Earlier this year, I got a chance to go snorkelling in the most incredible place in the world! Of course, I'm talking about APO ISLAND, in the Philippines, where there are more of these beautiful turtles than you can count!!
Apo Island is a small volcanic island off the coast of Dumaguete, surrounded by a protected area of marine habitat.
Protecting this area from fishing and the damage associated with fishing is so important, as it means that pristine coral reef, many species of colourful fish, and heaps of wild Green and Hawksbill turtles can be found here!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Snorkelling with these amazing creatures was just incredible, and you don't need a tour or to pay crazy amount of money to do it!
First, get yourself to Apo island by getting a boat over early in the morning for a day or overnight trip! From here, there are boat tours that take you snorkelling at points around the island, however, swimming out 50- 100m from the beach will also get you access to all the turtles, corals and fish you can dream of!!
"Look! Nemo!!"
This protected area has become a feeding ground for the local Green and Hawksbill turtles; check out this guy munching away at some algae!!
Swimming in the sea with these beautiful, free creatures is so special and spellbinding, however, there are some important points to remember when you're nearby to wildlife!
Never touch or go with 2-3m of the turtles; respect their space, and remember that they're not here for our entertainment, but we are lucky to be able to see them so close up. 🐢
Never feed turtles, or any other wild animals; this can make them sick or disrupt their natural behaviour and migration if they are fed again and again and begin to rely on tourists for food. Following these rules keep the turtles safe and healthy so we can see them for many years to come 🚯 💜
And when you're finally ready to leave the ocean for a break, you will be greeted by a stunning white sand beach, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the view!
While you can visit Apo Island as a day trip from Dumagette, I highly recommend staying overnight at one of the island's dive resorts or Homestays! I stayed at The Liberty Lodge and Dive Resort, in this gorgeous room right on the beach! 💜
Staying after all the day-trip boats leave also means having the sea and the island to yourself, and enjoying amazing sunset views like this!!
So come visit Apo Island, for world class snorkelling and diving, where you will bump into turtle after turtle and see large colourful corals in one of the healthiest undersea habitats I have ever seen!
I can honestly say that I spent 3 entire days snorkelling non stop here, because it was just too beautiful to leave the ocean! Swimming side by side with wild and free turtles, and enjoying the experience of seeing them in their natural habitat is unlike anything else, and the natural encounters here were more special to me than any zoo/SeaWorld experience can ever be!
Thank you for reading, and please upvote or follow if you enjoyed this!
I'll leave you with a video of another busy turtle friend, just chilling out 🐢🐢
Bye for today, Steemians!
Jess x