Best Scuba Diving Sites In The World
by Jo Barnes | Nov 24, 2022
As a fellow diver, Im always on the lookout for some of the best scuba diving in the world! However, finding the ideal dive site for scuba adventures can be an overwhelming task, simply because there are so many wonderful diving destinations out there.
Whether you are on the lookout for gorgeous marine life, the best wreck dives, or simply a vibrant coral reef, this is the list for you! Check out my 77 Best Scuba Diving Sites In The World and start planning your next underwater adventure now.
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Ras Mohammed Egypt Red Sea
Located about one hour from Sharm El Sheikh, this is home to some of the most exciting scuba diving in the world.
This National Park is home to a wide variety of Scuba Dive sites including: Shark Observatory, soft and hard coral dives, cave diving and much more. In addition you can enjoy an abundance of reef fish and not to mention StingRay Alley!
You will probably need to spend a bit of time here to fully enjoy all that the dive sites have to offer.
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Best Scuba Diving Destinations In The World
Looking for the best scuba diving in the world? In this article, I walk you through the best diving in each continent as well as the best dive sites for each country.
Regardless if youre a beginner or advanced scuba diver, get ready to place these scuba diving destinations on the top of your diving bucket list.
Scuba diving is one of our favorite activities to do when we travel as the waters differ as much as the countries everywhere that you go, each one offering just a small insight into how big a world we actually live in.
If you have done scuba diving before or are a full-blown diving guru with the license to prove it, then you know the exact feeling that we are talking about. If you havent done it before but would love to try it, we couldnt recommend it highly enough.
Wherever you lie on the scuba-newbie-to-scuba-king spectrum, we truly think that scuba diving is the master key to unlocking the world. To help you do just that, weve created this map of dive travel if you will, outlining the best scuba diving destinations in the world.
Coco Island Costa Rica
Coco Island, located off the coast of Costa Rica, is another top destination for scuba diving. Its crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life make it a must-visit for diving enthusiasts. Coco Island is known for its abundance of hammerhead sharks, as well as other species such as Hawaiian salmon, milkfish, and parrotfish.
Diving expeditions to Coco Island are a unique and exciting adventure, but they require a bit of planning. The island has no hotels or dive bases, so divers must spend the night on a ship and bring all necessary diving equipment. This means that diving at Coco Island is best suited for experienced divers who are comfortable with overnight travel and self-sufficient diving.
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Wreck Dive At Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Sometimes divers overlook the Great Lakes when trying to find great dive sites. Freshwater lakes are often not considered as good or interesting as ocean divers. Thunder Bays marine sanctuary can set you straight on that.
Located on Lake Huron, the marine sanctuary offers up what they call Shipwreck Alley. Wrecks dating back to 1844 can be explored here. And the fact is, Lake Huron was and is a major shipping area. Boats have been trying to manage these unpredictable waters for a long time. The numerous wrecks off of Thunder Bay are a testament to that. Over 200 wrecks can be accessed in these waters.
The best part of these dive tours is the thing most people assume is a point against it the cold. In the summer, Thunder Bay and surrounding areas can get quite warm. But the typically colder waters of Lake Huron have preserved many of the wrecks. The result is that they are in stunning conditions. Any serious wreck diver has to give this a try.
Sipidan Islands Borneo Malaysia
Malaysia is home to some the best scuba diving in the world, including the famous Sipadan islands. With so much to see and many different dive sites around, diving in the Sipadan islands will have something for every diver.
Sipadan Islands are a marine paradise, renowned among divers for its rich underwater biodiversity, reefs, and sudden drop-offs into the deep ocean.
The wonders of these dive sites among the Sipadans can be easily accessed from the town of Semporna in Sabah Borneo. Malaysia itself is home to some world class diving sites, but diving the in Sipadan island might just take the lead.
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Manta Dives In Kailua Kona Hawaii
For something a little different, give the Kailua Kona manta ray night dive a try. These are dive sites that few people forget. There are a number of tour groups you can head out with, so you may want to do some research ahead of time. That said, almost all of them seem to be top notch and offer similar experiences that are well worth the time.
Day time dive sites take you down to check out fish but its the night dive that is the big draw. Using lights youll be immersed in the dark water as giant manta rays come to feed on plankton. These rays have huge wing spans and are incredibly playful. They will roll and dive right before your eyes.
