Few new travel experiences hold the same level of grandeur and awe that one feels when slipping into warm, tropical waters and discovering an entirely different world. A world of astounding color that is teaming with life, beauty, power, and grace. This simple act has inspired a lifelong passion in many people and stories of the wonder that unfolds underwater inspires many to seek the experience for themselves.

If you’re hoping to take the plunge but you’re not sure where to start or if you’ve actually begun the process of acquiring and honing your skills, you might be looking for a new diving destination and new experiences. Look no further. Strap on your fins, seal those goggles, and let’s explore some of the best places to learn to dive.

Andros

Andors, the largest island of the Bahamas, is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. At just over 230 km (140 miles) long, the reef provides numerous opportunities to observe undersea life at its most brilliant. The shore side of the reef is quiet, calm, and semi-deep (about 2.5 meters/8 feet). Perfect for the beginning diver. The ocean side of the reef is anything but tame though and should be attempted by an expert only.

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Rangiroa

Rangiroa is one of the largest atoll in the world comprising a total land area of about 170 km² (66 sq mi). This atoll has much to offer for the new diver but none more important than the presence of a shallow reef where a beginner may begin their adventure. The shallow reef is home to clownfish, anemones, and triggerfish. Note that most of the beaches in Rangiroa are made up of very chunky coral.

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Mahé

From its location in the Indian Ocean, Mahe, the largest island in the Seychelles chain, has an impressive amount of subaquatic scenery to offer the beginning diver. Home to several marine parks, Mahe boasts the opportunity to dive with hawksbill turtles, bottlenose dolphins, Whale sharks, lobsters, and Moray eels. The Ste Anne Marine National Park, located 5 km from the capital Victoria, is one of the prime tourist locations in the Indian Ocean for scuba-diving and contains several sites that are well suited for the novice diver.

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Little Cayman

Little Cayman a small island that arguably hosts some of the best diving sites in the world such as Bloody Bay and Jackson Point. With approximately 50 unique dive sites, a new diver can achieve a level of experience that is hard to find anywhere else. This island offers sea plumes, coral gardens, and many different species of tropical fish.

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Taveuni

Taveuni is the third largest island in the Fiji chain. The island is often called the “Garden Island” because of its abundant flower and plant life but the name could equally apply to the remarkable, colorful scenes beneath its waters. Taveuni is home to the magnificent Rainbow Reef, famous for its excellent diving and snorkeling opportunities. The reef is composed of a white, luminescent coral and offers the opportunity to observe the Blue Ribbon Eel, barracudas, white-tip reef sharks and leopard sharks.

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Boracay

A tropical island located 200 miles south of Manila, Boracay hosts two sites that are well suited for the beginning diver. First, Friday’s Rock is a reef that offers high visibility and many fish. Visitors to this site might expect to see triggerfish, grouper, and coral shrimp fish. Second, the Camia wreck is an artificial reef that has many of the same benefits as Friday’s Rock. By far, the best aspects to this location are the visibility, a large number of fish, and locations within a 10-20 minute boat ride of tourist accommodations.

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Cozumel

Located just off the Yucatan Peninsula, Cozumel is a popular destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling. The underwater world around Cozumel was discovered by Jacques Cousteau in 1959 who called it one of the best diving areas in the world. Since that time Cozumel has become a National Marine Park to protect the delicate balance of it’s beautiful coral reefs and amazing variety of tropical fish. The marine park offers the beginning diver some of the best visibility that one might encounter. Visibility often reaches distances of 30 meters (100ft). or more. Perhaps the most distinctive part of this location is the Splendid Toadfish, a bright, colorful fish species found nowhere else on Earth.

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Roatan

Roatán is one of the Honduras Bay Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Located near the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean and the second largest barrier reef in the world it is a major scuba diving destination. Diving sites are teaming with sea life and are rarely affected by weather, making them some of the most ideal beginner sites available. Nearby Utila island boasts the cheapest Open Water courses in the Caribbean.

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Bonaire

Also located in the Caribbean, this Dutch island is surrounded by reefs for miles in any given direction. Bonaire is almost exclusively dedicated to scuba divers and snorkeling due to its lack of sandy beaches. Most dive sites around the island are easily accessible. In fact, Bonaire is the top destination in the world for shore diving, with each of its more than 80 dive sites being right offshore.

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Koh Tao

Koh Tao, literally Turtle Island, is a small island located near the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Around 7000 new divers get certified on Koh Tao each year making it one of the most popular places in the world to learn to dive. Diving around the island is easy and fun and you can see an impressive variety of marine species such as coral, turtles, lots of small fish, barracudas and there is a very small chance of seeing a whale shark. The average visibility is around 15-20 meters.

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