DivingDeal · Destinations
10 diving regions around the world, one ocean. Each region has its own season, species and diving style pick yours, and the page then takes you to the country, the destination, and on to dive centres and hotels.
Where you dive depends on what you want to see and when you can travel. The Red Sea offers warm reefs a few hours from Europe, Asia brings the richest coral reefs, the Pacific is about big animals and long journeys, and the Mediterranean comes into its own in summer. The table counts the dive sites described, dive centres, hotels and liveaboards in each region.
dive sites listed
destinations
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South Africa’s boat diving demands a different choice from Mozambique’s mixed boat-and-shore approach, especially when current and repeated profiles shape the trip.
Mexico’s Mer de Cortez and Ecuador’s Galapagos put coast-based diving beside strong-current island diving, giving the region two very different ways to plan.
Indonesia’s USAT Liberty Wreck embodies boat-and-shore variety; Japan’s no-liveaboard model makes site choice and shore-based planning part of Asia’s appeal.
United Kingdom is lightly visited, whereas Canary Islands are heavily visited, making crowd tolerance part of choosing an Atlantic dive base.
Cuba keeps its diving lightly visited and boat-based; Bahamas has moderate traffic and boat-and-shore diving, with The Shark Emporium Shark Dive as a named option.
The Maldives pairs boat and shore diving; Sri Lanka turns the same Indian Ocean decision towards wreck diving, with Earl of Shaftesbury as an anchor.
Le Rubis gives France a named point in its boat-and-shore mix; Türkiye’s boat-diving emphasis makes the region’s geography a choice between two distinct trip structures.
Oman’s zones run through Mascate, Musandam and Salalah, while United Arab Emirates centres its choice on Dubai and Fujairah for divers.
Palau puts the Grey reef shark at the centre of a Pacific choice, while French Polynesia is signed by the Napoleon.
El Mina anchors one Egyptian choice, while Aqaba gathers Jordan’s choices in one place; the Red Sea makes that spread part of its diving identity.
One site drawn at random per region, real poster from the catalogue reload the page to see others.
Tatawa Kecil →
Tatawa Kecil offers a high-voltage dive experience, where dramatic topography meets powerful currents and an abundance of pelagic life.
Max. depth · 30 m
Asia
Shoni Bay →
Shoni Bay offers an accessible and vibrant underwater experience, boasting a rich coral wall, diverse marine life, and unique entry options, making it a highlight of Marsa Alam.
Max. depth · 15 m
Red Sea
Farne Islands →
Descend into the cool North Sea waters around the Farne Islands to encounter an active grey seal colony, navigating kelp forests and exploring historical wrecks.
Max. depth · 30 m
Atlantic
Taotoï →
Descend into TAOTOÏ to discover a vibrant reef ecosystem, where blacktip reef sharks patrol and large pelagics drift alongside numerous reef residents.
Max. depth · 30 m
Pacific
Musa →
Explore over 450 life-sized concrete sculptures serving as artificial reefs in the shallow waters of Manchones Reef.
Max. depth · 10 m
Americas
Rocher Créole →
A sheltered volcanic outcrop near Grand Case offering calm, shallow slopes for training and first dives.
Max. depth · 10 m
Caribbean
Amphitheatre →
Explore a unique underwater amphitheatre, carved by natural forces, where light plays through wave action at 9 metres.
Max. depth · 24 m
Mediterranean
Grand Tombant de la Pointe au Sel →
Descend along the Grand Tombant de la Pointe au Sel, a dramatic vertical drop in Saint-Leu, where powerful currents often bring large pelagics close to the wall.
Max. depth · 60 m
Indian OceanChoose Sharm el-Sheikh for Ras Mohammed and the Thistlegorm, Dahab for shore diving, Hurghada and El Gouna for reefs and wrecks, or Marsa Alam for Elphinstone and the southern reefs.
There is no single best dive site. The Thistlegorm suits wreck divers, Barracuda Point brings schools of fish, Blue Corner is known for sharks, and Cabo Pearce for manta rays.
