Dive Destinations

Diving continues to be one of the most popular activities while on vacation for several reasons. There is something to see no matter what your skill level–whether you want to skim the surface and snorkel or dive deep into the ocean. The possibilities are truly endless and each destination will prove to be a unique and memorable experience.

Fiji

Fiji Diving offers classic South Pacific scenery...... spectacular beaches, lush tropical rainforests, crystal clear waters and world class diving. Plus some of the friendliest people on the planet! Click on the link for access to the some of the finest dive sites in the world. Known as the "Soft Coral Capital of the World," Fiji offers the largest variety of fish and coral anywhere in the world. Small reef dwellers and large ocean pelagics (a class of fish that includes barracuda, tuna, sharks) swim among the colorful reefs near the resort.

Australia

Great Barrier Reef Islands: Stretching along the coastline, harboring 400 types of coral, sea creatures, brightly colored fish and turtles, this protected marine sanctuary is surrounded by a myriad of exotic islands. Go snorkeling or diving, then sample local seafood and tropical farm-fresh produce. The Great Barrier Reef has an almost magical place in the minds of divers. Its 1,200 miles of coral atolls and islands are home to some of the world’s most renowned diving areas such as the Ribbon Reefs, Osprey Reef and the Coral Sea. The more remote areas can only be reached by live-aboard but there are plenty of sites for land-based divers to explore by day and return to the comfort of their hotels by happy hour. Experience the country’s unique nature and culture by visiting the aboriginal parks, outback camps and the spectacular coastal regions of Daintree National Park and Cape Tribulation. One of the most impressive ways to see the Great Barrier Reef is by helicopter or seaplane. Air tours can include deserted island picnics and a drop-off at the Kuranda’s World Heritage Rainforest with a return to Cairns via the Kuranda Scenic Railway.

Maldives

Every resort in the Maldives caters for scuba divers and international certificates of all types are accepted. Specks of emerald green enveloped by dazzling turquoise waters like scattered beads in the ocean; white powdery beaches, tall palms lean on towards the sea, crystalline white sands giving way to crystal clear waters, shades of turquoise blend flawlessly with deeper hues of blue; pristine coral reefs and some of the most incredible underwater life on our planet. The dive schools are well equipped, and regulators, BCDs, computers, masks, snorkels and fins are available for hire. For those learning to dive resorts offer a variety of dive courses are conducted in several languages, with courses conducted in English, German, Italian, French and Japanese in most of the For those learning to dive all resorts conduct open water and advanced courses such as night diving, rescue diving, underwater photography. Courses such as naturalist and shark specialist courses have proved most popular due to the growing interest in the marine environment. At resorts, diving is conducted daily all year around and it is only rarely that diving has to be cancelled. Most resorts would have access to a protected reef on the leeward side of the island that enables them to dive even during times of rough seas and strong winds.

Indonesia

With 17,000 islands within its borders and the world’s richest marine biodiversity, Indonesia is one of the dream destinations of the diving world. One way to explore this area is by live-aboard with itineraries covering Bali, Komodo, the Banda Sea and Raja Ampat. Alternatively some of the premiere dive resorts of the world exist in the Sulawesi area of Indonesia. Rich in culture, history and nature, the Indonesia experience is as diverse as its diving.

For the diver, Indonesia offers a range of marine environments. Fringing reefs, sea mounts, walls, canyons, sea grass beds, white and black sand site beaches, and extraordinary critters in muck. Popular dives include thrilling current swept channels to protected lees, harboring thousands of fish. Komodo National Park, home to the famous Komodo dragon, was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. Sulawesi, north of Bali is also an area renowned for its diving. From Wakatobi in the south to the Lembeh Strait in the north, Sulawesi has earned a reputation for its epic diving while Raja Ampat is on the cutting edge of pristine dive regions being explored.

Micronesia ~ Guam ~ Kosrae ~ Palau ~ Truk ~ Yap

The area of the Pacific that is home to the islands of Micronesia is expansive and has a list of adventures to match. A hotbed of activity during World War II, these islands are home to some of the world’s most famous wreck dives. Truk Lagoon tops the list with more than 100 wrecks from “Operation Hailstorm” including the 500-foot Shinkoku Maru and 437-foot Fujikawa Maru. Guam was also occupied by the Japanese during the war and has its share of wrecks in Apra harbor. On its west coast divers will find incredible viz and fabulous diving. In addition to World War II wrecks and incredible reef diving, the Palau archipelago has unique excursions including Jellyfish Lake, where you can swim or snorkel among millions of non-stinging creatures, an experience not-to-be-missed. Micronesia’s culture also runs strong throughout the islands but perhaps Yap provides the one of the best opportunities to experience their unique way of life. Here you can stroll down stone paths through villages where mammoth exhibits of stone money denote wealth and social standing of its owner. But as incredible as this cultural experience is, it is the diving around Yap that attracts most visitors and the opportunity to dive with its population of resident manta rays. Divers can supplement their manta encounters with incredible wall, pass and cavern dives.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea One of Earth’s last frontiers, this wild and primitive island country is at the top of most diver’s dream destination list. The epic diving in the areas including Milne Bay, Kimbe Bay and the Solomon Sea offer divers a diversity of diving experiences that few, if any, other destinations can match. From pass diving in Kavieng to diving with Orcas in Kimbe to muck diving in Milne and diving the pinnacles of the Solomon Sea, not to mention the World War II wrecks of Rabaul and Bootless Bay, there is enough to fill countless dive expeditions to this part of the world. Traveling through Papua New Guinea is an adventure in itself. The country is just as culturally diverse – over 800 languages are spoken and village life is much like it was 100 years ago.
SIDEBAR: Experiencing tribal life in Papua New Guinea is as eye-opening an experience as the diving. Take a cruise into PNG’s interior on the Sepik River, stay in one of the country’s wilderness lodges or, if you really want an authentic experience, we can arrange a stay at Kofure Village with the Toru-Yariyari clan in the Tufi region. Located on a palm-fringed beach inside a barrier reef and accessible only by outrigger canoe, Chief Davidson Yariyari and all of the villagers welcome visitors who want to personally experience their idyllic way of life.

