channel is home to a wide variety of fish including jacks, snappers and barracuda, as well as turtles and dolphins. Manatees - also known as sea cows - swim in the seagrass beds.
Discovery Expeditions Belize (www.discoverybelize.com; 00 501 671 0748) has a three-hour tour from US$35 (Dh129) per person, including equipment and drinking water. There is a park fee of $10 (Dh37) per person.
3 Palau
The Republic of Palau, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean about 800km east of the Philippines, is one of the world\'s outstanding diving and snorkelling destinations. It consists of more than 200 volcanic and coral islands that host hundreds of species of coral and thousands of species of fish. One of the best ways to explore this realm is by sea kayak. This 11-day trip takes in Rock Island, a beautiful cluster of mushroom-shaped limestone rocks whose tops are covered in jungle and whose bottoms have been eroded by the sea. Turtles and huge schools of fish congregate around the so-called \"Big Drop-Off\", where the sea bed plummets hundreds of metres. Nearby is Jellyfish Lake, where you can safely swim through thousands of jellyfish that have evolved without a sting.
An 11-day sea kayaking tour with Wilderness Travel (www.wildernesstravel.com; 00 1 510 558 2488) costs from $4,995 (Dh18,347) per person, including accommodation, meals and kayaking equipment; snorkelling equipment not included.
4 Ningaloo, Australia
Smaller, more remote and much less busy, Ningaloo Reef on the west coast of Australia is often eclipsed by the Great Barrier Reef on the east coast. Lying more than 1,200km north of Perth - one of the most remote cities in the world - this 260km-long coral reef is nevertheless worth the long trek.