8 of the Best Scuba Diving Locations on the Planet
Dive Deep Into the Blue
When it comes to diving, it can be difficult to choose the very best places to scuba dive in the world, as it really depends on an individual’s preference. Perhaps you want caverns, shipwrecks, drift dives, underwater scenery, exotic fish, giant creatures or a little of all of the above.
No matter what your particular desires, however, these sites offer some of the most exceptional diving experiences on the planet.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
There are few better places than the Great Barrier Reef to experience a spectacular underwater world. Here it seems nature decided to call upon all of the colors of its vast palette and applied them liberally to this magnificent reef that’s considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Stretching for nearly 150 miles and made up entirely of living organisms, it’s the most extensive reef on the planet. As such, no one would argue that this isn’t one of the Earth’s very best places to scuba dive.
Here you’ll have the opportunity to view a remarkable array of sea life, including six different species of sea turtles, 30 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, dugongs and over 1,500 fish species, including the clownfish, red-throat emperor and coral trout.
By heading to the Queensland coast, you can join one of multiple tours that shuttle divers out to the reef and its best dive sites.
Dominica
Known as the “Nature Island,” Dominica is famous for its waterfalls and hot springs pools, as well as its resident population of sperm whales that make for some of the best scuba diving in the world. The sheer underwater drop-offs around this Eastern Caribbean Island create deep, sheltered bays along the western coastline, making the perfect haven for the sperm whale to breed and calve.
In fact, this is the only country where these whales reside all year long, though sightings are most frequent between November and March. Several outfitters offer the chance to go diving with these amazing animals.
In addition to diving with the whales, there are shallow dives where incredible sponges, seahorses, frogfish and batfish can be seen, as well as deeper dives where you’ll discover striking pinnacles that rise from the ocean floor, creating an especially dramatic backdrop.
The clear, azure waters are also home to caves, volcanic vents, coral gardens, along with marine life like eels, sea turtles and barracuda.
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Barracuda Point, Sipadan, Malaysia
Sipadan is a little island off Borneo’s east coast that makes Malaysia one of the best destinations for scuba diving. It was formed over thousands of years, by living coral that grow atop an extinct volcano, and sits within one of the planet’s richest marine habitats.
The nearly 2,000-foot wall dive that sits just 50 feet offshore, looking off into the deep blue waters, is the main attraction for diving enthusiasts. The area is home to some 3,000 species of fish, hundreds of species of coral and large populations of green and hawksbill turtles.
There are an abundance of rays and whitetip sharks, grouper, parrotfish, jacks, and of course, barracuda.
