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Best Scuba Diving in the World: 10 Top Dive Spots

Best Scuba Diving in the World: 10 Top Dive Spots

Written by Suzee Skwiot
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Published on October 5, 2021
Raja Ampat, Indonesia scuba diving

Our planet consists of 71% water, and that water is home to colorful corals and fascinating marine life of all shapes and sizes. There is so much scuba diving to do, but so little time! Every scuba diver has a bucket list of must-see dive spots. We’re here to make sure you haven’t missed any important ones from yours. Here are our top 10 spots for the best scuba diving in the world.

Best Scuba Diving in the World:

Cocos Island, Costa Rica best scuba diving in the world
Spotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) near Cocos Island, Costa Rica (Image via Shutterstock)

1. Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Cocos Island is a dive spot that’s perfect for shark lovers and experienced scuba divers. It’s home to big marine life and flourishing corals, but also strong currents. The only way to get to Cocos Island is by boat — it’s around 350 miles (563km) off-shore and the journey takes 36 hours. But yes, it’s worth it.

A national park and World Heritage site, Cocos Island is most well known in the diving world for its large number of hammerhead sharks. There are more than 20 dive sites around the island, but our favorite has to be Bajo Alcyone, as this is where you can see the most hammerheads.

Marsa Alam, Egypt turtle scuba diving
Turtle swimming in Marsa Alam, Egypt (Photo by geoff trodd on Unsplash)

2. Marsa Alam, Egypt

Marsa Alam is a small town in Egypt on the western shore of the Red Sea and is a scuba diving haven. It has amazing coral reefs and a good chance of spotting dolphins, turtles, and a variety of sharks. You might also get to meet the very cute but endangered dugong (sea cow).

There are many dive sites to choose from, but our favorite one is Elphinstone, which is suitable for all levels and is one of the most famous spots in Egypt for scuba diving with sharks.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Photo by Yanguang Lan on Unsplash)

3. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Arguably the most famous place for scuba diving in the world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches 1,400 miles (2253km) down the east coast of Australia, making it the world’s largest reef system.

The Great Barrier Reef boasts stunning underwater landscapes and more species of fish than you thought possible in one place. You’re likely to spot sharks, turtles, manta rays, and more.

Our recommended dive area is Lady Elliot Island. There are more than 20 dive sites here, and whale encounters are fairly frequent.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia scuba diving
Raja Ampat, Indonesia (Photo by Alex Rose on Unsplash)

4. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Located in the West Papua province, eastern Indonesia, Raja Ampat has some of the most diverse and beautiful dive sites on Earth, and it has some of the world’s most famous coral reefs. Large schools of fish, sharks, rays and pristine corals are just a few things you’re likely to find while scuba diving here.

Our favorite dive site in Raja Ampat is Cape Kri, which holds the record for the highest number of species spotted at one dive site, on a single dive.

Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean scuba diving
Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean (Photo by Debal Das on Unsplash)

5. Andaman Islands, Indian Ocean

The Andaman Islands is an archipelago made up of over 300 small islands. Diving season is October through May, and the best diving is in the south. You can expect great visibility, pinnacles, coral gardens, and sloping reefs when diving in the Andaman Islands, and you can spot marine life such as turtles, dugongs, and parrot fish.

We recommend the Nemo Reef dive site in Havelock, which is suitable for both beginner and more advanced divers and offers rich corals.

Fuvahmulah, Maldives tiger zoo scuba diving
Tiger Zoo in Fuvahmulah, Maldives (Image via Shutterstock)

6. Fuvahmulah, Maldives

If you love spotting big marine life (and we mean big) then Fuvahmulah, Maldives is for you. Whale sharks, tiger sharks and oceanic manta rays are to be found here. Fuvahmulah is a cleaning station for the oceanic manta rays. These are the largest ray species and reach lengths of up to 22ft (seven meters) wide!

Tiger Zoo is the dive site where you can spot tiger sharks year round and is known as one of the best shark dive destinations in the world.

Californian sea lion (Zalophus californianus) swimming in Los Islotes, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Californian sea lion (Zalophus californianus) swimming in Los Islotes, Baja California Sur, Mexico (Image via Shutterstock)

7. Baja California Sur, Mexico

The waters of the Baja peninsula are rich with life and home to marine life like dolphins, sea lions, whale sharks, blue whales and manta rays.

The three most popular dive areas in Baja are Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Pulmo, and La Paz. Both the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean offer some great dive sites. Our favorite is Los Isotes island where you can dive with a colony of playful sea lions!

Bimini, Bahamas, Caribbean scuba diving with Hammerhead Shark
Hammerhead shark in Bimini, Bahamas, Caribbean (Image via Shutterstock)

8. Bahamas, Caribbean

The Bahamas is a family-friendly destination in the Caribbean which is made up of over 700 islands of various sizes. Offering white sand beaches and bright turquoise waters, you’ll find beauty both above and below the waves. Home to the third largest barrier reef, you can spot a variety of sharks, rays and turtles, and the coral reefs are as healthy as they come.

With amazing dive sites all over the Bahamas that host blue holes, shipwrecks, and a wide range of underwater life, a liveaboard could be the best option to see as much as possible. One dive spot that should not be missed though, is Bimini; an area that is famous for shark sightings.

Agulhas Bank, South Africa
Agulhas Bank, South Africa (Image via Shutterstock)

9. Agulhas Bank, South Africa

Agulhas Bank in South Africa is a dive for thrill seekers! It is here that you will find the famous sardine run. Probably the largest migration of marine life in the world, where millions of sardines swim up the coast to spawn. This attracts sharks, dolphins, whales, and birds and creates a whirlpool of underwater activity. It’s quite an amazing sight for divers that are lucky enough to witness it.

The best time to go and try to catch the action is between May and July.

Beqa Lagoon in Fiji, South Pacific Ocean scuba diving
Bull shark (carcharhinus leucas) in Beqa Lagoon, Fiji, South Pacific Ocean

10. Fiji, South Pacific Ocean

With around 390 species of hard and soft corals, as well as over 1,200 species of fish, Fiji is a diving paradise. Swim-throughs, wall dives, caverns… Fiji truly has it all when it comes to scuba diving.

We recommend Shark Reef Marine Reserve dive site in Beqa Lagoon, Viti Levu, which lives up to its name as you’re likely to spot whitetips, blacktips, bull sharks, lemon sharks, and even tiger sharks.

There you have it! The 10 of the best places for diving in the world. Have you added them to your bucket list?

Written by: Charly Stringer