The warm waters that fringe the fabled islands in the South Pacific offer some of the best visibility on the planet, and the reefs are a treasure trove of charismatic creatures waiting to be discovered by adventurous travelers. This is where you can swim beside dolphins, whales, or sharks, giving your bucket list a few major checks.

Plus, these islands offer white-sand beaches, turquoise lagoons, and villages to explore between underwater expeditions. Below are five top places to snorkel to see the South Pacific’s most impressive marine wildlife.

Moorea, French Polynesia

Dive with dolphins, stingrays, and blacktip reef sharks in the sandy lagoon encircling Moorea, a laid-back, mountain-clad island just 10 miles from Tahiti. Try your luck at finding the animals yourself by snorkeling in waist-deep water over a sandbar on the northwest tip of the island, or book an encounter at the Moorea Dolphin Center where you’re guaranteed 15 minutes of hands-on interaction with these playful mammals.

How to get there: Take a quick flight via Air Tahiti, or a 30- to 60-minute ferry ride from Papeete.

Vavau, Tonga

Tonga’s Vavau island group is one of the best places in the world to swim with humpback whales. Females migrate north to the warm waters of the South Pacific each June to give birth, hanging out in the shallows with their newborns through October. Tour operators like Encounters Travel offer eco-friendly, intimate whale encounters, and mamas will often nudge their babies up to play alongside the visiting humans, giving you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to dance with a whale.

How to get there: Take a direct flight from Nadi, Fiji, via Fiji Airways.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Glide next to manta rays as they weave through Bora Bora‘s famous blue-green lagoon. With a wingspan reaching up to 23 feet, the resident mantas look like giant birds as glide through the water. Snorkelers can watch them scoop up zooplankton with their wide-open mouths, or see them hovering at a coral reef “cleaning station,” where fish pick parasites off their black-and-white skin. Schools of spotted-eagle rays, stingrays, and blacktip reef sharks are also common sights.

How to get there: Take a 45-minute flight via Air Tahiti from Papeete.

Niue

Not only is it one of the largest raised coral atolls in the world, the tiny island-nation of Niue is also the only place where you can swim with the katuali, a sea snake that grows up to three feet long. Its tiny mouth makes it harmless to humans (children wear them as necklaces on Niue’s beaches), but this snake is one of the most venomous creatures on the planet. Watch the beautiful striped snakes stream through clear water as they dive down to the reef to feed, then resurface to breathe. The best place to snorkel with katuali is in Snake Gully near Avatele Beach.

First-time visitors should book a discovery tour to experience the most of this special destination.

How to get there: Air New Zealand offers twice-weekly three-hour flights from Auckland.

Fakarava, French Polynesia

Drift over hundreds of blacktip reef sharks as you ride the current through Fakarava‘s lagoon. This atoll’s south pass is nicknamed the “Shark Wall,” and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you want to up the ante on your encounter with sharp-toothed predators, visit on the June solstice when Fakarava’s pass turns into a full-on feeding frenzy. Tens of thousands of grouper spawn in the shallows, drawing in large oceanic sharks and schools of big fish, all of which are clear as day in the gorgeous tropical water.

How to get there: Air Tahiti offers 75-minute flights from Papeete.

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Even when only 400 acres of the farming land they’d bought could be cultivated, even when their visas were good for just six months, even when the price of vanilla crashed — they pressed on, images from James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific fueling their belief that they could succeed.

In March 1962, the Bali Hai Boys bought a junky hotel on Moorea and named it Hotel Bali Hai, as a nod to Michener, of course. They didn’t know anything about running a hotel, but surely their former lives as a salesman, a securities trader and an attorney could help somehow. The boys got the hotel fixed up just in time for a chance feature in the December 1962 issue of Life Magazine, and the story spread like wildfire.

The Hotel Bali Hai quickly grew into one of French Polynesia’s largest resorts, and by 1967 the boys were running another property on Raiatea. It didn’t have a beach, but it had a beautiful reef. Hugh had the thought of building bungalows on the reef, pointing to the Tahitians who would spend all day out in the water in fishing huts. And so the overwater bungalow was born. What started out as a practical answer to a logistical problem has turned into more than 900 overwater oases across Tahiti’s 118 islands and 7,000-plus more worldwide.

In the 50 years since the Bali Hai Boys debuted their stilted shanties, overwater bungalows have sprouted up in Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, the Caribbean, even Switzerland. But nowhere has the surge been as prolific as in the Maldives, which is home to two-thirds of the world’s overwater bungalows.

Through the decades, the bungalows have become increasingly more lavish than the Bali Hai Boys’ rustic huts. From palatial suites with private butlers to digs with infinity pools and rooftop terraces, simply being over the water is no longer enough.