The Red Sea, Maldives, Philippines, Caribbean and Canary Islands are all good winter choices. The right option depends on water temperature, flight time and the diving you want.
Try Ari Atoll in the Maldives, the Philippines, Tofo in Mozambique or Mexico. Sightings depend on the season.
Manta rays are found in Indonesia, the Maldives, Mozambique and Socorro. Nusa Penida, Komodo, Tofo and Cabo Pearce are recognised choices.
The Mediterranean is best from May to October, the Canary Islands are dived year-round, and the Azores are a summer destination.
Choose Bali for the USAT Liberty and Nusa Penida for manta rays. Komodo is dived in the dry season and in current, while Raja Ampat is especially rich from October to April.
The Egyptian Red Sea, the Canary Islands and Bonaire offer warm water, calmer conditions and plenty of dive centres.
In the Mediterranean and the Azores, in the Red Sea all year round, or in Bali, where the season runs from April to October.
Leave at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight.
Each row counts the published dive sites, the countries they cover, and the dive centres, hotels and liveaboards listed in that region.
| Region | Sites | Countries | Centres | Hotels | Liveaboards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 525 | 7 | 989 | 796 | 146 |
| Mediterranean | 308 | 9 | 960 | 2126 | 2 |
| Pacific | 306 | 10 | 186 | 262 | 23 |
| Caribbean | 212 | 18 | 228 | 257 | 13 |
| Americas | 204 | 8 | 544 | 662 | 28 |
| Indian Ocean | 194 | 9 | 258 | 269 | 48 |
| Red Sea | 190 | 3 | 221 | 131 | 93 |
| Atlantic | 180 | 7 | 243 | 411 | 1 |
| Africa | 82 | 4 | 90 | 126 | 0 |
| Middle East | 28 | 2 | 53 | 87 | 1 |
These are twenty dive sites every diver knows by name, from famous wrecks and offshore reefs to encounters with big animals. This is not a ranking of merit: each site has its own season and level, detailed on its page, while all the others are on the map of dive sites.
The British cargo ship sank in 1941, with motorbikes, lorries and ammunition still in its holds.
This national park at Sinai's tip combines steep walls with dense schools of fish.
An isolated reef where oceanic whitetips and hammerheads pass by in season.
The barracuda tornado is the signature sight, with diver numbers capped each day.
Manta rays circle above divers at this cleaning station.
This Second World War wreck is a shore dive, lying about thirty metres from the beach.
A UNESCO World Heritage marine park reached only by liveaboard for a few months each year.
Hook onto the reef in the current and watch grey reef sharks pass.
Sunk in a cyclone in 1911, the wreck is covered in life, including giant groupers and eagle rays.
The incoming tide brings dolphins, grey reef sharks and seasonal hammerheads into the pass.
One of the best-known wrecks of the Japanese fleet sunk in 1944.
This current-swept thila is patrolled by grey reef sharks.
Manta rays visit the reef, while whale sharks are found offshore.
This ferry sank in 1980 with its cargo of lorries and is widely dived in the Mediterranean.
A blue hole in the Dwejra rock, open to the sea, beside the remains of the Azure Window, which collapsed in 2017.
A year-round marine reserve reached from the shore.
Giant manta rays come to the site and circle the divers.
Hammerhead schools gather here; the arch collapsed in 2021 and the site is still dived.
Hammerheads and whitetip reef sharks gather here, a day and a half at sea from the coast.
Bonaire's best-known shore dive starts with a staircase before reaching the wall.
Choose a region by its water temperature, seasons, journey time and the sort of diving you want. The regional pages bring together the sites, centres, hotels and liveaboards that make planning easier.
The Red Sea has the closest tropical reefs to Europe, with warm water year-round, though winter is cooler. Explore the northern wrecks around Sharm el-Sheikh, offshore reefs such as Elphinstone, or shore dives at Dahab and in front of the hotels of Marsa Alam. Every level finds its place here. The region includes 190 dive sites described across 3 countries.
