Humans have mapped more of the moon and Mars than we have our own oceans, which remain 80 percent unexplored. But underwater tourism is gaining in popularity with more than six million active divers worldwide. Humans are swimming with turtles and whales, exploring wrecks and caves, and even plunging into a frigid fissure between two continents. The sport — once enjoyed by a privileged few — has become increasingly accessible to people from all backgrounds and abilities.
Discover what lies beneath at these top places to scuba dive in the world — and pair your exhilarating underwater adventures with the comfort of a stay at a property participating in Marriott Bonvoy to truly recharge your batteries.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
The Best Places to Try Scuba Diving
Tokoriki Island, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
This volcanic archipelago is the stuff of tropical escape fantasies with sugar-white sand dissolving into turquoise waters. A thriving barrier reef shields the islands and creates calm lagoons perfect for dive-curious travelers.
Test the waters at Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji, which offers PADI Scuba School classes run by KaiWai Watersports. Newbies can experiment through a one-day Discover Scuba Diving course, learning about gear and safety before taking their first underwater breaths in a pool. They can then enjoy free time there or a guided dive in open water.
Plantation Pinnacles is a popular spot for divers of all levels, featuring coral outcrops, garden eels, clownfish gardens, reef sharks, and wrecks. After surfacing, savor the warm Fijian hospitality at the Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji, a serene resort where guests can weave sun hats, join chef-led garden tours, and relax with Bobo massage, an ancient local healing tradition.
Maui and Molokini, Hawaii
These North Pacific islands keep divers’ heads on a swivel, as charismatic critters — such as dolphins, humpbacks, pilot whales, and manta rays — can appear at any moment. Warm, calm waters and abundant shore dives make this a great place to learn or broaden basic scuba skills.
Five Caves at Makena Landing Park remains a favorite shore dive site. Green sea turtles often coast among ledges or rest in small hollows in the reef. Watch for octopus and spotted eagle rays among the colorful corals. Two and a half miles offshore lies crescent-shaped Molokini and Back Wall, where drift divers can observe manta rays and sharks at a cleaning station. Watch for endangered Hawaiian monk seals here and listen for humpback courtship songs at this descent, often rated among the world’s top scuba diving spots.
Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui makes everyone welcome underwater with complimentary scuba classes. And this resort keeps the magic going even further. Paddle an outrigger canoe, take hula or ukulele lessons, lounge in a private floating cabana, and experience Hawaiian culture at the Te Au Moana show, also known as the “Ocean Tide luau.”
The Best Beginner-Friendly Dive Destinations
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
This dreamy South Pacific Island, known as “the Pearl of the Pacific,” appears postcard-perfect with its turquoise lagoon and silky white beaches. While diving, see the “manta ray ballet” at Anau, hundreds of sharks at Tapu, and massive Maori wrasse at Teavanui Pass. But the star attraction is a coral garden dubbed “the Aquarium,” where beginner divers can spot clouds of snapper, butterfly fish, and sergeant majors.
Guests staying at The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort can deepen their ocean knowledge at the Lagoonarium, a sanctuary for more than 100 species of fish and clams. Take a coral discovery and planting workshop or help marine scientists identify fish. Then retire to a luxurious overwater or beach villa at this elegant resort.
The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa also has a dedicated space for sea turtle conservation, the Eco Center Bora Bora. This resort sits at the base of iconic Mount Otemanu and features dreamy overwater bungalows, many with private plunge pools. Wood, stone, and palm-thatching bring the area’s natural beauty inside and create inviting spaces in which to unwind.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system, stretching 1,400 miles along the country’s tropical east coast. Divers gravitate here for the “Great 8”: turtles, whales, clownfish, giant clams, manta rays, potato cod, Maori wrasse, and sharks (from bottom-dwelling wobbegongs to scavenging tiger sharks). The reef is also the planet’s largest expanse of living coral — technically the world’s biggest organism, too. This UNESCO World Heritage Site also shelters dugong, gentle “sea cows” threatened with extinction.
The northern Queensland city of Cairns remains the most famous gateway for diving, along with the resort town of Port Douglas 42 miles to the north. But don’t worry: World-class scuba sites speckle the entire reef. Casual divers often head to the lively surf-centric Gold Coast, which starts about 500 miles north of Sydney.
Get your “vitamin sea” at Wonder Reef, a forest of floating sculptures overlaid with marine life, a descent suitable for all levels of experience. Best of all, it’s a two-minute drive away from the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast. Other nearby sites include calm, sheltered Wave Break Island; Gold Coast Seaway (beginners and macro photographers should check out the mellow South West Wall); and the wreck of the Scottish Prince, an iron-hulled tall ship.
Once you peel off your wetsuit, enjoy all Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast has to offer. Don’t miss the Seaway conservation program, where guests can snorkel with a local marine expert. The resort sits on the pristine Main Beach, and its plush, beachy rooms are spread throughout exquisitely maintained gardens laced with lagoons and swimming pools.
Shaab Samadai, Red Sea, Egypt
A pod of spinner dolphins has settled around Shaab Samadai dive site, a crescent-shaped reef also known as the “Dolphin House.” The playful acrobatic creatures gather there regularly, allowing visitors to swim near dolphins in their natural habitat. But even if they don’t appear, this conservation area enthralls with turtles, parrotfish, barracuda, dugongs, and stingrays. Expect lush coral gardens and dramatic swim-throughs ideal for entry-level divers, who can experiment with drift, wall, and ocean descents.
Of all the hotels near Shaab Samadai, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort in Saudi Arabia remains the best base for tastemakers and their families. Sustainable water sports take advantage of the gentle breezes and tranquil gin-clear ocean there, including scuba excursions through the Galaxea Dive Center, a 10-minute boat ride across Al Wajh Lagoon. Designed by starchitect Kengo Kuma, the resort divides its stunning villas between the dunes and overwater boardwalks.
