If the sight of the Bahama’s incredible mangrove swamps, the stunning coral of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the incredible marine wildlife off the coast of Mexico as witnessed on the BBC’s Blue Planet series have inspired you to get out and explore our 'blue planet', then look no further than the UK's very own natural wonder,  the Isles of Scilly.

Every inch of our awe-inspiring archipelago is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - with very good reason. Scilly's pristine, crystal-clear waters, incredible wildlife and seabirds and the stunning beaches and coastlines mean you don’t have to travel far on holiday for your very own blue planet experience.

Here are 10 ways to enjoy the very best of Scilly’s fantastic ecology and natural marine environment.

1. Join the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, guardians of much of the islands pristine natural environment, on a rockpool roam, beach comb or coastal wildlife watch. Discover starfish, sandcrabs, shells and so much more.
   The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust are a small, locally-run independent charity that looks after more than half the islands. You too can help to protect and care for Scilly's exceptional natural environment by making a donation here.
2. Take a trip on Seaquest, a glass-bottom boat, and gaze down into Scilly’s crystal clear waters for a fascinating look at the underwater world. Track sunfish, porpoises, mackerel, seals – even the odd tuna and dolphins. The Endeavour Rib also offers marine life trips to see dolphins and seals.
3. Dive into the depths of our cool waters and marvel at the many shipwrecks that lurk in Scilly’s rocky waters and where the colourful coral co-exists amongst the old cannons.
4. Don a wetsuit and head off from St Martin’s for a once-in-a-lifetime experience with Seal Snorkelling Adventures. Swim with seals in their natural environment, so curious that they might even try to nibble your fins.
5. Join wildlife photographer and St Mary’s boatman, Joe Pender, on a summer deep-sea fishing trip to the south of Scilly to tag beautiful (if somewhat toothy) Blue Sharks. It’s a fantastic trip, often enhanced with bow-riding dolphins.
6. Head off on a wildlife sea safari with St Agnes Boating or St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association and watch for spectacular diving gannets, shags, cormorants and quirky puffins (one of the few places in the UK where they breed). 
7. Roam our beautiful brackish wetlands – Lower Moors and Higher Moors on St Mary’s –rich and diverse habitats where you can see incredible lichens, reeds and willow, invertebrates, island birds (and numerous bird hides), all beautifully cared for by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.
8. Discover why Scilly is a Special Area of Conservation – particularly due to our large nationally important breeding population of Atlantic Grey Seals. Come and visit in the autumn and you’ll see their beautiful white fluffy off-spring around our coastlines too. 
9. Join local sea swimming group - the Scilly Mermaids - for an invigorating skin swim in the gentle shallows. Refresh your soul and marvel at the incredible reed beds that thrive in the coves so close to shore.
10. Take a break from the coral and coasts and head off to the Community Observatory for a night under the stars – literally. Scilly enjoys some of the darkest skies in the UK and you can spend the evening using the incredible telescopes to track the incredible constellations and the mighty Milky Way.

Inspired to come to Scilly to discover more of our exceptional natural environment? Nestling just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, getting to Scilly couldn't be easier - with options to fly from Land's End, Newquay or Exeter or via the Scillonian ferry from Penzance.

There are also plenty of accommodation options to choose from across the five inhabited islands. Browse the most comprehensive accommodation listings on our site here, contact our Tourist Information Centre team on 01720 620600 or email info@visitislesofscilly.com for advice in planning your visit.