The Jan/Feb issue of Scuba Diving featured winners in seven categories from the Top 100 reader’s choice survey. But there is more useful travel info from our 2009 survey than we could fit in one issue, so check out these other top picks for marine life, visibility, wall diving and more.

Categories

Marine Life Visibility Health of Marine Environment Wall Diving Snorkeling Diving for Beginners Underwater Photography Overall Rating of the Diving

Marine Life

NORTH AMERICA North Carolina Some of the most diverse and plentiful marine life on the USA’s east coast lives off North Carolina’s 4,000-mile-long shore, making it little wonder why North Carolina nabbed the top spot in the marine life category. One of the main attractions is the sand tiger shark, which can be found in large numbers near the wreck of the Papoose, a tanker torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Sand tigers are unaggressive creatures masked by a face filled with grueling teeth and eyes of steel. North Carolina’s shores are also filled with marine life that would typically live on tropical reefs, including the red lionfish, a native to Pacific waters, which can be found along with blue angelfish and barracuda. More Info » 2. Florida and the Florida Keys 3. California PACIFIC Galapagos They may not have the macro life of Indonesia, or the visibility of PNG, but the Galapagos has big marine life, and where else but this wonderfully quirky destination (and the local aquarium) can you see a penguin, marine iguana, and shark on the same day? Nutrient-rich ocean currents are to thank for the Galapagos’ grandiose display of marine life. Baleen whales, sea lions and over 450 species of fish live around the 13 major islands that make up the Galapagos, which features the second largest marine reserve in the world. Diving the Galapagos grants you the unique experience and opportunity to see whale sharks, green turtles and manta rays all in one descent. More Info » 2. Indonesia 3. Malaysia CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Bonaire Bonaire is home to a diversity of marine life all crammed into coral gardens that are some of the richest in the Caribbean. The Bonaire National Marine Park keeps it all alive with regulations that make Bonaire a rich and spectacular diving oasis, with long-snout seahorses, tangs, parrotfish and the peacock-eye flounder. Bonaire’s diversity can be sampled in a single day; don’t miss sites like Alice in Wonderland, Oil Slick Reef, Angle City and the famous wreck of the Hilma Hooker –– all of which earned Bonaire the top spot in the Caribbean. More Info » 2. Cayman Islands 3. Curacao

Visibility

NORTH AMERICA Florida/Florida Keys The coast of Florida has always been known for its calm swells and clear water, especially the Gulf coast. This leads to some great dive conditions, with number one being great visibility that can reach 120 feet in the Keys. The thing is, it’s tough to find this kind of visibility anywhere else in the continental states. Along with crystal-clear water off its coasts, Florida is also home to some of the most pristine, clean and clear springs. With constant 72-degree temperature year-round, it makes for a diver’s paradise. More Info » 2. [Texas 3. North Carolina PACIFIC Papua New Guinea What’s the point of having great visibility if there’s nothing to see? You won’t have that problem in PNG, where the diving combines awesome vis (topping out at 150 ft.) with show-stopping marine life, including sharks, wrecks, and schools upon schools of fish. The great visibility will come in handy too when scoping out the World War II wrecks, packs of sharks, barrier reefs and everything else PNG has to offer. Don’t miss Hanging Gardens in front of the decadent Walindi Plantation Resort, Norman’s Knob, Silvertip Reef and Planet Channel. More Info » 2. French Polynesia 3. Fiji CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands are famous the world over for their incredibly visibility. And while it varies depending on where you are around the several connecting islands, expect waters in the 70s and 80s and visibility averaging 130 ft. If you venture off to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, you’re in for even clearer water. At Little Cayman’s Bloody Bay Wall, visibility has been known to reach 230 ft, the clearest in the Caribbean. There is also very good visibility on the east end of Grand Cayman, due to the fact that there aren’t rivers around to bring in murky water. More Info » 2. Bonaire 3. Curacao

Health of Marine Environment

NORTH AMERICA North Carolina Home to 2.5 million acres of estuaries and marine waters, North Carolina is always working on several initiatives that take charge on marine research, leaving them high on the list of readers’ choice for the health of marine environment. The state’s many programs and projects are contributing to improved water quality and health of marine life as a whole. The North Carolina Sea Grant is an example of this –– their mission is to provide research, education and outreach opportunities that deal with the current coastal issues. Working toward healthy coastal ecosystems and sustainable coast development are on the top of their strategic plan. More Info » 2. Canada/ British Columbia 3. California PACIFIC Galapagos Divers can thank the health of the Galapagos’ marine environment to the government’s ongoing environmental preservation efforts. Although fairly recent, these efforts are booming with dramatic changes. One of the largest in the world, the marine reserve was started in 1998, but the once pristine sanctuary of exotic animals quickly became a hot spot for shark finning and over-fishing. The Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation came together to help preserve this world icon. Thanks to their quick actions, the marine park is once again the hottest diving ticket on the planet. More Info » 2. TIE: Micronesia and Malaysia 3. Costa Rica/Cocos Island CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands’ healthy mangroves lend a helping hand in keeping the reef systems healthy and bursting with life, acting as a barrier against waves and wearing of the land and also a nursery for the myriad colorful reef fish that call this Caribbean destination home. The Caymanian government also instituted a far-reaching conservation plan, which includes laws against allowing divers to take anything they find. More Info » 2. Bonaire 3. Curacao

Wall Diving

NORTH AMERICA Canada/British Columbia With towering 100 ft walls dressed in anemones and corals, British Columbia features some of the best wall diving in the world, not to mention North America. Key dive sites that grabbed readers’ attention are The Cut –– so named for its vertiginous wall with large chimney going through, providing a tight squeeze and an underwater adventure through kelp forests and dodging giant octopus –– and Browning Pass Wall, a temperate wall dive that plummets hundreds of feet, with guest appearances from sea otters. More Info » 2. Washington PACIFIC Micronesia You could make a case that individual destinations from within Micronesia would still top the list for best wall diving in the Pacific. Palau alone has countless wall dives that are some of its biggest calling cards: sites like Ngemelis, Peleliu, and the world-famous Blue Corner. Of course the other destinations have fascinating sites as well. Yap’s Miil Wall is world-class, while Pohnpei and Kosrae in the eastern reaches of Micronesia have magnificent walls as well. More Info » 2. Malaysia 3. TIE: Red Sea & Thailand CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands are home to a number of great wall dives sure to satisfy the most daring diver. Bloody Bay Wall, Great Wall, Marylin’s Cut, Nancy’s Cup of Tea and Jackson Bight are just a few of the wall dives that top the list of any diver’s Caymans’ wish list. Well known for having the most dramatic drop-off in the Caribbean, Bloody Bay Wall is the epitome of the Cayman Islands’ wall diving. Add crystal-clear waters chock full of sea fans and unique sea life, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better destination for the wall diving fan in you. More Info » 2. Turks and Caicos 3. Bay Islands

Snorkeling

NORTH AMERICA Texas Texas might not be your first guess as North America’s best snorkeling destination, but dig deeper and it comes as no suprise. South Padre Island, located on the southern tip of the state, is a snorkeling haven for beginners and advanced swimmers –– its warm, clear waters lead to some great snorkeling adventures. Just offshore there have been plenty of encounters with whale sharks, and there are other prime suspects to join you on your journey, including stingrays, groupers, eels and sharks. One note: Don’t get too caught up in the amazing marine life that you become unaware of the strong undertow that tends to occur near shore. More Info » 2. Florida and the Florida Keys PACIFIC Hawaii The biggest and most traveled islands in Hawaii –– including Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai –– are snorkeling paradises, featuring clear, warm, shallow waters with an abundance of marine life big and small. The best snorkeling is off Maui, where humpback whales roam offshore and turtles paddle beneath your fins along the magnificent reefs. Kaanapali Beach is also a popular destination, with breath-taking scenery and excellent surface conditions –– conditions that made readers choose Hawaii the best snorkeling in the Pacific. More Info » 2.Fiji 3. French Polynesia CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Bonaire Sit back and enjoy the ride as you float in some of the calmest waters of the Caribbean. At Bonaire snorkelers outnumber divers, and the experience is just as unforgettable. Corals live like cities under your eager fins as rays and sea turtles glide past, and calm conditions make the snorkeling great for any age and skill level. Tours and dive operators are more than happy to help you get in the water, and will make your experience even easier and more enjoyable, and with all the snorkel sites Bonaire has, you’ll never be bored and will always be left wanting more. More Info » 2. United States Virgin Islands 3. Bermuda

Diving for Beginners

NORTH AMERICA Florida/Florida Keys Florida is a hotspot for shallow, warm-water dives that feature everything from sandy bottoms to coral paradises, all of which makes it a logical choice to head the category of best beginner diving. The Florida Keys is a hub for reef dives that offer great opportunities for beginners, including Islamorada, Looe Key and Marathon to name just a few. Dive charters are a great place to start, but what makes Florida also such a great destination is the number of excellent beach dives. The east coast, aka the Treasure Coast, due to its plethora of 17th and 18th century Spanish galleon wrecks, is a great place to dive for buried fortunes; while the west coast boasts calm dives. More Info » 2. Washington 3. California PACIFIC Hawaii If you’re a beginner diver and looking to get away, there aren’t many destinations better than Hawaii. The readers agree, too, that Hawaii’s easy access and shallow waters offer a great selection of places to start diving. Charters and dive companies offer introductory courses and there are also opportunities to get certified on any of the main islands. Sea life is abundant and the temperate waters will make the experience as comfortable as possible. And while Hawaii’s underwater geography ranges from deep waters to simple shore dives, they all offer amazing experiences that won’t disappoint and will ensure that new divers become experienced as they keep coming back for more. More Info » 2. Red Sea 3. Philippines CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC British Virgin Islands In the Caribbean, few destinations top the British Virgin Islands as “the perfect place” to kick off your diving adventures. Many of the dive sites in the BVI are shallow enough to be perfect for beginning divers, and with 100 dive spots to choose from divers are guaranteed a new experience every time they descend. Coral Gardens is one site that repeatedly tops the list as a good beginner site, with depths ranging from 20-50 feet, a cornucopia of marine life, and colorful coral bed. Diamond Reef, with its colony of garden eels and corals that stretch for as far as the eye can see, is also a great place to make your first night dive. More Info » 2. Curacao 3. Bermuda

