- The first group belongs to the so-called cult diving. This, of course, is the Galapagos Islands, which are considered an underwater paradise and the best place for diving due to their rich ecosystem. Of course, this is Cocos Island and the Socorro Islands, which are a sanitary station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for a variety of marine life, including a huge population of sharks. Other iconic dive destinations include the wild, yet poorly explored waters of Raja Ampat in Indonesia and the world's largest atoll, UNESCO-listed Aldabra, which is hard to get to. To understand why J. Cousteau, the master of the best diving, spent so much time exploring the Sea of Cortez, it is necessary to come to Mexico in Baja California. The dream of many divers is to take part in the famous sardine race in South Africa. By the way, you can get to most of the above sites only on a safari yacht. In fact, these are real mini expeditions on special ships.
- The second group can be conditionally attributed to the countries of mass diving trips. It includes the Red Sea with Egypt and Sudan, the unsurpassed beauty of the underwater world of the Maldives, almost all countries of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea. Australia and Oceania can be included in the same group: the Great Barrier Reef, paradise French Polynesia, Fiji with shark feeding. And, of course, Cuba with coral reefs and shark diving, the Dominican Republic with caves, the Bahamas with bull and lemon sharks, the Turks and Caicos with humpback whales. In Europe, the choice is small - it's Malta and wrecks, budget Croatia and expensive Norway with killer whales. In all these countries, they go to daily diving and diving safaris.
- Well, the third category of countries for diving from the category: “It’s worth diving there at least once!” These countries can hardly be called the best places for diving, but if a diver is there, he will find something to see under water. These are landscape diving in Spain and the Canary Islands, archaeological diving in Greece and Turkey and Tunisia, the reefs of Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Jordan, the biodiversity of the Seychelles and Mauritius. Diving in these countries can be interesting for its novelty and specificity, therefore, having got here, most divers will want to “check in” in local waters. So, diving in the Canary Islands is called landscape diving. There are no coral reefs here, and the depths between the islands reach 3 km. Meetings with the inhabitants of the open ocean can be the most unexpected, especially on the outermost islands of the archipelago, but they cannot be guaranteed. Many islands have not yet been explored at all, which adds interest and intrigue.
From the many best places in the world for diving, everyone chooses what interests him. Who is looking for a new direction, someone needs to “wet their gills” inexpensively, someone is interested in sharks, for someone diving is the study of new caves and wrecks.
Published: 11.05.2018 Category: Author's essayThe coast of Russia is washed by 12 seas, which belong to three oceans. The Caspian Sea is closed, it has no outlet to the ocean. The Russian seas, cold, harsh, but very interesting, are much less known to most divers than the seas of Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. It's a shame? Not patriotic? Diving in Russia is harder, more extreme, more emotional, and a real adventure.
In recent years, diving centers with the necessary infrastructure have been created in the best diving places in Russia: diving equipment and equipment (compressor, cylinders, compensators, lungs, wetsuits and everything necessary for diving), watercraft: from boats to safari ships, in centers certified instructors. They can teach beginners, dive certified divers. You can come to such a center only with an international certificate, and everything you need will be given in the center.
Thanks to the emergence of appropriate infrastructure, diving in Russia has become comfortable and affordable.
The Black Sea is the closest, most familiar and accessible to the inhabitants of the European part of Russia. This sea is a huge deep depression, which is connected by the narrow straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea is unique. Due to its great depth (the maximum depth is 2245 meters, and the average is 1197 meters), and the narrow straits that connect the sea with the Mediterranean, only the surface layers of water contain oxygen. Below 200 meters there is no oxygen, and therefore no life at all. The surface and deep layers of water do not mix. The salinity of the Black Sea is also low. The fauna and flora of the sea is rather poor. All underwater inhabitants can be seen up to 20-25 meters, at a depth accessible to divers.
But if there is no desire or opportunity to go abroad, you want to improve your skills or get a certificate, then the Black Sea is an ideal option for these purposes.
Diving in the Caucasus
Almost every resort town or village has a diving center. You can go diving anywhere from Adler to Anapa. But the best place for diving in the Caucasus is in the Vityazevo area. Vityazevo is a village located 11 kilometers from Anapa towards the estuaries. There is a large selection of places to stay in the private sector https://edem-v-gosti.ru/rus/vityazevo/
The beaches of Vityazevo are washed by the waters of the Black Sea and the Vityazevsky Estuary. On one of the wild beaches there is a diving club "Chernomor", which has existed since 1995.
