Top 10 Diving Places
For people who can’t spend a vacation without exploring the murky depths, ogling at coral and exploring submerged wrecks, here is a list of the world’s best diving spots.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Perhaps the most famous diving spot in the world, the Great Barrier Reef boasts 350 species of coral, over 1500 types of fish, turtles, dolphins, rays and much more. Located off the coast of Queensland in north east Australia, there are numerous dive centres catering specifically to a sub-aquatic tour of the reef.
Rocktail Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
The Maputaland Marine Reserve offers a chance to glimpse a host of really exciting wildlife. Although the water may be a bit chilly, you’re likely to come across humpback whales, bottle-nosed dolphins, tiger sharks, manta rays and clownfish. From November to February, you might be lucky fortunate enough to see nesting leatherback turtles along the Manzengwenya coast.
The Maldives
Diving in the Maldives’ Indian Ocean is pretty much guaranteed to be a great experience. With a massive choice of dive sites, including the North Male atoll, with its large numbers of turtles and sharks, and the Banana Reef with its strong currents, you wont be disappointed. And you are almost guaranteed to see 14-foot manta rays during the dive. The best way to make the most of this trip is to hire a live-aboard boat and make several dives a day.
Maui, Hawaii
One of North America’s top spots, Molokini Crater is a marine park set in the ancient cinder cone of a volcano, offering the chance to dive among the wildlife against the extraordinary backdrop of ancient lava flows. There are over 250 species of fish here, as well as monk seals, manta rays, whale sharks and spotted eagle rays.
Cocos and Malpelo, Eastern Pacific
Two islands, isolated in the Pacific, Cocos and Melpelo are not visited by anyone except divers and possibly the coast guard. The only way to get there is by hiring out a safari boat, which can be expensive. However, the experience of seeing schools of hammerhead sharks and tuna, and the islands’ endemic red-lipped batfish is unbeatable.
The Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
The ‘fertile triangle’ between the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea has the highest level of biodiversity in the world. The sea is practically teeming with micro-creatures as well as sponges, coral, sea slugs, pygmy seahorses and dwarf scorpion fish, not to mention plenty of cabs, lobsters and bigger fish. Night-time diving here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel is an island on the eastern tip of Mexico. It boasts wonderful diving spots suitable for all levels of experience. For beginners, there are shallower sites where you can learn to dive or snorkel, while the more advanced can dive along the Maya Reef – the world’s second longest barrier reef, stretching 20 miles from Mexico to Honduras.
Belize
For the adventurous, head to the shark-filled sites of Belize. Gladden Spit in the south is a well-known whale shark hub, while Shark-Ray Alley promises encounters with nurse sharks and stingrays. Belize also sits along the Maya Reef, and offers less experienced divers the opportunity to discover the beauty of the coral along it.
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
The infamous atomic test site of the 1950s, Bikini Atoll is now uninhabited because of the high levels of radiation. It does however hold a certain charm for wreck divers, boasting, as it does, sunken war ships including US navy destroyers and a Japanese sub, and the USS Saratoga, a massive aircraft carrier. The underwater scenery is a mixture of wartime horror and shipwreck heaven.
Sipadan Island, Malaysian Borneo
A tiny island in the South China Sea, Sipadan Island has formed atop an extinct volcano. It is one of the world’s best spots for close encounters with turtles, not to mention the plethora of other wildlife that flourish here. Schools of trevally, barracuda and horse-eye jacks make frequent appearances, as do sharks. The strong currents make this a spot for more experienced divers.
