Where to go snorkelling in Sydney

by Mihai Pinzariu on March 18, 2020

It's about passion.It's about exploring. It's about adventure.

Where to go snorkelling in Sydney

By Ninja Shark’s founder (and water enthusiast), Andrew Porter

While the Great Barrier Reef offers some of the most stunning snorkeling opportunities in Australia (as well as the world in general), there’s still plenty of marine life to discover in Sydney. Famous for its numerous beautiful beaches, what’s less spoken about is the numerous snorkeling sites in the city.

All snorkeling spots in Sydney are accessible from the beach, free, and not too far off the beaten track. It’s a prime snorkeling destination for locals and travellers, beginners and pro snorkelers combined! Here are the best places to go snorkelling in Sydney’s beautiful beaches.

Fish in Sydney:

  • Amberjacks, Australian Bass, Bass Gropers, Black Breams, Blue Gropers, Bonitos, Carp, Cuttlefish, Dolphin Fish, Eastern Reef Scorpionfish, Eels, Flathead, Golden Perch, Hairtails, Leatherjackets, Mangrove Jacks, Marlins, Octopus, Sailfish, Wobbegongs, and more.

Best places to snorkel in Sydney

1. Bare Island

Where: La Perouse
Details: One of Sydney’s calmest snorkeling sites, Bare Island is a popular snorkeling and diving destination that’s just off the coast of La Perouse. Most of the snorkeling here happens around a huge fortress where there are plenty of rock platforms and marine life to discover. There’ll be puffer fish, sponge crabs, seahorses, red Indian fish, and more, all amongst beds of seagrass and other soft coral life.

Information:

  • Bare Island was featured in the film Mission Impossible II. How’s that for a famous snorkelling spot?

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms and drinking water available on-site.

2. The Basin

Where: Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park
Details: This beautiful spot is immersed in nature, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. A popular beach camping and water sports site, The Basin is an estuary filled with seagrass beds, rocks, sand, mud flats, and a wonderful opportunity to swim with Cuttlefish, Stingarees, Sea Stars, Leather Jackets, Rays, and even tropical fish in the warmer months!

Information:

  • Snorkeling is accessed from The Basin campground,
  • You can rent snorkeling equipment from EcoTreasures, a snorkeling tour company in The Basin campground.

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms, showers, BBQs, and drinking water available on-site.

3. Cabbage Tree Bay

Where: South Manly Beach to north Shelly Beach
Details: This aquatic reserve is where you’ll find some of Sydney’s healthiest sea life and best snorkeling. There’s an abundance of diversity in the marine life here with over 400 species of sea life to explore. Protected from swells and winds, Cabbage Tree Bay is one of Sydney’s calmest snorkeling spots, making it a great place for beginners and kids. You’ll be swimming amongst goatfish, old wives, blue groupers, wobbegongs, flounder, stingrays, and more.


Information:

  • In cooler weather you’ll find whaler sharks hanging around the fairy bower – worth it for those swims in the cooler months!
    Shelly Beach is Sydney’s only west-facing beach, making it a prime spot for watching the sunset after a long day snorkeling.

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms, picnic, and BBQ areas available.

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4. Clovelly Beach

Where: Clovelly
Details: One of Sydney’s most popular snorkel spots, this is a great place for beginner snorkelers as well as families to head out and have a splash. There is a calm enclosed pool where you can enjoy sea life on most days, but the real snorkeling action happens on the other side, in the ocean. You’ll get to enjoy varied underwater topography, lots of sponges and giant cuttlefish, as well as the resident blue groupers.

Information:

  • The concreted pool makes this spot great for families and beginners who want easy entry into the ocean (there are steps to enter and exit).
  • More confident swimmers should head out further from shore, snorkeling around the edge towards Gordons Bay where there is an abundance of marine life to explore.

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms, showers, and food available on-site.

This year get a head start on our BLACK FRIDAY Offers!

Enter Your E-mail Below and Receive Access
1-Day EARLIER THAN EVERYBODY
To Get Your Hands On Our Limited BLACK FRIDAY Deals!
Save up to 70% OFF for Special Packages.
Limited stock - only 50 pieces available.
⚠️The BLACK FRIDAY Special Packages are limited!
(We’ll let you in on a secret: this Black Friday has our BEST DEALS EVER. And a few SURPRISES)

5. Gordons Bay

Where: Coogee
Details: Just on the other side of Clovelly Beach is this small hidden wonder, a calm beach where you can snorkel with catfish, combers, horse fish, pufferfish, and more. Enclosed by giant cliffs and boulders this beach is peaceful and picturesque, and one of Sydney’s best snorkel sites.

Information:

  • There is a self-guided Underwater Natural Trail offering information about local marine life,
  • You can walk to and from this beach via a coastal walk from Clovelly or Coogee Beach,
  • There are no facilities at this beach.

6. Kurnell Beach

Where: Botany Bay National Park
Details: This is where Captain Cook first landed in Australia, and there’s an abundance of marine and sea life to discover where it all happened. This rocky peninsula is one of Sydney’s quieter and more scenic beaches, and you don’t have to go very far to be swimming with giant cuttlefish, moray eels, Port Jackson sharks, and colourful weedy sea dragons (seahorse relatives).

Information:

  • The north side of the beach has a tidal pool with shallow waters great for kids.

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms, showers, and food available on-site.

