What’s so special about it:

Maldives is one of the only places in the world where you can spot majestic manta rays swim so close to you. It is also known to have 26 different shark varieties swim in these waters.

Get comfy in the best holiday home:

• This gracious and beautifully located Beach Inn, is designed specially for those who love the beach and the natural beauty of Maldives. It also has amazing beach activities to keep your holiday adventurous and fun.


• These beautiful garden Villas in Maldives are located in the heart of the island. With elegantly furnished rooms and a swimming pool, these wooden chalets are the ultimate stay for comfort and pleasure


• This 3 bedroom summer guest house is perfect for families to spend a fun time in Maldives. Located really close to the beach it is perfect for adventure activities like snorkelling, fishing and sailing.

Best Time to Dive:

It is possible to dive in the Maldives all year round: The best visibility and dry weather is from December to March though.

The Wet Season with rain, winds and waves runs from May to August reducing the visibility, but diving is still good. It is usually a heavy short rainfall followed by sunshine.

5) Belize

As the saying goes, big things sometimes come in small packages. With Belize – the second smallest and least populated nation in Central America, packs a hemisphere’s worth of adventure within its borders. Located between Mexico and Guatemala, Belize is the perfect destination for exploration, relaxation and romance. With more than 400 islands, white sandy beaches, the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, Belize is a world-class scuba diving destination.

Dive deep: Most popular dive sites:

• Ambergris Caye – Just offshore from the quaint village of San Pedro is Hol Chan Marine Reserve, one of the coolest dives in Belize. It’s a strictly enforced marine park situated at a deep cut in Belize’s barrier reef. Abundant marine life, healthy corals and throngs of grouper, snapper, barracuda and jacks will surround you here.


• The Blue Hole – You’ve probably seen aerial shots of Belize’s signature dive. At more than 1000 feet across and 450 feet deep, this spectacular hole-in-the-reef dive has dangerous bull sharks and fascinating stalactite and stalagmite formations.


• The Elbow, Turneffe Atoll – This site has a remote, pristine quality that makes you expect big animal action and stunning reefs. Done as a drift dive, the water movement attracts a variety of schooling fish like crevalle and horse-eye jacks. Also lookout for barracuda, cubera snapper, Atlantic spadefish and several species of sharks.


• Long Caye Wall, Glovers Atoll – A top dive site where you’ll find very lush corals growing in the reef. Watch for schools of jacks, tarpon and Atlantic spadefish out in the deep blue. In the sandy shallows, you may find southern stingrays and eagle rays along with garden eels.


• Silk Cayes Canyon – South of Belize City, there are low patch reefs mixed with small coral outcrops that form interesting reef structures near the edge of the drop-off. Strange gray triggerfish and reef sharks like to cruise this area.


• Stann Creek District – This is where the coast starts curving away from the barrier reef. This is also ground zero for whale shark encounters at sites off Gladden Spit.

What’s so special about it:

The Great blue Hole in Belize, named by French explorer Jacques Cousteau is a natural wonder of Belize formed 100,000s of years ago. It has a huge diversity of marine world with great sharks and rock formations in its interiors. Day trips to this huge sinkhole are a common sight as well as some professional diving expeditions.

Get comfy in the best holiday home:

Being such a beautifully blessed island, Belize also has comfortable and luxury accommodation for your holiday here. You can stay at beach lodges and even book luxury and artfully decorated apartments for a great stay. Apart from that, globe trotters and wanderlust travellers have multiple budget hostel options also available. Book your stay close to the beach to truly enjoy the sea breeze and the beauty of the underwater world at your leisure.

Best Time to Dive:

Visit Belize from late November to mid April during the country’s dry season. This season experiences a lot of tourist but might as well explore Belize at its best and clearest waters.

Recommendations: Also check out these stays for other options on this gorgeous island.

6) Fiji Islands

Diving in Fiji will take you to another world of vivid turquoise waters, abundant with beautiful corals, teamed with an amazing variety of colourful tropical fish. Choose a relaxing dive in the calm inner reef waters or explore the famous outer Malolo Barrier reef where dolphins, turtles and large pelagic fish will be your dive companions. Known as the “soft coral capital of the world”, Fiji also has wall dives, swim-throughs, caverns, canyons and incredible shark encounters that will make your experience here truly enthralling.

