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Top Ten Scuba Diving Destinations in the World

There are probably literally over a hundred dive spots in the world. And we probably have yet to discover the rest. But for the time being, here are our top ten scuba diving destination picks for your scuba diving vacation:

Cozumel Island, Mexico

Protected marine park harbors, impressive walls of coral, huge pinnacles, and a splendid variety of sea life, 120 feet of visibility year-round, calm turquoise blue waves, and gentle currents – No wonder the Island of Cozumel, located just off the coast of Mexico’s Riviera, is considered among the best scuba diving spots in the world.

The island is actually Mexico’s largest and also one of its most heavily populated. Even so, each year a large influx of cruise ships filled to brimming with tourists from all over the world arrive for an extensive shopping experience, basking sessions in Mexico’s Caribbean beaches, and scuba diving, of course.

The whole island of Cozumel is surrounded by limestone shore and temperate, crystal clear waters. Further off is over 30 kilometers of reefs that are home to over 200 species of tropical fish. Choose your scuba diving experience from no less than 17 excellent dive spots:

• Paraiso Reef North 
• Airplane Flats 
• Paraiso Reef South 
• Chankanaab 
• Beachcomber Cavern 
• Tormentos 
• Yocab 
• El Paso del Cedral 

Fiji Islands, South Pacific

Called the “Soft Coral Capital of the World”, Fiji is home to such underwater marvels as “Great White Wall” and the “Yellow Tunnel.” And yet all this does not aptly describe the dazzling underwater world that Fiji opens up for you.

You would never think that such a variety in scuba diving experience can exist in one destination, but that is exactly what Fiji has in store for you.  From wall-to-wall, jam-packed coral, to fish and critter communities that are unique to the pristine South Pacific reefs, and 330 islands filled with exciting charisma, Fiji is to diving what New Orleans is to jazz, Paris is to cuisine, and New York is to nightlife.  

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

What makes Grand Cayman stand at the pinnacle of desirability when it comes to exotic warm water dive travel? If the easy accessibility, crystal clear water, and lush coral reefs are any indication, any traveling diver would tell you that it has to

do with the Cayman Islands’ stupendous walls and numerous, gregarious fish population.

Now, add to that a large number of dedicated dive resorts staffed by a community of very professional dive instructors and dive masters and you have yourself one scuba diving destination that has been outfitted perfectly to be among the world’s premier diving locales.

Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and has been the center of dive activity for decades. As a result, the island is by far the most well-developed of the island group. It offers scuba diving with a sophisticated atmosphere, complete with dedicated dive resorts and five star hotels concentrated in the island’s west side where its business and government center, Georgetown, holds court.  

Florida, USA

Both the east and west coast of Florida offer excellent scuba diving for the underwater adventurer. What’s more, each coastline presents with a brand of scuba diving that is slightly different from the other, thus giving you two options all in one diving destination.

Extending throughout Key Largo up to three miles offshore, the entire east coast of Florida is home to both shore diving and drift diving. The area features an astonishing variety of wrecks, reefs, and ledges that follow the coastline from south Miami to as far north as Jacksonville.

Compared to Florida’s east coast, the west coast is like an entirely different country when it comes to its diving environment. While the east coast is home to many deep wreck dives, most of Florida’s west coast is shallow. The coast faces up to the sandy bottom composition and a few natural ledges formed by the Gulf of Mexico. To make up for this otherwise desert landscape, several artificial reefs and wrecks are scattered around the entire Gulf coast, attracting communities of nurse sharks, barracuda, southern stingrays, loggerhead turtles, cobia, and even an occasional hammerhead shark. Keep your eyes open for the unique Gulf toadfish that is found only in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Belize

Belize boasts of mangrove islands, coral cayes, offshore atolls, and barrier reefs – all of which make for a great scuba diving destination that is eclipsed only by other tourist attractions that this Central American country has to offer. As a result, not many people are even aware of the fantastic diving experience that Belize provides its more adventurous tourists.

All ranges of diving are available here. From shore diving in shallow water to the Great Blue Hole at over 200 feet deep, Belize has an astonishing variety of diving experiences for divers of all levels – whether you are a beginner or are a holder of a dive master certification card.  

Heron Island, Australia

Mention scuba diving in Heron Island and people will probably ask you where that place is and why you would choose such an obscure place for a scuba diving destination. But then mention Great Barrier Reef and you’ll get several “oohs” and “aahs” from everyone.

You see, what most people don’t know is that rising above the world-famous Great Barrier Reef is the fascinating island, called Heron Island, that is really just an overgrown coral what with the fact that practically the entire island is made up of corals.

It is here that your boat ride or cruise ship will stop so you can take the few steps from shore, strap on your snorkel or scuba tank, and have the scuba diving experience of a lifetime. 

Vanuatu

You may have heard of it from the TV Show, Survivor. But where the television series featured the wilder, more rustic side of this idyllic place just east of Australia, Vanuatu is actually a place of stunning beauty and pristine lagoons.

Scuba divers will love the incredible diversity of Vanuatu. Amid its clear, warm water and abundant marine life, it is here that you can experience caves, swim-throughs, walls, lava towers as well as a fantastic variety of wrecks, coral mazes, grottoes, and overhangs.

Here are the more famous dive sites in Vanuatu:

• Mele Reef 
• Blacksands Reef and Caves 
• Cathedral 
• Konanda 
• Star of Russia shipwreck 
• Tasman 
• Semle Federesen shipwreck 

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos

When it comes to great scuba diving off the beaten path, Grand Turk has some of the most pristine wall diving spots in the world. Grand Turk, a part of the Turks & Caicos island group found in the southernmost tip of the Bahamas, is only 90 miles north of Hispaniola where it is sheltered from adverse winds. Thus, the place offers ideal conditions year round.

Grand Turk has more than 25 permanently moored diving sites, all concentrated along the Columbus National Park area, including such well-known diving locales as:

• Aquarium 
• Rolling Hill 
• Gorgonian Wall 
• McDonalds 
• Amphitheater 
• The Annex 
• Finbars Reef 
• Black Forest 
• The Anchor 
• The Library 
• Cables 
• Coral Gardens 
• Canyons 
• Tunnels 
• English Radar 
• The Chair 
• Chief Minister’s 
• Tiki Hut 
• West Hills 

Hawaii

When you use the words “scuba diving” and “Hawaii” in the same sentence, it only makes sense. Indeed, scuba diving is that big in Hawaii. So big that it is in fact gigantic. Giant sea turtles, enormous stingrays, huge sharks and whales – all these creatures endowed with size gather near Hawaii to live in its fertile volcanic ecosystem.

The only downside to scuba diving in Hawaii is the manifest shortage of visibility, which is due to its uniquely volcanic underwater landscape. However, what it lacks in clear visibility, Hawaii makes up for grandeur.

Koh Tao Island, Thailand

If you are looking for a tourist-friendly resort island that caters especially to scuba divers, then you have found the right place. Koh Tao Island in Thailand is surrounded on all sides by colorful reefs, making it an excellent place to explore for amateur underwater photographers. In addition, the island is also well-known for close encounters with elusive whale sharks and grey reef sharks.