Philippines

Philippines The UNESCO World Heritage site of Tubbataha in the Sulu Sea might ring a bell with well-traveled divers, but the Philippines are probably one of the least visited—but one of the most worthy—dive destinations in the world. Located north of Malaysian Borneo and Indonesia, the 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago offer a number of top-rated dive areas in addition to Tubbataha—which is only accessible between March and June—including other remote areas such as Apo Reef and Coron, which are only accessible by live-aboard. There is plenty of excellent land-based diving, such as Apo Island—accessible from Dumaguete— where shoals of jacks and giant parrotfish are often seen in addition to large pelagics.

Belize

Often referred to as one of the seven underwater wonders of the world, Belize offers what we like to call premier diving. With underwater visibility reaching 100+ feet, there is no limit as to what you can see. Divers can experience the barrier reef, coral atolls, fringing reef, patch reefs and faroe, each offering differing underwater coral formations and a variety of flora, fish and marine creatures.

One of the hottest attractions is the Belize Barrier Reef spanning Belize's coastline for 185 miles. Keep your eye out for Spur and Grove formations–narrow canyons of corals are great for spotting grouper and the occasional eel. Inside the reef, patch reefs are covered with hundreds of brightly colored fish and coral species.

Costa Rica

Take advantage of all the beauty that is Costa Rica. The area consists of only .03% of the earth's surface area but contains approximately 6% of its biodiversity. Consider this reason enough to dive in Costa Rica.

Visit the area's amazing coastal coral reefs or their offshore islands. You won't be disappointed when you are greeted by giant manta rays, timid sea turtles, colorful angel fish, intricate coral formations, psychedelic sea slugs, spiny puffer fish, delicate sea fans, curious dolphins, and, on rare occasions, whales. Whether you love to snorkel or scuba dive, you'll be sure to find what you're looking for.

Aruba

Aruba is also known as one of the most diverse dive locations in the Caribbean welcomes divers of all experience levels. Whether you are looking to wreck, drift, or night dive, Aruba has the excursion for you. With azure blue water, the underwater culture is definitely a sight to see and will create an experience to remember.

Schools of yellowtail snapper, rare frogfish, sea turtles, sting rays, and many more creatures await your arrival to their underwater world. Many dive sites are accessible from shore, which makes reaching them even easier.

Bahamas

Bahamas The many islands that make up the Bahamas are well-known for the wide variety of diving experiences – from big animal encounters including diving with sharks and wild dolphins to all manner of reef, wall and wreck diving, there are nearly as many diving experiences as there are islands.

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic Dominica (pronounced dom-in-ee-ka) is known as "the Nature Island" for good reason: this small island boasts an unspoiled rainforest, volcanic hot springs, 365 rivers and countless waterfalls. Dominica has three National Parks, one of which (the Morne Trois Piton National Park) was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. It is the only natural world heritage site in the Eastern Caribbean.
A mountainous island, Dominica rises dramatically to almost 5,000 feet above sea level. The island is mostly rural, uncrowded, and unspoiled. At least 60% of this nature paradise is still covered by lush tropical rainforest and other verdant vegetation. Water is one of the island's most abundant natural resources. Numerous rivers gush out of the mountains to create spectacular waterfalls (among them Middleham, Victoria, Trafalgar and Sari Sari Falls), emerald pools at the base of the falls, and dramatic gorges, such as Titou Gorge.
Dominica is a mecca for the adventure traveler with dozens of water activities including scuba diving, snorkeling, whale & dolphin watching and kayaking. There are also a host of other tours and activities ranging from bird watching and hiking to jeep/ATV safaris and mountain bike treks. For the rugged hiker, a trip to the Boiling Lake, one of the world’s largest actively boiling lake, is a must.
The air temperature is approximately 75-85F degrees year-round, with cooler temperatures in the mountains. January to April is the dry season and July to October the green season.

Grand Cayman

Fulfilling your fantasy is an understatement when diving in the Cayman Islands. It is proud to be one of the world's top dive destinations with more than 40 dive operations and 200 dive sites marked with moorings. Each island offers very different diving adventures for divers of all levels, whether you've been diving for years or have never stepped foot (or flipper) into the ocean.

Grand Cayman's reefs offer a variety of marine life encounters. The fish and critters are unafraid of divers, knowing that there is no threat. Most are more interested in you than you are in them. Huge Barrel Sponges and swirling schools of fish are common off Grand Cayman. These reefs are unspoiled; gorgonians and hard corals thrive in the clear, warm waters. Best yet, most reefs are only minutes from shore!

Cozumel

There is a reason why over 75,000 vacationers flock to the diving scene in Cozumel. Besides the sheer beauty, Cozumel offers incomparable marine life and reef structures. With over 30 kilometers of reefs, water visibility up to 200 feet and over 200 species of tropical fish, Cozumel is considered by many to be the finest dive destination in the Western Hemisphere and second in the world.

The vast majority of diving in Cozumel is done off the Southwest coast of the island, were the Palancar, Chancanaab and Colombia reefs attract thousands of divers all year long.