Best Dive Destinations for Underwater Photography
By Scott Gietler
Dive destinations can deliver big fish, beautiful corals, or tiny critters. In this dive destination guide, I strive to deliver unbiased and accurate information about the kind of experience you will have at the top diving destinations around the world, and also at some of the lesser known ones. I personally edit and check each article to make sure you are getting the best possible information on each destination. New dive locations are being added at regular intervals. In today's world of advertiser and money driven content, I hope you appreciate this fresh content - Scott.
Dive Destination Guides by Location
Featuring over 35 of the best diving destinations for underwater photography.
North America
Diving Channel Islands, California
Rich reefs, kelp forests, and sea lions off the coast of Southern California
Diving Catalina Island, California
Giant kelp forests, Black Sea Bass, Garibaldi. Only a 1 hour boat ride from Los Angeles
Diving the Pacific Northwest
Rich life in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia
Diving Kona, Hawaii
Sharks, Turtles, Mantas on a beautiful island.
Diving Maui & Kauai, Hawaii (coming soon)
Diving Florida (coming soon)
Caribbean & Central America
Diving Cozumel, Mexico
Drift diving past huge sponges, turtles and eagle rays - and a good value too.
Diving Socorro Islands, Mexico
Friendly Mantas, sharks, dolphins, and whales await you
Diving Guadalupe Island, Mexico
Cage diving with Great white sharks, a thrilling adventure
Diving Bonaire
Easy shore diving, lots of fish to photograph
Diving Belize
Caribbean diving, colorful sponges on the edge of the rain forest
Diving Curacao
Charming curacao is becoming an alternate to Bonaire
Diving Saint Vincent
Best critter diving in the Caribbean
Diving Silver Bank, Dominican Republic
Swimming with Humpback Whales
Diving La Paz, Baja, Mexico
Expect the unexpected. A Manta, hammerhead, tuna or whale shark can appear.
Diving Cayman Islands (coming soon)
Lower Central & South America
Diving Galapagos Islands
Whale sharks, Hammerhead sharks and unique endemic life such as the Giant Tortoise make this a trip you will never forget.
Diving Cocos and Malpelo Islands
Cocos and Malpelo are truly the "Islands of the Sharks" - Hammerheads, Silkies and more
Indonesia
Diving Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
Featuring fantastic world-class diving and amazing macro and wide-angle opportunites
Diving Bali, Indonesia
Wrecks, muck, schools of fish, reefs and a great culture make Bali a gem for diving
Diving Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Remote and hard to get to, but it has Indonesia's best diving.
Diving Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Muck Diving at it's finest, with a never-ending selection of rare and strange critters in black sand
Diving Bunaken Island, Indonesia
Bunaken delivers walls, reefs, corals and big fish
Diving Siladen Island, Indonesia
Next to Bunaken, Siladen Island offers a private base for beautiful shallow reefs and corals
Southeast Asia (excluding Indonesia)
Diving Anilao, Phillipines
Incredible critter and nudibranch diving that brings people back again and again
Diving Dumaguete, Philippines
Good muck diving with a nice selection of resorts and Apo island nearby.
Diving Sipadan, Malaysia
Turtles, Jacks, Reef sharks and Barracudas make Sipadan very popular.
Diving Papua New Guinea (PNG)
One of last places in the world to be explored, some consider PNG the best diving in Asia.
Diving Vietnam
Diving in this popular tourist destination is just starting to become more well-known.
Diving Hanifaru Bay, Maldives
If you hit it right, there is Manta and Whale shark action like nowhere else
Diving Thailand (coming soon)
Pacific Ocean
Diving Fiji
Soft coral capital of the world, and home to a great shark dive.
Diving Palau
Sharks, some big fish and good topside excursions make Palau a popular destination.
Diving Truk Lagoon
Truk has more shipwrecks than you count, in clear water with lots of soft coral.
Diving Solomon Islands
Solomon Island's is a remote destination that pleases everyone with it's rich reefs, soft corals great diversity and plentiful fish.
