With a tank on your back, the underwater world is your oyster, and there are great dive sites across the world, whether you’re looking for caves, currents, reefs or wrecks.
Australasia
The obvious choice for a dive Down Under is the Great Barrier Reef, and operators head out to the world’s biggest living thing from all down the Queensland coastline. Arguably the best plan is to combine a dive amongst the coral, multi-coloured fish and giant rays with a three day yachting adventure in the Whitsunday Islands.
On the other side of Australia is the Ningaloo Reef, where divers can swim amongst the world’s largest fish – whale sharks.
In New Zealand, the underwater highlight is diving down to visit the erstwhile Greenpeace vessel, Rainbow Warrior. It’s now in Matauri Bay off the North Island.
Asia
Total beginners wanting to do PADI courses often head to Koh Tao Island, Thailand, where low costs and plenty of competition keep prices rock bottom. There are plenty of excellent dive sites in the vicinity, too.
For fish overload, Barracuda Point off Sipadan Island, Malaysia is a great bet. Voted amongst the world’s top ten dive sites, the sheer number of barracuda swarming around a huge ledge is incredible.
And, for different types of creatures, there’s always muck-diving. Muck divers deliberately head to unclear, sediment-filled waters to check out creatures that prefer muddier environments – such as the blue-ringed octopus and seahorses. Manado on Sulawesi, Indonesia, is a top spot for it.
Europe
The truly brave/ insane can take on Silfra in Iceland. Drysuits are absolutely essential, give below zero temperatures, but the chance to dive between the North American and Eurasian continental shelves is perhaps too good to turn down.
Different types of mentalist love the Dordogne in France. Cave-diving is a risky form of the sport, with often poor visibility, and needing to get through passageways before being able to ascend. Still, the spectacular stalagmites and stalactites make the dangers worth it.
Ùstica, off the coast of Sicily, is a massively popular meet-up spot for diving fans. A tiny submerged volcano, it hosts the International Festival of Underwater Activities every July. The clear waters and multiple grottos make for excellent photography too.
Americas
Cozumel Island, near Cancun, Mexico, has a wreck dive with a difference. A 40-seater plane was blown up for a Mexican disaster movie in 1977, and now the Corsair craft has become one of the island’s many diving attractions.
Those with international superspy ambitions should try the Thunderball Reef off New Providence Island, the Bahamas. This is where many James Bond underwater sequences were filmed, including those in the film that gave the reef its name.
Meanwhile, Tobago in the Caribbean is notoriously good for drift diving – where fast currents pull divers along to give an underwater ‘flight’ experience.
Africa
Arguably the world’s most intriguing wreck dive is the Thistlegorm off Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Sunk in 1941, the ship is fully intact, complete with its cargo of weapons, motorbikes and tanks.
Those wanting to investigate some other underwater killing machines should head to Gansbaai, South Africa. The narrow channel between Geyser Rock and Dyer Island is known as Shark Alley for a reason, and it is the most frightening place to go cage diving amongst great white sharks.
Copyright David Whitley
