Africa is famous for its big game, exotic plants, and cross-country safaris, but the coastline of Southern Africa is home to a completely different world of color and life. At the southern tip of the continent the chilly Atlantic Ocean meets with the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. This makes it possible for visitors to find an abundant mix of cold and warm-water species.

This hub will highlight a few of the most popular snorkeling spots in South Africa. I wrote another hub about the kinds of snorkeling equipment you need for this kind of trip.

The Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and the KwaZulu Natal are three of the four provinces that enjoy coastal shoreline in South Africa. To help you plan your trip, I will explore a few popular snorkeling areas by province.

The KwaZulu Natal Coast is home to several popular snorkeling sites. With the Agulhas current keeping the water at 20 degrees Celsius or higher, visitors enjoy warmth as well as good visibility.

Sodwana Bay, which is located in the northern part of the province, is probably the most popular place to dive and snorkel in KwaZulu. As part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park, Sodwana Bay is very well-preserved and large. For example, there are four different reefs for visitors to explore. And, with more than 1,200 species of fish spotted in the area, snorkelers will definitely see a wide variety of marine life in this area.

Maputaland is another popular snorkeling spot in northern KwaZulu. It is home to both Cape Vidal and the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve. The biggest advantage of Cape Vidal is that its waters are sheltered and shallow at low tide. An assortment of pools and rock ledges also make it an ideal location for snorkeling. Kosi Bay is unique because it is located at the mouth of four fresh water lakes. With salt and fresh water mixing in a variety of salinities, the area is home to many different kinds of fish. It is also a good place to spot humpback whales in December as they migrate north to calve. Unfortunately, swimmers also have to keep an eye out for hippos, crocodiles and sharks.

One of the most popular activities off the Western Cape is snorkeling with seals of the Cape Town peninsula. If you prefer to spend you time with seahorses, Knysna is the place to go though. The Tsitsikamma Marine Park also has several trails for snorkelers and divers but it is infamous for having rough waters. There's also a shallow reef at Mossel Bay, but divers need to be wary of shark attacks in that area.

Nelson Mandela Bay is home to a cold-water coral garden. In addition to octopus and jelly fish, snorkelers will also sight many tropical vagrant species in this spot.

Even though Mozambique is technically north of the South Africa border, I wanted to include it here because a two mile reef at the Bazaruto Archipelago is one of the best snorkeling spots in Africa. Suited for both beginners and experts, this reef features four species of dolphins, five species of marine turtles and a large population of dugong. Like Kosi Bay, this reef is also a good place to sight humpback whales and manta rays.