Enter the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, which unveiled 86 new overwater bungalows in April. Built in a private cove on tiny Motu To’opua off Bora Bora’s coast, the resort features the region’s only two-story overwater suite. The Presidential Overwater Villa sprawls over 3,229 square feet, outfitted with separate dressing rooms, two bedrooms, three bathrooms and several glass-floor viewing panels (aka Tahitian TV).

Fifty years ago, the Bali Hai Boys had to decide what kind of materials and engineering feats it was going to require to build these rooms over the water. Today, tough decisions include whether to take in the epic views of Mount Otemanu from your private second-story terrace or your plunge pool.

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Even if only once, a swim with sharks can help you connect with our marine neighbors. Here are some great places around the world for shark encounters.

Oahu, Hawaii

About three miles off Oahu’s legendary North Shore, it’s common to see Galapagos sharks, sandbar sharks and the occasional tiger or whale shark. You may also find green sea turtles and spinner dolphins patrolling the blue-green abyss. Sign up for a shark snorkel sesh with Ocean Ramsey’s One Ocean Diving, and you might meet Captain Pancakes, Frankenfin and Miss Aloha.

Because Ramsey wants the interaction to be as natural and positive as possible, there’s no chum used and no shark cages, either. Instead, these tours are all about promoting shark conservation, research and education, making Oahu one of the best places to swim with sharks.

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Whale sharks are the biggest sharks in the ocean, and swimming with them is quite a treat. Hundreds migrate to Isla Mujeres from June through September each year, and snorkeling is the best way to float alongside them since they’re often near the service. You can even get close enough to the gentle giants to clearly see the perfectly patterned pale yellow dots and stripes on their skin. Don’t worry, though: Plankton is their snack of choice.

Guadalupe Island, Mexico

The super-clear water here makes it one of the world’s best places to photograph great white sharks. Dive operators will take you out 150 miles offshore to the Pacific Coast for cage diving. If you aren’t quite ready for that much action, opt to just chill on the boat and spot sharks from above (either way is thrilling). Plus, since you’ll be between temperature and subtropical ecozones, you’ll see yellowfin tuna, super cool zooplankton and butterflyfish.

Moorea, French Polynesia

Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, a 25-minute ferry ride from Tahiti, will arrange for you to go snorkeling with sharks, octopi, bright-colored coral and stingrays. It’s a great way for newbies to get comfortable with dozens of sharks swimming around them. Plus, there’s a good chance your guide will serenade you while strumming the ukulele on the boat ride back.

Bimini, Bahamas

The great hammerhead shark, which grows up to 20 feet long, is one of the more unusual sharks to dive with. In December and January each year, you can find them just off the coast of the small island of Bimini. Some people have dubbed the spot as the “hammerhead capital of the world,” and the Great Hammerhead Shark Safari offered by Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina is a great way to encounter them. You’ll also see bull sharks, nurse sharks and stingrays.

Channel Islands, California

This archipelago 11 miles off the coast of California has been called North America’s Galapagos due to its diverse plant and animal life. Snorkeling or diving in within this national park is some of the best in the world. Among the impressive underwater kelp forests, you’ll find many shark species, like blue sharks, Pacific angel sharks and horn sharks. This stunning location is also home to shipwrecks and sea caves.

Outer Banks, North Carolina

Known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, this area has a slew of shipwrecks, which attract loads of fish. And tiger sharks are on the prowl here. This is one of the few places in the world where you are nearly guaranteed a shark sighting with no need for chum or bait of any kind.

The Cove, La Jolla, California

Diving here is easy: You descend directly from the shore, so no boats are needed. Nearby, it’s common to come across sevengill sharks during the summertime. And, in the fall, top sharks, angel sharks, horn sharks and schools of leopard sharks are the norm. For the super adventurous, go 10 miles offshore to find mako sharks, the fastest bad boys in the ocean.

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Best of the Caribbean | Best of Overwater Bungalows | Best Islands to Live On

Best Overwater Bungalow for Waking Up: Le Méridien Bora Bora

Most Amazing Moment: Vanuatu Vine Jumping

Best Beach in the Caribbean: Trunk Bay, USVI

Best Overwater Bungalow Interior: St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Best Overwater Bungalow (one person’s opinion): InterContinental Resort & Spa Moorea

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Bora Bora Overwater Bungalows

OR

Maldives Overwater Bungalows

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See more of our editors’ Best lists at ISLANDS.com/best.

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Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands – specifically Maui and Kauai – were the resounding favorites for romance among readers who responded. As ISLANDS fan Jeneka Ossa explains, “Kauai is hard to beat with it’s crescent moon shaped beaches, stunning beauty and true aloha spirit.”

Jamaica

Jamaica – specifically Negril – was a close second for romantic island destinations, according to readers who responded to our Facebook question. Reader Shelley Wessels says she chose the island because of “the music, the laid back atmosphere, the night sounds, the flowers – it’s heaven!”