Diving Tonga for Humpback Whales
Have an unforgettable experience with Humpback whales, and then dive Tonga's reefs in crystal clear water.
Diving Tahiti (coming soon)
Australia / New Zealand
Diving Adelaide, Australia
Easy shore dives, piers filled with fish and Leafy Sea Dragons
Diving Milford Sound, New Zealand
Exotic black coral and the most beautiful country in the world awaits you
Diving the Great Barrier Reef (coming soon)
Exotic Locales
Diving Antarctica
Once in a lifetime trip with Penguins, Leopard seals and Glaciers
The Middle East
Diving the Red Sea
The best diving is in Southern Egypt- check out Marsa Shagra.
Europe
Diving the White Sea, Russia
A unique experience of underwater photography while ice diving.
Diving Norway (coming soon)
Diving the Azores Islands (coming soon)
Write for the Underwater Photography Guide
Are you Interested in writing more about a current dive destination or new diving destination? Or contributing underwater photographs? Then simply contact me.
Best diving destinations by Category
Pelagics Corals & Reef Diving
Wrecks Caribbean Muck Diving
Exotic Underwater Locations SouthEast Asia
Whales Sharks
Big Animals
Further reading
Packing lists and insurance for an underwater photography trip
Dive equipment for underwater photographers
Dive site research and planning
Dive etiquette for underwater photographers
Must pack items for your next photo trip
Comments
I will be in Brazil in
I will be in Brazil in November. I was wondering if anyone can give me feedback as to the diving in Brazil.
I have been directed to your
I have been directed to your photo contest because I have been winning different categories in the Cayman Islands. I'm surprised that your web site does not even list the Cayman Islands. In Grand Cayman the macro life is right up there with Bonaire. Then the wide angle is just awesome for deep wall shoots. One day, I was over 300' from a pinnacle to capture the full view of the top at 50'- dropping off to 240'. Warm water and great visibility 100'+ year round.
Can you PM me a link to your
Can you PM me a link to your photos, Jay?
[size=85]Michael Zeigler Editor - Underwater Photography Guide [url]http://www.uwphotographyguide.com[/url] [url]http://www.seainfocus.com[/url][/size]
Thought I missed it but I
Thought I missed it but I went back to look and didn't see anywhere in Florida? W. Palm and the Keys are wonderful places to dive and help support US business. The water is usually very clear and there is plenty photo opportunities. We have plenty of wrecks, corals teaming with tropical fish, turtles galore, manatees, sharks of all types, springs, caves, and caverns all with 100'+ of visibility. Best part is the summer when you can dive without a combersome wet suit in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean's Gulf Stream.
Hi Scott - we are planning a
Hi Scott - we are planning a dive to L'Estartit-Illes Medes in Spain. Do you have any info on that destination? We won't be going until NEXT year, and would of course be happy to provide info for the site after our return if needed.
hi Merrianne, thanks for the
hi Merrianne, thanks for the offer - we are always looking for info on more places, so send me an email via the contact link so I have your contact info
Scott Gietler Owner/Editor, Underwater Photography Guide & Bluewater Photo http://www.uwphotographyguide.com http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com
Thanks for these spots but
Thanks for these spots but may be some are missing ?
What's about Red Sea ?????
yes, you are correct. Look
yes, you are correct. Look under Middle East, you will see the Red Sea, it says "coming soon" - Scott UPDATE - I have red sea info there now.
Scott Gietler Owner/Editor, Underwater Photography Guide & Bluewater Photo http://www.uwphotographyguide.com http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com
yes, you are correct about
yes, you are correct about cocos, thanks. Malpelo is owned by Columbia.
Scott Gietler Owner/Editor, Underwater Photography Guide & Bluewater Photo http://www.uwphotographyguide.com http://www.bluewaterphotostore.com
FWIW, Cocos Island is
FWIW, Cocos Island is accessed from Costa Rica - Central America, not South America.
I think Malpelo is Panamanian and would also fall in this catagory.