With literally thousands and thousands of dive sites across the World, each with a unique underwater landscape and marine life, not to mention sites yet to be discovered, it’s near impossible to say with absolute certainty that a particular dive site is No.1! Plus, everyone has different ideas about what makes “the best” dive site. However, there some dive sites that always seem to come up in conversations about best dives and have a built reputation among the diving community as the cream of the crop. So while diving experiences anywhere depend on personal perspective as well as a number of other factors like type of dive, weather conditions, visibility, currents and luck as to what you see that day, there are some dive sites definitely worth a visit.
Here’s a look at some of the top rated and most popular dives (in no particular order) to dive before you die -
1.Best Cave/Cavern Dives – Cenotes of the Riviera Maya, Mexico

The freshwater-filled limestone sinkholes known as Cenotes situated in the state of Yucatán, Mexico lead to some of the most beautiful and intricate underwater caves and caverns in the World. The natural beauty of these cenotes and caves, with its crystal clear turquoise waters, sunlight reflecting stalactites and stalagmites are truly enigmatic works of art drawing divers the world over to explore its waters. With over 3000 Cenotes, 1400 of which have been studied and recorded it’s impossible to pick just one as the best. The Riviera Maya has the World’s three longest running underwater Cave Sytems – Ox Bel Ha (146.7Km.), Nohoch Nah Chich (61Km.) and Dos Ojos (57.7 Km.). Cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Tajmahal and Gran Cenote are some of the notable cenotes here. (For more read: Cenotes: The Underwater Caves of The Riviera Maya, Mexico)
2. Best Wreck Dive – SS Yongala, Ayr, Australia

Rated 6th on our list of the World’s Top 10 Wreck Dives, but possibly the most popular wreck dives of all times and highly rated by thousands of divers the world over is the SS Yongala at the Great Barrier. This enchanting Australian passenger ship lying within the Great Barrier Reef Park lay undercover for over half a century since it sank in a cyclone in 1911. Today home to giant groupers, schools of trevally, cobia, turtles and sweeping rays among plenty of others, the ship is only a 30minute journey from the shore. The incredible array of marine life that accompanies the wreck is unmatched. From eagle rays, tiger sharks, bull sharks, giant grouper, turtles to swarms of giant barracuda and schools of bait fish that covers more than the eye can see, the SS Yongala is a Wreck dive site teaming with more life than many a coral reef! (For more read: World’s Top 10 Wreck Dives)
3. Best Wall Dive – Blue Corner Wall, Palau, Micronesia

Palau in Micronesia is diving hot spot and unarguably one of the best dive destinations in the World! The 200 islands of Palau are surrounded by breathtaking fringing coral reefs, crystal caves and WWII wrecks. Of all attractions on offer to diver’s delights though, the drop off’s and wall dives are in a class of their own. Recognized as one of the best wall dives in the world due to its concentration of marine life, the Blue Corner Wall at the northwest end of Ngemelis Island.This dive site features a shallow coral shelf that projects out into the ocean and has vertical walls on both sides. Not for the faint of heart, this is an advanced dive with sometimes very strong and unpredictable currents which brings in schools of fish and large pelagics to the top edges of the walls. The wall drops from 30 to 1000 feet (10 to 330 meters) or more and is covered with large variety of giant Gorgonian sea fans, hard corals and soft corals.The flat coral plateau on the top extended between the two walls and drops gently on the west to about 45 to 60 feet (15 to 20 meters). Covered in colonies of cabbage corals as well as many varieties of hard and soft corals make the wall a fantastic place for some underwater photography. But, it’s the large schools of fish that makes this site as famous as it is. Sharks, Wahoo, Tuna, Hawks Bill and Green turtles, Eagle Rays, Giant Groupers, and Barracuda, to name but a few species. Two resident Napoleon wrasses often accompany the divers throughout their dive. Diving here almost guarantees you great stories to tell friends and and marine encounters you’ll never forget!
4. Best Manta Ray Dive- Manta Ray Night Dive, Kailua Kona, Hawaii

The Kona Coast is one of the best places in the world to get up close and personal with manta rays. Often described as an experience of lifetime when one chances on one of these magnificent creatures, dive operators in Hawaii plate up this experience with night dive twist making it just spectacular. Divers are given underwater flashlights and are directed to point their beams towards the surface. The bright lights attract hordes of plankton which in turn bring the mantas as well as a ton of other fish to the vicinity. Much to the delight of divers and snorkelers even the manta rays often swoop, turn and even somersault towards the light where the plankton is plentiful displaying the surprising agility of this creature. More than 60 individual Mantas identified by spots on their underside, have been photographed, cataloged and named as regulars on the Manta Ray Night Dives. (For more read: Must Dive Sites: The Manta Ray Night Dive in Kailua Kona, Hawaii)
5. Best Deep Dive – Lighthouse Reef Blue Hole, Belize