Southeast Asia has the greatest diversity of coral and fish on the planet, around Raja Ampat. Dive in the current at Komodo, switch from macro to thresher sharks at Malapascua, or head to Sipadan in Malaysia for its schools of barracuda. Seasons follow the monsoon and change from one coast to the next. This is the best-documented region on the site, with 525 dive sites described across 7 countries.
In the Maldives, dive the channels between the atolls, with manta rays and whale sharks around Ari Atoll. The dry season from December to April generally gives the best visibility. The Seychelles add granite islands, while Mauritius and Réunion have volcanic coasts and Sri Lanka has wrecks. There are 194 dive sites described across 9 countries.
The Pacific is a region of big animals and long journeys. The passes of Rangiroa bring grey reef sharks and dolphins, while Blue Corner in Palau is dived hooked onto the reef in the current. In Truk Lagoon, the Japanese fleet sunk in 1944 lies on the bottom, and Australia offers the Great Barrier Reef and the SS Yongala wreck. The region has 306 dive sites described across 10 countries.
Most Mediterranean diving takes place from May to October, with walls covered in gorgonians, groupers, seagrass and many wrecks. Go from Corsica to Cabo de Palos in Spain, then on to the Zenobia in Cyprus. The region has the largest choice of hotels on the site. It includes 308 dive sites described across 9 countries.
The Caribbean offers warm, clear water year-round, gently sloping reefs and many islands. Try Bonaire and its shore diving at 1000 Steps, or explore Curaçao, the Cayman Islands and Guadeloupe's Cousteau reserve. Hurricane season runs from June to November. There are 212 dive sites described across 18 countries.
In Mexico, Cozumel is drift-dived along its walls, while the cenotes offer freshwater dives. Offshore, Socorro is known for giant manta rays. Further south, the Galápagos and Cocos Island in Costa Rica bring great hammerhead gatherings for experienced divers, reached by liveaboard. The region has 204 dive sites described across 8 countries.
The Canary Islands are dived year-round, from Tenerife to Gran Canaria and El Hierro. The Azores are dived in summer, with mobula rays and blue sharks on the offshore banks. Madeira and Cape Verde complete the region. There are 180 dive sites described across 7 countries.
On the Indian Ocean coast, South Africa is known for shark dives and Mozambique for Tofo, manta rays and whale sharks. Ocean dives are often launched from the beach by RIB. The region includes 82 dive sites described across 4 countries.
In the United Arab Emirates, the Fujairah coast and Dibba Rock face the Gulf of Oman. Further north, Oman's Musandam peninsula cuts through fjords and reefs that are still little visited. The water is very warm in summer. There are 28 dive sites described across 2 countries.
Choose warm, calm water where you can walk in from the shore. The Egyptian Red Sea, the Canary Islands and Bonaire all suit a first trip. Offshore sites with strong current, such as the Galápagos, are better left until you have more experience.
For whale sharks, try Ari Atoll in the Maldives, the Philippines, Tofo or Mexico, depending on the season. Manta rays are found at Nusa Penida, Komodo, the Maldives, Tofo and Cabo Pearce. Hammerheads gather in the Galápagos, Cocos Island and the Red Sea by season.
The Mediterranean is usually best from May to October, with Corsica, Croatia, Malta, Greece and Cyprus all offering different diving. The Canary Islands are dived year-round, while the Azores are a summer choice. Outside summer, expect cooler water and take a 5 to 7 mm wetsuit.
It depends on the destination and the animals you want to see. The Red Sea, Canary Islands and Caribbean are year-round choices, while the Maldives is usually best from December to April and the Mediterranean from May to October. For winter, the Red Sea, Maldives, Philippines, Caribbean and Canaries are practical options.
Start with what you want to see: wrecks, reefs, big animals or macro life. Then consider your experience in current and how long a flight you accept. Season, hotel or liveaboard, and budget follow from those choices.
A hotel suits places where sites are close to shore, such as the Red Sea, Bali and the Canaries. A liveaboard is the only practical way to reach remote sites such as Tubbataha, Socorro, the Galápagos and Cocos Island. Your choice also depends on how much time you want to spend travelling between dives.
