Snorkeling on the Atmosphere house reef or with turtles & whale sharks

At Atmosphere Resorts & Spa in the Philippines, we welcome snorkelers on all our boat trips, with Apo Island being the most popular snorkeling trip. A beautiful island with lots of turtles, white sand and stunning coral reefs. Snorkeling can also be done off the beach on our amazing house reef – right in front of the resort – at any time. Many of our dive sites are excellent snorkeling sites with very shallow corals.

Have you always dreamed of seeing a whale shark? We take guests to swim and snorkel with the whale sharks in Oslob – snorkeling with these giants is an unforgettable experience.

Snorkel equipment is available for guest use free of charge in our dive center. We also offer snorkeling classes for guests who have little experience but wish to learn. We have dedicated snorkeling guides at Atmosphere and we have life jackets available for the less experienced swimmers. Whale sharks or turtles? The choice is yours!

Snorkeling in Apo Island

Apo Island is a stunningly beautiful snorkeling spot. Just 40 minutes away from Atmosphere, we take divers and snorkelers there several times per week with our large banka-style outrigger boat, which has a big covered area to keep you out of the sun. We normally leave in the morning around 8am and come back to Atmosphere around 1pm. There is plenty of water, soft drinks, coffee & tea, fruit and snacks on board as well as towels.

Apo Island is famous for encountering turtles in very shallow water. You will also see turtles swimming over the reef, hiding or eating among the abundant soft and hard corals. You can also often spot them from the boat, when they come up for air. Pristine corals and white sand surround the island, you’ll be amazed at the variety of colorful reef fish you’ll see.

Snorkeling on our house reef

Right in front of the resort, you’ll find the Atmosphere house reef. It is a marine sanctuary roped off by buoys, with marine park rangers patrolling, making sure the sanctuary rules are followed. Fishing or touching the reef is not allowed and swimmers, snorkelers and divers alike need marine park tickets to enter the pristine water. The reef covers a very large area and stretches all the way to the beach in some areas. You will encounter countless tropical fish, many species of coral and sponges, sea turtles, and perhaps even sea snakes. Going further out, there is often a school of barracudas hanging in the blue. The house reef is so vast that it would take you many hours to explore it. Snorkelling equipment is complimentary at Atmosphere.

snorkeling map

Snorkeling with whale sharks

Near Oslob village on Cebu Island, 1,5 hours away from Atmosphere by van and boat, a group of whale sharks congregates year-round in a shallow bay. We will take you there from Atmosphere in an air-conditioned van and from the beach, you can step into a small boat and watch the whale sharks from the surface. Those who wish can get in the water and swim/snorkel with these gentle giants. Scuba diving is more disruptive and therefore we only offer snorkelling with whale sharks from Atmosphere. There will be a picnic lunch on site and the option of stopping for other activities such as the Tumalog waterfalls or a city tour in Dumaguete on the way back to the resort.