Tahiti

The Tahitian Islands – and primarily Bora Bora – have stolen the hearts of our readers. But one in particular who chose the destination, Daisy Carnitas, makes a good point: “Then again, it really doesn’t matter; When you’re in love, you can make anywhere be as romantic as you’d like!”

Greece

Who could forget about the Greek Isles – specifically Santorini – when it comes to romantic island escapes? Our readers, who responded on Facebook, voted the islands into the top 4.

The U.S. Virgin Islands

When it comes to romance, our readers love the USVI – especially St. Thomas and St. John.

St. Martin

From the Dutch St. Maarten to the French St. Martin, this island is a favorite for romance with our readers and Facebook fans.

The Maldives

Why is the Maldives an ISLANDS reader favorite for romantic island destinations? As Facebook fan Nouannapha Hehir explains, “There is nothing like an Island plotted in the middle of the Indian Ocean.”

St. Lucia

Who could forget about St. Lucia when it comes to island romance? Our Facebook fans voted it into the top 8 islands.

Fiji

The islands of Fiji were bound to make the list of top 10 islands for romance. Why? As Facebook fan Anne-Marie Gillard explains of Turtle Island, “It’s so lush and beautiful – an incredible island of romance, relaxation, adventure, and legend.”

Grenada

Rounding out the Reader’s Choice list of the most romantic islands around the world, our Facebook fans weighed in and selected Grenada, the Isle of Spice. Disagree with the list chosen by our social media community? Leave us a comment!

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Bora-Bora’s Leading Lines** As we reviewed our possible cover photos, this image of the Hotel Bora Bora kept drawing us in. That was by design. Photographer Douglas Peebles used the principle known as leading lines for a composition that invites viewers to look deeper, then deeper still into this photo. It starts with the bungalow in the foreground. Notice how the roofline slopes from the edge of the page to the center. The line of the floor and deck does the same thing, as do the lines in the bungalows on the left-hand side. Your eye instinctively follows those lines to the majestic peaks. Along the way, the image’s broad depth of field shows details that encourage careful viewing. All of it pops under the sunny, blue skies that make Bora-Bora such a beautiful destination.

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Tasmania’s Singular Tree** When we sorted through photographer Matthieu Paley’s images from his Tasmania trip, this shot captured the wild, ethereal vibe of the island itself. The graphic composition and the light make it work. In deciding to center the tree in the frame, Paley breaks the common “rule of thirds” here, which would call for setting the tree off-center (for an example, look at the boat captain opposite this tree). Yet it’s knowing the rules – and when to break them – that’s the key to this image’s power. Another important tip is to keep shooting even on a cloudy day because it can create a dramatic, moody photo. “The right light is here for this kind of image: overcast with a bit of diffused light toward the end of the day,” Paley says. “A threatening sky is good, too. As a photographer you have to be able to shoot in all weather conditions. I might use a neutral-density filter to bring the light down more and shoot wide open to give a shallow depth of field, which also creates a bit of a vignette look. If you shoot RAW [the unconverted, highest-resoluton image format], you can adjust settings to your liking in the computer later. I like to bring saturation down, maybe underexpose the image a bit, like on this picture – et voila!”

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Moorea’s Fresh Angles** Over-water bungalows are always a popular photo subject for ISLANDS. In this case, the angle works well to showcase these bungalows with a sense of place. Shooting from a boat captured the scale of the mountain in dramatic contrast with the intimacy of the bungalows. Also effective is the use of light at this angle, providing an interesting contrast with the cover image of Bora-Bora. In this image from Moorea, the sun is higher in the sky, so the mood isn’t as dreamy. Yet the light is still even across the majority of the huts, so they seem to pop from the foliage. It lights up just enough detail on the bungalows to make them inviting.

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Montserrat’s Tiny Aerials** Rather than a photojournalistic approach, this image of Montserrat’s devastated landscape is from an artistic perspective. “From the air that scene looked like a destroyed model city, which is what I wanted to convey,” says photographer Jad Davenport. To magnify that effect, Jad used a couple of techniques. “I shot as wide as possible from the helicopter and then enhanced the depth of fi eld with the lens-blur filter in Photoshop,” he says. “If I’d been printing in the darkroom, I would have simply tilted the paper tray.” Striking details jump off the page against the softer landscape, leading to an impression that’s more surreal than real.

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Wilson’s Night Life** The real accomplishment here was making the most of two very different light sources. Outside the tent, it’s the blue hour on Wilson Island, which gives a cool color, literally, to the natural surroundings. Inside, the incandescent lights create a warm glow. The balance is beautiful. Earlier in the day, the interior would be in shadow; later, the exterior would be lost in complete darkness. So shot correctly – with the appropriate exposure from a tripod at the one perfect moment – this image succeeds.

* For more tips and to get personal advice, visit Lori’s new mini-site at islands.com/photos.

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