The water area around Chernomor is very interesting for diving. Bank "Mary Magdalene", a lot of anchors and fragments of sunken ships, the tanker "Vasily Kuibyshev", blown up by a German torpedo in 1942, the attack aircraft IL-2, allegedly shot down in 1943. On sunken ships you can always find a lot of fish that use them as a refuge. In addition to fish, here you can see crabs, rapans, jellyfish, ctenophores and a lot of algae, which are overgrown with the walls of sunken ships. Fortunately, there are no underwater inhabitants dangerous to humans in the Black Sea. Diving in Vityazevo is very diverse and well organized.
As in the Caucasus, almost all cities and towns of the Crimean coast have diving centers. Many of them are located in quite interesting places with the purest water, varied terrain and a fairly rich underwater world. Such places include Sudak, Novy Svet, Gurzuf. But the best place for diving in Crimea is located on the Tarkhankut peninsula, which is located in the steppe region of Crimea, northwest of Evpatoria.
Tarkhankut is a completely unusual place both on land and under water. Today, most of the coast of the peninsula is part of the Tarkhankut Reserve. The coast of the peninsula breaks off into the sea, forming bizarre rock formations, arches, bays and caves. In numerous caves, until the 40s of the last century, an extinct species of seals - monks, were bred cubs. In most caves, the entrance is only from under the water; it is rather difficult to squeeze into a narrow hole with cylinders.
In addition to caves, there are many interesting things under water. At different depths, there are many ships that have sunk over the past 3 centuries.
Enthusiast divers have created an "Alley of Leaders" underwater. They dragged the busts of the leaders under the water, and built an alley out of them. The impression is indescribable! The second underwater alley is the alley of anchors.
The underwater sites of Tarkhankut are diverse, picturesque, and have very romantic names: "The Cup of Love", "Neptune's Arch", "Chucha Tunnel", "Neptune's Grotto", "Crocodile", "Monastery".
It is very difficult to visit all the interesting places in a short period of time on your own. In the village of Olenevka, closest to Tarkhankut, there is a diving center "Team EKS", which perfectly knows the underwater world of the peninsula, has everything you need, including watercraft.
Tarkhankut is not only the best place for diving in Crimea, but it is quite a worthy place for diving in Russia.
In the north of the European part of Russia there is a very interesting sea for diving - the Barents Sea. This cold, deep and harsh sea is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the summer months, there is light around the clock, and in June the sun does not set at all.
The waters of the sea are saturated with oxygen due to the warm current of the Gulf Stream passing here. Therefore, the underwater world here is very diverse. The coast of the sea is indented by deep bays-fjords. A few years ago, on the site of the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, on the desert coast, a sports and tourist complex was built, which includes the Zelentsy diving center.
The center is amazingly well located. From the often stormy sea even in summer, the village is protected by islands, and the surrounding bays - Yarnyshnaya, Zelenetskaya and others, are located so that even in a storm there is always a quiet place for diving.
Diving in the Barents Sea is not for beginners. The sea water is only 4 degrees all year round. You can dive only in a dry suit and insulation, gloves, and preferably in a full face mask. Diving in this "outfit" requires certain skills and experience. In their absence, it will not be possible to see, appreciate, and enjoy the unusually rich underwater world. And there is something to see underwater. Magnificent walls that go hundreds of meters deep, stars of rare beauty, crabs, hedgehogs, scallops - all this can be seen on dives in amazingly clear water.
Diving in Far Zelentsy is almost always deep-sea. Up to 10-15 meters in the littoral, which is partially exposed at low tides, algae grow in a continuous strip - seaweed, fucus and red algae. Deeper on the walls hedgehogs echinuses glow with blue balls. Even at a depth of 40 meters, this color is preserved, and in the gray dusk of the depth, the hedgehogs look like outlandish lamps.
Not only underwater landscapes, but also the magnificent nature of the Murmansk tundra will delight divers in Dalnye Zelentsy. Bird markets, powerful ebbs and flows, sunny days and nights, amazing tundra vegetation and berries, fishing - these are just a small part of what can be seen in the vicinity of the complex.
The Barents Sea is one of the best diving spots in Russia.
