2015 Readers Choice Awards: Top 100 Gold List
For the Top 100 Gold List, our readers voted on their favorite dive resorts, operators, liveaboards, dive bars, cheeseburgers in paradise and more, regardless of location. Results were determined by popular vote and ranked based on category.
WALL DIVES
1. Santa Rosa Wall: Cozumel, Mexico
2. Bloody Bay Wall: Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
3. Half Moon Caye Wall: Lighthouse Reef, Belize
4. North Wall: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
5. Molokini Crater Back Wall: Maui, Hawaii
6. Blue Corner Wall: Palau
7. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
8. G Spot: French Cay, Turks and Caicos
9. Great White Wall: Taveuni, Fiji
10. Tongue of the Ocean: Nassau, Bahamas
DIVE SITES
11. Palancar Reef: Cozumel, Mexico
12. Something Special: Bonaire
13. Devil’s Grotto: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
14. Devil’s Throat: Cozumel, Mexico
15. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
16. Cathedrals: Lanai, Hawaii
17. Blue Corner: Palau
18. Dos Ojos: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
19. Steve’s Bommie: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
20. Darwin’s Arch: Galapagos, Ecuador
WRECK DIVES
21. Spiegel Grove: Key Largo, Florida
22. Vandenberg: Key West, Florida
23. Capt. Keith Tibbetts: Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands
24. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia
25. Oriskany: Pensacola, Florida
26. U-352: Morehead City, North Carolina
27. Hermes: Bermuda
SHORE DIVES
28. Coco View Wall: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
29. Three Tables: Oahu, Hawaii
30. Bari Reef: Bonaire
31. Blue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida
32. Liberty Wreck: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
UNUSUAL DIVE SITES
33. Gran Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico
34. Temple of Doom Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico
35. Bonne Terre Mine: Bonne Terre, Missouri
36. Black Hole: Andros, Bahamas
37. Cancun Underwater Museum: Cancun, Mexico
38. Neptune Memorial Reef: Miami, Florida
NIGHT DIVES
39. Manta Ray Night Dive: Hawaii Island
40. Davis Reef: Key Largo, Florida
41. Coral spawning dives: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
42. Pelagic Magic: Kona, Hawaii
43. Sugar Wreck: Grand Bahama, Bahamas
44. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia
45. Fluorescent night dive: Koh Tao, Thailand
46. Lembeh Strait: Indonesia
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
47. Whale sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
48. Caribbean reef sharks: Shark Arena, Nassau, Bahamas
49. West Indian manatees: Crystal River, Florida
50. Spinner dolphins and humpback whales: Maui, Hawaii
51. Hammerhead sharks: Wolf and Darwin islands, Galapagos, Ecuador
52. Pacific manta rays: Ulong Channel, Palau
53. Sand tiger sharks: North Carolina
54. Whitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji
55. Sea lions: Los Islotes, La Paz, Mexico
BEACHES
56. Seven Mile Beach: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
57. Tulum: Riviera Maya, Mexico
58. Grace Bay Beach: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
59. The Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
60. Kauna’oa Bay: Hawaii Island
61. Emerald Coast: Florida
62. Monterey State Beach: California
63. Matira Beach: Bora Bora, French Polynesia
64. Lanikai Beach: Oahu, Hawaii
LIVEABOARDS
65. Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
66. Belize Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet
67. Galapagos Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet
68. Aqua Cat, Aqua Cat Cruises, Bahamas
69. Palau Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
70. Sun Dancer II, Aggressor Fleet, Belize
71. Spoilsport, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Australia
72. Kona Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
73. Arenui, Arenui, the Boutique Liveaboard, Indonesia
74. Maldives Four Seasons Explorer, Four Seasons Hotel and Resort, Maldives
DIVE OPERATIONS
75. Buddy Dive: Bonaire
76. Anthony’s Key Resort Dive Shop: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
77. Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: Nassau, Bahamas
78. Jack’s Diving Locker: Hawaii Island
79. Maui Dive Shop: Maui, Hawaii
80. Divetech: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
81. Sam’s Tours: Palau
DIVE RESORTS
82. Buddy Dive Resort: Bonaire
83. Sunset House: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
84. Anthony’s Key Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
85. Scuba Club Cozumel: Cozumel, Mexico
86. Wakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia
87. Little Cayman Beach Resort: Litle Cayman, Cayman Islands
88. CoCo View Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
89. Hotel Cozumel & Resort: Cozumel, Mexico
90. Turneffe Island Resort: Turnefe Island, Belize
DIVE BARS
91. Karel’s Beach Bar: Bonaire
92. Don’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii
93. Foxy’s Tamarind Bar: Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
94. Hog’s Breath Saloon: Key West, Florida
95. My Bar: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
CHEESEBURGERS IN PARADISE
96. No Name Pub: Big Pine Key, Florida
97. Lone Star Bar & Grill: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
98. Cactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire
99. Hodad’s: Ocean Beach, California
100. Cool Cat Cafe: Maui, Hawaii
For the Top 100 Gold List, our readers voted on their favorite dive resorts, operators, liveaboards, dive bars, cheeseburgers in paradise and more, regardless of location. Results were determined by popular vote and ranked based on category.
