Our beautiful Earth is blessed with some amazing oceans and seas, which are rich with marine life and offer all sorts of landscapes and seascapes, from tropical sandy beaches and coral reefs to the frozen wilderness near the poles. Here are some epic holiday destinations where you can see different kinds of marine life.
1. Dive with the tropical fish in Egypt
With a coast on the Red Sea and another on the Mediterranean, Egypt is a fantastic place to experience marine life. The Red Sea contains some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, which in turn, are home to a huge variety of colourful fish.
A popular way to explore several locations in Egypt is to book a tour that will include a cruise on the river Nile, a day or two in Cairo and some time in Hurghada or somewhere else on the Red Sea coast. The water is so clear here that you can see the coral and fish without even setting foot in the sea – although you will have an even better experience if you choose to go snorkelling or scuba diving!
2. Snorkel with giant manta rays in Hawai’i
Hawai’i is a true paradise of tropical beaches, with endless possibilities for surfing, diving, and all sorts of water sports. When it comes to marine life, one of the most amazing things about Kona – the largest district on Big Island – is that there are giant manta rays that come to feed right up to the shore. Some Kona hotels are right on the beach, and if you go snorkelling at night, you can swim with the giant manta rays as they feed – a truly magical experience!
3. Swim with turtles in the Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands, an archipelago in the eastern Pacific Ocean belonging to Ecuador, are home to an amazing array of animal species – so much so that Charles Darwin chose them as his destination to study animal evolution.
One species that is native exclusively to the Galápagos Islands is the Galápagos Green Sea Turtle, an impressive reptile that can be observed off the shores of many of the islands in the archipelago. You can snorkel and swim with these turtles but avoid visiting the Galápagos Islands between December and June, as this is egg-laying season and some beaches get closed to the public to protect the turtles, which are, unfortunately, an endangered species.
4. Be awed by orcas and whales in Canada
Vancouver Island, off the Pacific coast of Canada, is a great place to go out on a boat and hang out until you spot a pod of orcas or humpback whales. Go in the summer, when the waters are calmer and it’s easier to spot these imposing marine mammals – besides, you’ll be a lot less cold!
Fun fact: although orcas are commonly known in English as ‘killer whales,’ they are actually a type of dolphin! What they also are is whale killers: strange as it may sound, a pod of orcas can successfully hunt and kill a whale, even one much larger than an individual orca.
