Scuba Diving Resort Vacations

Indonesia  

Positioned between the South China Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, Indonesia is at the epicentre of marine biodiversity. Although the world’s largest archipelago is comprised of more than 17,000 islands, most of the country’s 235 million people, live on just five - Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya.

The area has exhilarating drift diving, extensive reef diving, fantastic night diving, unique muck diving and breathtaking steep walls. Tec diving addicts can get their fix from the deep trenches while wreck fanatics will be satiated with the abundance of World War II relics. The country is also a paradise for underwater photographers as more than 600 coral species of coral and over 3000 fish species make their homes on Indonesian reefs. 

Maldives  

In the open ocean near the reefs, you're likely to spot the pelagic animals - including manta rays, eagle rays, tuna and a variety of sharks (including whale sharks) - that frequent the Maldives. But, for many, the shallows are where they find the best action. The clear, bright water plays host to massive amounts of sweet lips, parrotfish, groupers, snappers as well as the frequent turtles and moray eels. It's an ideal dive environment - especially for underwater photographers. 

Malaysia 

Located in the Indo-Pacific Basin, Malaysia is a truly blessed country. Imagine crystal clear waters surrounding beautiful islands with pure, white beaches. Picture coconut palms swaying in balmy, tropical breezes, all set against a backdrop of lush, green rainforest. And, especially important to divers, Malaysia's biodiversity is nothing short of stunning. 

Philippines 

With 7,107 islands (covering a land area of 299,746 square kilometers/115,739 square miles) and a coastline twice the length of the United States, the Philippines can legitimately be called Asia's beach capital. With a tropical climate, warm water, long and white sandy beaches, nearly 40,000 square kilometres/15,444 square miles of coral reefs, mind-blowingly beautiful flora and fauna, (including many endemic species) - the area is truly a diver's paradise.

Thailand 

Known as the “Land of a Thousand Smiles”, Thailand has blossomed onto the world dive stage as a premier dive destination, With more than 2,000 kilometres/1243 miles of clear, warm waters, divers can experience sites in both the Andaman Sea off the west coast, and the Gulf of Thailand on the east.

United Arab Emirates

Despite it's long coastline, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has only recently started to attract dive travelers. Encompassing the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, which separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman, the UAE - especially Dubai - has long been known as a retail-therapy and duty-free destination, rather than an sporting attraction. 

Egypt 

With beautiful coral, millions of fish, fantastic visibility, sheltered reefs, towers, pinnacles, walls, coral gardens and wrecks, the Red Sea offers great scuba diving adventures. 

South Africa 

Divers visiting South Africa are well served Just about 70 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts service divers visiting South Africa and are located at all the major dive areas.
With approximately 3000 kilometres/1865 miles of coastline – and the country’s position between two distinctly different oceans - there's a huge variety of diving on offer. From whale sharks to nudibranchs, gentle shore dives to pumping surf boat entries, gentle drift dives to adrenaline-pumping underwater time with sardine baitballs and  Great Whites, South Africa has some of the most diverse - and best - diving around. 

The Red Sea  

Sometimes called the Egyptian Riviera, the coastal area runs from the Israeli border at Taba around the Sinai Peninsula through  Sharm el Sheik to the Suez and south along Egypt’s eastern coast to the border with Sudan. Each area tempts divers in its own way, but only the area from El Gouna through Hurghada and Safaga combines the Red Sea’s delights (including spectacular reefs and wrecks), with a proximity to world famous heritage sites such as Luxor and Cairo.  

Florida

Florida’s diverse dive offerings run the gamut from fresh water to salt water and cave diving to drift diving. The state of Florida offers more shipwrecks than many countries!  Florida pretty much has it all and the best part? You can dive it.

Hawaii

Separated from any major landmass by thousands of kilometers/miles of open ocean, Hawai'i is one of the remote places in the world and a favorite stopover for large migrating creatures such as humpback whales and whale sharks. Not only that, one-third of the marine life you'll encounter diving in the Hawai'ian Islands isn't found anywhere else. Manta rays, sea turtles and spinner dolphins also all call Hawai’i home.

