There’s so much fascinating wildlife in our oceans. But just what are the best places to see this wildlife? This post delves into 5 of the top travel destinations for seeing marine wildlife.
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is the biggest reef system in the world and is home to all kinds of marine animals including green turtles, manta rays, clownfish, dugongs and mantis shrimp. A lot of people explore the reef by taking snorkelling tours, however you can also take boat and submarine tours. The beautiful beach retreat of Hamilton Island is a great place to explore the reef from – consider looking into the best accommodation in Hamilton Island. You can also book tours from Cairns.
The Red Sea
The Red Sea is located between Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It is home to 300 species of coral and thousands of species of fish – 10% of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Notable wildlife include spinner dolphins, lionfish, barracudas and sharks. The Red Sea is a popular diving hotspot because of its diverse wildlife. Most people book diving trips from Egyptian resort towns such as Sharm El Sheikh.
Sea of Cortez
The Sea of Cortez is located off the coast of Mexico between the Baja California peninsula and Mexican mainland. These waters are full of exciting marine wildlife ranging from turtles to squid. Whales are a popular attraction in the Sea of Cortez – many species of whales migrate here every year including sperm whales, humpback whales and blue whales. There are all kinds of ways to explore this sea including kayak tours, cruises and diving expeditions. You’ll find plenty of great hotels in Baja to organize trips from.
Big Island
‘Big Island’ is the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. The waters around this island are home to some rare and stunning marine wildlife including manta rays, sea lions and sea turtles. Whitetip reef sharks and scalloped hammerhead sharks also inhabit the waters. You’ll find plenty of marine wildlife tours operating out of Kailua-Kona. This includes boat tours and diving tours. The waters around Big Island are also great for other aquatic activities including surfing and kayaking.
Jellyfish Lake
Jellyfish Lake is located on Eil Malk Island in Palau in the Pacific Ocean. This inland lake gets its name from its abundant population of jellyfish – the lake literally contains millions of them! You can book a day tour in Palau and go swimming in the lake. Palau has many other species of marine wildlife that you can spot around its shores including turtles and seahorses. Be wary that Palau is an expensive country to visit – not only is it expensive to get to from most other countries, but tours across the island can also be quite highly priced.
