- 01.12.2023
- 7 minutes
Diving is a passion for millions of people around the world. Once immersed in the underwater world, you will definitely want to return there again. Only after learning to scuba dive, you can get the feeling of flying in weightlessness. And at the same time join an active lifestyle, quench your thirst for the unknown and fully merge with nature. We will tell you where are the best places for diving, which countries you should visit to get the maximum impressions.
Egypt, Sharm el Sheikh
When: throughout the year.
Having come on vacation to Egypt, diving lovers are sure to visit the resort of Sharm el Sheikh, located on the southern coast of the Sinai Peninsula. This place occupies the first lines of the rating of the most visited countries for vacation. In Sharm, tourists from all over the world gather, wishing to dive into the unique underwater world of the Red Sea. "Egyptian Maldives" amaze with the variety of species of underwater inhabitants. Here are the most photogenic coral reefs that come right up to the beaches and a variety of fish - from brightly colored clownfish to sea urchins, stingrays and barracudas. Sharm el Sheikh offers many good dive sites for underwater excursions. You can day or night dive, take part in drift dives or explore sunken ships and caves.
Among the most popular locations with the best diving in Sharm:
Ras Mohammed National Park. Guarantees a vivid snorkeling and diving experience. Coral reefs form entire underwater mountains with steep cliffs going into the mysterious depths. There are about 150 species of coral and more than a thousand varieties of fish.
Tiran Island. A boat trip to the island will leave unforgettable impressions. Landing on the island itself is forbidden, but diving from the ship is allowed. The underwater world of the island of corals, turtles and shipwrecks is open to everyone. Around the main coral reefs "Jackson", "Woodhouse", "Thomas", "Gordon" swim a lot of herbivorous fish, painted in all colors of the rainbow. Near the reefs "Gordon" and "Jackson" are grounded cargo ships "Lullia" and "Lara".
Ras Um Syd Cove. The famous French oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau called this bay one of the most beautiful places for diving in the world. In numerous grottoes and caves live green turtles, winged turtles, moray eels, glass fish. The underwater landscape with stone and soft corals strikes the imagination with its colors. Here you can observe the fascinating flow of life of fish, turtles, dolphins, majestic sharks.
It is hard to resist the charm of these places. Sharm el Sheikh has comfortable water temperatures all year round and visibility reaches 40 meters. Beginners can dive to a depth of no more than 10 meters, the maximum duration of the underwater excursion - 10 minutes. Holders of PADI Open Water certificates swim for 40 minutes at a depth of up to 25 meters. Tourists are accompanied by instructors and guides who speak Russian. You can choose a suitable training program that matches your experience. We are ready to provide you with the necessary equipment and experienced instructors to make the underwater trip comfortable and safe. Thanks to diving you will discover a new world, get an unprecedented charge of emotions and adrenaline.
Raja Ampat Archipelago, Indonesia
When: from October to May
Raja Ampat is located in the "coral triangle" between the Pacific and Indian Oceans near New Guinea. A diving safari is the most convenient way to experience the underwater beauty of the archipelago, which consists of 1,500 islets that retain the charm of pristine nature. Exploring the underwater world of Raja Ampat is a delight for any diver. The marine sanctuary is home to more than 500 varieties of coral and over 1000 species of outlandish fish. There are reef sharks, whale sharks and the very rare carpet sharks that live on the sea floor. These flat, long-tailed fish with beard-like growths on their muzzle are a photographer's dream. At the Manta Sandy dive site, divers will see an underwater chain of pinnacles, cleaner fish and huge manta rays, reaching up to 7 meters in length. Interesting pictures can be taken at Boo Rock, where a sunken patrol boat from World War II stands, covered with coral and home to Napoleon fish, moray eels, wings and other marine life. Visibility in the water is 25-30 meters.
Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula
When: all year round
The highlight of this place is that diving takes place not in the open sea, but in underwater caves - cenotes. For the ancient Mayans these were places of power, where they made sacrifices. In total, there are about 6000 cenotes of different sizes on the territory of Mexico. There is absolutely transparent water of constant temperature (about +24 C°). One of the largest and favorite tourist cenotes is Dos Ojos. There is crystal clear blue water, bats live there and there is almost no light. There is no abundance of fauna in the caves, but the bizarre rock formations, fossils and stalactites are equally impressive.