Dive deep: Most popular dive sites:

• The Great Astrolabe Reef, Kadavu – This is the world’s 3rd largest barrier reef and the largest living organism in the South Pacific. It is also one of the less visited islands of Fiji which is precisely the reason why you should go there. No big resorts and fast food outlets here. Instead diving here is completely in tune with nature and where the true local culture and warmth shines through.


• Somosomo Strait, Taveuni – The Rainbow Reef is located in the narrow passage between Vanua Levu and Taveuni and includes the famous Great White Wall. You can swim past brilliant displays of white, purple and yellow soft corals with colorful sea whips, gorgonian fans, sponges and crinoids.


• Suncoast Fiji – Between Fiji’s two main islands, lies some spectacular and exciting diving with a huge array of marine life, from tiny fish to large predators. Beautiful soft and hard corals also are plentiful here.


• Shark Reef Marine Reserve, Pacific Harbour – Regarded by some as the best shark dive location in the world, you can see more than eight shark species – bull sharks, tawny nurse sharks, white-tip, black-tip and grey reef sharks, sicklefin lemon sharks, silvertips and the occasional tiger shark.


• Yasawa Islands – The Yasawa Island Group located north west of Nadi, is rich with unique underwater topography, healthy hard corals and an abundance of fish life.


• Coral Coast – This area offers a wide range of diving including great boat dives with stunning hard and soft corals. You can also swim and discover the beauty of the giant sea turtles here.


• Beqa Lagoon – Situated off Pacific Harbour, this large lagoon has numerous dive sites catering to divers of all levels. Dive sites here are full of colorful reefs alive with tropical fish and multihued soft coral covered pinnacles. The water is generally calm, clear and warm.


• Namena Marine Protected Reserve, Savusavu – This magnificent barrier reef is populated by brilliant soft corals, invertebrates and hard corals. It hosts several dive sites with bommies and pinnacles.

What’s so special about it:

With around 1000 species of fish and several hundred types of coral and sponges, Fiji offers a unique diving experience. Apart from which it is also known as being the “Best shark dive in the world”.

Get comfy in the best holiday home:

• Located at just a 3 km walk to Maui Bay, these elegant beach apartments have a pool, clubhouse, jetty and is located very close to the beach. It is a perfect holiday stay for adventure enthusiasts as many activities like swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, paddle boarding, horse-riding, jet skiing, cannibal cave safari tour, and zip-lining are located very close by.


• This holiday home in Savusavu has been designed to cater to those who want an affordable holiday where they can do as little or as much as they like in an atmosphere of tropical beauty and luxury. It’s soothing island breeze and sound of the waves on the reef will leave you completely ecstatic and with peace of mind.


• These traditional style Fiji huts located on the picturesque Nacula Island are truly an experience worth having. Situated right on the beach, these huts are comfortable and accommodating, especially for budget travellers.

Best Time to Dive:

The dive season is all year round. The winter months from April to October represent the main season for scuba diving in Fiji in terms of tourists visiting, although the visibility tends to peak between the months of July and December when the water is cooler. You can also dive during the summertime in Fiji from November to April when the seas are the warmest.

7) Egypt, Red Sea

Egypt is much more than ancient monuments and pyramids. It’s a cruise down the Nile, a luxury hotel and hot nightlife, it’s a vast invigorating desert and, especially for scuba divers, it’s the Red Sea. Just beyond the shore lie cool, azure waters, beautiful coves, millions of fish, fantastic visibility, sheltered reefs, towers, pinnacles, walls, coral gardens and wrecks. They all send a siren call to scuba divers and mark the Red Sea as a world-class scuba diving destination.

Dive deep: Most popular dive sites:

• Taba: Pharaoh’s Island – Situated in the northern reaches of the Gulf of Aqaba, this area is noted for fascinating endemic marine life – frogfish, which may be one of the oddest fish. Once a Phoenician port, a restored castle overlooks the relatively uncrowded dive sites. Small pinnacles, healthy coral, schools of bream and batfish and the ubiquitous moray eels make it a great place for topside exploration and snorkeling too.


• Dahab: The Blue Hole – Plunging to 430 feet, this is one of the most famous dive sites in the world.


• Sharm el Sheikh: Straits of Tiran – Situated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba and washed by strong currents, these reefs are favorite haunts for marauding jacks, barracuda and sharks that prowl the reef edges on the lookout for their unwary, or injured, smaller cousins.


