A scanning endoscope apparatus is provided with: a scanner that has an optical fiber, which guides light coming from a light source and makes the light exit from an exit end thereof, and a drive portion, which displaces the exit end in a direction that intersects an optical axis, and that scans the light that is made to exit from the exit end over an observation subject a light detection portion that receives return light coming from the observation subject generated by scanning the light by the scanner a speed detection portion that detects the moving speed of the scanner and a control portion that controls the drive portion so as to decrease a length of a scanning track of the light on the observation subject with an increase in the moving speed detected by the speed detection portion.