7. Little Bay

Where: La Perouse
Details: Perfect for families, small children, and newbie snorkelers who don’t want to go too far from the city to see the good stuff, Little Bay is one of Sydney’s cleanest and most picturesque beaches. Less visited than some other popular Sydney spots, Little Bay is protected by two rocky headlands which provide shallow, calm waters for exploring marine life. The sea life is not so abundant and varied as elsewhere, but there are still colourful sea urchins and small fish to be discovered here.

Facilities:

  • Bathrooms, picnic areas, and BBQs available on-site.

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2 comments
by Rasheed Ahmed on April 11, 2024

Camp Cove , Lady Jane Beach Watson’s Bay great for Free diving , Scuba diving easy access , public transport very good . Safe for leaving your belongings and very beautiful , easy walking distance to the light house . And for eating and drinking . And most of the time it’s came sea , no Surfers, ⛵ most keep there distance. Some times the Ice cream boat turns up. And the council boat that collects rubbish

by Joseph Tohilima on July 25, 2023

Thank you for this I fo..I might go and visit some of these places this coming summer for a snorkel..

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Based on 1489 reviews
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Package : Air Adults (Mask + Fins + Bag)
JEANNIE O. (Piara Waters, AU)
Bloody love this!

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B
Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
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Great design

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Clear as day

Clear to see and easy to breathe,
Whole family loves the NinjaShark Snorkel mask.

R
Lifetime Warranty
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Amazing

The best snorkel and mask combination. No going back now! I could snorkel for over an hour easily. So glad I made this purchase

M
(DRAFT) Package: Dry Snorkel (Set + Fins + Bag)
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Mermaid

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I was a little bit anxious on receiving my order as the mask was quite different to my old one and the fins were short and adjustable ( l wanted them to be my size ! ) well to my luck the weather was beautiful ( yes mid winter in Mackay ) and perfect for boating so off we scooted to Cockermouth ( don't laugh it's a real place ) jumping in and WOW I'm now a mermaid 🧜‍♀️ the mask and fins felt like part of me. I actually cried as not only was the equipment allowing me to explore as l wanted but the reef was STUNNING. So lm indepted to Ninja Shark for making me the mermaid l always aspired to be 🧜‍♀️

Took it to Tahiti

I wasn’t quite sure about getting a full face mask but bought mine (Electra package) before a trip to Tahiti which we got home from yesterday - absolutely LOVED it!!! I’ll be getting one for my wife before our next trip to a similar destination. BTW I make LOTS of crazy videos with lots of toys.

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Life changing

I do love my full face snorkel.. the freedom of nose breathing under the water.. the meditative and relaxative effect of this snorkeling is unexpected and great. Fits so well.. comfy to wear for long time.. highly recommend

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(DRAFT) Diving Dry Snorkel Set with GoPro mount
jomm11 (Brisbane, AU)
Super quality & fit

So happy we got Ninja shark, perfect for Great barrier reef snorkel day.
Flippers, mask, dry wallet, carry bag (good quality bag), anti fog spray, happy days.

Ninja Shark Kids Mask

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Even better than expected!

I saw the kids full face snorkel masks online, and thought they looked pretty cool. I ordered two for Christmas, for my 3 and 6 year olds. Wow, did they have a great time with them!

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They were easy to fit, zero issues with them staying on. No leaks or fog.

They can't wait to get back to the water!

Highly recommend this product :)

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Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
Nick J. (Brisbane, AU)
mask swimming

The mask did exactly what was stated. I was very happy and will get another mask for my daughter.

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Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
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Great way to swim

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Fabulous

I got one for the 3 year old and one for the 5 year old, I thought maybe the 3 year old would get the hang of it eventually but they both loved it and mastered it pretty quickly. We’ve only used in the swimming pool, excited to go snorkeling in the ocean soon. Great product.

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Lifetime Warranty
Sarah B. (Surfers Paradise, AU)
Love it!

Amazing product ! Have the electra package, kids love it. So easy to use. Highly recommend

J
(DRAFT) Diving Dry Snorkel Set with GoPro mount
Jennifer M. (Brisbane, AU)
Love it

Bought these for myself and my husband after getting the full face masks for the kids, and they were so good we’re getting them for the rest of the extended family for Xmas. The fact u can dive down and not get water down ur snorkel is a brilliant bonus! Makes our family holidays much easier and better without snorkel dramas!

This made our holiday

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The photo is us snorkelling off Amadee Island looking for turtles!

My kids love them

I’ve got three of these masks for my younger kids, however the oldest wants one too as the young ones rave about how good the are.

Summer Family Fun

Our Ninja masks have made snorkelling as a whole family very easy and enjoyable. The kids (and parents) find them super easy to use and have allowed us as a family of five to snorkel for longer than we ever could using traditional snorkel gear. I would highly recommend these masks.

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Lifetime Warranty
Geri D. (Sydney, AU)
Lifetime warranty

Glad I have but haven’t needed to use .. yet

Great Mask

Love this mask. Kids find it so much easier snorkelling with the Ninja Shark. The snorkel mask is super clear and doesn’t fog up. The adjustable straps are great and easy to loosen and tighten. Very happy that we made the decision to get these for the kids.

A must for snorkelers!

Recently purchased the Equaliser Pro Mask, Finns and bag. 🤿 🐠🐡🐟🦈 Had an amazing time snorkeling off Fitzroy Island, the Pro mask allowed me to explore for over 7 hours. Higly recommend! Planning must next snorkeling trip! 🤿💦🌴☀️

awsome

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Lifetime Warranty
Lina J. (Gold Coast, AU)
life warranty

This is great! More stores should do it!

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Lifetime Warranty
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Fantastic snorkel!

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