• Sharm el Sheikh: Ras Mohamed National Park – The first Egyptian National Park is still one of the best.This protected area can be accessed by a day trip or liveaboard dive boat. At two of the featured dive sites, Shark and Yolanda reefs, currents are often significant which makes drift dives common.
  
• Hurghada: Giftun Island – This marine reserve is characterized by steep drop offs, fabulous coral reefs and encounters with barracuda, tuna and even bigger pelagic species. That’s if you can tear your eyes away from the gorgonians and marine life that populate the caverns and ledges. The frequently strong currents often dictate drift dives.


• Safaga: Seven Pillars – In Soma Bay, seven coral pillars rise to the surface from about 45 feet of depth. Many reef fish, including Napoleon wrasse, puffer fish and lionfish, call the area home. It’s also a well-known night diving spot.

What’s so special about it:

The Red Sea is considered to be one of the 7 Wonders of the underwater world, harbouring more than 1,000 species of invertebrates and over 200 species of soft and hard coral.

Get comfy in the best holiday home:

• This Brand New Egyptian Villa located in Verdi is part of a 1,544 acre resort located on two of Egypt’s favourite beaches, Sidi Abdel Rahman and Alamein. It’s a 3 bedroom apartment located quite prominently to water sports activities, shopping centers and multiple restaurants.


• These fully furnished holiday apartments in Egypt are equipped with great amenities perfect for a hassle free and enjoyable holiday here with your loved one.


• Situated in Marina North Coast, this 5 bedroom Holiday Villa overlooks lush green gardens with a homey style. It features an outdoor swimming pool with a sun-lounger terrace. Apart from a terrace and a private beach, it is also centrally located making your stay comfortable and hassle free.

Best Time to Dive:

Egypt is a fine choice for diving any time of year; from June to August the water can reach 30°C but it falls to a chilly 22°C in February. Whale shark season is from the end of May until the end of July when this majestic creature can be spotted mainly in the northern Red Sea.

8) Palau (Republic of Palau)

This scenically magical place surely packs a punch and is our numero uno diving choice in the world. Sitting pretty in the middle of natural wonders, is a tiny strip of land surrounded by water on all sides. Once there, you will understand why Palau holds the reputation of being the best in the world of diving

Dive deep: Most popular dive sites:

• Blue Corner is the most preferred and most popular dive site in Palau. As many times you take a dip here, you will have a different experience every single time. Expect to see sharks, snappers, jacks, chevron barracuda, tuna, hawksbill turtles to name just a few.


• German Channel – This famous Palau location gets its name from the channel used during occupation by German forces in World War 2. You can expect manta rays, eagle rays, lots of grey reef sharks, white tip sharks and impressive schools of fish.
  
• Peleliu Wall – This was the sight of some of the most horrific fighting and suffering in World War II. This site is one that showcases all that is magnificent about diving in Palau. You might emerge from the water having witnessed a larger number of fish and sharks than you have ever seen before on a single dive, and be in a state of current-whipped delirium..


• The Big Drop Off – This drop-off is big. To many, this is considered one of the finest wall dives not only in Palau, but in the world. You’ll be treated to thousands of little and large reef fish in the shallows, a wall bejewelled with spectacular sponges and corals and sharks out in the blue.


• The New Drop Off – As you make your way around the site, look out for grey reef sharks if you can see them through the cascading masses of pyramid butterflyfish, red-toothed triggerfish, various species of angelfish and yellow tail fusiliers.

What’s so special about it:

It is hard to pinpoint the best of Palau as it offers a mix of everything divers want to see and experience. From skimming past sharks and other big schools of fish to the very popular World War II wrecks, and abundant reefs. A dip in Palau and its chain of 200 islands will definitely not disappoint you.

Get comfy in the best holiday home:

Since Palau attracts more serious divers, it is best to hire a Palau Liveaboards and peruse your way through shallow and deep waters. However, there aren’t too many resort or hotel options to choose from. There are a few budget hotels and a handful of luxurious options to make a choice. However, the accommodations are serviceable complete with well-equipped rooms and great views of either the beach or the hills.

Best Time to Dive:

You can plan a dive in Palau anytime during the year. Lying in the western Pacific about 650 km to the southeast of Philippines, the water temperature in Palau is constant almost throughout the year at about 29 to 30 degree celsius. You don’t have to worry about visibility as well and that is another reason why Palau is the ideal diving destination. Except the months from July to September, the visibility drops to 15 to 20m otherwise it is often around 40m or more.

Source - thrillophilia.com

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