Andy MorrisonOriskany: Pensacola, Florida
WALL DIVES
1. Santa Rosa Wall: Cozumel, Mexico
2. Bloody Bay Wall: Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
3. Half Moon Caye Wall: Lighthouse Reef, Belize
4. North Wall: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
5. Molokini Crater Back Wall: Maui, Hawaii
6. Blue Corner Wall: Palau
7. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
8. G Spot: French Cay, Turks and Caicos
9. Great White Wall: Taveuni, Fiji
10. Tongue of the Ocean: Nassau, Bahamas
DIVE SITES
11. Palancar Reef: Cozumel, Mexico
12. Something Special: Bonaire
13. Devil’s Grotto: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
14. Devil’s Throat: Cozumel, Mexico
15. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
16. Cathedrals: Lanai, Hawaii
17. Blue Corner: Palau
18. Dos Ojos: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
19. Steve’s Bommie: Great Barrier Reef, Australia
20. Darwin’s Arch: Galapagos, Ecuador
Tanya G. BurnettBlue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida
WRECK DIVES
21. Spiegel Grove: Key Largo, Florida
22. Vandenberg: Key West, Florida
23. Capt. Keith Tibbetts: Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands
24. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia
25. Oriskany: Pensacola, Florida
26. U-352: Morehead City, North Carolina
27. Hermes: Bermuda
SHORE DIVES
28. Coco View Wall: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
29. Three Tables: Oahu, Hawaii
30. Bari Reef: Bonaire
31. Blue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida
32. Liberty Wreck: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Rodger KleinWhitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji
UNUSUAL DIVE SITES
33. Gran Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico
34. Temple of Doom Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico
35. Bonne Terre Mine: Bonne Terre, Missouri
36. Black Hole: Andros, Bahamas
37. Cancun Underwater Museum: Cancun, Mexico
38. Neptune Memorial Reef: Miami, Florida
NIGHT DIVES
39. Manta Ray Night Dive: Hawaii Island
40. Davis Reef: Key Largo, Florida
41. Coral spawning dives: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
42. Pelagic Magic: Kona, Hawaii
43. Sugar Wreck: Grand Bahama, Bahamas
44. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia
45. Fluorescent night dive: Koh Tao, Thailand
46. Lembeh Strait: Indonesia
Marc Muench/Tandem StockThe Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
47. Whale sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
48. Caribbean reef sharks: Shark Arena, Nassau, Bahamas
49. West Indian manatees: Crystal River, Florida
50. Spinner dolphins and humpback whales: Maui, Hawaii
51. Hammerhead sharks: Wolf and Darwin islands, Galapagos, Ecuador
52. Pacific manta rays: Ulong Channel, Palau
53. Sand tiger sharks: North Carolina
54. Whitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji
55. Sea lions: Los Islotes, La Paz, Mexico
BEACHES
56. Seven Mile Beach: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
57. Tulum: Riviera Maya, Mexico
58. Grace Bay Beach: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
59. The Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
60. Kauna’oa Bay: Hawaii Island
61. Emerald Coast: Florida
62. Monterey State Beach: California
63. Matira Beach: Bora Bora, French Polynesia
64. Lanikai Beach: Oahu, Hawaii
Courtesy Walt Sterns/Aggressor FleetSpoilsport: Australia
LIVEABOARDS
65. Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
66. Belize Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet
67. Galapagos Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet
68. Aqua Cat, Aqua Cat Cruises, Bahamas
69. Palau Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
70. Sun Dancer II, Aggressor Fleet, Belize
71. Spoilsport, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Australia
72. Kona Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet
73. Arenui, Arenui, the Boutique Liveaboard, Indonesia
74. Maldives Four Seasons Explorer, Four Seasons Hotel and Resort, Maldives
DIVE OPERATIONS
75. Buddy Dive: Bonaire
76. Anthony’s Key Resort Dive Shop: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
77. Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: Nassau, Bahamas
78. Jack’s Diving Locker: Hawaii Island
79. Maui Dive Shop: Maui, Hawaii
80. Divetech: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
81. Sam’s Tours: Palau
Courtesy Wakatobi Dive ResortWakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia
DIVE RESORTS
82. Buddy Dive Resort: Bonaire
83. Sunset House: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
84. Anthony’s Key Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
85. Scuba Club Cozumel: Cozumel, Mexico
86. Wakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia
87. Little Cayman Beach Resort: Litle Cayman, Cayman Islands
88. CoCo View Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
89. Hotel Cozumel & Resort: Cozumel, Mexico
90. Turneffe Island Resort: Turnefe Island, Belize
ShutterstockDon’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii
DIVE BARS
91. Karel’s Beach Bar: Bonaire
92. Don’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii
93. Foxy’s Tamarind Bar: Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
94. Hog’s Breath Saloon: Key West, Florida
95. My Bar: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
ShutterstockCactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire
CHEESEBURGERS IN PARADISE
96. No Name Pub: Big Pine Key, Florida
97. Lone Star Bar & Grill: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
98. Cactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire
99. Hodad’s: Ocean Beach, California
100. Cool Cat Cafe: Maui, Hawaii