9 Dazzling Underwater Diving Destinations Around The World

Azure waters, marine life, and corals come together in the vast ocean. Underwater diving is one of the ways to explore this underwater world, be it free diving or scuba diving. 

With the current winter, Americans want to escape the cold and explore tropical paradise. 

Whether you’re looking to try diving or have been diving for years, here are some of the best to explore diving around the world.

Bonaire

Known as the shore diving mecca of the world, the first Blue Destination and the Dutch Caribbean Island of Bonaire is a paradise for professional and amateur divers alike. 

With more than 85 dive sites to choose from, ocean explorers can head to places like 1000 Steps Beach – a peaceful cove surrounded by limestone cliffs – to swim with handbill turtles and explore some outstanding formations of star coral that provide homes for many reef creatures and colorful fish. 

Visitors looking to learn to dive in Bonaire’s pristine and 100% protected waters can visit resorts like the oceanfront Buddy Dive Resort, which makes it easier than ever with an onsite dive center providing courses for every level and guided tours through the island’s vibrant coral reefs and vast marine life. 

This past Earth Day, the blissful beach escape launched The Bonaire Bond, a thoughtfully designed destination pledged to sustain the island’s untouched nature. The Bond is designed to serve as a reminder of how critical eco-friendly tourism is to the livelihood of its local community, and to take it a step further, the island reinvested in its conservation efforts by adopting coral trees through the Reef Renewal Bonaire foundation on behalf of visitors that commit to the pledge in its first year. 

Travelers passionate about protecting the ocean and love the unhurried pace, unspoiled beauty, and unforgettable coastlines of island life must visit Bonaire.

Bermuda

Bermuda is well known for its relaxing beautiful pink sand beaches, its variety of fish sandwiches (don’t knock the raisin bread till you’ve tried it), its welcoming culture, and of course, adventure. The island is also easily accessible, just a 90-minute flight from most major eastern U.S. airports, perfect for a quick weekend getaway.

The island’s eco-experiences encourage travelers to take part in sustainable adventures. Guests can whale watch, take mini-car day trips, and scuba dive, all while feeling good. Bermuda offers guests an accessible, safe destination with wide open spaces, clean ocean breezes, and brilliant turquoise waters. 

One of the best destinations for diving, it offers unique draw-dropping driving. One of the most well-known dives is The Constellation, a 192-foot American schooner that sank on the South Shore with a cargo of morphine and whiskey. Jaws author Peter Benchley even based his follow-up novel The Deep around this wreck!

St. Kitts

Bordered by the Caribbean and the Atlantic, the island offers a range of options, from near-shore reefs to subaquatic caves. Underwater visibility ranges from 30 to 100 feet deep, meaning there are crystal-clear views of walls, ledges, underhangs, coral towers, and sunken ships, all swarming with sea life. 

With many virtually unexplored sites, divers of all ages and experiences will delight in St. Kitts’ unique offerings. From near-shore reefs to subaquatic caves, the pristine underwater visibility gives divers views of walls, ledges, overhangs, shipwrecks, and a plethora of marine life.

St. Kitts is quite a small island, but its diving opportunities are plentiful. Some island favorites are:

• Turtle Bar: Just south of St. Kitts, Turtle Bar is a maze of volcanic rocks buzzing with schools of both fish and turtles. Pro tip: take a night dive to this hot spot and see where the turtles settle for the night.
• Monkey Shoals: A flat reef with a mixture of hard and soft coral of the southeastern peninsula of the island, this destination is an island favorite.

Fiji

Made up of more than 330 remote islands and accented by the warm hospitality of its locals, Fiji is an ideal far-flung paradise where worries melt away, and one is left with sights of immaculate beach and ocean. About 10 hours from the U.S. West Coast (nonstop flights from L.A. and SF), the island nation offers an otherworldly escape. As travelers continue to seek out once-in-a-lifetime experiences, Fiji is one of the world’s most exciting island countries, replete with unique all-inclusive private island resorts, cultural experiences, culinary magic & one-of-a-kind diving adventures.

At Fiji’s stunning 225-acre private island paradise, VOMO Island, travelers can find adventure underwater, over water, on land, and beyond the island to some of South Pacific’s most breathtaking spots. Renowned as a world-class diving location, visitors flock to the South Pacific to dive or snorkel in the world-famous warm waters in every shade of azure. Find yourself floating around hundreds of species of coral from every color of the rainbow, and a wide variety of marine life, including reef sharks, dolphins, and manta rays. 

