Discovering Depths: Unveiling the World's Best Diving Spots

Shipwrecks, nudibranchs and тᴇʀʀιғʏιɴԍ journeys under huge ice sheets — scuba diving offers a unique view of nature. Here is our guide to finding the best diving in the world.

The great sardine run of South Africa
It may be a humble creature, but the sardine can put a pride of lions or a herd of buffalo to shame. Each summer enormous shoals of the fish — millions strong and kilometres long — swim up theSouth African coast towards Mozambique. Such a spectacle is sure to be an impressive spectacle for even the most seasoned scuba diver.

The untouched Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan
Tucked between the arid lands of northern Africa and theArabian Peninsula, the Red Sea is one of the world’s premier diving sites. Leading off from its northern tip the Gulf of Aqaba boasts some of its best and least-damaged stretches of coral reefs.

The great blue hole of Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman
The waters around Little Cayman are among the clearest in the Caribbean, let alone the world.

The reef top is fairly flat and relatively shallow – around 8m deep. However, when you swim to the edge you are truly looking into the abyss — straight down a 2000m vertical wall of coral. Floating over the drop-off is a unique experience. A dive through this great blue hole is as close to skydiving underwater as you can get.

Palancar Reef, Mexico — some of the best diving of the world
Just off the island of Cozumel and teeming with marine life, Palancar is just one small part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Experienced divers and novices alike will find hours of engrossing exploration of this fascinating and complex ecosystem.

Close up with sharks in the Maldives
The brilliantly turquoise waters here hold over two thousand species of fish, including serpent-like moray eels, gigantic whale sharks and huge, elegant manta rays. With visibility up to 40m, this diving site is where one can find some of the best diving in the world.

The isolated Tubbataha Reef, The Philippines
If you’re looking for some of the most ᴀᴅvᴇɴтuʀous and thrilling scuba diving in the world, Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in the Sulu Sea is the place to start. Well out of sight of land and almost 200km southeast of Puerto Princesa in Palawan, this World Heritage Site is only accessible on live-aboard boats.