Papua New Guinea

Diving in Papua New Guinea is available year-round through Resorts, dive centers and liveaboard dive boats all offer year-round dive opportunities and there are prices to suit all budgets. With barrier reefs, coral walls, fringing reefs, sea grass beds and coral atolla – along with spectacular World War II wrecks, diving Papua New Guinea reveals treats around every corner.

 New Zealand

New Zealand has a wide variety of dive conditions that range from subtropical in the north to temperate in the south. Regarding weather, warm sunny summers are followed by mild wet winters. Average air temperatures in summer (November to February) are 10-18 degrees Celsius/50-65 degrees Fahrenheit while winter (June – August) sees 3-10 degrees across the whole country.

 Queensland 

 Queensland, Australia’s dive scene is a grand opera played out in a three-ring circus. There are sweeping overtures, delicate arias, intimate gestures, moments of word-defying grandeur, overcrowded scenes with an excess of gaudy players (set amid even gaudier stages), and, of course, divas and villains. 

Croatia 

Kvarner's underwater world is known for amazing wall dives and beautiful gorgonian coral reefs. The craggy coastline and relatively shallow water with a muddy bottom can result in poor visibility, but the underwater world's variety of plants and animal makes this garden extremely rich. 

Cyprus 

Likely named for its most famous daughter, Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty) and also called Kypron in ancient Greek, Cyprus is nestled in the Northeast corner of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. From simple, sandy-bottom dives for beginners, to excellent enriched air diving on the Zenobia, one of Europe’s most famous wreck dives, the island's diving offers something for everyone. Water temperatures range from 16°-27° Celsius/ 60°-80° Fahrenheit, which provides one of the longest dive seasons in the Mediterranean. Plus, the area boast great visibility - 20-35+ metres/65-115+ feet - nearly all year. 

 Greek Islands 

 Advanced civilization, democracy, the Olympic Games, western philosophy and literature and some of world’s most impressive myths and ancient gods originated among the peninsula and 1400 islands of Greece. Looking to protect the history of that rich heritage, diving - until 2006 - was significantly restricted to keep people from plundering the artifacts littering the seafloor throughout the country. Now that the regulation has eased, a huge swath of dive sites is now open for diving.   

 Italy 

Looking down at Italy’s distinctive boot shape, it looks like numerous pearls have been scattered all around. These pearls are delightful islands and contain some fantastic diving. They are too numerous to discuss here but several of the more well known include Sicily, Sardinia, Elba, Ponza and Ventotene. 

Here, you are in a puzzle of islands – not is there only the fantastic coasts of Sicily, Siracusa, Taormina, but Lampedusa, Pantelleria and Ustica Islands also boast dark volcanic rocks dressed by huge sea fans. The crystal clear waters provide access to just about any Mediterranean environment, including wrecks dating from Roman times as well as both World Wars.  

 Malta  

On a map of the Mediterranean Sea, if you let your eye fall to the center – just South of Italy’s heel and to the West of the Mediterranean’s heart, you will find an enchanting archipelago comprising Malta, Gozo, and Comino, along with the smaller, uninhabited islands of Cominotto, Filfla and St.Paul.  As is typically in the Mediterranean, Malta really has only two seasons - a hot, dry summer and a short, cool winter. The summer season runs from a windy April to a milder October, with average high temperatures on the year of 21° C/71° F. Average low temperatures, however, only drop to 9° C/49° F in January and February.  

Spain 

Nearly surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cantabrian Sea and the Mediterranean, Spain offers a wonderful array of dive options. A combination of cold and warm water attracts a large variety of aquatic life and there are numerous points of interest, including marine reserves, in various locations throughout the territory. Over the next several years, the number of protected areas is set to increase and include areas like Islas Medas, Cabo de Palos, Cabo de Gata and the coastal waters stretching 40 kilometres/25 miles from Lloret de Mar to the Cap de Begur.

Although the United Kingdom and Ireland might not immediately spring to mind when thinking of exotic or challenging dive destinations, the waters surrounding these ancient nations are something of a revelation. Hundreds of years of merchant seafaring – plus a quite a few seaborne military events over the years – have left a rich wreck heritage, the huge tidal ranges have to be seen to be fully appreciated and fauna ranging from tiny seahorses to gigantic basking sharks all mean the underwater realm here is rich with surprises. 

