Jaluit's lagoon is one of the largest in the Marshall Islands, enclosed by a rim of some 91 islets with four navigable passes. The water is clear and warm, the reef system largely intact, and the fish life impressive by any standard. Snorkelling from the shore of any inhabited islet is rewarding; proper diving requires bringing your own equipment, as there are no dive operators on the atoll.
The outer reef faces the open Pacific and is more dramatic in terms of wave action and wall diving, but getting there requires a boat. The protected lagoon side offers calmer conditions and is better for kayaking and free diving. Sea turtles are common and relatively unafraid, as hunting pressure is low.