The Top Dive Sites of the World

Nobody can really say what should belong among the top dive sites of the world. There are many dive sites around the world, with each one offering a variety of attractions. Each dive site has its own offering and each offering has its own enchantment.

Many are into diving because nothing compares to the thrill of going underwater to see the wonderful and beautiful world beneath the sea. There are a lot of hidden wonders beneath the sea – coral formations, sponges, fish, and other underwater creatures great and small.

Here are some of the top dive sites of the world:

1. Rangiroa, Polynesia
One of the dive sites of the world is Rangiroa, which means Long Sky. It is the second largest atoll in the world. Divers can see hordes of gray sharks, barracudas, dolphins, tunas, turtles, manta rays, and jacks. Rangiroa is one of the best places to go drift diving.

2. The Blue Hole, Belize
This dive site became famous after Jacques Cousteau, declared it as one of the top dive sites of the world. The crystal clear water of the Blue Hole made it perfect for dives to see all kinds of sharks, like the bull shark and hammerheads. This is a dive site with good visibility, so not only will you see sharks, but also other marine species.

3. Sipadan, Malaysia
Many would put Sipadan in their list of top dive sites of the world. Who wouln’t when the waters of the Sipadan is teeming with marine life? Turtles, sharks, dolphins, and other bright fishes are found in the waters of Sipadan. There are also beautiful cave systems, bright corals and sponges that will amaze you.

4. Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
Not all many divers know about Fernando de Noronha but that is also one of the reasons why it made the place to the top dive sites of the world list. The blue waters of Fernando de Noronha are also teeming with turtles, dolphins, and other marine life. Since it’s not a place where everone can go, you will not have to share it with other people.

5. Elephant Head Rock, Thailand
Named after the boulders that look like elephant head, this dive site is also teeming with life. This dive site made to the list of the top dive sites of the world because of its wonderful marine life. There are schools of fish like the blue-ringed angel fish, bicolor parrot fish, and also colonies of spiders crabs. Mantis shrimps and cuttlefish can also be seen as you dive deeper into the waters.

Every diver has their own unique list of top dive sites of the world. Some of the places that are on one divers list, may not be included in the list of another diver. There is not one list of top dive sites in the world because the list of the top dive sites of the world would depend on the experience of the diver and what they personally enjoy on a dive.  These would be some dive sites that would be on my diving bucket list and I hope you will enjoy them too!

Some photos by Jurgen Lison & Philippe Guillaume