6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

2026-04-21 16:20:00, Blog CNA

From the kaleidoscopic reefs of Fiji to the shark-filled passages of French Polynesia, these six destinations offer some of the most thrilling underwater experiences in the world.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

1. Fiji

Fiji is called the soft coral capital of the world. Even from the shallows, the colors during the dive are stunning, with oranges, purples, pinks and greens glowing from sponges and sea creatures. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Fiji's waters contain more than three-quarters of the world's hard and soft coral species.

At the Great White Wall, the area's most famous dive site, operators time their dives for low tide, when the bright white soft corals are in full bloom about 65 feet (19.8 m) down.

Fiji offers diving experiences at the Rainbow Reef and recently launched a blackwater dive that takes place after dark in the Somosomo Strait. Divers descend to a lighted line below that attracts glowing planktonic life and aquatic invertebrates from the coral-covered depths.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

2. Baja California Sur, Mexico

Surrounded on almost all sides by the Sea of ??Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, Mexico's Baja Peninsula is a marine migration corridor, and its southernmost parts offer some of the best diving in the country.

In a single day here, diving fins have been bitten by brazen sea lions, the water has shipwrecks and snorkeling takes place with small whale sharks.

From mid-December to April, humpback whales migrate along the peninsula, and it’s common to see them breaching near the shore and hear their song during dives. Freedivers and snorkelers can mingle among mobula rays as they move through the Sea of ??Cortez in large pods between May and July. And from mid-October to December, striped marlin put on an underwater show for divers as they hunt for migrating sardines and mackerel in the Magdalena Bay.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

3. French Polynesia

French Polynesia is one of the world's top shark destinations, from the dazzling blacktip sharks in the lagoons of Bora Bora and Moorea to dense gatherings of grey reef sharks in the advanced dive sites of the atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago.

Some of the most exciting dives are in the southern passage of Fakarava Atoll, where it is common to see a "wall" of hundreds of grey reef sharks soaring in high currents through the waters of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. On a lucky occasion, you may be treated to a glimpse of a great hammerhead shark while diving.

The destination is also expanding its protection of its waters. After creating a vast marine protected area (MPA) in nearly five million square kilometers of French Polynesian waters in 2025, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to add another 500,000 square kilometers by World Oceans Day in June 2026. That's good news for sharks and divers who want to see them in thriving ecosystems.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

4. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

For divers looking to maximize their time in the water, few things can beat the “eat, sleep, dive, repeat” mantra of a dive boat, where your days revolve entirely around the sea. Built to accommodate divers on multi-day trips, these specialized vessels feature accessories like air compressors, onboard equipment, and range from simple boats with beds to luxury yachts with onboard spas.

Located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, this remote archipelago in West Papua is known for its marine biodiversity, with more than 600 species of hard coral and 1,700 species of reef fish, according to the Oceanic Society. It's common to see such bucket-list creatures as whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles and wobbegong sharks during a week-long trip.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

5. Florida, USA

The Sunshine State is best known for the Florida Keys, the largest coral barrier reefs in the continental U.S. and part of the third largest barrier reef system in the world.

But the state is also one of the nation’s top destinations for artificial reefs and wreck diving. From the Keys to the Panhandle, divers can explore shipwrecks and other intentionally submerged wonders, including Miami’s new Reefline, a deep-sea scuba diving art installation that debuted near South Beach in late 2025.

There are nine major wrecks to dive along the Florida Keys Wreck Tour from Key Largo to Key West, and more in close proximity to the skyscrapers of downtown Miami, including the MV Princess Britney, a former drug-carrying ship intentionally sunk as an artificial reef, and the Belcher Barge.

6 of the most incredible places in the world to dive

6. Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

The Maldives may get the attention, but Okinawa also has deep manta ray credentials. According to Rika Ozaki, project leader at the Japan Manta Ray Project, the first photo-identification database for manta rays was created here in the 1970s.

The underwater cliffs that rise like underwater mountains on the northwest side of Ishigaki Island are among the best places to encounter marine animals.

In the winter months, divers can also see surface feeding behavior in the water around Miyako and Ishigaki. Advanced divers hoping to encounter oceanic manta rays should look to Shimozone, accessible via Aka Island or Naha./BBC