In terms of difficulty, diving on Lake Baikal can be compared with diving on the Barents Sea. It is cold, deep and incredibly beautiful both on land and under water. After perestroika, the underwater world of Baikal became accessible thanks to numerous diving centers that appeared in Irkutsk and on the shores of Lake Baikal. Underwater diving combined with trips on the incredible beauty of the Baikal ice is one of the most unforgettable experiences.
The underwater world of the world's largest freshwater lake is not as rich as the underwater world of the seas. But the unique transparency of the water, sheer walls that go to a depth unattainable for diving, relic Baikal sponges on the walls - all this makes diving on Baikal very attractive.
Baikal waters have an inexplicable magic. Even experienced divers, for whom a depth of 30-40 meters (the maximum allowed depths for diving on compressed air) is not uncommon, note that the walls that go into the abyss drag down into the depths. Today, reaching great depths has become possible thanks to technical diving, which is now available to amateurs. Diving with mixtures and rebreathers has made depths of 70, 100 and even 200 meters available.
For traditional divers, the most interesting dive sites are along the coast of the Baikal railway, and off the coast of Olkhon. Here, under water, you can see canyons of a completely straight shape, up to 70 meters deep and 2 to 20 meters wide. Interesting places for diving are also off the coast of the Baikal-Lena Reserve, at Capes Elokhin and Kedrovy, opposite the Ice River.
The most comfortable way to see the underwater world of Baikal is on a diving safari (as dive tours are usually called). Divers live on a ship that follows a route that passes through the most interesting sites.
The magnificent nature of Lake Baikal, the unique underwater world, excellent infrastructure for diving and technical diving, make the lake one of the best diving sites in Russia.
Kamchatka remains unfamiliar and difficult to reach for most Russians. Meanwhile, the Kamchatka Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and unusual places in Russia. Diving in Kamchatka began to develop much later than in the European part of Russia. But today, both divers from all over the country and Kamchadals themselves are actively exploring the underwater world of Kamchatka.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is washed by the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, and the Pacific Ocean. These rough cold waters are unsuitable for diving most of the year. Therefore, Avacha Bay is the most popular for diving, on the shores of which Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located. A large, beautiful bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by a strait only 3 kilometers wide. The bay is well protected from ocean storms, accessible from the sea and warms up better than the ocean. There are many coves suitable for diving on the shores of the bay: Quiet, Bezymyannaya, Stanitskogo, Bolshaya and Malaya Lagernye.
The bay is shallow, 25-28 meters. The water in the warmest summer months on the surface does not exceed 15 degrees, but at depth, of course, it is cold, and you can only dive in dry suits.
The underwater world of the bay is very interesting. Here you can see ascidians and sea anemones, hairy crabs, octopuses, several types of starfish, shrimps, sponges, mussels, holothurians, hedgehogs, numerous fish, as well as thickets of algae.
Fans of sunken ships will be pleased with their abundance in the bay. The ships lie at shallow depths, and it is safe to visit them.
Closer to the exit from the bay, you can see charming seals, which are very curious, but do not let people near them.
Today in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky there is a Calypso club, which accepts those who wish to see Kamchatka and its amazing underwater world. The club organizes diving tours, which allow you to see many interesting dive sites in a few days.
South of Vladivostok are some of the best diving sites in Russia. The subtropical zone is located here, so the underwater world of Peter the Great Bay, the largest bay of the Sea of Japan, is unusually rich.
It's really warm here in the summer. In July-August there is a subtropical heat, the water warms up to 22-23 degrees. For divers, this is a real paradise, you can dive in wet suits, or without them at all.
It is impossible to describe the diversity of the underwater world of the Sea of Japan in an article. The guide to animals and plants of Peter the Great Bay occupies a large volume. This part of the Sea of Japan is the richest place in terms of flora and fauna of all Russian seas. In the warm subtropical waters of the sea, plant and animal species are found that cannot be found in other Russian seas. Trepangs, giant mussels, oysters, sea scallops, dozens of star species, soft corals, several types of urchins and dozens more species of marine life.
Diverse and underwater landscapes of the bay. Walls and detached rocks, piles of boulders, sandy glades - in each new place there is a new underwater landscape, and life is in full swing everywhere.
Diving in the Sea of Japan is well organized. There are several diving centers in Vladivostok that organize diving according to world standards. The centers have dive boats on which daily dives are carried out. Underwater sites are described in detail. Divers can choose the places they like.
Diving in Peter the Great Bay is a real treat. The magnificent nature of the southern coast, the unusual variety of underwater sites, the gentle climate of the subtropics - everything here pleases.