Underwater Photography

NORTH AMERICA Canada/ British Columbia British Columbia is a heavy hitter when it comes to underwater photography. With waters chock full of exotic sea life and environments from wall dives to kelp forests, it’s easy to see why. With everything from giant Pacific octopus, six-gilled sharks and sea lions gracefully playing in the waters and smiling pretty for the camera, it’s easy to build a portfolio of entertaining big marine life shots. Great images also come from the less personable crowd, which includes moon jellyfish, cloud sponges and nudibranchs whose shapes and colors are ideal for your underwater setup. Canada’s diverse ocean environments and unique encounters are what make it a popular place for photographers looking for that perfect shot. More Info » 2. North Carolina 3. Texas PACIFIC Indonesia The easiest way to build a good portfolio of underwater images is to buy a camera, buy a housing, then buy a ticket to Indonesia. This 13,000-island archipelago is jam packed with the most diverse marine life in the world, with such oddities as mimic octopus, pygmy seahorses, colorful scorpionfish and nudibranchs. With over 3,000 species of fish and 600 species of coral, you’ll never run out of subjects. Dramatic walls and volcani formations in Komodo, wrecks like the Liberty in Bali, and the macro hotspot of Lembeh are what make this country possibly the most photog-friendly destination in the Pacific, and likely the world. More Info » 2. Micronesia 3. Philippines CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Bonaire Pristine conditions and one of the most vigilantly protected marine parks make Bonaire a photographer’s dream destination. Due to low rainfall, very little silt is stirred up, leaving the water clean and clear –– not to mention warm. The best part is, divers don’t have to venture far to enjoy these conditions: Bonaire is, after all, home to over 60 shore dives, making it only a few steps out to that award-winning photo. Discover little oddities like the longsnout seahorse and colorful brittle stars, mountainous star corals and playful moray eels that always seem to smile pretty for the camera. The combination of vibrant underwater life and perfect ocean conditions is what makes Bonaire the Caribbean’s top destination for underwater photographers in readers’ eyes. More Info » 2. British Virgin Islands 3. Cayman Islands

Overall Rating of the Diving

NORTH AMERICA Canada/British Columbia Wall dives, award-winning artificial reefs, and spectacular sea life helped Canada win the readers over for overall diving quality. It’s not the easiest diving –– cold water and unpredictable visibility make it more of a challenge –– but it’s well worth the effort. More than 17,000 miles of Pacific coastline are filled with hundreds of sea lions and retired warships that have been created into diver-safe artificial reefs, making each descent new and exhilarating. Gardens of sea sponges, plumose and anemones provide quite the spectacle, while ridges, drifts, and reefs quench the curiosity of divers and leave them wanting more. When diving in Canada, you will always be in for an adventure. More Info » 2. North Carolina 3. Great Lakes PACIFIC Galapagos What makes the Galapagos a winner for overall diving? Its underwater encounters and unique biodiversity. The Galapagos is home to several dozen endemic species both on land and under water. These islands are volcanic in origin, making them the perfect home full of nutrients and flowing water for sea life and underwater mammals. Don’t be surprised to run into a pod of playing sea lions, green sea turtles or, on the more extreme side, a shark encounter including the biggest in the ocean: the gentle whale shark. These waters aren’t for the beginner diver, so take caution. More Info » 2. Micronesia 3. Malaysia CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC Bonaire Bonaire ranked high in several categories for 2010, and was voted to the spot for best overall diving for a reason: With over 60 shore dives to choose from, you’ll never get bored and it’ll never be easier to “dive until you drop.” Bonaire is well known for the preservation of its reefs, keeping a clean and kept environment for present and future divers. It’s filled with unusual coral and reef formations, wall dives, and wrecks like the famous Hilma Hoker. Best of all, Bonaire is a diver’s paradise with conditions that make it suitable to getting wet year-round. More Info » 2. Cayman Islands 3. Curacao