Palau

World’s Best Destinations for Diving with Big Animals

Australia and Pacific, Caribbean And Atlantic, Central America, Exotic Destinations, Featured Travel, Rebreathers, Scuba_News, South America, standards, Teach First Aid/CPR, Tec, Tec Diving, Technology, TecRec, TecRec IT Crossover, Top 100, Turks And Caicos, United States And Canada, UW Photography, Wrecks / Scuba Admin

Underwater Photo Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas

Jon Cornforth

Atlantic spotted dolphins are one of the many big animals beloved by divers in the Bahamas

Why do the Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, now in their 23rd year, still matter to divers? Because these are your picks, based on thousands of votes from the most experienced dive travelers on the planet. Why do they matter to us? Because every month you hear from our editors on what we think matters in the world of dive travel. For the January/February issue of Scuba Diving we get to listen to you, and we’re taking notes.

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Big Animal Encounters category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.

Bill Fisher

Bahamas

Best Big Animal Encounters in the Caribbean and Atlantic

Everyone likes a sure thing. Thus the Bahamas continues to rate so highly for big animals. Unlike ultra-remote locales requiring liveaboards and overnight motors before day one begins, here, hammerheads or Caribbean reef sharks mug for your lens just as soon as you unpack and assemble gear. Plus, the variety of species calling these islands home or waypoint is incredible. The hammerheads of Bimini. Oceanic whitetips of Cat Island. Tigers off Grand Bahama. And the place that helped the nation become synonymous for sharks: Nassau. Hopscotch between a few spots and you’ll quickly amass a portfolio of species — plus learn the behavior not only of the sharks but of the goliath grouper that serve as shark-feed second acts. One more perk: Although not as reliably seen, wild Atlantic spotted dolphins regularly cruise Bimini and the Little Bahama Bank, creating an ideal opportunity for those who’ve been wowed by the main attraction but want the show to continue. — Brooke Morton

Caribbean and Atlantic

1. Bahamas

2. Turks and Caicos

3. Belize

4. Cayman Islands

5. Mexico

Scott Johnson

North Carolina

Best Big Animal Encounters in North America

They’re big, and they’re slow. Sand tigers, the predominant shark species off North Carolina, lack a swim bladder but manage near-perfect neutral buoyancy thanks to an ability to gulp air at the surface. It explains why they’re among the least hurried big animals, good news for photographers or any diver who simply wants to prolong face time with these snaggletoothed scavengers. — Brooke Morton

North America

1. North Carolina

2. Florida

3. California

4. Washington

5. British Columbia

Doug Perrine

Galapagos

Best Big Animal Encounters in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

You could go to Galapagos just to see table-size black-blotched rays, quizzical sea lions, tornadoes of barracuda and jacks, turtles and manta rays galore. But really, you’re deluding your- self if you go for any other reason than sharks — clouds of hammerheads and whitetips, solitary tigers and packs of burly Galapagos. — David Espinosa

Pacific and Indian Oceans

How We Got the Numbers Thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and online users rated their experiences at dive destinations in a variety of categories on a scale from one to five. Final scores are an average of the numerical scores awarded. A minimum number of responses was required for a destination to be included in these ratings.

World’s Best Destinations for Diving with Big Animals Read More »

World’s Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Dive Sites

Asia and Indian Ocean, Australia and Pacific, Caribbean And Atlantic, Central America, Rebreathers, Scuba_News, standards, Teach First Aid/CPR, Tec, Tec Diving, Technology, TecRec, TecRec IT Crossover, Top 100, United States And Canada, UW Photography, Wrecks / Scuba Admin

Why do the Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, now in their 23rd year, still matter to divers? Because these are your picks, based on thousands of votes from the most experienced dive travelers on the planet. Why do they matter to us? Because every month you hear from our editors on what we think matters in the world of dive travel. For the January/February issue of Scuba Diving we get to listen to you, and we’re taking notes.

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Cave/Cavern/Grotto Diving category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.

