subject: 5 Great World Diving Spots [print this page] It's easy to get excited about coming face to face with beautiful marine life. Just don't forget to organise your travel insurance before you go.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
With the word "Great" in its name, the Great Barrier Reef has plenty to live up to. Fortunately it stretches over two and a half thousand kilometres in length, contains hundreds of islands, thousands of coral reefs, with plenty of marine life to boot. This includes, but is not limited to whales, dolphins, turtles, stingrays, clams and a large variety of fish. Plenty to keep a budding diver busy for a lifetime!
Egypt
It's not just the awesome Pyramids and Sphinx drawing travellers to Egypt. Situated on the Red Sea, locations such as Sharm el-Sheik are well equipped to handle keen divers. More experienced divers can head to more remote and less visited sites. This region is home to over one thousand fish species, several interesting underwater wrecks, and beautiful reef systems such as those around the twin islands of El Akhawein ("The Brothers" in English). One needs to join a liveaboard boat to reach here, but the range of sharks species and beautiful scenery make it well worth the trip.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago, being made up of some 17,000 islands, and its diving opportunities are diverse. It is home, incredibly, to around a quarter of the world's fish species, and over ten percent of its coral reefs. From Pulau Weh at the northern tip of Sumatra, to eastern Sulawesi, there is plenty to inspire divers. Not only does Pulau Weh offer some great diving, but also provides support to the people of Aceh province, so devastated by the 2004 Tsunami. The Sulawesi region is one of the most varied for marine life, and local operators are well equipped to get you to one of the hundred plus different dive sites.
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
Located in the Caribbean, off the Venezuelan coast, this well protected national marine park offers calm waters and good visibility, making it a great location for recording your diving exploits on film. Local authorities have long been leaders in sound environmental management, attested by the fact that the Marine Park was established way back in 1979. The rewards of this protectionism is the continued existence of the most diverse fish population in the Caribbean. Longsnout Sea horses can sometimes be seen around Bonaire's coral reefs.
British Columbia, Canada
For something a little different from tropical fish, how about Canada? If you are prepared to brave the cold water (don't try it without a dry suit!) the waters around Vancouver Island, British Columbia offer experiences with a range of sea life, to the willing participants. Whales, sea lions and dolphins have all been known to make appearances, along with eels and octopuses. Plenty of sunken ships add another dimension. Strong currents mean you will need a bit of diving experience, but the experiences on offer at North America's best dive site makes it all worthwhile.