Belize 

Located between Mexico and Guatemala on Central America’s Caribbean coast, Belize is the perfect destination for adventure, relaxation, romance and exploration. With more than 400 islands, white sandy beaches, the longest unbroken barrier reef in the western hemisphere and a 298-kilometers/185-miles of coastline, Belize is a world-class scuba diving destination. When you’re not diving with nurse sharks or exploring ancient temples and caves, you can embrace this mixture of ancient civilizations, African traditions, British colonial influences and Mestizo lifestyles.  

Honduras 

The Bay Islands are located approximately 1350 kilometres/840 miles southwest of Miami and 48 kilometres/30 miles off the Honduran coast. Consisting of seven islands and 50 small cayes, they stretch for 113 kilometres/70 miles in a northeasterly arc and are part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef - the second largest living reef in the world. The prolific waters off of these islands feature vibrant coral, colorful tropical fish, large sponges and the chance for encounters with large pelagic animals such as manta rays, sea turtles and whale sharks.

 Dominican Republic 

The Dominican Republic (or "the DR" as it is frequently called) a mountainous, lush country that comprises the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola, has been a popular Caribbean escape since Christopher Columbus first set foot on its shores in 1492. With nine distinct ecological regions, the island attracts hikers, cavers, birders, culture hounds, and from December to April the famed offshore region of the Silver Bank fills with the haunting melody of whalesong, as humpack whales come to calve

 Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao  

 Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, a.k.a. the ABC islands, lie north of Venezuela in the Caribbean in the far-western section of the Leeward Antilles.  Year round,the air and water temperature averages 28ºC/82º F. excellent weather is virtually assured no matter what month you visit, because the ABCs are outside the hurricane belt.  Although close together and sharing a broadly common culture, each island offers a completely different vacation experience. If you are looking for a vacation combining diving, beautiful beaches and casinos, choose Aruba. If you to dive, dive and dive some more, Bonaire is considered one of the world’s top ten destinations. For a unique cultural and cosmopolitan experience mixed with diving, Curacao provides it. Whatever your choice, the ABCs provide top-notch tropical diving experiences. 

 Bahamas 

The Bahamas are an archipelago of 700 islands covering 259,000 square kilometres/100,000 square miles throughout the Western Atlantic ocean that offer a complete range of dive adventures including pristine and healthy coral reefs, vertical walls, wrecks, tunnels, caverns and blue holes. The waters are amazingly clear and boast 30-metre/100-foot visibility, lush coral reefs and abundant marine life. Plus, the subtropical climate provides approximately 340 sunny days each year. And, probably more important to divers, the dive conditions are impressive year-round. 

Cayman Islands 

Known for its amazing wall dives, beautiful coral reefs and visibility that often reaches more than 30 metres/100 feet, the Cayman Islands offer some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean.

Cozumel 

Located 16 kilometres/10 miles off Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, the island of Cozumel is one of the most popular scuba diving destinations in the Caribbean. Cozumel has all the ingredients for a great getaway: friendly locals, good food, lively nightspots, towering coral formations, warm water, great underwater visibility and white sandy beaches. Plus, the peaceful currents mean serene drift dives at most sites.

Riviera Maya 

Located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, the Riviera Maya and Cancun provide easy access to the Great Mesoamerican Reef. Stretching 724 kilometres/450 miles from the tip of Cancun south to the Bay Islands in Honduras, the world's second largest reef is home to more than 150 species of reef fish and nearly 100 coral species. In addition, freshwater sinkholes called cenotes are prevalent throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. 

Trinidad and Tobago 

The 300-kilometre/116-square mile Caribbean island of Tobago offers many experiences for the discriminating diver. Just north of Venezuela and south of Grenada, this modest island is home to just over 50,000 people. But, its small size belies its reputation for big diving. With dive sites for every experience level, the healthy reefs feature both hard and soft coral – especially the area’s signature underwater sight of the world’s largest brain coral, which measures 4 by 5 metres/12 by 16 feet. But it isn’t just the reefs that will drive divers to distraction, as the mobile marine life is also varied and abundant.

 Turks and Caicos 

The alluring turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands feature a vast, thriving coral reef ecosystem. Whether you’re looking for breathtaking walls or dive wrecks, tropical diving in the Turks and Caicos is both accessible and impressive.