Snorkelling in Reunion Island: the best trips and 2026 prices

This is the most reviewed reef snorkelling trip in Reunion Island, with 54 verified Manawa reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 average. The operator is Excelsus Plongée, Saint-Leu's historic dive centre, based 5 minutes from the harbour. The meeting point is the Excelsus centre, 1 Impasse des Plongeurs, and boarding takes place from the harbour right next door.

The format lasts 3h30 in total, of which about 1 hour is actual time in the water. The state-certified guide (BPJEPS minimum, some with DESJEPS) points out the species you come across and adapts the route to the day's sea conditions. Water entry is from the boat's rear platform, at 2 to 10 metres depth, over the coral heads outside the lagoon. A shorty wetsuit is provided (useful even in the hot season for long sessions).

Species typically encountered: surgeonfish, butterflyfish, clownfish, grouper, occasionally stingrays, and sometimes green turtles at the surface. Saint-Leu bay is one of the best-preserved areas on the west coast thanks to the marine reserve, and the reef here is noticeably richer than at the beaches of Saint-Gilles or l'Hermitage.

Manawa price: €60 per person. Minimum age 12, swimming ability required (not for complete beginners). Flexible weather cancellation, coffee/tea/cold drinks included on return. Bring swimwear, a towel, flip-flops and 100% mineral sunscreen. A personal vehicle is needed to reach Saint-Leu from Saint-Gilles (20 minutes via the Route des Tamarins).

This is the Funbooker alternative for snorkelling in Saint-Leu: €60 per person for a 1h30 to 2-hour session on the reef, led by a local guide familiar with the marine reserve.

How it works: you meet on Saint-Leu beach for a briefing on safety and reef etiquette (don't touch the coral, keep your distance from the fish), get kitted out (mask, snorkel, fins, rash vest) and enter the water with the guide. Then it's time to explore the reef's wildlife and plant life: tropical fish (parrotfish, damselfish, clownfish), hard and soft corals, and occasionally sea turtles depending on the season.

Who it's for: families with kids from age 8 who can swim, snorkelling beginners looking for guided supervision, travellers based in Saint-Leu or wanting to explore the marine nature reserve. Who it's not for: non-swimmers, or those after a trip further offshore by boat (take the Manawa excursion with boat water entry instead).

Funbooker price: €60 per person. Free Funbooker cancellation. Included: local guide, full equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, rash guard), briefing. Not included: transport to the site, drinks.

This package with Cap Evasion 974 combines two highlights in a single trip: snorkelling over the coral beds accessible from Saint-Gilles, and attempts to swim with the spinner and bottlenose dolphins that live offshore year-round. From July to October, it's also humpback whale season, with whales migrating up from the south to calve and nurse; your chances of spotting one during the trip rise sharply in that window.

The format lasts 2h30 at sea, departing from Saint-Gilles harbour, pontoon D, with a cetacean-approach briefing, a test water entry to check the equipment, then a run out to areas where dolphin pods have been reported or sighted. The instructor decides on the day: reef snorkelling if the sea is too rough for the cetaceans, or swimming with the animals if conditions are good and a pod tolerates swimmers.

At 5 out of 5 from 30 Manawa reviews, it's the highest rating in the lineup at this price. Minimum age 12, swimming ability with fins-mask-snorkel required (not a complete introduction). The crew follows the Reuni'Mer cetacean-approach charter: a gradual approach, a minimum distance, and withdrawal if the animal shows any sign of stress.

Manawa price: €40 per person, the cheapest in the west coast snorkelling lineup. Included: wetsuit, fins, mask, snorkel, a GoPro available during the trip (videos shared via a link afterwards), free harbour parking. Flexible weather cancellation. A good option if you want to try snorkelling without committing to the €60 turtles/reef budget.

This trip is run by Plongée Péi from pontoon D at Le Port (the marina, 15 minutes from Saint-Gilles via the Route des Tamarins). It's the most accessible package for kids in the snorkelling lineup (from age 8, versus 12 in Saint-Leu and Saint-Gilles), while still keeping a full 3h30 format with a RIB ride out to the reef and dolphin-watching areas.

The programme starts with a briefing on approaching cetaceans respectfully (the Reuni'Mer charter), then you head out by RIB, which quickly reaches the coral reef and lagoon areas. After a test entry to adjust your equipment, you snorkel under the supervision of certified instructors. The explicit prerequisite is being able to swim: the package still demands water confidence despite the low minimum age.

The format suits families with teenagers wanting a proper sea trip (not just a swim from the beach), couples looking for an alternative less busy than Saint-Leu, and travellers based on the north coast (Saint-Denis), for whom Le Port is quicker to reach than Saint-Leu. Wetsuit provided, a snack served on return.

Manawa price: €85 per person. Flexible cancellation with rescheduling or a free refund in case of bad weather. Bring swimwear, a towel, 100% mineral sunscreen, sunglasses and your own water, plus a GoPro or waterproof phone if you have one, as no camera is provided on this trip.

This is the only snorkelling package in Reunion Island you can book online with a minimum age of 6, which makes it the one to choose for families who want to show their kids the island's underwater world without going as far as a dive. The operator, Plongée Salée, is based in L'Étang-Salé, at 5 Rue Motais de Narbonne, a convenient meeting point for travellers staying in the south-west.

The spot is Bassin Pirogue, in L'Étang-Salé: a reef area accessible from the beach with depths of 1 to 4 metres, ideal for a first water entry and for kids not yet comfortable with depth. The trip lasts 2 hours in total, of which about 1h15 is actual time in the water, supervised by a certified instructor who hands out a species identification booklet (coral reef fish of the south-west Indian Ocean) to explore further back home.

An educational, unhurried format, designed for those who want to understand what they're seeing rather than tick off the maximum number of species. Only one 4 out of 5 rating published so far (it's a recent addition to the catalogue), but Plongée Salée is known locally for its family-friendly welcome. Accessible to non-swimmers (a safety buoy is provided), even though being comfortable on the surface helps you get the most out of it.

Manawa price: €55 per person, a hot shower and fries included on return (a nice bonus for the kids). Flexible cancellation with rescheduling or a free refund in case of bad weather. Bring swimwear and a towel; 100% mineral sunscreen is mandatory inside the marine reserve. Free parking on site.