Join This 9 or 13 Day Luxury Resort Based Snorkel Safari to the Heart of the Coral Triangle
August 17-25, 2025
September 13-25, 2026
What an extraordinary opportunity this Wakatobi snorkeling trip is. Wakatobi is a luxury resort located in the heart of the Coral Triangle off southeast Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. This area is renowned for having some of the richest, healthiest and most bio-diverse reefs to be found on Earth.
We visited in 2023, and can easily recommend it. The reefs are very healthy and just packed with beautiful corals and fish in a huge variety. And the resort and service is probably the best we have experienced.
The trip is being run by our partner and friend Ben and his team. Based in the U.K., they are experts in the Coral Triangle, run amazing excursions, and have a great appreciation for the underwater world.
This small group tour (18 snorkelers + guide) is exclusively for snorkelers and offers seven nights at Wakatobi Resort, where you can access spectacular snorkeling. Guided by a member of Ben’s team you will explore world renowned reefs abundant with marine life. The itinerary begins with a night in Bali, before continuing on to Wakatobi. Ben’s team handles everything from start to finish, meaning you can relax and enjoy every moment of your trip.
Where Is Wakatobi Resort?
Wakatobi is in Indonesia, within the famed Coral Triangle. Wakatobi Resort is on a small island southeast of Sulawesi.
You will first fly into Bali and check into the Bali Airport Novotel, where you will spend a night and relax from your international flight. The next morning you will meet your snorkel group and head over to the domestic departures area. After checking in for your flight to Wakatobi you will have breakfast together. Your private charter flight to Wakatobi lands at a private airstrip, where you will be met and transferred to the Wakatobi Resort by car and boat.
After 7 or 11 nights at the resort, you will be transferred back to the airport for your chartered flight back to Bali where the tour ends.
What Is the Snorkeling Like at Wakatobi?
The resort is located within the Wakatobi National Park, a UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve. It’s the third largest marine park in Indonesia, and has been described by Jacques Cousteau as “Underwater Nirvana”.
Situated at the geographical center of the Coral Triangle, the waters in this archipelago are among the most bio-diverse in the world. Wakatobi has high numbers of coral and fish species, so the reefs are a joy to explore.
Wakatobi Resort is an ideal base for a snorkel tour. You have unlimited access to the house reef during your stay and 3 boat snorkeling sessions per day for 6 or 10 days, including night snorkels if you desire.
The house reef offers a combination of shallow corals and sea grass areas, and you can also swim right along the top where the wall drops down into the deeper blue. The corals right along the top of the wall are shallow and a joy to snorkel. And the wall is covered in beautiful corals and sponges.
You can see larger fish schools and creatures along the wall edge. We saw lots of turtles, both Green and Hawksbill here. And the shallow corals near the drop-off are full of smaller tropical fish schools. Blue-spotted Rays are common, as are eels. We also found Stonefish here, which was a first.
We also found a number of Leaf Scorpionfish around Wakatobi and lots of beautiful nudibranchs.
Surely one of the most impressive house reefs for any resort location in the world, this magnificent wall and reef top offers flexible snorkeling opportunities throughout the day and night.
And you will also visit other spots each day that are close-by on the resort’s excellent snorkel boats. Many of the spots you will snorkel will be around the atoll which is west and south of the resort. Here you will get to snorkel atop beautiful walls of coral, with a shallow coral shelf on top. You will find big schools of Red-toothed Triggerfish, and Pyramid Butterflyfish.
You will also visit some spots that are on the same island as the resort, with a mix of walls, and small bays with shallower coral formations, all full of fish, and lots of turtles, nudibranchs, and other interesting creatures.
Wakatobi offers excellent service for snorkelers – all trips are accompanied by professional guides, well versed in the marine life on the reefs. Your gear is loaded onto the day boats for you, and towels and snacks are provided onboard. Staff are available to help with water entry and exits, and all snorkel sessions have boat surface support to ensure your safety. Even while snorkeling the house reef, staff wait on the jetty, ready to collect snorkelers in the private “taxi” boat.
Snorkeling on the House Reef, by Boat, and at Night!
This adventure will not lack for snorkeling variety, or time in the water!
Unlimited House Reef Beach Snorkeling
Wakatobi has perhaps the best house reef for snorkeling anywhere in the world. And you will have unlimited access to that house reef right off the beach in front of your Ocean Bungalow.
Three Boat Snorkel Trips Per Day
Although the house reef is magnificent, there many more nearby reefs to explore. So your group and leader will visit three spots each day, exploring neighboring reefs, each with their own unique marine life and underwater topography. Wakatobi has the nicest boats we have ever snorkeled from, with full shade, a big bathroom, and excellent ladders.
Night Snorkeling
You will also have the opportunity to do some night snorkeling.
World Class Accommodations and Dining All Included
Wakatobi Resort is completely secluded. You reach it by both a charted flight from Bali, which lands on a private airstrip, followed by a short boat ride.
Despite its location, the resort offers beautiful, luxurious accommodation built in tune with the environment using ethically and locally sourced materials and labor. They also offer other creature comforts like a full-service spa.
The Ocean Bungalow is air-conditioned and has a minibar, coffee pot, towels, hair dryer, and safe. The bungalow has an indoor bathroom and a spacious Asian spa-style outdoor shower. You can also hang out on your roomy balcony’s comfortable lounge beds with sea views, or in your private lounge chairs with umbrella on the beach. Your bungalow offers internet access via satellite.
The Palm Bungalow is set back from the beach, offers all the same amenities, and has a smaller balcony.
All food is included, and served at the Beach Restaurant. The food at the resort is refined, and the professional chefs combine fresh ingredients to create a variety of Indonesian, Asian, and international dishes. All special dietary requirements will be catered for (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.).
And at the end of the day, the Jetty Bar offers the ideal location to take in a wonderful Wakatobi sunset and watch the stars come out, along with your favorite drink – be it cocktail, wine, beer or juice.
Trip Details and How to Sign Up
This is a small group trip and we expect it to fill quickly. Your spot is reserved with your deposit. Contact Ben below for deposit instructions.
Trip Dates and Prices:
August 17-25, 2025 – Trip full, request to be waitlisted below.
2025 Trip Prices – 8 Nights:
$6145 US per person in Ocean Bungalow (Twin/Double Share)
$5145 US per person in Palm Bungalow (Twin/Double Share)
September 13-25, 2026 – Available
2026 Trip Price – 12 Nights:
$9450 US per person in Ocean Bungalow (Twin/Double Share)
The initial deposit for this trip is $400 US per person. At 12 months before departure there is a $600 US per person interim deposit, and at six months there is another $1000 US per person interim deposit. The final balance will be due 12 weeks before departure. A few payment options are available including debit and credit cards.
Individual travelers – Ben will happily find someone of the same sex for you to share a room with to avoid the single person supplement. If he cannot find you someone, no single supplement surcharge will apply.
Inclusions
- 1 night Bali Airport Novotel with breakfast and transfers
- Round trip domestic flights (Bali – Wakatobi – Bali) with 44 lbs luggage allowance
- 7 or 11 nights accommodation Wakatobi Resort and full board (all meals)
- 3 boat snorkeling sessions per day for 6 or 10 days
- Unlimited house reef snorkeling
- Free WiFi high speed internet access via satellite
- 24 hours tea / brewed coffee / hot chocolate / drinking water, and daily snacks
- Aromatherapy bath products in all rooms
- Optional village tour on last day
- Accompanied by a guide from Ben’s team
Exclusions:
- International flights
- Snorkel equipment
- Tips
- Travel and health insurance
- Juices, sodas, beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and specialty coffees
Trip Organizers
Ben and his U.K. based team are the organizers and leaders of this trip (more about them below). Galen and Nicole from TropicalSnorkeling.com are promoting this trip, but all signups, trip organization and payments are made to and managed by Ben’s team. TropicalSnorkeling.com does receive a referral fee in exchange for promoting the trip, at no extra cost to attendees.
How to Sign Up or Learn More?
Use the contact form below to contact Ben and his team to request more information and express your interest in signing up. They will get back to you shortly with full details.
More About Ben and Our Partnership
Ben (pictured with Nicole) is our friend and snorkeling trips partner. He and his team are based in the U.K. and have over 20 years of experience guiding in Asia and beyond. He has been running his own business since 2010 and is primarily offering guided snorkeling trips, but he started with diving. He began offering snorkeling specific trips because he was aware that snorkelers often get the short end of the stick when thrown in with divers. He and his team love the freedom and low stress of snorkeling, and are very aware of the different needs of snorkelers versus divers, in terms of the reef depth, and calm surface conditions needed.
From our experience going on some of his snorkeling trips we found them very well organized, the guides were fantastic and very helpful, and the underwater experiences were exceptional. Snorkeling groups really get the benefit of all of Ben and his guides’ years of experience in the water, and with different resorts and liveaboards.
All of his trips are small groups of 12-18 guests, or with a similar ratio of snorkelers to guides. These are premium trips including nearly everything you will need, accommodation, meals, transportation, and more.
His company is licensed and insured. Barring extreme circumstances they do not cancel trips.
Learn More About Wakatobi Resort
Completed Trip Dates
October 3-11, 2019
September 25 – October 3, 2022
October 12-20, 2023
September 29 – October 7, 2024