Noteworthy is the Angelita cenote, which looks like a circular well with a diameter of 25 meters. There are two layers of water - salt and fresh water, between which there is a hydrogen sulfide cloud, creating the impression of an underwater river. When passing through the freshwater halocline at a depth of about 30 meters, the water appears to shimmer. A mountain of cave-in rock in the center of the well adds to the surreal scenery. Divers with at least AOWD certification can get here. The Yucatan Peninsula deserves to take the first positions in the rating of the most unusual places for beautiful diving and snorkeling.
Australia, Great Barrier Reef
When: June to December
Stretching over 2300 km, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest living organism visible from space. Seeing this wonder of the world is a dream for most divers. To fully explore the reef is not enough life. The long chain of coral consists of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. All kinds of reef fish swim in the depths of the Coral Sea - angelfish, butterflyfish, clownfish and surgeonfish. You won't have to wait long to catch a glimpse of reef sharks circling against a backdrop of picturesque soft and hard corals.
The Great Barrier Reef offers beautiful diving for beginners and extreme diving (with visits to grottoes, caves, sunken ships) for more experienced divers. The most interesting dive sites are located at least 50 km from the coast. Among them are Ribbon and Osprey reefs. Who only there is in these clear waters - sea snakes, about three thousand species of mollusks, dolphins, humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays, spotted octopus, tadpoles and green sea turtles. The barrier reef is always at the top of the best dive sites.
Fiji Archipelago
When: year-roundThe Fiji Archipelago is located in the South Pacific and consists of more than 300 islands, a third of which are uninhabited. Divers of all levels of experience can visit beautiful coral gardens, explore deep caves, and see the Great White Wall. Jacques Yves Cousteau called Fiji the soft coral capital of the world. The waters between the islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are filled with colorful marine life. The Namena Reserve, surrounded by a barrier reef, can be called home to some of the best diving in Fiji. There are about 400 species of coral and over 1000 species of fish. Different marine life swims here in different seasons - turtles and dolphins in summer and hammerhead sharks in winter.
Rainbow Reef between Taveuni and Vanua Levu is a true South Pacific paradise. It is a multi-colored kaleidoscope of coral where tuna, reef sharks and rays like to visit.
Mauritius Island
When: all year round except July-August and January-February (cyclone periods).
The island is part of the Mascarene Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It is surrounded by a ribbon of coral reefs all around its perimeter. With the world's third largest Barrier Reef and many excellent dive sites, Mauritius is at the top of the best diving destinations. The expectations of experienced divers will not be deceived. They will be able to explore gloomy caves and shipwrecks, admire the many colors of coral gardens, look at numerous tropical fish, including sharks - white tip, tiger, gray sharks. Points of interest:
underwater grotto Cathedral with arches and vaults surrounded by black fan corals;
black forest with magnificent landscapes of green corals, past which are passing schools of commercial fish;
shipwrecks that are home to lobsters, sand bass, scalaria and other tropical fish.
Also worth mentioning is the Blue Lagoon, the site where the English ship Sirius sank. In total, there are 22 shipwrecks in Mauritius. In addition, there are famous underwater waterfalls around the island, but you can't dive there.
Maldives, Central Atolls
When: November to May
The Maldives is not only worth traveling to for its white sandy beaches and blue lagoons. Diving enthusiasts come here to see manta rays, sharks and hammerhead fish. Giant fish often swim into Ari Atoll, Taa and Gaafu. Atolls are coral islands in the form of closed or open rings with lagoons inside. If you are wondering where the best places to dive with mantas are Haa Alifu, Baa Atoll, North Male, Addu. The ocean depths of the Maldives are inhabited by about 200 species of coral, over 1000 species of fish, sea turtles, whales, dolphins, reef fish.
Wrecks are popular among divers, there are many of them on the territory of the Maldives archipelago. On the seabed near the South Male Atoll for five centuries lies an ancient Chinese ship carrying porcelain. Now it has turned into an artificial reef with boiling sea life.
During night dives, the underwater kingdom of the Maldives is even more impressive. With the onset of darkness activates luminous plankton - crustaceans, mollusks, algae. Even walking along the edge of the surf is an amazing sight.
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