{"id":17962,"date":"2010-03-27T21:19:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-27T21:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwphoto.onpressidium.com\/book\/best-dive-destinations\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T06:57:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T06:57:24","slug":"best-dive-destinations","status":"publish","type":"book","link":"https:\/\/www.uwphotographyguide.com\/book\/underwater-photography-guide\/underwater-photography-destinations\/best-dive-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Dive Destinations in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"

The best dive destinations in the world can deliver big fish, beautiful corals, or tiny critters. In this dive destination guide, I strive to deliver unbiased and accurate information about the kind of experience you will have at the top diving destinations around the world, and also at some of the lesser known ones. I personally edit and check each article to make sure you are getting the best possible information on each destination. New dive locations are being added at regular intervals. In today’s world of advertiser and money driven content, I hope you appreciate this fresh content – Scott.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Dive Destination Guides by Location<\/h2>\n

Featuring over 35 of the best scuba diving destinations in the world<\/a><\/strong> for underwater photography.<\/p>\n

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North America<\/h2>\n

\"best<\/p>\n

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Diving Channel Islands, California<\/a><\/h3>\n

Rich reefs, kelp forests, and sea lions off the coast of Southern California <\/p>\n

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\"best<\/a><\/p>\n

Diving Catalina Island, California<\/a><\/h3>\n

Giant kelp forests, Black Sea Bass, Garibaldi. Only a 1 hour boat ride from Los Angeles <\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/h3>\n

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Diving the Pacific Northwest<\/a><\/h3>\n

Rich life in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Kona, Hawaii<\/a><\/h3>\n

Sharks, Turtles, Mantas on a beautiful island.<\/p>\n

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Caribbean & Central America<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Cozumel, Mexico<\/a><\/h3>\n

Drift diving past huge sponges, turtles and eagle rays – and a good value too.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Socorro Islands, Mexico<\/a><\/h3>\n

Friendly Mantas, sharks, dolphins, and whales await you<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Guadalupe Island, Mexico<\/a><\/h3>\n

Cage diving with Great white sharks, a thrilling adventure<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Bonaire<\/a><\/h3>\n

Easy shore diving, lots of fish to photograph<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Belize<\/a><\/h3>\n

Caribbean diving, colorful sponges on the edge of the rain forest<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Curacao<\/a><\/h3>\n

Charming curacao is becoming an alternate to Bonaire<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Saint Vincent<\/a><\/h3>\n

Best critter diving in the Caribbean<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Silver Bank, Dominican Republic<\/a><\/h3>\n

Swimming with Humpback Whales<\/p>\n

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Diving Dominican Republic<\/a><\/h3>\n

All the diving the doesn’t involve swimming with humpbacks<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving La Paz, Baja, Mexico<\/a><\/h3>\n

Expect the unexpected. A Manta, hammerhead, tuna or whale shark can appear.<\/p>\n

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\"Cabo\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Diving Cabo San Lucas & Cabo Pulmo<\/a><\/h3>\n

Pelagics, schools of fish, hammerheads & more where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez.<\/p>\n

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Lower Central & South America<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/h3>\n

Diving Galapagos Islands<\/a><\/h3>\n

Whale sharks, Hammerhead sharks and unique endemic life such as the Giant Tortoise make this a trip you will never forget. <\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Cocos and Malpelo Islands<\/a><\/h3>\n

Cocos and Malpelo are truly the “Islands of the Sharks” – Hammerheads, Silkies and more <\/p>\n

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Malpelo: A Must for Big Fish Photographers<\/a><\/h3>\n

Dive a unique Eastern Pacific island with Hammerheads, Mantas and Pelagics<\/p>\n

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Indonesia<\/h2>\n

\"Wakatobi\"<\/h3>\n

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Diving Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Featuring fantastic world-class diving and amazing macro and wide-angle opportunites<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Bali, Indonesia<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wrecks, muck, schools of fish, reefs and a great culture make Bali a gem for diving <\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Raja Ampat, Indonesia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Remote and hard to get to, but it has Indonesia’s best diving.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Lembeh Strait, Indonesia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Muck Diving at it’s finest, with a never-ending selection of rare and strange critters in black sand<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Bunaken Island, Indonesia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bunaken delivers walls, reefs, corals and big fish<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Siladen Island, Indonesia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Next to Bunaken, Siladen Island offers a private base for beautiful shallow reefs and corals<\/p>\n

