What style of bathing suit to wear snorkeling?

[canuckgal]

Hi- I have never been snorkelling before. I am bringing a bikini and a skirt style bottom with a dress-style top. I am tempted to wear the skirt/dress for the added coverage on the boat on the way to and from the reef (bikini more for private balcony in my mind)but if I wear the skirt and dress will it be floating up in the water and bothering me? Will I have a life jacket on- that would keep the top down? Thanks!

[sjmbruce]

i have been snorkeling four times in different locations, including the 2nd largest barrier reef and with sharks. one time i wore a one piece, the other three times i wore a halter tankini top and bikini bottom. each time a life jacket of some type was provided. the life jackets never bothered my halter top. since you'll be floating on your stomach most of the time, the skirt will probably float up. also, i once wore a bikini bottom with ties on the sides to shorten or lenghten the thigh coverage. the ties came undone and caused two problems: they would get caught on plants in shallow areas, and would float against my leg and scare me!

have fun!

[MrsPete]

I say wear the suit that is most comfortable. You don't want to feel like you need to pull anything up or down while snorkeling. Beyond that, it doesn't matter.

[cb at sea]

If your suit doesn't normally come off, or up or down when swimming, it won't do so because you're snorkeling. I wear a bikini, no matter what! Wear whatever kind of suit you normally wear!

[suezyq50]

I have always worn a one piece. Life jacket is a must a all the places I have snorkeled. We love it. We go when ever we can. Have fun.

[Bowie MeMe]

I would wear the one piece and have it fit close to the body. Over that I would wear a rash guard type of shirt. You need to worry most about sun burn. It is painful and it can lead to skin cancer! I know many who wear a rash guard bottom (pants or one piece like a light wet suit). I love wearing a float jacket (maybe what you are calling life jacket but it is different in that you can inflate it with mouth piece secure it with strap between legs). Float jacket allows you to just lay in the water in a stable way -- cuts down on the feeling of rolling or rocking in ocean. I used this out of necessity on the Great Barrier Reef but found I loved it everywhere. Also if you wear glasses you can rent goggles with your own RX (fairly close) Makes it so much more enjoyable.

 

So: BEWARE THE SUN. Cover it up and live another day without pain. Rash guards protect from sun, stings, rocks etc brushing against body, and ropes if you rest on safety lines. When you get back take a shower and really soap extremely well and put lots of lotion and conditioner in hair and on skin. Have a ball. (we got shortie wetsuits at Bass Pro Shops for about $60)

[klauer]

I wear a conservative tankini for convenience with a cover up for the boat ride.

[5326jan]

I wear a tankini and brief style bottoms. If the top floats up, I just tuck it into the legs of my bottoms in a couple places to "tack it down". Once out of the water, I put on board shorts and a rash guard over my swimsuit. I'm a modest person and don't like having everything (including my shockingly white thighs) hanging out! :o

[helen haywood]

I would not wear a one piece because if you need to go to the head (toilet) on the boat struggling out of a one piece can be a pain. Men have it so much easier....

 

I'd also wear a rash guard or a full back top because you are floating on your stomach the whole time and you really can get badly sunburned.

[cocontom]

I like a long sleeved rash guard and pants, because I always manage to miss spots when I put on sunblock, and I don't have to worry about it with those. I do have one shirt that I need to add a piece of elastic to the hem. I made mine, but Land's End has cheap rashguard shirts, and nylon/spandex leggings work just fine for the pants.

[Shawn loves to cruise]

Hi- I have never been snorkelling before. I am bringing a bikini and a skirt style bottom with a dress-style top. I am tempted to wear the skirt/dress for the added coverage on the boat on the way to and from the reef (bikini more for private balcony in my mind)but if I wear the skirt and dress will it be floating up in the water and bothering me? Will I have a life jacket on- that would keep the top down? Thanks!

 

Wear whatever bathing suit you have and cover up over that. I found out the hard way that even waterproof sunscreen washes off. So my advise is to wear a pair of mens board shorts over your suit. That way your butt sticking out of the water doesnt get burned. You could even wear a tshirt over your suit if you wanted.

I had to skip out on a second snorkel trip the day after due to my backside getting burned...just saying..

 

Good luck-Shawn

[Bowie MeMe]

Wear whatever bathing suit you have and cover up over that. I found out the hard way that even waterproof sunscreen washes off. So my advise is to wear a pair of mens board shorts over your suit. That way your butt sticking out of the water doesnt get burned. You could even wear a tshirt over your suit if you wanted.

I had to skip out on a second snorkel trip the day after due to my backside getting burned...just saying..

 

Good luck-Shawn

 

Need more protection than a T shirt. Denser weave and reflective quality gives SPF rating of 50 + on rash guards or swim jackets/pants. Weave also keeps shape and doesn't cling or get clammy feeling. Redheads need that -- they burn faster than even white blonde pastie colored folks. Water makes the rays burn you even faster. We just want you to love snorkeling and not have a painful first experience.

[5326jan]

Wear whatever bathing suit you have and cover up over that. I found out the hard way that even waterproof sunscreen washes off. So my advise is to wear a pair of mens board shorts over your suit. That way your butt sticking out of the water doesnt get burned. You could even wear a tshirt over your suit if you wanted.

I had to skip out on a second snorkel trip the day after due to my backside getting burned...just saying..

 

Good luck-Shawn

 

Why men's board shorts? Not criticizing, just curious! My board shorts came from lands end and are in cute girlie colors! :)

 

[Shawn loves to cruise]

Why men's board shorts? Not criticizing, just curious! My board shorts came from lands end and are in cute girlie colors! :)

 

 

Same/same to me. The thought was more for long shorts rather than the shorter ones they design most of the time for women.

[Wormy53]

I think that your skirt-style bottoms would be OK. I have worn them snorkeling and haven't had any difficulties with them "floating up". But with the dress top it might make more of a problem. Just take it off when in the water. I agree with big-time sunblock or rashers. Believe me when I say that you will see all types of people!!:D

 

I am also in the 2-piece camp. Since tankini's came out, I will never go back to the one piece. The bathroom issue is a deal-breaker!:)

[SkiCruiser]

Just remember to put sunblock on your back under your tankini top if that's what you go with. I never thought of putting sunblock on my lower back and got an uncomfortable surprise that evening! The tankini top must have floated up most of the time as I was in the water! :D