15 World-Class Scuba Diving Destinations
If getting a scuba diving certification is the first step for beginners, making an ultimate dive bucket list may be the second. We took the time to list some of the best spots for scuba diving across the globe from Florida to Fiji:
Australia
Highlights: We all know about the Great Barrier Reef, but Australia also has something for everyone from its north to south coast.
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The Bahamas
Highlights: Sharks, dolphins, wrecks, reefs — you’ll see just about anything your heart desires at this warm-water destination.
iStockThe Bahamas
Bay Islands, Honduras
Highlights: Roatan and Utila offer fantastic diving thanks to their proximity to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and warm water.
iStockBay Islands, Honduras
Belize
Highlights: Visit the Great Blue Hole, hang out with turtles and rays or explore the scenery off Belize’s beautiful cayes.
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Bonaire
Highlights: With top-notch shore-diving options and a spectacular variety of fish species, Bonaire is a diver’s dream.
iStockBonaire
The Cayman Islands
Highlights: With a great combination of advanced and easy diving, the Cayman Islands have it all from deep drop-offs to wrecks to beautiful reefs.
iStockThe Cayman Islands
Eastern Mexico
Highlights: Mystical cenote dives await on the Yucatan Peninsula, wonderfully colored reefs and thrilling drift dives are in store off Cozumel and whale shark encounters can be had off Isla Mujeres.
iStockEastern Mexico
Fiji
Highlights: Be ready to see some amazing sights when you visit the Soft Coral Capital of the World. But it’s not just about corals – there are plenty of pinnacles to explore and sharks to see in these waters, for starters.
iStockFiji
Florida, U.S.A.
Highlights: Shipwrecks off the Florida Keys, sharks off the South Florida coast and macro critters at Blue Heron Bridge and in store if you dive the Sunshine State.
iStockFlorida, U.S.A.
The Galapagos Islands
Highlights: Where else can you see schools of hammerhead sharks, marine iguanas, sea lions and penguins all in one trip?
iStockThe Galapagos Islands
Hawaii, U.S.A.
Highlights: Watch mantas twirl amid lights on a night dive off Kona or hang out with sea turtles and dolphins, which are regulars in among the Hawaiian Islands.
iStockHawaii, U.S.A.
Indonesia
Highlights: The diversity and volume of marine life will blow you away at sites among this huge group of islands, and you’ll have the chance to see critters that can be found nowhere else in the world.
iStockIndonesia
The Maldives
Highlights: Manta rays, whale sharks, swim-throughs and colorful corals and sponges will delight divers who make the trek to this group of 26 atolls in the Pacific.
iStockThe Maldives
Micronesia
Highlights: Chuuk, Palau and Yap are some of the dive-crazed destinations in Micronesia, where thrilling drift dives, World War II wrecks and big-animal encounters await.
iStockMicronesia
Red Sea
Highlights: Vibrants coral reefs, macro critters, shipwrecks and fish galore are among the gems you’ll find here.
iStockRed Sea
Want to explore these destinations in a new way? Check out these 10 awesome dive specialties.