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Interested in diving Indonesia?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out the following resources from our sister company Bluewater Travel<\/p>\n

Best Diving in Indonesia – Top 10<\/a> | Liveaboards in Indonesia<\/a> | Dive Resorts in Indonesia<\/a><\/p>\n

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Southeast Asia (excluding Indonesia)<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Anilao, Phillipines<\/a><\/h3>\n

Incredible critter and nudibranch diving that brings people back again and again<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Dumaguete, Philippines<\/a><\/h3>\n

Good muck diving with a nice selection of resorts and Apo island nearby.<\/p>\n

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See also: <\/strong>Best Diving in the Philippines – Top 9<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Sipadan, Malaysia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Turtles, Jacks, Reef sharks and Barracudas make Sipadan very popular.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Papua New Guinea (PNG)<\/a><\/h3>\n

One of last places in the world to be explored, some consider PNG the best diving in Asia.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Vietnam<\/a><\/h3>\n

Diving in this popular tourist destination is just starting to become more well-known.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Diving Hanifaru Bay, Maldives<\/a><\/h3>\n

If you hit it right, there is Manta and Whale shark action like nowhere else<\/p>\n

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Pacific Ocean<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Fiji<\/a><\/h3>\n

Soft coral capital of the world, and home to a great shark dive. <\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Palau<\/a><\/h3>\n

Sharks, some big fish and good topside excursions make Palau a popular destination.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Truk Lagoon<\/a><\/h3>\n

Truk has more shipwrecks than you count, in clear water with lots of soft coral.<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Solomon Islands<\/a><\/h3>\n

Solomon Island’s is a remote destination that pleases everyone with it’s rich reefs, soft corals great diversity and plentiful fish.<\/p>\n

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Diving Tonga for Humpback Whales<\/a><\/h3>\n

Have an unforgettable experience with Humpback whales, and then dive Tonga’s reefs in crystal clear water.<\/p>\n

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Australia \/ New Zealand<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Adelaide, Australia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Easy shore dives, piers filled with fish and Leafy Sea Dragons<\/p>\n

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\"diving<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Diving Milford Sound, New Zealand<\/a><\/h3>\n

Exotic black coral and the most beautiful country in the world awaits you<\/p>\n

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Exotic Locales<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/a><\/p>\n

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Diving Antarctica<\/a><\/h3>\n

Once in a lifetime trip with Penguins, Leopard seals and Glaciers <\/p>\n

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The Middle East<\/h2>\n

\"diving<\/p>\n

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Diving the Red Sea<\/a><\/h3>\n

The best diving is in Southern Egypt- check out Marsa Shagra.<\/p>\n

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Europe<\/h2>\n

\"Diving<\/p>\n

Diving the White Sea, Russia<\/a><\/h3>\n

A unique experience of underwater photography while ice diving.<\/p>\n

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 <\/h1>\n

Let us Book Your Dive Trip<\/h1>\n

Support the Underwater Photography Guide<\/em> by by booking your next dive trip with the experts at Bluewater Travel<\/strong>.  Run by divers for divers, we can book your dream dive trip for the lowest cost available – you’ll never pay more, and often much less. Email us at bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com<\/a><\/strong> or visit us at www.BluewaterDiveTravel.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Write for the Underwater Photography Guide<\/h3>\n

Are you Interested in writing more about a current dive destination or new diving destination? Or contributing underwater photographs? Then simply contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Best scuba diving destinations by Category<\/h2>\n

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Pelagics<\/a>          Corals & Reef Diving<\/a><\/p>\n

Wrecks<\/a>          Caribbean<\/a>         Muck Diving<\/a><\/p>\n

Exotic Underwater Locations<\/a>     SouthEast Asia<\/a><\/p>\n

       Whales<\/a>                    Sharks<\/a><\/p>\n

Big Animals<\/a><\/p>\n

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Further Reading<\/h1>\n