Top Snorkelling Locations on Lady Elliot Island

1. The Lagoon

Located on the south-eastern side of the island, the Lagoon varies in depth as the tides change, with water levels ranging between 0.5m to 2.2m on average. For first time snorkellers or children, this is the perfect place to begin your soon-to-be obsession with snorkelling! However, snorkelling in the Lagoon is not limited to beginner snorkellers and some of the most unique underwater encounters can happen only meters from the beach!

Access to the Lagoon is easy and not confined to a particular location, feel free to jump in from anywhere along the resort front. We do, however, recommend entering in front of the Restaurant or the Fish Pool. If you feel the need to stand up at any point during your snorkel, ensure you select a patch of sand clear of sea cucumbers and coral. On the far-left hand side of the lagoon is ‘Channel-One’, a large patch of sand extending around 150m straight out from the Beachfront Restaurant. Channel One is identified by a ‘Green’ marker buoy and flag, this marks out a turtle cleaning station!

What can you expect to see here?

• Turtles en masse! The lagoon is a fantastic location to snorkel with the friendliest Green and Hawksbill turtles on the southern Great Barrier Reef! It seems to be ideal for a little rest and a shell polish, not to mention a mid-morning or afternoon snack of algae.
• Sea stars and sea urchins
• Sea cucumbers
• Clams and coral
• Colourful fish
• Small reef sharks
• Octopus

Occasional sightings include:

• Blue spotted lagoon rays
• Epaulette sharks tucked underneath coral overhangs
• Bamboo sharks

Image credit: www.instagram.com/alanna_murph

2. Spiders Ledge

Spiders Ledge is a reef slope boasting an impressive array of hard coral. The ledge is a favourite location among our snorkel guides and many guests who have had the fortune to visit it! Located on the north-western side of the island, this area is only accessible by boat due to depth and currents falling outside our self-guided snorkel zones. Depending on the weather, snorkel tour groups will often drift snorkel along this site.

What can you expect to see here?

• Some of the most incredible coral you will ever see!
• Manta rays on feeding lines
• Small and large turtles
• Small to medium reef sharks

Occasional sightings include:

• A small fever of eagle rays
• Larger sharks

Image credit: www.instagram.com/nicolemclachlanphoto

2. Shark Pool

In the summer months, the Shark Pool is a favourite hang for many of our resident blacktip, whitetip, and grey reef sharks. Located on the north-western side of the island, this area is only accessible by boat as part of a guided snorkelling tour and falls outside our self-guided Snorkel Zones.

What can you expect to see here?

• Sharks!

Occasional sightings include:

• Large groupers
• Eagle rays

Image credit: www.instagram.com/jeremysomphoto

4. Coral Gardens & The Arches

Coral Gardens is another favourite location for many of our snorkel guides and guests. It certainly lives up to its name! The northern end of the site includes three coral arch ways which are home to resident fish, with small reef sharks and turtles occasionally passing through. The height and structure of the reef varies throughout this site and there is also a snorkel line for in-water safety. Keep a look out for the yellow flags for the Coral Gardens Snorkel Zone!

What can you expect to see here?

• Three beautiful coral archways
• Giant trevally guarding the arches
• Sweetlips, parrotfish, and a harlequin tusk fish inside the arches
• Anemonefish
• Turtles

Occasional sightings include:

• Bubbles the bottlenose dolphin
• Bigeye trevally school

Image credit: www.instagram.com/kristianlainephotography

5. Second Reef

Second Reef is a location frequently visited on our Glass Bottom Boat/Snorkel Tours. Located in the blue snorkel zone of the western side of the Island, this site includes a snorkel line running along the reef crest. On the inside of this line is a shallow area, often home to turtles visiting the cleaning station. On the deeper side is the ‘drop-off’ where the reef descends to around 10-12m deep. In the white sandy patches, you can often find green turtles and leopard sharks resting on the sea floor.

What can you expect to see here?

• Sea anemones and nemo
• Turtle cleaning station
• Colourful, active reef fish
• Clams
• Coral

Occasional sightings include:

• Octopus
• Moray eels
• Eagle rays
• Manta rays along the drop off

Image credit: www.instagram.com/nazzzzz_

6. The Lighthouse Bommies

Located straight out from the Lighthouse quay way, these large coral formations sit in 16 metres of water. Referred to as ‘bommies’ these masses of coral provide important habitat for eels, fish, turtles and a wide variety of invertebrates. They are home to our ‘cleaning stations’ which are in part the reason for a high number of manta rays that visit the island! Throughout the year, is it common to sight manta rays on these bommies slowly swirling around them! It is important to note that this area falls inside our ‘orange’ snorkel zone and is often subject to strong currents therefore an advanced level of snorkelling is required. We highly recommend you check the conditions at the Dive Shop prior to embarking on a snorkel to this location. Our Glass Bottom Boat will often pass over this site at the beginning of a tour, and it is also a favourite stop for our Snorkel Safari tour (subject to weather and conditions).

What can you expect to see here?

• Manta rays being cleaned on the bommies
• Reef sharks
• Stingrays hiding in the sand
• Green and Loggerhead turtles

Occasional sightings include:

• Leopard sharks resting on the sand
• Eagle rays

Image credit: www.instagram.com/joshblankphotography

7. Encounters

Located on the south-western side of the island, encounters wraps around the corner of the Lady Elliot and is filled with stunning coral ranging in shape, size, and colour. This area is only accessible by our guided snorkel tours and is a favourite location for many of our snorkel guides. There is often a strong current around this corner, meaning you are dropped in from a boat and follow your guide, only needing to kick gently if snorkelling with the current.

What can you expect to see here?

• Amazing coral formations
• Turtle cleaning station
• Colourful reef fish
• Reef sharks

Occasional sightings include:

• Sting rays resting on sand patches
• Eagle rays
• Groupers

Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland