Equipment
Mask, snorkel and fins for every guest, for the whole of your stay.
- Mask, snorkel & fins
- Free
- Life jacket
- Free
Snorkeling
“Just snorkeling in front of the resort, we already spotted turtles and thousands of fish!”
- House reef straight off the beach
- 28–30 °C water all year
- 20–30 m visibility
- Turtles, rays and reef fish
- Mask, snorkel and fins free for everybody
- Boat trips to Reef 1, 4 and 5
Free for every guest, every day
Snorkeling Service
The reef starts where the beach ends. Walk in from the sand in front of the resort and within a few fin kicks the seagrass gives way to hard coral, then to a drop-off where the water turns deep blue. Turtles graze the shallows most mornings, stingrays sit half-buried in the sand, and reef fish drift past all day long — trevally, grouper, red snapper, parrotfish and clouds of fusiliers. No boat, no guide and no certification needed: you just need a mask.
Malenge sits at the eastern end of the Togean archipelago, far from the day-trip crowds, so the coral in front of the resort is still in excellent shape and you will usually have it entirely to yourself. When you want to go further, our boat takes snorkelers out to Reef 1, 4 and 5 — the same sites our divers visit, with plenty to see in the first few metres. Tell us at breakfast and we will fit you onto the next trip.
Included in your stay
The gear is free — for everybody
Snorkeling equipment is not a rental item here, it is part of your stay. Masks, snorkels, fins and life jackets are free of charge for every guest, whether you snorkel once from the beach or every single day of your stay.
- Masks & snorkels
- Rinsed and checked between guests — take a set for the whole of your stay.
- Fins in every size
- Small to extra large, so nobody has to swim the reef in gear that does not fit.
- Life jackets & floats
- For anyone who would rather float than swim, and for keeping an eye on the little ones.
- Nobody pays extra
- Divers, non-divers, families, day one or day ten — the equipment costs nothing, always.
All we ask is that you bring it back to the rack when you are done, and that you never stand on or touch the coral — it takes decades to grow back, and it is the reason the reef is this beautiful.
Where to get in
Where to snorkel
Four different snorkels, from the sand in front of your bungalow to the outer reefs our boat visits in the morning.
- 01
The house reef
Walk in from the beach below the resort. Seagrass first, then a coral garden, then a wall that falls into the blue about thirty metres out. Turtles, stingrays and schooling fish, without ever getting on a boat.
- 02
The lagoon
Crystal-clear, shallow water over soft white sand just outside the resort — calm, warm and easy. The best place for a first snorkel, for children, and for anyone who wants to take their time.
- 03
Reef number 1
A short boat ride away: hard coral in the shallows, a gentle slope and schools of trevally, snapper and grouper. Baby sharks and turtles are regulars here.
- 04
Reefs 4 & 5
The walls our divers love, and just as good from the surface. Giant sea fans and barrel sponges start a few metres down, and the visibility lets you follow the wall far into the blue.
Just below the surface
The reef from above
Everything on this page sits in the first few metres of water — no tank, no certification and no experience needed. Bring a camera if you have one; the light in the shallows does most of the work.
Good to know
Snorkeling conditions
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C all year — a swimsuit is plenty, a rash guard keeps the sun off
- Visibility
- Generally 20–30 m, and often flat calm first thing in the morning
- Depth
- The best of the reef sits between 1 and 6 m — all of it visible from the surface
- Season
- Snorkeling all year round, with the calmest seas from March to November
- Currents
- Gentle in the lagoon and along the house reef; boat sites are picked with the tide
- Who it suits
- Complete beginners, confident swimmers and families — life jackets for everyone
Let us know at breakfast if you would like to join a boat trip that day, and we will sort out the gear and a guide for you.
We also arranged a snorkeling trip to reef 4 & 5, which was amazing! A lot of coral and fish, great experience.
Lies DebucquoyGoogle reviewThey offer dive/snorkeling tours daily and the 2 reefs that I dove at were stunning. The lagoon just outside of the resort has crystal clear water and nice soft white sand.
EvanGoogle reviewJust snorkeling in front of the resort, we already spotted turtles and thousands of fish!
Fiki J BhayangkaraGoogle reviewWe also arranged a snorkeling trip to reef 4 & 5, which was amazing! A lot of coral and fish, great experience.
Lies DebucquoyGoogle reviewThey offer dive/snorkeling tours daily and the 2 reefs that I dove at were stunning. The lagoon just outside of the resort has crystal clear water and nice soft white sand.
EvanGoogle review01 / 03
Nothing to rent, nothing to pay
Snorkeling & equipment
The gear, the house reef and the lagoon are free for every guest. Boat trips run alongside our dive boat, so just ask us for the day you have in mind.
House reef & lagoon
Straight in from the beach, as often as you like.
- Any time of day
- Free
Boat snorkeling trip
Reef 1, 4 and 5 with a guide, alongside the dive boat.
- Half day
- On request
Island day trip
Snorkeling combined with the jellyfish lake or the Bajau village of Pulau Papan.
- Full day
- On request
Snorkeling equipment is free for everybody — guests, divers and non-divers alike. Nothing to rent, nothing to sign for.
Send us your dates and tell us what you would like to see — we will get straight back to you.
