Snorkeling World

  At the beginning of the trip, a curious stingray took shelter in the shade of the boat, as despite the early hours, the heat was already felt. Every year, Moorea in French Polynesia hosts one of the most crucial stages in the migration of Humpback Whales. Between July and November, these whales arrive here after having traveled six thousand kilometers from Antarctica. Their objective is to mate, give birth, and grow their calves, and Moorea is the ideal place for this. This is one of the few places in the world where it is possible to swim with whales, especially respecting their space. We had a first attempt, where, after going into the water, the mother and calf were not receptive, so we left the area. After another search, we found a mother and cub receptive to our approach In fact, the cub was more than receptive and practically came towards us. The process of approaching consists of only approaching whales and their calves that are receptive to contact. The boats are at leas...

After snorkeling around the world, my favorite place is French Polynesia. I’ll be honest — I went to French Polynesia without very high expectations. I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect it to match places like the Great Barrier Reef, Raja Ampat, or the Maldives. I was wrong. Getting to French Polynesia: My route was Lisbon, London, San Francisco, then Oahu in Hawaii, and finally Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia in Tahiti. I chose to stop overnight in London, San Francisco, and Oahu. This made the long journey much easier and reduced the fatigue of too many consecutive hours on flights. Stopping in Hawaii also gave me the chance to dive in Hanauma Bay , which was an incredible experience and something I highly recommend: Why I Chose Moorea? After some research, I chose Moorea as my base. It’s very close to Tahiti, just a short ferry ride away. Compared to other islands, it’s more affordable, offers excellent snorkeling conditions, and gives you the chance to see whales ...