Seas and oceans cover three-fourths of our planet, but most people don’t know what is hidden under all that water. Scuba diving reveals a new dimension of our blue planet, giving us an amazingly intimate look at the aquatic life that surrounds us. Here are 5 incredible places where you can dive more and spend less with HomeExchange!
Indonesia
This country of 18,000 islands is definitely at the top of all scuba diving lists. Indonesia has double the diversity of species found in the Great Barrier Reef: everything from large pelagic fish to small invertebrates can be found in these waters. The country is like a giant aquarium, and your biggest problem will be choosing just one dive area from all the great options that Indonesia has to offer!
Bali is one of the best places to encounter the huge ocean sunfish (aka “Mola Mola”) as well as many other sea creatures. For something a little different you can also explore the wreck of the USS Liberty that lies at the bottom of the sea near the shore. The most adventurous divers should head to Komodo National Park well-known for its dragons and the currents that flow through the channels, forming islands. It is thanks to this natural phenomenon that one of the richest underwater reserves in the world has formed here, populated by manta rays, turtles and sharks—all ready to join your scuba diving trip! Other exciting places to scuba dive in Indonesia are the Bunaken National Park in Sulawesi or the wonderful landscape of Raja Ampat.
Australia
The Great Barrier Reef extends along the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia and is legendary for its 1864 miles (3,000 km) of coral reefs. The size of this natural formation means you can visit the Reef from a number of cities, but most scuba diving and snorkeling tours leave from Cairns and Port Douglas. In our experience, the further from the shore the boat takes you the better, since the reef will be in a better condition and less crowded the further out you go. You will find a great diversity of species and typical examples of the marine life of the Indo-Pacific oceans: tropical fish, turtles, rays, sharks and funny groupers that will come to gawk at you.
Other great scuba diving places to explore in the Great Barrier Reef area are the Whitsunday Islands and the wreck of the SS Yongala, located between the towns of Ayr and Townsville—the latter for experienced scuba divers only.
However, the Great Barrier Reef is not the only place to scuba dive Down Under. In Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef offers encounters with whale sharks and manta rays. Scuba diving tours also leave from Sydney to explore the coast, and in Adelaide you can cage dive to get close to some fantastic white sharks.
Bahamas
With more than 700 islands and keys, this country, located halfway between the Atlantic and the Caribbean, has lots of spectacular beaches where you can dive into warm waters. The bottom of the sea is sandy and features coral reefs that are the home to many species of crustaceans, turtles, rays, groupers and tropical fish.
The Bahamas is a paradise for shark lovers: sharks can be found in the waters of almost all of the islands. Shark fishing is strictly prohibited in the Bahamas, making it one of only seven shark sanctuaries in the world where you can enjoy diving with sharks. The white tip reef shark is found off almost every island. The great hammerheads and bull sharks can be seen off the beautiful island of Bimini. But the best of all are the enormous lemon sharks and tiger sharks of Grand Bahama Island, particularly near the famous Tiger Beach—perhaps the only place on earth where you can see them up this close!
Thailand
Thailand is one of the most visited countries in Southeast Asia, in part thanks to the beauty of its ocean. Koh Tao Island in the Gulf of Thailand holds the record for issuing the most diving certificates in the world. You can learn to scuba dive here and then go have a look at the whale sharks!
There are also many good diving options in the Andaman Sea: Ko Lipe and Koh Phi Phi islands are well-known. But the best place to scuba dive in Thailand is undoubtedly the Ko Similan National Park, which is accessible only by boat. Here you will find beautiful manta rays, whale sharks and many other sea creatures.
Mexico
Mexico has the 2nd largest Barrier Reef in the world, after Australia. This reef extends along Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. This is an ideal place to dive while surrounded by dream beaches. The island of Cozumel is one of the world’s top diving destinations; it is filled with beautiful turtles, eagle rays and all kinds of tropical fish. Nearby, Playa del Carmen is known for its local population of bull sharks which come during their breeding season. Also north of the Yucatan peninsula, Holbox Island and Isla Mujeres are on the migration route for whale sharks. Plus, the Mexican Caribbean is the only place in the world where you can also dive in the crystal waters of flooded karstic caves—meet the cenotes!
And there is even more! On the Pacific coast, specifically in Baja California and the Sea of Cortez you will find whales, sea lions, dolphins, pelagic fish, and other large marine creatures—however, note that the diving level required in this region is higher.
