Clear waters and plenty of sea life await explorers in these locales, which serve up some of the best underwater hot spots around the world. Take a trip under the sea with our picks for the top 10 diving sites across the globe.
Cozumel, Mexico
Just a few kilometers from the Yucatan Peninsula, the waters off Cozumel are home to sting rays, barracudas, nurse sharks, eels, lobsters and crabs. Save the Corona for when you’re back on dry land.
Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman’s stretch of reefs and wrecks exposes divers to a colourful world of coral, algae, sponges and tunicates. Beginners can stay close to the beach and try shore diving, while more experienced divers can try a spot of night diving. Check out “Amphitrite” by Simon Morris, the Canadian sculptor. This beautiful mermaid statue stands at almost 17 metres close to Sunset Coast resort.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
A World Heritage Site and the world’s largest marine park, the Great Barrier Reef stretches from close to Bundaberg past Cape York in far North Queensland, Australia. It is home to 1,500 types of fish, 400 types of coral and thousands of species of clams and snails. The Dugong (Sea Cow) and large Green Sea Turtle also call it home and it’s a breeding ground for humpback whales, migrating from the Antarctic. The Reef is larger than the Great Wall of China. Need we go on?
Belize
It’s the Northern Hemisphere’s largest barrier reef, second only to the Great Barrier Reef. Belize’s reef runs the length of the coastline and is renowned by divers as the “holy grail” of the area. The three atolls – Lighthouse Reef, Turneffe Atoll and Glovers Reef – are must-sees. And the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef, a limestone sinkhole half a kilometer wide and 145 meters deep, is on the must-do-before-you-die list.
Bonaire, the Netherlands Antilles
The waters surrounding Bonaire are an official marine park. Scuba diving and snorkelling here means dipping into an unspoiled and untouched environment. The waters of the Southern Caribbean are sparkling clear, making underwater photography a breeze. Beginners can start from the shore while experts can dive as deep as the drop-off zone where the star coral grows into huge mountains and the marine life includes the rock beauty, butterfly fish and angelfish.
Hawaii
In the shallow waters of Hanauma Bay on Oahu, there are more than 50 species of reef and shore fish, making the bay feel like an outdoor aquarium. There are numerous options for snorkelling and diving in Hawaii. Kahaluu Beach on the Big Island is great for beginners. The waters are calm and clear and if you listen carefully, you may even hear the parrotfish feeding. Kealakekua Bay, on the Kona coast of Hawaii, is another option. The marine life is abundant, and glorious.
Galapagos Islands
The volcanic islands west of Ecuador are not for novice divers. You’ll need to be an experienced diver to navigate the cold waters and strong currents of the region. Diving here, for the most part, requires you to go deep into the ocean. Darwin and Wolf Islands are considered by many to be the two best dive sites in the world. The marine life is amazing. Sharks (whale, hammerhead and Galapagos), dolphins, sea lions, marine turtles, eagle rays and moray eels all in one place.
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Nestled between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai in Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh has a long history of maritime trade. The isolated reefs, tidal movements, and lack of nearby intensive fishing create the perfect conditions for divers. One of the world’s best diving spots is Shark Reef, an 800-meter-deep wall at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
Rocktail Bay, South Africa
Rocktail Bay, near the northern border of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, has been open to divers for just a few years. It’s strict with its diving activity and offers only one boat for permits. This exclusivity serves up the chance for amazing underwater exploration. To date, 1,250 species have been spotted, including dolphins, scorpion fish, manta rays and sharks – whale, whitetip reef and ragged-tooth. Rocktail Bay’s Indian Ocean coastline is tempting enough for landlubbers, but once you plunge beneath the waves, you’ll understand how the two worlds collide.
Fiji
Fiji, the soft coral capital of the world, has plenty of luxury resorts and eco-hideaways that match breathtaking beaches with stunning underwater environments. Its ever-changing current allows the corals to bloom into colour. Beqa Lagoon is one of the most popular dive sites, a favourite with beginners and veterans. Viti Levu offers bone-chilling shark-feeding dives. To remove yourself from the business of resorts, visit Kadavu, where you’ll be treated like a local.
(Main image: artonice used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
