Top diving spots

There are some truly remarkable spots around the world for divers to explore, showcasing a mix of beautiful reefs, astonishing aquatic life and even ancient ship wrecks to the keen underwater explorer! If you’re looking for a wonderful diving experience on your next holiday, then you need look no further than this list of the best diving spots to explore around the world!

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Where better to start than with the world’s most famous diving location, The Great Barrier Reef. Considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world, this giant reef system off the coast of Cairns, Australia, is a truly unmissable diving location. The Great Barrier Reef is an astonishing 2300km long, made up of over 3000 individual reef systems and famed for its vivid corals and amazing array of life. This beautiful, living system of corals is inhabited by everything from tropical fish, dolphins and rays to clams, turtles and over 200 types of birds! The Great Barrier Reef has a huge variety of sites for any level of diver, with a combination of easily explored, shallow dives and mysterious deep locations on the outer reefs. The park is perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving, as well as for boat and even helicopter tours! One of the most wonderful things about a trip to Australia is the ease at which you can find great diving sites. The capital city of Sydney is home to a number of diving centres, as are most coastal towns around the nation.

Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt

Egypt is a country home to many amazing diving locations, but Ras Mohammed – the country’s oldest National Park- is undoubtedly the jewel in its crown! Underneath the crystal clear waters of this amazing Red Sea location you will find an extensive array of marine life, with a wide variety of fascinating creatures living upon the stunning and colourful coral reefs of this park. The incredible diversity of life in this region is – in part – due to combining waters at the juncture of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aquaba. Ras Mohammed is characterised by deep and stunning sea walls, formed around 70,000 years ago, as well as amazing reefs and stunning sea-life. This incredible diving location – along with various other great diving spots – is accessible by boat trip from most resorts in Sharm El Sheikh.

Wreck of the Zenobia, Cyprus

Shipwrecks can make wonderful dive spots, acting as fascinating reminders of historic transportation, frozen in time beneath the surface of the sea. The Zenobia in Cyprus is one of the world’s best shipwreck dive sites. This wreck isn’t marred by the tragedy that is associated with many shipwrecks, as the large ferry was deliberately allowed to sink once all of the crew and passengers were evacuated, due to a design fault in its buoyancy tanks. The wreck of the Zenobia is huge – more than 178 meters in length – and offers its divers the chance to see underwater cars, jeeps and other cargo, as well as the workings and even the cafeteria of the ship, all of which are well preserved beneath the waves! The water around the Zenobia is clear and warm, as well as teeming with aquatic life for divers to witness alongside the amazing wreck. This site must be explored under the supervision of a guide, as it can be dangerous if you attempt to dive in unsuitable spots.

Baa Atoll, The Maldives

This amazing UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is an amazing place to witness some of the sea’s most fascinating wildlife, in a setting which has been the subject of numerous documentaries in recent years. Large congregations of rays are a regular feature on a dive at Baa Atoll, as well as whale sharks, turtles, eels and a variety of different fish. The reefs at this unique location are covered in a wonderful mixture of bright coloured corals, whilst large overhangs which play host to an amazing array of marine wildlife can be dived beneath. Baa Atoll is a great example of sustainability, with conservation and research projects taking place constantly around the atoll’s 75 islands. This location is suitable for beginner or intermediate divers, as well as more experienced ones, with dives ranging in depth from around 8 to 32 meters.

Magnetic Island Australia

Another of Australia’s world-class diving locations, Magnetic Island features a great combination of easy access, great visibility, wonderful sea life and interesting shipwrecks for divers to explore. Perhaps the best thing about diving off Magnetic Island is the ease of access to the best sites. Many diving locations only require a walk down sheltered, sloping beaches to be accessed, whilst others have illuminated night-diving access points so that you can explore the wonderful underwater location in a whole new light – literally! A trip to Magnetic Island offers many comprehensive diving beginner courses and the ease of access to sites makes it an excellent location to learn. Magnetic Island is around 5 miles off the city of Townsville in Queensland, Australia.

The Blue Hole, Gozo

The Blue Hole is a natural rock formation carved out over centuries of erosion by the waves and wind around the coastline of Gozo. Diving at this location will start with entering an amazing 10 metre wide inland sea pool, which enters into the open sea through a large crevice. After this crevice, the dive will take you through a majestic tunnel full of incredible sea creatures, including octopuses, lobsters, parrotfish and moray eels. Diving The Blue Hole is an exciting adventure, featuring dark, deep and interesting passages, as well as beautifully lit areas where bright sunlight peeks between astonishing rock formations.

Whether you prefer deep, mysterious diving spots, the fascination of a shipwreck, or the colourful coral reefs of sites such as Ras Mohammed and the Great Barrier Reef, there is something for every diving enthusiast in this list of great sites around the world. So if you’re an advanced diver, looking for your next thrill, or are just starting your diving adventures, bear these magnificent dive sites in mind when booking your next holiday!

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