The dive groups themselves are ideal for beginners. Not only is all of your gear provided, so is knowledge. The guides can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the rays. And diving in Hawaii in general. Theyre also super friendly. They even provide drinks and snacks so you can just relax and enjoy the whole experience.
The best part about many manta dives is that they are guaranteed. A lot of dives you may go down hoping to see a shark or other fish and come back disappointed. For a number of guided manta ray dives, you are guaranteed manta rays. If you dive and dont see one, they will bring you back the next night free of charge. Not every tour will do this, but check for one that does. You have nothing to lose, right?
Richelieu Rock Andaman Sea Thailand
A remote, rocky outcrop off the west coast of Thailand, Richelieu Rock attracts a huge diversity of marine life along its healthy reefs. Widely regarded as the best dive site in Thailand, visiting pelagics such as manta rays, whale sharks, and tuna mingle with resident reef species to create a variety and diversity of marine life thats difficult to beat. To top it off, some excellent macro critters can also be discovered amongst the huge and intricate coral heads.
Bluewater Top Tip: Richelieu Rock is often on the itinerary of Similan Islands or Surin Islands liveaboard trips.
See the liveaboard live availability and find a liveaboard in the Similan Islands.
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Meet Reef Fish At Flower Garden Banks Texas
The Flower Garden banks are located 100 miles from Freeport. This marine sanctuary is as diverse as a dive gets. Teeming with life, the warm Gulf Coast waters have made this a haven for divers and sea life alike.
With some of the largest, vibrant coral reefs you can find, the beauty is unmatched. Chub, jack, and barracuda are plentiful in the clear waters. Theyre not the only residents in the area. You can find spinner dolphins and manta rays through the area as well. Youll also find an abundance of sharks. Silky sharks and hammerheads are common sights. Youll also find the odd whale shark in the area.
Coral carpets the area in vast amounts. More than 50% of the bottom is covered in it. Once youre down to the coral youll find parrotfish, butterflyfish, eels and more. Coral polyps spawn in August. The result is thousands of fish coming into the area to feed. You wont see anything like it anywhere else in the world.
Obviously youre going to want to charter a boat to head out there. There are plenty of tours available and many knowledgeable guides. For the abundance of wildlife and beautiful vistas, this is a true standout.
Bocas Del Toro Panama
Bocas del Toro archipelago is a group of islands a short distance off the north western corner of Panama.
This place is famous among ecologists for the incredible biodiversity of the abundant species of coral that comprise the shallow reefs around its waters.
Because the vast majority of dive sites here are at only ten meters depth or less and are devoid of currents its extremely beginner friendly: you couldnt ask for a better place to learn to scuba dive.
Theres a huge variety of reef fish here as well as many macro critters including dart crabs, nudibranch and cleaner shrimp plus divers also have a chance of spotting young turtles and stingrays.
On top of that, theres also 3 coral-coated shipwrecks that can easily be explored, the largest of which divers can even venture inside.
Diving prices here are cheap at around 70$ for two dives which is half the price of diving Panamas pacific side! Diving season is year round!
Getting there is easy you can fly directly in from Panama City to Bocas town airport or simply catch a bus to Almirante Port and take a small ferry ride over.
If youre diving, youll need to stay on Isla Colon this place is heaving with backpackers, clubs and bars and gets very noisy at night. For some this can be an added bonus, for others not so much!
The other islands are actually much quieter and offer plenty of alternative experiences such as nature treks and indigenous homestays but they dont have any dive centres on them.
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Ss Thistlegorm Red Sea Egypt
A firm favorite amongst visitors to the Red Sea, the SS Thistlegorm is an exciting military wreck offering exploration opportunities for all standards of recreational diver. Swimming through the dark cargo holds reveals a fascinating collection of wartime artifacts including jeeps, motorbikes, a shipment of boots, and plenty of ammunition. The wreck is home to abundant soft corals and some interesting macro hidden amongst the superstructure a must-see for every wreck enthusiast.
Bluewater Top Tip: Visiting the Thistlegorm on a liveaboard trip gives you out of hours access to explore once the busy day boats have left the site.
See some of the best liveaboards in the Red Sea to take you to the amazing dive sites in Egypt.
Tiger Beach Grand Bahama Bahamas
The tiger shark mecca of the Caribbean and arguably the world, the small sand flat of Tiger Beach is tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the Bahamas and has a fearsome reputation. Divers can mix with dozens of these awesome predators as well as lemon sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, and countless tropical reef species during baited shark dives. This shallow site boasts clean, white sand and sparkling water, providing excellent photo conditions and some impressive subjects.
