We asked lots of snorkelers what they would like for a gift, and we received many thoughtful suggestions.
We share those below along with some of our own snorkeler gift ideas. Hopefully you will find a great gift for that special snorkeling nut in your life.
Ultimate Snorkeler Gift – An Unforgettable Trip!
If you would like to give an ocean lover a gift that will leave a lifetime impression, then consider these stunning guided snorkeling vacations that our UK partner creates and leads. They visit the most remote and stunning reefs and islands in the world, from world class resorts and liveaboard yachts. A trip like this is easily at the top of any snorkeler’s wish list.
Note: Our suggestions come from hands-on experience. We hope you find them helpful. You can help us if you purchase from the links below. We may make a small commission, as an Amazon Associate or from other companies, at no extra cost to you.
A New Snorkel Camera
The #2 gift that snorkelers said they wanted was a new underwater camera. By far and away the most popular snorkeling camera is the Olympus TG series. So the Olympus Tough TG-7 (on Amazon) camera would be a great gift for many snorkelers.
Probably the next most popular camera is the tiny GoPro. If your snorkeler really likes taking lots of videos then the new GoPro Hero12 (on Amazon) would make a wonderful snorkeler gift idea.
But if the person you are buying a gift for has an iPhone, you could get them a ProShot underwater housing to put it in. They can take it snorkeling and get great photos and videos of the fish and creatures they see. ProShot is offering our readers 20% off your first purchase at the link above with the code TropicalSnorkel20.
We have lots of suggestions and buying tips for snorkel cameras here.
One of Our Snorkeling Destination Guides
We have seven popular eBook snorkeling guides for different island destinations. If you know a snorkeler who loves going on self-guided island trips, with lots of shore accessible snorkeling, then consider one of these books to start getting them excited about their next trip.
Our eBooks are now available for eGift delivery. You just need to know the email address of who you want it delivered to, the date you want it delivered, and your gift can also include a personalized note.
New Snorkel Equipment
While it might be difficult to buy a new mask or fins for your favorite snorkeler (because those generally need to be fit personally), there are lots of items you could get them that will come in handy on a snorkel adventure.
High Quality Snorkeling Gear Bag
If your friend does not yet have a great snorkel bag to carry their gear in, you could get them our favorite, the BVI Mesh Backpack by Stahlsac (on Amazon).
Packtowls – We Love Them
Since we usually snorkel numerous locations in one day, a normal beach towel simply does not cut it. Instead we use the PackTowl, which is super absorbent and dries quickly. We can wring it out after a use and it will be usable for drying us off at the next location. They are also lightweight and don’t take up much room in our luggage.
Reef Friendly Sunscreen and Body Care Gift Kit
Our favorite reef-friendly sunscreen company, Stream2Sea has a nice gift package called the Conscious Explorer Kit that would be ideal for the eco-conscious snorkeler in your life. It includes reef safe sunscreens along with other reef safe personal care products. Stream2Sea is graciously offering our site visitors 10% off your first order by using the coupon code TropicalSnorkeling on Stream2Sea’s website at the link above.
For more ideas of possible snorkeling equipment gifts see our snorkeling equipment guide here.
Traveling Snorkeler Gift Ideas
If the snorkeler in your life travels to get to their snorkeling destination, there are lots of gadgets that make travel easier, more comfortable and would make unique snorkeler gift ideas.
iPad or Kindle Fire
Having all your books on a portable electronic device while traveling is great, and more and more travelers are going this route. So these are amazing snorkeler gift ideas for travelers. The Kindle Paperwhite Waterproof by Amazon is a great device. Galen owns one and loves it. But the more advanced color tablets like the Kindle Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and iPad Mini (on Amazon) are much more capable machines that you can check email on, browse websites, etc. We prefer the 7-8″ size over the bigger tablets for traveling.
Noise Canceling Headphones
We love our noise canceling headphones and earbuds (both links to Amazon). They make flying more tolerable by drowning out the rumble of airplane noise with active noise canceling circuitry they have inside. Turn them on and the background noise of the airplane engines really decreases. You can also listen to music, movies, or TV with them.
Wireless is a really nice feature in both headphones and earbuds when traveling. But it can also be problematic if you want to plug into the airplane’s entertainment. Many wireless headphones come with an audio wire you can plug in when needed, but with wireless earbuds connecting to the plane may require another piece of electronics.
Note, these cut background noise, but do not drown out voices. It is a limitation of the technology. But if you look for headphones or earbuds with hybrid active noise canceling, it can be slightly better at stopping voices.
Ultimate Traveler Sunhats
One thing we never go without on the walk to and from the beach is our favorite sun hats. We love these ones from Sunday Afternoons (on Amazon). And they pack flat in the luggage.
Luggage Scale Saves Fees
When packing luggage for a snorkeling trip, it is always good to know that your bag fits within the weight limit of the airlines. This luggage scale (on Amazon) is a great snorkeler gift idea.
Travel Electronics Organizers
Packing all those electronic devices and their charging cords can be a real pain. These travel organizers (on Amazon) make it easy and make a good gift.
Collapsible Water Bottles
Taking along your own water bottle while traveling is environmentally responsible. These cool water bottles (on Amazon) fold up when they are empty for saving space and weight in your luggage.
Airplane Comfort
Getting comfortable on the airplane is the biggest challenge while traveling for us. We found that a comfortable neck pillow (on Amazon) really helps us.
Portable Power
Another gift idea is a portable charger (on Amazon) so if their phone runs low on juice and they are not near a plug, they can still use it. It would also work for any rechargeable electronic device.
RFID Travel Wallets
Last, small travel wallets (on Amazon) with RFID protection are practical snorkeler gift ideas for both men and women.
Beautiful Tropical Calendars
We always enjoy having a tropical or snorkeling themed calendar for our wall. It is very nice gift for a snorkeler. Here are some calendars we found on Amazon. This is a calendar focused on Tropical Fish. There is one that is dedicated to Sea Turtles. Here are a couple focused on beautiful underwater scenes, The Ocean Unseen, and Under the Sea.
Fish Guides
Us snorkelers do what we do because we love to check out sea life. So it is pretty natural for a snorkeler to want to learn more about the underwater world. So fish identification guides is one of the best snorkeler gift ideas.
A fantastic gift for a snorkeler that they may not be willing to buy for themselves (because they are kind of expensive) is the Reef Set (on Amazon): Reef Fish, Reef Creature, and Reef Coral guides. It is a three volume set that is really the bible for Caribbean sea life identification (we own them and they are great).
Or you could just get them the Reef Fish Identification (on Amazon) by itself for the Caribbean, Florida, and Bahamas.
If your snorkeler also loves the Pacific, then round out their collection with Reef Fish Identification – Tropical Pacific (on Amazon).
Or if they mostly snorkel Hawaii, then Hawaii’s Fishes (on Amazon) is a nice book.