Best Snorkeling in Australia

Live snorkeling conditions for 9 spots in Australia — wave height, wind, water temperature and tides, updated hourly.

Snorkeling in Australia is best when the sea is calm and clear: low wave height, light winds and water inside a comfortable temperature range. Conditions vary a lot by spot, season and time of day, so we forecast each location below individually. As a rule of thumb, snorkel in the morning before the wind builds, and aim for the window around high tide when currents are slack and visibility is highest. Pick a spot to see its hourly snorkel score, the next good window and the best months to visit.

Snorkeling spots in Australia

24-hour tide chart for Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo Reef

Australia

25.9°C

UNESCO fringing reef off Exmouth where you can snorkel with whale sharks and manta rays.

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24-hour tide chart for Lady Elliot Island

Lady Elliot Island

Australia

23.9°C

Southern Great Barrier Reef coral cay renowned for manta rays and turtles.

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24-hour tide chart for Heron Island

Heron Island

Australia

22.6°C

Coral cay sitting right on the Great Barrier Reef with reef accessible from the beach.

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24-hour tide chart for Lord Howe Island

Lord Howe Island

Australia

21.3°C

World's southernmost coral reef, a clear-water lagoon with endemic fish.

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24-hour tide chart for Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island

Australia

21.0°C

Island off Perth with sheltered bays, seagrass meadows and shipwreck snorkel trails.

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24-hour tide chart for Whitsundays

Whitsundays

Australia

23.5°C

Coral islands beside the Great Barrier Reef with fringing reef and white sand.

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24-hour tide chart for Byron Bay

Byron Bay

Australia

22.1°C

Julian Rocks reserve with turtles, rays and grey nurse sharks in clear water.

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24-hour tide chart for Jervis Bay

Jervis Bay

Australia

20.5°C

Marine park with white-sand beaches and clear seagrass and reef shallows.

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24-hour tide chart for Ningaloo - Coral Bay

Ningaloo - Coral Bay

Australia

24.7°C

Sheltered bay where the Ningaloo reef sits just metres off the beach.

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