The Top 12 Best Places to Scuba Dive in The World
We take a look at some of the top diving destinations & best diving spots in the world.
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1. Sipadan Islands, Malaysia
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2. Palau Island, Micronesia
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3. Yongala Ship Wreck, Australia
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4. SS Thistlegorm Wreck, Egypt
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5. Shark & Yolanda Reef, Red Sea
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6. Great Blue Hole, Belize
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7. Manta Ray Dive Kona, Hawaii
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8. Navy Pier, Western Australia
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9. USS Liberty, Indonesia
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10. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
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11. The Brothers, Egypt
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12. President Coolidge, Vanuatu
Table of Contents
1. Sipidan Islands, Borneo Malaysia
Malaysia is home to some the best scuba diving in the world, including the famous Sipadan islands. With so much to see and many different dive sites around, diving in the Sipadan islands will have something for every diver.
Sipadan Islands are a marine paradise, renowned among divers for its rich underwater biodiversity, reefs, and sudden drop-offs into the deep ocean.
The wonders of these dive sites among the Sipadans can be easily accessed from the town of Semporna in Sabah Borneo. Malaysia itself is home to some world class diving sites, but diving the in Sipadan island might just take the lead.
2. Palau Island, Micronesia
Palau Island is home to some of the best diving in the world. This beautiful island offers an abundance of scuba dives with sea walls, caves, sheer drop-offs and an array of marine life.
Scuba diving in Palau has so much to offer. From huge schools of fish, lots of sharks, healthy reefs, World War II wrecks, and not forgetting the world-famous Jellyfish Lake and Blue Corner Wall.
This dive location is an island paradise for any level of scuba diver. Palau island all adds up to an outrageously good dive spot and one that rarely disappoints and of its visitors.
3. SS Yongala Ship Wreck, Australia
The SS Yongala Shipwreck is, without a doubt, the best place to scuba dive in Australia, and classed as one of the best shipwreck dive in the world.
Located in Queensland, the wreck is full of an array of marine life of all different kinds, ranging from potato cod to beautiful sea snakes.
4. SS Thistlegorm Wreck, Egypt
The Thistlegorm wreck dive covers a large shipwreck which needs several dives in order to do it justice.
The Thistlegorm (meaning Blue Thistle) was a British vessel which was attacked from the air and sunk in 1941 whilst carrying a cargo of war supplies: rifles, motorbikes, train carriages, trucks.
5. Shark and Yolanda Reef, Egypt
This dive location really is three dives in one: an anemone city, shark reef with its spectacular drop off and the wreck of the Yolanda.
Currents make Yolanda Reef great for drift dives and for pelagic fish. A popular dive starts at Anemone City before drifting to Shark Reef and its drop off.
6. Great Blue Hole, Belize
Belize’s most famous dive site is the Belize Blue Hole, currently ranked among the top 12 best places to scuba dive in the world.
Belize boasts one of the best coral reefs in the world, and the largest reef system in the Northern Hemisphere, making it one of the biggest dives in the world.
7. Manta Ray Dive Kona, Hawaii
Underwater lights placed on the ocean floor attract infinite amounts of plankton, which in turn attract the beautiful manta rays when diving in Kona, Hawaii.
The rays get so close to you. An unforgettable time with one of the most beautiful animals in the world.
8. Navy Pier, Western Australia
Although a very defined and somewhat compact site, you could spend 5 days diving at Navy Pier and not be bored, particularly at night.
On any dive, there is a lot to see. Sometimes you’ll come across absolutely huge rays dozing in the sand.
9. USS Liberty Shipwreck, Bali, Indonesia
Often ranked as one of the best wreck dives in the world, the USS Liberty shipwreck is a must dive spot for any diver visiting the beautiful island of Bali. This famous wreck attracts hundreds of divers and snorkellers every single day.
This broken down wreck is encrusted with corals, gorgonian fans and sponges, all which are just breath-taking to look at, along with the invertebrate life that lives within them.
With the vast array of marine life that calls this shipwreck home and the black sand which provides an excellent color contrast for the incredible variety of marine life, it’s become an increasingly popular destination photographers.
10. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Home to 540 types of corals, and more than 1,000 types of coral fish. Diving in Raja Ampat gives you the most diverse living library for world’s coral reef and underwater biota.
11. Big Brother, Egypt
Big Brother Island diving is known as one of the very best places on the planet where you can experience a thrilling and unforgettable liveaboard dive.
12. President Coolidge, Vanuatu
Diving President Coolidge means you’ll be exploring one of the most acclaimed wreck dives in the world. Divers encounter trucks, Jeeps, chandeliers, cannons and a swimming pool as they explore it.
What Kind of Scuba Diving Locations are there Around the World?
Let’s look at the facts.
The ocean covers 71 percent of our Earth’s surface. The ocean contains 97 percent of the planet’s water alone. Yet, over 95 percent of the underwater world remains unexplored.
If that alone isn’t enough to make you want to start scuba diving, I don’t know what is.
There are so many places to scuba dive in the world that you will never be short of choice.
Whether you are looking for the best place to learn how to dive or try out scuba diving for the very first time, or if you are a qualified diver and want to try some of the best wreck diving in the world.
There are some many different types of dives available, for different experience levels. From ice diving in the colder seas and oceans to cave diving, one of the most mysterious allures.
Want a real adventure? Why not try the beauty of night diving in a warmer location, or with the Manta rays during their feeding frenzy in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
The world’s ocean offers shipwrecks, coral reef systems, underwater caves, trenches and even underwater museums for all to explore.
Scuba divers are advocates of underwater and ocean conservation as they are the people that see the underwater world for what it is and will always try to help to protect it.
Where Are the Best Scuba Diving Destinations?
If you were given a week to dive and could choose out of any scuba diving destinations in the world to fill up your log book, where would you go?
After some research, we have put together some of the best scuba diving destinations in the world, many of which may already be on your scuba bucket list and if they aren’t they should be.
The best dive locations in the world are all dependent on the diver and their level of experience when it comes to scuba diving.
Whether you are looking for somewhere to try to this adventure sport for the very first time, or what to take a specialty course to help improve your dive skills.
It may be that you have a passion for underwater photography, and are looking for the smallest animal in the ocean to capture that perfect shot, or if you simply looking for a once in a lifetime dive with the majestic marine life, such as whale sharks.
Above you’ll find the top 12 best scuba diving destinations for any scuba diver.
Happy diving, we hope you enjoy our top 12 list of the best places for scuba diving.
Dive the world and discover the wonders that the best diving in the world has to offer.