Bluewater Top Tip: As well as the liveaboards departing from Freetown in Grand Bahama, Tiger Beach can also be accessed by liveaboard from West Palm Beach, Florida.
Find a liveaboard in the Bahamas that can take you to some of the best dive sites for shark diving.
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Best Diving In Europe
Even though most of the continent isnt surrounded by water, Europe still offers diving experiences that arent to be missed.
From the warm Mediterranean Sea to the cooler Atlantic Ocean, from WWII wreck diving in Scotland to sea caves in Croatia, there is something for every diver even when you least expect it.
My Top 10 Of The Cheapest Diving Destinations In The World
Scuba diving doesnt have the reputation of being a cheap hobby, so it could come as a disadvantage when travelling alone. However, I have been surprised more than once. I found scuba diving destinations with soft diving rates in many places around the world, locally and on tropical islands. Even if it sounds counterintuitive, it is possible to combine budget travel and scuba diving by going to the 10 cheapest diving destinations I listed below. If the cost of your scuba diving holiday is something holding you back to travel the world on your own and ticking off the best dive sites from your bucket list, check these places first.
The cheapest areas to go scuba diving include South-East Asia, the Mecca of budget scuba diving, and Central America and Southern Europe. Even the Red Sea, one of the top world-class diving areas, is one of the most affordable destinations for scuba diving. Note that these destinations are affordable from a scuba diving and a travel point of view. Whats the point of a dive below 20 if you cant find accommodation below 200 a night? Like me, check booking.com to find accommodation at the best price for your next diving adventure.
Please note that the prices below are only an indication. They are based on the rates for 2020 of the 5 first diving centres ranking on Google for each diving destination.
Summary
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Indonesia: West Papua Raja Ampat
Belonging to Indonesia, the northern part of New Guinea is home to the province of Papua Barat, formerly Irian Jaya. This province is divided into several regions, some of which, like Raja Ampat, are now famous for scuba diving.
It is here, in the heart of the coral triangle, that the largest variety of coral reefs in the world is found.
The 75% of the all corals are found in Raja Ampat. The currents that flow through the reefs provide a lot of nutrients to the myriad of fish, and you will be surprised to see how much more varied and dense the fauna is than elsewhere.
The tunnel is without a doubt one of Papua Barats most well-known attractions. Between the islands of Waigeo and Gam in the archipelagos north, there is a tiny canyon that looks like a salt river.
Multiple yellow gobies, multicolored nudibranchs, shrimps, toadfish, pygmy seahorses, sponges and another reef fish make this a macro divers heaven. Beautiful humphead parrotfish, barracudas, napoleons, manta rays and white tip sharks can also be found at this location. This dive is only for experienced divers due to the current.
Best Scuba Diving In The World
BEST SCUBA DIVING IN THE WORLD
The underwater environment is vast a rich and diverse domain where each and every dive site offers something new and unique. Selecting the best scuba diving spots in the world is no mean feat, but here at Bluewater Travel, our Travel Experts are equal to the task. We have chosen ten dive destinations that showcase the best scuba diving in the world, ranging from tropical to cold water locations and covering all four corners of the globe. We have included the top sites to encounter amazing wildlife from large pelagics to macro critters and highlighted some once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will have you reaching for your wetsuit.
Curious to know where is the best scuba diving in the world? Read on to discover our ten not-to-be-missed destinations.
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Andaman Islands Indian Ocean
The Andaman Islands is an archipelago made up of over 300 small islands. Diving season is October through May, and the best diving is in the south. You can expect great visibility, pinnacles, coral gardens, and sloping reefs when diving in the Andaman Islands, and you can spot marine life such as turtles, dugongs, and parrot fish.
We recommend the Nemo Reef dive site in Havelock, which is suitable for both beginner and more advanced divers and offers rich corals.
Navy Pier Western Australia
Another one of my favorite dive sites due to the variety of marine life and also the low difficulty of one of the shallowest shore dives.
Some of the marine life inhabiting this beautiful destination are Pelagic Fish, Reef Sharks, and much like the famous Barracuda Point, you can witness schools of Barracuda jetting along in this underwater paradise.
For some of the best diving in the world, I would highly recommend this beautiful scuba divers utopia!
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