8 of the most exciting dive sites in the world
Diving is a little trip to another world. And it is necessary to admit, he delays! Here you relax on the beach and decide on one small dive. Then everything is in a daze: you buy equipment, get a diver’s certificate and start planning exciting underwater trips with enthusiasm. Only one thing remains – to find out where else to dive with an aqualung in order to get unforgettable impressions. With this, our list of the most amazing diving sites will help you. Are you ready for new dives?
Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
It is the largest reef of the planet and is even visible from space. There are about 4,000 species of mollusks, 1,500 species of fish and 350 species of coral, the colors of which the impressionists never even dreamed of. To meet a butterfly fish, a sea dog, a parrot fish, a wrasse, a fly fish, a stingray, a moray eel or a whale is a common thing.
This is a popular place with a well-developed tourist infrastructure. The best points for diving are considered to be the Osprey Reef and Bommi Lighthouse. You can come here at any time, because the water temperature does not fall below 26 ° C. But it is better to plan a trip from June to September. In the remaining months there are a lot of jellyfish.
Similan Islands (Thailand)
In Thailand, a lot of great points for diving. Damn interesting and quite budget diving option for guests of the country will be Similan Islands. Swim next to colorful corals, giant turtles, blue stingrays, groupers, lion fish, moray eels and leopard sharks. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a whale shark. And if you are also a brave man, do not be afraid to touch it.
A good idea would be to purchase a safari-style tour, to live on a ship and dive when it pleases. Similans are considered one of the best dive sites not only in Thailand, but also in the world. Visibility in the water varies from 20 to 50 m. In the rainy season, the islands are closed to the public, so it’s worth going here from November to April.
Cancun (Mexico)
If you love modern art, immerse yourself in the waters of Cancun. Here is the only museum of underwater art in the world. For an unusual exhibition, which is visited annually by 750 thousand tourists, created 403 sculptures. Each of them was cast from a cement mixture suitable for coral growth. Thus, Mexicans are trying to draw public attention to the problem of the disappearance of reefs. The Caribbean Sea, whose temperature does not drop below +25 ° C, is ideal for diving.
Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico)
Here you will feel like Alice diving into the mysterious rabbit hole. The fact is that the peninsula has the most ambitious system of underwater caves in the world. The ancient Indians called these caves “cenotes”, considered them as gates to the afterlife and threw gifts and offerings into them. Most of the cenotes are in the jungle. The entrances to them resemble wells. You dive and after a few minutes find yourself in the realm of elegant stalagmites and impressive cave scenery. The water temperature is comfortable and keeps within +25 ° C +28 ° C, visibility under water reaches 85 m. Go here at any time of the year, except September and August, when hurricanes often occur.
Sipadan Island (Malaysia)
Jacques-Yves Cousteau called the underwater world of Sipadan a genuine rarity. The island is the top of an extinct volcano, which looks out of the water. Its territory can be bypassed in half an hour, but even the largest archipelago will envy the sweep of the turbulent life that boils under water.
Coastal reefs attract sea turtles. Therefore, the probability of meeting them here is much higher than in other places. In this case, you can see not one turtle, but dozens of green giants. The water around Sipadan was chosen by barracudas, quaraxes, hammerheads, rainbow reef fish and reef sharks, which are used to divers and therefore allow themselves to be photographed from a fairly close distance. Huge flocks of barracudas, twisting in fancy spirals – this is an incredible sight!
The territory of Sipadan – reserve. Here you can not build houses and every day on the island allowed no more than 120 tourists. Water temperature is usually +27 ° C +30 ° C. The most favorable for the trip months – from November to April.
Silfra (Iceland)
Imagine you can swim between two continents! Does it sound exciting? The crack of Silfra formed due to the constant distance of the tectonic plates from each other. There are no bright reef fishes, and the water warms up only to + 4 ° C. But the gigantic gorge with the rugged walls of two continents and clear lake water with visibility more than 120 m delight.
The gorge is conventionally divided into 3 parts: “chess room”, “Silfra Cathedral” and “Silfra Lagoon”. The depth of the latter is only 3 m and the sun’s rays, breaking through the water column, fall on the green algae and create breathtaking pictures.
