Resist the urge to go deep and your reward will be more color with longer bottom times.

1. BALI, INDONESIA

The 412-foot USAT Liberty sits about 100 feet offshore from the Balinese fishing village of Tulamben. It starts at a depth of 15 feet and slopes to 90. “You don’t swim on the surface — you put your head under and you’re there,” says Koen Vangrysperre, scuba instructor for AquaMarine Diving, a PADI Five Star Resort. One of the best things about the site is the wide variety of critters. The secret: The wreck offers better navigation waypoints. “These animals don’t move every day, and on a wreck, it’s easier to memorize their locations,” says Vangrysperre. aquamarinediving.com

2. ST. LUCIA

“The best diving is in the marine reserve,” says Steve Smith, owner of Scuba Steve’s Diving, an operator on St. Lucia. What makes it even better is the happy fact that the Soufriere Marine Management Area is also home to the wreck of the 165-foot Lesleen M., an interisland freighter. Located at 65 feet, the ship was purpose- sunk in 1986 and has been flourishing for nearly three decades. An impressive reef, it’s also a habitat for blackbar soldierfish, snapper, moray eels and turtles. scubastevesdiving.com

3. ALABAMA

“Every square inch is now covered with small tropicals and even nudibranchs,” says Bryan Eslava of the Lulu, a 271-foot freighter sunk in 2013 off the city of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The course director for Down Under Dive Shop adds that bigger game fish have moved in, circling the wheelhouse at 60 feet. Common encounters include sandbar sharks and a female loggerhead turtle that has taken up residence. “So far, this year has been epic,” says Eslava. “Not to mention we’ve been enjoying more than 100 feet of visibility — it’s like the Caribbean.” downunderdiveshop.com

4. KEY LARGO, FLORIDA

“Day or night, it’s always full of life,” says Kara Jaeger of the SS Benwood, a former Norwegian merchant freighter off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Jaeger is the office manager of Horizon Divers and the organizer of night trips — which she says are the best way to enjoy this wreck. Find the bow in 45 feet of water and the stern in 30. By day, turtles and schools of grunts provide the greatest interest; come night, the lobsters and eels. A bonus: In August, baitballs blanket the wreck. horizondivers.com

5. COOPER ISLAND, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Between Cooper and Salt islands lies Wreck Alley — a sand field with a slew of wrecks in the British Virgin Islands. One of the shallower ships in a cluster of four is the 90-foot Pat, which starts at a depth of 60 feet, and sits parallel to the reef and keel-to-keel with the Marie L. “There’s a toilet in the debris field — that should excite any wreck diver,” jokes Mike Rowe, course director for PADI Five Star Resort Sail Caribbean. Aside from the on-the-sand can, marine life also makes the site notable. The Pat is part of a group that includes the Marie L., the tugboat Beata and the freighter Joey D. Says Rowe, “If you’re really good on air consumption, you can see all four in one dive.” sailcaribbeandivers.com

6. BONAIRE

Twelve tons of marijuana was the downfall of the Hilma Hooker. Not that the weed weighed enough to sink the 235-foot boat, but it did cause the ship’s owners to act suspiciously enough to pique the coast guard’s interest, which led to a series of events wherein the vessel took on water and sunk off the coast, where it now sits. Its structure starts at 53 feet, and maximum depth is 100 feet. Alvin Clemencia, assistant dive operations manager at the Divi Flamingo Resort, says the wreck is perfect for many reasons, namely its depth. “In Bonaire, we have wrecks beyond recreational limits and wrecks that are children’s play.” Nor will divers get lost. He adds, “It lies on cardinal points, with the stern pointing north and bow pointing south — you can’t get more perfect than that.” diviresorts.com

7. ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

“It’s a classic,” says Doug Sprotte of the Navy barges, two 100-foot vessels sitting side by side off St. Thomas at 40 feet. Sprotte is the manager at St. Thomas Diving Club, a PADI Five Star IDC on the island’s south side. With tons of swim-throughs, each 10-foot section is different: Some you enter from the roof, some from the side, and some are completely covered. “Because it offers such a variety of coverage, you get a huge variety of marine life,” he says, naming angelfish, parrotfish and turtles as regular sights. “And it’s rare that we can’t find an octopus on at least one of them,” says Sprotte. “For your first wreck experience, the Navy barges are perfect, but at any experience level, you’re going to find a section you’re comfortable in.” stthomasdivingclub.com

8. ROATAN, HONDURAS

The Prince Albert is just a shore dive away if you’re staying at Roatan’s CoCo View Resort or Fantasy Island; otherwise, you’re taking a boat to reach the 140-foot freighter sitting in 60 feet of water. Intentionally sunk for divers, the vessel couldn’t be easier to penetrate. It’s a photogenic site as well. The bow is covered in soft corals and tiny holes claimed by blennies. From CoCo View, the ship is also an easy night dive — watch green morays and octopuses on the prowl, then make the five-minute swim back to shore, where a cold Salva Vida beer awaits. cocoviewresort.com

9. GRENADA

Nearly 30 years underwater has turned the M/V Veronica L, an 82-foot former cargo ship, into a magnet for color and life. Today, divers revel in the fact that the wreck is as covered in coral and sponges as any reef. At 45 feet, the Veronica L is a likely spot for seahorses, frogfish and banner blennies, and at night, cryptic teardrop crabs. Says Paul Ward, instructor for the scuba shop Aquanauts, “This ship appeals to any diver, even if they don’t like wrecks.” aquanautsgrenada.com

10. BERMUDA

It was during World War II when Bermuda was blacked out that the SS Pelinaion, a 385-foot cargo steamer, ran aground on a coral head. The results couldn’t be more ideal for shallow-water seekers: Half the vessel lies atop that coral head in roughly 20 to 30 feet of water; the other is on the sand at 60 feet. There’s a spare propeller on the rear deck that’s become a nest for green morays, and divers commonly see black grouper around the whole structure. Says Marcus Cooper, scuba instructor for Triangle Diving, the best part is a massive swim-through under the ship. “You could drive a truck through it.” trianglediving.com

Are you a wreck-loving nut? Check out The World's 50 Best Wrecks!