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Bonaire

Best Beginner Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

While shore diving on Bonaire is often touted as being as easy as a walk in the park, truthfully, some of its sites are challenging to enter and exit, what with rocky, ironshore bottoms, broken corals and sea urchins clinging to the shore substrate. Beginners will find all the resort house reefs easy — for one, gear lockers and gear setups are either near to or right on the dock, and ladders aid the enter and exit process. Getting in is usually also possible by giant-striding from a dock and then swimming just a few fin kicks to where the reef begins. Try Buddy Reef at Buddy Dive Resort, 18 Palms at Plaza Beach Resort, Bari Reef at Sand Dollar Resort and Calabas at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. Easy coastal road spots include Windsock, which has one of the few sandy beaches on the island; Oil Slick Leap, where you can giant-stride in and then use a ladder to get out; and Bachelor’s Beach. Novice divers may also be more comfortable doing their dives from a boat with a divemaster, which all the big dive resorts offer.

Florida

Best Beginner Diving in North America

Not all the diving in Florida is tailor-made for beginners, but it’s not surprising that readers voted the state No. 1 in its region for beginner diving. In North America there’s nowhere better to go than America’s Caribbean, the Florida Keys. Leave the famous deep wrecks like Spiegel Grove, Vandenberg and Eagle to advanced divers, and hit the shallow reefs to add to your brand-new logbook. Most of the time, you’ll be in the 20- to 35-foot range, which is the perfect depth to build confidence, log tons of bottom time and still see everything this chain is famous for — the only living coral reef in the continental U.S. and reef fish, such as yellowtail snapper, grunts, goatfish and damselfish galore. The notable sites perfect for novices read like a survey course in literature: Christ of the Deep statue in Key Largo in 25 feet of water; French Reef, also off Key Largo, in 15 to 40 feet of water; Islamorada’s Davis Reef in 25 feet; Sombrero Reef off Marathon in the 10- to 25-foot range; Looe Key, a spur-and-groove reef in five to 35 feet of water; and Key West’s Eastern Dry Rocks in about 35 feet of water.

Hawaii

Best Beginner Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

More visitors flock to the islands of Hawaii than just about any other dive destination in the world. So, it’s probably no surprise that the region’s operators are highly skilled at training new divers. And with shallow, sheltered reefs such as Maui’s Molokini Crater and easily accessible, purpose-sunk wrecks, including Oahu’s Sea Tiger, there’s no shortage of beginner-friendly options to hook rookies right away.

Palau

Best Wall Dives in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

Palau’s world-class wall dives, with sites such as Blue Corner, Siaes Wall and Peleliu Wall, attract more species to its Pacific waters than just divers. Sharks — whitetip, gray reef, silky, bull, whale and tiger — cruise the Micronesian archipelago’s plunging, current-swept cliffs by the hundreds, along with other exciting marine life, including Napoleon wrasse, dogtooth tuna and spotted eagle rays. — Eric Michael

Cayman Islands

Best Wall Dives in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean

Careful: That vertiginous feeling is addictive. That killer Cayman combo of sheer walls — especially at places like Mixing Bowl on Little Cayman — and unparalleled viz creates an environment where anything feels possible. Good news, it is. Encountering wall regulars like Nassau grouper and green sea turtles is a divers’ high in itself, but when factors align for magic in the form of a passing dolphin or hammerhead, it’s another high all together. — Brooke Morton

Washington

Best Wall Dives in North America

Walls have it all — abundant marine life, drama and challenging profiles. And Washington has walls. Two stellar sites are Day Island Wall near Tacoma, which hosts wolf eels and octopus at depths between 25 and 100 feet, and Long Island in the San Juan Islands. Spanning depths between 70 and 120 feet, the Long Island wall is famous for its stunning strawberry anemones and is best dived during slack before ebb. — Brandon Cole

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

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

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

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

Top 100 Best Overall Diving 2016

Get ready for the No. 1 winning destinations of our annual Top 100 Readers Choice Awards.

1. Indonesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

If the host of accolades from this year’s Top 100 alone don’t convince you of Indonesia’s greatness — Best Macro, Healthy Marine Environment, Best Underwater Photography, not to mention Best Overall Diving — we’re not sure what will. But we’ll keep piling on until we prove this archipelago of more than 17,000 islands has something for everyone. For metalheads, Bali is home to the most photogenic wreck on the planet — and perhaps most accessible — a U.S. Liberty-class ship lying 25 yards off Tulamben’s rocky shore. Healthy reefs and fish overload more your style? Eastern Indonesia’s Raja Ampat has hundreds of sites with colorful reefs where schools of fish are so thick you won’t be able to see your buddy. Macro divers will go gaga for the nudibranchs and weird critters in Lembeh; big-fish aficionados will love Komodo’s manta trains; and wall divers will get vertigo in Wakatobi. One trip to Indonesia and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Just remember to tell your friends. — David Espinosa

1. Indonesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

A diver swims through the famed opening at Misool’s Boo Rocks, a favorite site for photographers.

2. Micronesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

3. Palau

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

4. Galapagos

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

5. Red Sea

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

1. Bonaire

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

Diving is such an integral part of this spunky desert island not far from South America that it’s hard to separate the underwater and topside experience. Luckily, you don’t have to, because 24/7 access to its vibrant near-shore reefs is what sets Bonaire apart. If there’s a place you can have more fun than piloting your rental truck around Bonaire’s cactus-lined ring road, pulling off to submerge almost anywhere — slowing down just long enough to admire the flamingos or grab a burger at the kiteboarders beach — we haven’t heard of it. — Mary Frances Emmons

2. Cayman Islands

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

3. Mexico

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

4. Bay Islands

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

5. Bahamas

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

1. British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Your first B.C. dive will likely take your breath away, and not just because of the refreshing 50-degree water. Novice and expert divers alike regularly rate Vancouver Island the planet’s finest coldwater diving. The mix of engaging critters, hot invertebrate colors, artificial reefs extraordinaire, rugged scenic beauty and warm Canadian hospitality ensure your return. — Brandon Cole

British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Bountiful marine life awaits divers in British Columbia, including giant plumose anemones and sunflower sea stars.

British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Red Irish lords are one of the fascinating creatures found when scuba diving in the 50-degree waters of British Columbia.

2. North Carolina

Best Overall Diving in North America

3. California

Best Overall Diving in North America

4. Florida

Best Overall Diving in North America

5. Washington

Best Overall Diving in North America

Top 100 Best Overall Diving 2016

Get ready for the No. 1 winning destinations of our annual Top 100 Readers Choice Awards.

1. Indonesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

If the host of accolades from this year’s Top 100 alone don’t convince you of Indonesia’s greatness — Best Macro, Healthy Marine Environment, Best Underwater Photography, not to mention Best Overall Diving — we’re not sure what will. But we’ll keep piling on until we prove this archipelago of more than 17,000 islands has something for everyone. For metalheads, Bali is home to the most photogenic wreck on the planet — and perhaps most accessible — a U.S. Liberty-class ship lying 25 yards off Tulamben’s rocky shore. Healthy reefs and fish overload more your style? Eastern Indonesia’s Raja Ampat has hundreds of sites with colorful reefs where schools of fish are so thick you won’t be able to see your buddy. Macro divers will go gaga for the nudibranchs and weird critters in Lembeh; big-fish aficionados will love Komodo’s manta trains; and wall divers will get vertigo in Wakatobi. One trip to Indonesia and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Just remember to tell your friends. — David Espinosa

1. Indonesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

A diver swims through the famed opening at Misool’s Boo Rocks, a favorite site for photographers.

2. Micronesia

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

3. Palau

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

4. Galapagos

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

5. Red Sea

Best Overall Diving in the Pacific and Indian Oceans

1. Bonaire

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

Diving is such an integral part of this spunky desert island not far from South America that it’s hard to separate the underwater and topside experience. Luckily, you don’t have to, because 24/7 access to its vibrant near-shore reefs is what sets Bonaire apart. If there’s a place you can have more fun than piloting your rental truck around Bonaire’s cactus-lined ring road, pulling off to submerge almost anywhere — slowing down just long enough to admire the flamingos or grab a burger at the kiteboarders beach — we haven’t heard of it. — Mary Frances Emmons

2. Cayman Islands

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

3. Mexico

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

4. Bay Islands

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

5. Bahamas

Best Overall Diving in the Caribbean and Atlantic

1. British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Your first B.C. dive will likely take your breath away, and not just because of the refreshing 50-degree water. Novice and expert divers alike regularly rate Vancouver Island the planet’s finest coldwater diving. The mix of engaging critters, hot invertebrate colors, artificial reefs extraordinaire, rugged scenic beauty and warm Canadian hospitality ensure your return. — Brandon Cole

British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Bountiful marine life awaits divers in British Columbia, including giant plumose anemones and sunflower sea stars.

British Columbia

Best Overall Diving in North America

Red Irish lords are one of the fascinating creatures found when scuba diving in the 50-degree waters of British Columbia.

2. North Carolina

Best Overall Diving in North America

3. California

Best Overall Diving in North America

4. Florida

Best Overall Diving in North America

5. Washington

Best Overall Diving in North America