A passion for coral

[carol sheridan]

Most people recommending good snorkelling sites seem to concentrate on the fish that can be seen, but my passion is for snorkelling on coral. I have found accessible coral - i.e. from the beach, in Cuba, Antigua, Bequia, Martinique, Guadaloupe, Malaysia, Egypt (Sharm and Marsa Alam). I was disappointed in the Maldives - I chose the wrong island and the coral was bleached.
I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me of other places where I can see really pristine and varied coral, swimming from the beach. I am a 67-year old woman who travels and snorkels alone. My budget won't stretch to Bonaire and Belize, unfortunately.
I would like somewhere with some in-land scenery, so that I could hire a car for a few days and do some exploring.
I don't want any night-life - after a day's snorkelling I have dinner and then read in my bedroom. I just need a simple room with private bath and somewhere to eat.
I live in France but I can travel from France or England.

[Diver@50]

Have you considered Fiji, although I am not sure what the coral is like, there are very strong currents which would suggest good coral. As with the Maldives though I guess it is a case of choosing the right Island.

Another place is the Great Barrier Reef.

[carol sheridan]

Thank you for your reply. I am saving the Great Barrier Reef until I can afford a six-week holiday to Australia and New Zealand, as I think a 26-hour flight is too much for a two week holiday.
Malaysia, at 12 hours from the UK, is the farthest I have been so far and at that time, 1998, the coral round the various islands was great, but I gather much of it has been destroyed by tourism and pollution. I visited the Perhrentians, Redang and Tioman on the east coast, and Langkawi and Penang on the west coast.
The flight to the Caribbean is about 9 hours, and Egypt is only about 5 hours. Egypt is almost much cheaper which is a big factor for me.
I am looking at the Swisscare hotel near Taba, which has a good report on Trip Avisor.
It is obviously difficult to rely on reports which are even a few years out of date, as I found to my cost in the Maldives. The situation seems to deteriorate rapidly, after events such as storms, floods or hurricanes.

[Chris aka divingchef]

Thank you for your reply. I am saving the Great Barrier Reef until I can afford a six-week holiday to Australia and New Zealand, as I think a 26-hour flight is too much for a two week holiday.
The situation seems to deteriorate rapidly, after events such as storms, floods or hurricanes.


We have just got back from Aus. When we were there, there was heavy rain, the worst for many years, flooding around Queensland and NSW.
they are still suffering bad weather.

I would defainately wait and see how the coral and reef systems cope with this huge run off.
It may be ok as the main reef is about 12 miles offshore.

I can only say that our diving was affected by the storms.
Hope you have better luck.

Chris

[carol sheridan]

Thanks, Chris. As I have a limited budget, it is beginning to look as though it would be safer to return to places where I know the coral is still good, rather than taking a chance on an unknown place.

[carol sheridan]

Having spent hours on many sites looking for a direct flight from my area of France to the Caribbean, I finally decided to fly to England and spend a week with my daughter before flying from Manchester to Taba. I have found a very small hotel - 48 suites only - at Neweiba, with transfers from Taba airport and a wonderful reef right outside on the beach. The hotel, Swisscare Resort, gets great reviews on Tripadvisor - it has no night-life, no disco, no muzak - just what I am looking for. The cost for 14 days half board, including flights and transfers, is only £780.
I will report back on the state of the coral.
I hope to take a long-haul trip next year.

[ChristianG]

I hope to take a long-haul trip next year.
Consider the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (http://www.cocos-tourism.cc/) out there in the middle of the Indian Ocean with absolutely nothing around them to, as it were, spoil the view.

They are Australian administered, have a very good Dive Centre (http://www.cocosdive.com/), and the coral is both stunning and pristine. They can be accessed by direct flight from Perth, Western Australia twice (?) per week.

Play your cards right/go at the right time and you should also be able to snorkel with the Whale Sharks off Ningaloo Reef, itself a good snorkelling destination, a short distance (by Oz standards) north of Perth.

Don't, don't ever, come in our summer, your winter for fear of the Big Wet or worse still, having to shake hands with a Cyclone. That means that you should make December through April the verboten period.

[carol sheridan]

I don't think I would enjoy visiting any more tiny islands. I found the Maldives ve4 matches
diy france com Forumry boring because when the weather was unsuitable for snorkeling there was absolutely nothing to see and nowhere to go. On bigger islands - Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Penang....you can hire a car and explore.

[Diver@50]

Hi Carol, be sure to snorkel on the Hilton Nuweiba house reef, it really is a good reef. I have not been to the hotel you are staying in, but I have been to the Hilton Nuweiba twice.

There are many places to visit from there. Jordan, Jerusalem, The Pyramids, Moses Mountain, absolutely brilliant sun rise from behind the mountains.

[ChristianG]

I don't think I would enjoy visiting any more tiny islands. I found the Maldives ve4 matches
diy france com Forumry boring because when the weather was unsuitable for snorkeling there was absolutely nothing to see and nowhere to go. On bigger islands - Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Penang....you can hire a car and explore.
If that was in response to my post on the Cocos (Keeling) islands then you are entirely missing the point as well as ignoring the subject matter that you, yourself, created.

[carol sheridan]

Thank you, Diver@50, I will certainly visit that beach.
Christian, you seem to feel aggrieved in some way but I am not sure why! I did say in my original posting that I like to hire a car and explore inland wherever I visit. I am sure the the islands you mention are beautiful but I wondered if they might be too small to offer anything apart from snorkeling, as I found with the Maldives. I am grateful for all replies and if I don't respond immediately it is because I don't visit the site every day. I apologise if you feel I have offended you in any way.

[jimj]

Aloha Carol,

Unfortunately many, if not most, good snorkeling sites have lost much of there coral due to interaction with ill-advised snorkelers and swimmers that touch and stand on them in shallow waters. However, there are a few good sites left in Hawaii, especially on the Big Island. You might consider Honaunau and Kealakekua Bays, or my favorite: little known Kapoho's Waiopae marine preserve. It has eleven species of corals in shallow waters, great for viewing both coral and fish. Closer to the reef has the most coral.

Jim

[jimj]

Carol,

I forgot to mention, there is alot to see a do on Hawaii's Big Island (yes, it is Big!) besides snorkeling: everything from the tropical forest and coast on the east, to the deserts and sanding beaches on the west, up to Mauna Kea's alpine landscape (elevation over 4,000 meters). Currently, you can catch the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano as it flows into the sea. The lava flow is a 25 mile scenic drive up the tropical coast from the Waiopae marine preserve, with its fabulous snorkeling in shallow coral & fish laden pools.

Jim

[carol sheridan]

Hi Jim,
Hawaii sounds great, just my kind of island. I hope I can afford it next year - I don't know if I could get there from France, where I live, but I could always fly from the UK or Amsterdam.
I have actually found some little creeks for snorkelling close to my home on the Mediterranean coast, near Perpignan. No coral, of course, but better than nothing. Still, only three months to my Egyptian holiday in July.
Happy snorkelling
Carol