Designed for couples as an adult’s haven, Wakaya Club & Spa is a refreshing Fijian escape far from the maddening crowds that offer one-of-a-kind immersive experiences. Offering an idyllic picture-perfect island respite with accommodations for up to 28 guests at any time, Wakaya is located on an exclusive part of a private island in the Lomaiviti Group in Fiji, spanning 2,200 acres of pristine beaches, ocean, lagoons, and cliffs, replete with once-in-a-lifetime water & adventure activities. Scuba or snorkel the marine-preserve directly in front of your Bure or explore the world’s most beautiful reefs guided by an on-site diving expert.

French Polynesia

One hundred eighteen islands and atolls rise in the serenity from the heart of the South Pacific, each with a character as unique as its shape to form the land of French Polynesia. From the more renowned Society Islands to the more remote Marquesas, a great diversity of experiences awaits. Diving among bright rainbow fish in crystal clear lagoons. Hiking in lush tropical forests. Sunning on powdery clean white or exotic black sand beaches. Dining on cuisine influenced by French, Asian and Polynesian tastes.

For a unique water experience across islands, The Sailing Collective provides carefully-curated itineraries that connect travelers with the sea. Open to solo travelers or groups; a Sailing Collective journey offers a week of excitement as you sail to amazing islands along captivating coastlines and experience the world’s most beautiful landscapes and cultures. Each departure is crewed by Sailing Collective captains and chefs that change the paradigm of private charter hospitality. A Bali 5.4 Open Space sailboat will take you to various islands in the archipelago, including Raiatea, Taha’a, Huahine, Maupiti, and Bora Bora.

Galapagos Islands

For US travelers looking to go abroad, the destination that is often recommended is the Galapagos Islands. This special haven of precious wildlife is a draw for nature and marine enthusiasts worldwide. Because of its fragile ecosystem, visiting these islands through a responsible company is important. 

Yugen Earthside offers a unique scuba diving trip where guests live aboard a small yacht alongside marine biologists to fully experience and appreciate these magical islands. This responsible dive trip supports the Galapagos Whale Shark Project, featured on BBC’s “Blue Planet II” series. 

Marine biologists and a shark researcher will join the trip as they use these experiences to continue studying whale sharks. Traveling this way allows divers to have incredible underwater experiences while learning how to support conservation efforts and act mindfully towards marine wildlife (part of the trip fee also includes a donation to the conservation project).

Grenada

Known as the Spice Isle of the Caribbean, the destination offers boutique accommodations seated along vast, picturesque beaches, palm trees, and warm island breezes. Visitors will find 40 white sandy beaches, including the world-famous Grand Anse Beach, 15 breathtaking waterfalls, 5 chocolate factories, 3 rum distilleries, and more than 30 unforgettable dive sites, among the many things to do. Paradise doesn’t get much better than this! 

While the economy may have travelers reconsidering a vacation, that time off is well deserved, and Grenada’s recently launched Simple Stays will give them some authentic moments in paradise. Simple Stays Grenada comprises 16 properties offering affordable accommodations so travelers can experience an intimate and quality Caribbean escape without breaking the bank.   

More meaningful travel is also something travelers will be looking for in 2023. If you wish to give back during your getaway, Grenada launched its Voluntourism program. Choose from various projects impacting communities, such as beach cleanups, playing with local soccer clubs, helping animal shelters, and more. 

Hvar Island, Croatia  

The islands of Croatia are high on discerning travelers’ bucket lists, including the stunning hideaway of Hvar Island. Located not far from the famous city of Split, Croatia, Hvar is a haven for well-being and has been recognized as a healing destination in Europe since 1868. 

Walking distance from the UNESCO-protected town of Stari Grad, one of the oldest in Europe, the Maslina Resort stretches across two hectares of lush pine forest with the crystalline Adriatic Sea at your fingertips. A walk along the grounds provides a serene escape through heavenly-scented fields and rugged olive groves. In addition, guests can focus on their health and wellness in various ways, from visiting the Pharomatiq Spa, where therapists integrate various healing modalities, to the fresh and flavorful culinary offerings inspired by the UNESCO-protected Mediterranean Diet.

Whether you’re a fan of kayaking, diving, rafting, or sailing, Croatia is a paradise for those looking to explore the Adriatic. Speed boat excursions to the nearby islands, snorkeling, paddleboarding, diving, and kitesurfing are some of the most popular water activities on the Adriatic Coast. 

Curacao

Known for its stunning cove-like beaches and idyllic weather, the southern Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao boasts 65 distinct dive sites, which are home to some of the healthiest reefs in the world, just waiting to be explored. Reefs surrounding the island are accessible by boat or shore and remain untouched by industrial and meteorological pollution. 

Curaçao offers unlimited shore diving and world-class sites with exceptional macro-life. Geographical diversity keeps the dive profile interesting with walls, reefs, caves, and wrecks. The Curaçao Underwater Park, located on the island’s southeast side, includes some of the lushest reefs because the rough surface conditions supply constant water flow and fresh nutrients.