Laurent Benoit

Mexico

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

An explosion in eco-adventure tourism has made the Mayan frontier an attractive destination for avid cave divers. Caverns as measureless as the imagination offer unique opportunities for novices, and miles of fresh exploration line present new adventures for seasoned explorers. Glass factories of intricate calcite ornaments fill passages with eye candy. Massive speleothems are stacked like wedding cakes left melting in the tropical heat. Swimming through nature’s time capsule, you’ll spot the exploration-line arrows of diving legends, and perhaps a few artifacts of cultures lost. Refreshing water and endless tunnels present hours of soak time every day. Accessible adventure, extraordinary beauty and a warm culture of colorful hospitality make Mexico the top of the list for cave divers. — Jill Heinerth

Caribbean and Atlantic

1. Mexico

2. Cayman Islands

3. Bay Islands

4. Belize

5. Bonaire

Aaron Wong

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

Adventurous (and properly trained) divers know that Palau harbors dark secrets ripe for exploration. Over the eons, salt-water erosion carved caverns, tunnels and other exciting structures into the Micronesian archipelago’s limestone geography. At such world-famous sites as Chandelier Cave, Siaes Tunnel and Blue Holes, those brave enough to enter will find thrills and mysteries galore.
— Eric Michael

Pacific and Indian Oceans

Wes C Skiles/National Geographic Creative

Florida

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in North America

With crystal-clear water, Florida’s springs offer alluring portals that beckon divers into labyrinthine museums of natural history. Cathedral-size galleries, pristine fossilized remains and a playground of the natural variety make Florida’s caves a seductive attraction for cave divers. The freshening flow, tepid water and easy dive access make a return visit mandatory.
— Jill Heinerth

North America

1. Florida

World’s Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Dive Sites Read More »

World’s Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Dive Sites

Why do the Top 100 Readers Choice Awards, now in their 23rd year, still matter to divers? Because these are your picks, based on thousands of votes from the most experienced dive travelers on the planet. Why do they matter to us? Because every month you hear from our editors on what we think matters in the world of dive travel. For the January/February issue of Scuba Diving we get to listen to you, and we’re taking notes.

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Cave/Cavern/Grotto Diving category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.

Laurent Benoit

Mexico

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

Caribbean and Atlantic

1. Mexico

2. Cayman Islands

3. Bay Islands

4. Belize

5. Bonaire

Aaron Wong

Palau

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

Pacific and Indian Oceans

Wes C Skiles/National Geographic Creative

Florida

Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Diving in North America

North America

1. Florida

World’s Best Cave, Cavern and Grotto Dive Sites Read More »

World’s Best Destinations for Advanced Diving

Australia and Pacific, Caribbean And Atlantic, Central America, Exotic Destinations, Rebreathers, Scuba_News, South America, standards, Teach First Aid/CPR, Tec, Tec Diving, Technology, TecRec, TecRec IT Crossover, Top 100, United States And Canada, UW Photography, Wrecks / Scuba Admin

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Advanced Diving category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.

Cayman Islands

Best Advanced Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

Rebreathers let divers see the Kittiwake shipwreck in a new way.

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

1. Cayman Islands

Brandon Cole

Palau

Best Advanced Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

This “Jake” seaplane — Allied code for the Aichi E13A-1 Japanese navy seaplane — went down off Palau in World War II.

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

All Canada Photos/Alamy

British Columbia

Best Advanced Diving in North America

A diver exits the purpose-sunk wreck of an Air Canada 737 near Chemainus, British Columbia.

Best Overall Diving in North America

1. British Columbia

2. North Carolina

3. Florida

4. Washington

5. California

How We Got the Numbers Thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and online users rated their experiences at dive destinations in a variety of categories on a scale from one to five. Final scores are an average of the numerical scores awarded. A minimum number of responses was required for a destination to be included in these ratings.

World’s Best Destinations for Advanced Diving Read More »

World’s Best Destinations for Advanced Diving

Here, we proudly present the No. 1 ranking destinations in the Best Advanced Diving category of the awards. The full list of winning destinations is below.