More for an adventure dive rather than for the reef or marine life, the Belize Blue Hole is a World famous deep dive site. The almost perfectly circular Blue Hole was created by what was a dry cave system in the Ice Age and is an amazing sight from an areal view as it’s over 1000ft (300 meters) in diameter and 450ft (135 meters) deep. The caves have stalactite formations where the reef is at 110 feet and you can often see hammerhead sharks lurking in the shadows. More a thrill for it’s inky blue depths and upward view of a passage to the sky, the Blue Hole is a hotspot for divers. When it comes to Blue Hole Diving, the Belize Hole is the most well known of the lot. (For more read: Blue Hole Diving and The Most Rewarding Dive Spots In The Caribbean)
Continued in Best Dive Sites: Top 15 Dives to Experience Before You Die -2 includes…
6. Best Drift Dive – Santa Rosa Wall, Cozumel, Mexico
7. Best Ice Dive – Mc Murdo Sound, Antarctica
8. Best Night Dive - Maaya Thila, Maldives
9. Best Kelp Dive – San Clemente, Channel Islands, California
10. Best Coral Reef Life Dives – Sulawesi, Indonesia
Best Dive Sites: Top 15 Dives to Experience Before You Die -3 which includes…
11. Best Big Fish Encounter Dive – Sipadan Island, Borneo, Malaysia
12. Best Shark Dive - Gansbaai, South Africa
13. Best Whale Shark Dive – Richelieu Rock, Koh Tachai, Thailand
14. Best Shore Dives – Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
15. Best Liveaboard Dives – Sharm El Sheik and Ras Mohammed, Egypt
*Photo Credits: photos by dMap Travel Guide, stuandgravy, Daniel, Daniel Kwok, cwilso, catherinetodd2 on flickr
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A legendary dive destination, Sipadan is a magnet and bio-diversity hotspot of Southeast Asia drawing in big fish like barracudas, large schools of trevally, horse-eye jacks, reef sharks and bumphead parrotfish. It’s coral reefs housed in turquoise blue waters are also home to dozens of breeding hawksbill and green turtles that have become accustomed to divers making it a great spot to get up close and person with these gentle reptiles. The most negative thing we can think of and say about diving in Sipadan is with the wealth of marine life and sheer number of things vying for your attention a lot can be missed. The walls are unparalleled and brimming with innumerable macro life and fish species that’ll rival most destinations across the globe. However, the big fish encounters here definitely take the cake.
The current here is strong but then again that’s what brings in the food which duly brings the big fish here. Apart from barracuda species like the chevron barracuda and blacktail barracuda you see huge schools of jacks, tuna, bannerfish, redtooth triggers. plenty of turtles as usual and Grey reef sharks looking for a quick lunch. Another exciting dive site is the “Drop Off” that looks straight down into an abyss of 600 meters (close to 2000ft) or more. If your lucky you may even catch sight of a few giant manta rays playing nearby.
With 10-14 top notch dive sites on offer Sipadan has truly earned it’s reputation as the best of the best. The close by reefs of Mabul and Kapalai are fantastic for spotting rare mandarin fish, sea wasps and lots of nudibranchs but Sipadan is what a diving experience should be all about…abundant and untouched marine life to be viewed and enjoyed.

The two main coral reef systems surrounding Cozumel are the Colombia and Palancar reefs which house many of the islands favorite dive sites. Easily accessible with plateaus beginning in waters only 30 feet (9 meters) deep, Cozumel reefs boast of abundant underwater sea life and brilliant colors, often referred to by many scuba divers as some of the best
For divers who like a little challenge, Cozumel has a host of dive sites suitable for the experienced. Popular for it’s impressive wall dives with brilliant colors and sea life that have people raving about it, there are some stunning drop-off worth fighting the currents to see.The Wall at the Santa Rosa Reef begins at 50 feet and drops straight away into the deep blue. A brisk current accompanies you as you spot great beds of tunicates, immense sponges, huge overhangs of stony corals and impressive caves and tunnels. Easily one of the most popular deep drift dives of the Island, eagle rays and turtles are often spotted here as well as large groupers. Another of Cozumel’s most popular deep dives is the Palancar Caves because of its deep buttresses, tunnels, caves and big caverns that sit along the edge of a sloping wall. The currents are usually mild, but marine life is abundant.

The
With underwater visibility averaging between 80 to 125 feet, the water clarity is excellent, especially during the dry season from May to September. You can expect to see a wide variety of marine life, of which, the most common species spotted all over the Turks and Caicos are sea turtles, manta rays, eagle rays, mahi-mahi, barracuda, jacks, Atlantic spadefish, short nosed batfish, grouper, snapper, grunts, reef sharks, bull sharks, whale sharks, hammerheads and many others.
North and South Caicos are the 2nd and 7th largest islands respectively in the Turks and Caicos Islands archipelago. Both, extremely popular dive sites along with South Caicos are well known not only for its scuba diving but also for its deep sea and bone fishing. Most dive sites are within 15 minutes of the dock, and the entire eastern shore of South Caicos is protected by marine park status to a depth of 300 feet. The Annual South Caicos Regatta also hosts island-wide parties, boat races, and other games are popular attractions for tourists.
A unique and unusual dive site off the coast of Key Largo, Florida has been drawing attention and attracting thousands of 






Belize, Blue Hole- Lighthouse Reef

Silfra is as unique as you’ll get for a dive site. Located in the beautiful National Park Thingvellir an hours drive from Reykjavik, the Silfra Ravine is a crack in the earth signifying two massive landmasses and is filled with the clearest water you could possibly see. With visibility said to be 100m+ it feels like you’re floating on air! The near perfect visibility is a result of the melting water from a glacier about 50km away that has traveled through the lava fields for many years before coming out at the north end of Thingvellir lake through underground wells and the temperature of the water which to say the least is very cold at around 2°C – 4°C all year round. 

Another unique dive site Iceland has on offer among many others is Strýtan in Akureyri. Strýtan is the world’s biggest geothermal chimney. Build up from a hot water spring on the bottom of 70 meters, rising like a tower up to about 15 meters depth, the Strýtan chimney is unique as it is the only geothermal chimney in the World that is in dive able conditions.

Only called a whale due to it’s massive stature, the whale shark is actually a fish and not a mammal and it holds the record for being the largest living fish on the planet.Whale sharks are believed to have originated about 60 million years ago and have an average life span of 70 years.








