Guided Snorkeling Tour 1-Day

$ 67.99

More Than 5 Stars! I would give Borneo Dreams more than 5 stars if I’d the option because theirs is one of the best snorkelling trips I’ve ever been on.We’re both seasoned snorkellers and have gone on many such trips in Thailand and Malaysia. Usually, for most tour dive/snorkel operators we’ve been with, when they say ‘guided’ trip, it would mean ferrying snorkellers to a spot and then letting us swim around on our own for a while before moving to the next spot. At most, there would also be a staff or two in the water swimming with us, occasionally pointing out some sea life to us.But Borneo Dreams (BD) is truly a guided snorkelling tour in every sense of the word. Their guide, Amir, was with us throughout the swim. He would lead us to various spots and point out sea life or sights that we’d otherwise miss on our own. He also shared some insights about the marine life situation in Sabah and educated us on some of the sea life we came across. It was also helpful that he carried a life bouy with him during the swim; for us to hang on to for a quick rest whenever swimming just got a bit too tiring- because we covered quite a distance. Its bright colour was also useful in helping us spot him whenever we got too engrossed in spotting sea life. And although I’m a seasoned snorkeller, it was reassuring to know the bouy was there if we needed it.With BD, we spent a lot of time in the water. More than we usually would with other operators anywhere. We spotted a stingray, baby squid, stone fish, lion fish and few more. But our guides were also realistic about expectations. Because it’d been raining heavily the evening before and early morning when we were out, they did remind us that visibility may be low or nothing at all, despite their best efforts. Our fellow boat mates who were on a discovery and refresher dive on the same trip said they couldn’t see much because of that. So, I guess we were quite lucky to have been able to see all those fishes during our snorkel.I’d read reviews here from snorkellers griping about not being informed that their trip would be a mix of snorkellers and divers. It was the same for us. I got the impression that it was all going to be snorkellers. We were only told about the divers on an actual day. But, for us, it wasn’t an issue. We figured that it might be more due to logistics and the uncertainty of people not showing up for their bookings, that BD had to arrange it this way. Because one of the guides told us that they do get boats where the bookings for the day were all snorkellers. Despite that, both groups on our boat, the divers and the snorkelers, had ample time in the water and their own areas in the sea. In fact, we enjoyed hearing about and sharing each group’s experiences during the trip. But may I suggest with regards to this, BD gives a heads up to their guests about the possibility of a mixed group. At least some people can come mentally prepared and not end up being upset/salty about it. (Pun not intended.)Overall, we have nothing but good words for all the highly experienced instructors/guides on our boat. This was what drew us to BD. We’ve never come across a snorkel trip led by certified PADI instructors before this. (Dive trips, yes, of course. But none for our past snorkel trips.) So, we knew we were going to be in good hands and have a snorkelling trip that was of quality. Big shoutouts to our guides and instructors, Amir, Ricky and Esther as well. They were genuinely warm. (Not the ‘fake’ warmness that you often find at most places. Like the, ‘I have to be nice to you because you are tourists’, kind of warm.) With the BD guides, you can really sense their sincerity and they accorded the same to everybody regardless if they were local or tourists, even on the boat.Esther’s guidance with the discovery divers who were on our boat is also commendable. She was patient, very clear and presented her briefing in a way that was easy to understand. We got a chance to listen in while we got ready for our snorkel session, and my husband, who is a certified advanced diver, commended her for this. The guides also genuinely care not just about the local marine life, but they’re big on animal welfare, including that of the strays here. We got to observe this for ourselves and were very taken by their big hearts. Our experience with BD was superb, and they’ll definitely be on our list, not just for the sea activities, but for the land ones next time we come this way.☆ Tips/Shares:- • As I shared earlier, BD’s snorkel tour is a ‘proper one (not the touristy type), so expect to be in the water for some time and to cover quite an area if the weather, sea state and visibility permits. As they mentioned in their pre-trip email to us, this session’s more suitable for those who are strong and/or confident swimmers, (even though we have to wear life vests during the swim), because of the duration and area we’ll cover.• There are no shower facilities at Jesselton terminal, and the toilet there is quite basic and undesirable at most. The only access you’ll have to a shower is during the 1-hour island stop for lunch (but you’ll have another swim session after that, so it kinda defeats the purpose.) The crew will also provide some (but a limited supply) of water to hose/rinse yourself down at the end of your swim. So, if you’re planning to go elsewhere after the trip, it is best to have some contingency plans for changing and/or a shower.• Food portion on the island’s restaurant is BIG (but reasonably priced). Just a heads up to the small eaters, who might end up buying too much as we did. Lol.• You get to alight/disembark on BD’s own boats from a separate pontoon at the terminal, so you don’t have to jostle for space with the crowd at the terminal.• BD provides boat pick-up from certain resorts’ jetties. From what we understand and saw, Sutera Harbor and Gaya island are one of them. (Pardon me if I’m wrong.) Unfortunately, the marina at the resort we stayed at doesn’t allow this, so we had to make the trip to Jesselton. Do check with BD if your resort is one of the lucky ones.

800-328-8170

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800-328-8170

Guided Snorkeling Tour 1-Day

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