The Best Destinations for Intermediate Divers
Blue Bay Marine Park and the West Coast, Mauritius
This tropical East African nation occupies one of the most remote islands in the Indian Ocean and has a growing dive scene. Expect wrecks, drift dives, and the possibility of seeing humpback whales, who migrate here to mate and give birth each winter.
A world of underwater cliffs flanks the west coast with La Cathédrale as its crown jewel. This site features arches, chimneys, grottos, dramatic drop-offs, and squads of spiny lobsters. Visit the Blue Bay Marine Park, a calm, shallow preserve perfect for shark-spotting and admiring corals shaped like cabbages and stag horns.
An hour drive across the island, Le Méridien Ile Maurice makes a great base and has an on-site PADI dive center with courses for all diving levels. This haven stretches along the beach and caters to families with a kids club, a child-friendly patch of beachfront, and extra sleeping areas in the rooms.
Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort offers waterfront relaxation and onsite diving lessons. (Photos: Marriott International)
Playa Kalki and Curaçao National Marine Park, Curaçao
Explore crystal-clear Caribbean waters with vibrant coral reefs, along with the island nation’s sunny beaches, rich culture, and pastel-hued Dutch-colonial architecture. Sitting outside the hurricane belt, Curaçao is a reliable diving destination year-round with comfortable water temperatures hovering between 78 and 84 degrees. This small country is known for superb dive shops and diverse descents. On the west coast, fringing shallow reefs crown sheer walls and support corals in relatively good shape, despite Caribbean bleaching events and stony coral disease. Playa Kalki still shines as Curaçao’s most popular shore dive. A kaleidoscope of bright marine life mesmerizes here, along with the mushroom-shaped hard coral formations that led to this site’s nickname: Alice in Wonderland.
The Curaçao Marine Park stretches along the island’s southern coast, sheltering the region’s most intact coral reefs, as well as mangroves and seagrass beds that act as nurseries for juvenile marine animals. Marvel over pristine corals and sponges, plus large schools of tarpons, at the Eastpoint sites.
Relax and refresh yourself at the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort, where modern style meets European architecture. Low-rise buildings cradle a large family-friendly pool (adults have their own space with cabanas and an infinity edge pool overlooking the beach). The on-site Goby Divers shop offers PADI training.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Baa Atoll, The Maldives
This azure lagoon cradles 75 smaller atolls and islets, with wildly diverse marine animals living among its mangroves, coral colonies, and submerged pinnacles.
The undisputed highlight remains Hanifaru Bay, where monsoonal currents sweep plankton towards reef manta rays. Forget the usual graceful swoops and rolls — here mantas careen off each other like bumper cars during feeding frenzies from May to November. The area also shelters vivid hard and soft corals, plus a grey shark nursery and a growing number of whale sharks. Book well ahead, as the reserve’s rangers only allow five boats inside at one time — with strict 45-minute limits and guides certified for the site.
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort sits 11 miles southeast of Hanifaru Bay, with modern suites and villas with private pools and ocean views. The resort has a 5-star PADI watersports center, AQUA, with tours, courses from beginner to professional, and gear rentals including sea scooters. Want to be a part of restoring this exquisite ecosystem? Join the resort’s marine biologist to plant coral and learn more about oceanic conservation.
The Best Advanced Dive Spots
Silfra, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
Visit Silfra (Silver Lady) for the unparalleled experience of diving in a crack between two continents — Europe and North America. You’ll plunge into a stunning world of sapphire water, rust-red rocks, and neon-green “troll hair” algae. But this world-famous descent comes at a price: water temperatures averaging just 35 to 39 degrees.
Reserve a Marriott Bonvoy Tour with tour operator DIVE.IS, which offers 30- to 40-minute dips with a maximum depth of 18 meters. These include gear rentals, and there are just three divers per guide. The catch: You must show drysuit certification or written proof of 10 drysuit dives within the last two years. But don’t give up if you’re new to that equipment. DIVE.IS is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center that offers more advanced classes that include a Silfra Tectonic Specialty Course.
Relax back at Ion Adventure Hotel, Nesjavellir, a Member of Design Hotels, conveniently located just a half-hour drive south. Originally a worker’s inn for a geothermal power plant, this sustainable mountainside property mixes the chic Brutalist austerity of concrete with warm natural accents like lava and locally salvaged driftwood. Warm up in its thermal pool where soaking guests sometimes spot the aurora borealis.
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Belize
Endangered turtles, manatees, and crocodiles shelter among the atolls, sand cays, wetlands, seagrass meadows, and coastal lagoons of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System protects the Western Hemisphere’s most pristine reef ecosystems — critical for spawning, nesting, foraging, and nurturing young — as well as a colony of red-footed boobies.
Anchor your stay at the Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection in historic San Pedro. An on-site dive shop runs excursions and offers PADI courses, just a third of a mile from the reserve. Many divers steer toward the Hol Chan Marine Reserve at the southernmost end of Ambergris Caye. One of Belize’s top dive destinations, this underwater oasis teems with tongue corals, turtles, stingrays, and nurse sharks.
Another highlight is Turneffe Atoll to the south, where qualified visitors can explore inside the Witconcrete, a World War II-era barge that found a new purpose as an artificial reef. Keep an eye out for peaceful manatees passing by. The Great Blue Hole draws more experienced divers with its stalactites, towering stalagmites, sharks, and groupers.
When you’re not diving, you’ll enjoy Alaia Belize’s upscale amenities like cabanas, a full-service spa, chef’s table, private sunrise yoga, four bars, and the country’s first suspended rooftop pool.
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