Diving in the marble quarry of Ruskeala
Ruskeala marble quarry is located not far from the city of Sortavala and the Finnish border. The extraction of marble here began as early as the Swedes in the 17th century. But a century later, for the pompous projects of St. Petersburg, it took a lot of marble. A large-scale development began in the quarry for the extraction of marble for the cathedrals and palaces of the northern capital. The architect of St. Isaac's Cathedral, O. Montferrand himself, personally chose marble for the columns of the cathedral in his quarry. The facade of Mikhailovsky is lined with marble from the quarry, and the windows of the Winter Palace are decorated. It was used in the construction of the Kazan Cathedral, the palaces of Gatchina and Tsarskoye Selo.
What is it about diving? The huge volume of mining led to the formation of a huge deep open pit during development. After the explosion in 1960, the quarry flooded. As a result, a large reservoir was formed, surrounded by sheer marble camps. The depth of the reservoir reaches 200 meters. Under the water were the passages between the quarries, sunken equipment. The amazing transparency (10-15 meters) of the water, the most interesting underwater terrain and good transport accessibility quickly led to the fact that diving in the quarry became popular with divers of the nearest cities and St. Petersburg.
The quarry today is a tourist attraction. You can ride a boat on the lake, go down the cable over the quarry, and the pier is rented to divers.
With the advent of technical diving, Ruskeala has become a unique place for the preparation and training of technical divers. You can come here at any time of the year. Winter ice diving is especially exotic. Diving equipment must be brought with you.
The underwater halls of the quarry are an amazing, incomparable sight. Huge marble pillars of old workings, passages, caves - everything here is of unusual size and shape.
Every year around the quarry, which has become a popular tourist attraction today, the number of hotels where you can stay for a few days increases. Therefore, there is where to relax after a hard diving.
Caspian, White and other seas of Russia
Diving in the seas, other than those listed, is of no interest, or difficult to implement.
The Caspian Sea is available for diving only on the coast of Dagestan and Azerbaijan. The eastern shore is a desert zone, the northern one is the Volga delta, which is of interest to spearfishers. Scuba diving is prohibited and considered poaching.
The western coast of the Caspian Sea is completely deserted underwater. In addition, the Caspian Sea is very difficult. Even in summer, the wind rises daily by 9-10 o'clock, a storm of 4-5 points begins at sea. Of the 30 days of the summer month, 4-5 days can be calm. To come to the sea before 9 am, and at 11-12 no longer be able to even swim is somehow strange.
The White Sea is the only sea located entirely on the territory of Russia. Compared to the Barents Sea, it is less interesting for diving. Despite the fact that the Pomors have lived on the shores of the sea since the 12th-14th centuries, there is practically no infrastructure on the coast. Of the several bays of the White Sea, the most interesting for diving is the Kandalaksha Bay, especially the islands of the bay.
Large clubs in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities travel to the White Sea during the summer months. At the same time, you need to take everything you need with you: from tents, a compressor, boats with motors, cylinders, suits and many small things for life and diving.
The water in the White Sea, even in hot summers, rarely warms up above 18 degrees. It's even colder at depth. Diving here is possible only in dry suits.
Under water, you can see interesting underwater reliefs - stones, dumps, various underwater inhabitants - stars, hedgehogs, sea anemones, hermit crabs. If you're lucky, you can see the indigenous inhabitants of the White Sea, beluga whales.
The nature of the White Sea is magnificent. Forest-tundra with berries and an abundance of mushrooms, forest lakes and sea fishing for White Sea cod, haddock - all this makes the rest very interesting. Having the opportunity to go to a diving base in the Barents Sea, the question of whether it is worth fighting heroically in the White Sea remains open. Who likes what.
The Baltic Sea is fresh, poor in terms of underwater flora and fauna, and is of interest only to lovers of sunken ships. But even well-known clubs in Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg often arrange trips to other seas, while ignoring the nearest sea.
The seas belonging to the Arctic Ocean basin (Kara, Laptev Sea, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas) are generally unsuitable for diving. It is almost impossible to get there, even in summer the seas are often not free of ice, the coasts of the seas are practically uninhabited. Most importantly, the complete absence of life - pack ice practically turns coastal waters into a desert.
Diving in Russia is interesting and varied. Every year the number of diving centers in the most attractive places for diving is increasing. More and more Russians have the opportunity to join this exciting, emotional activity.
0Which countries should you visit for inspiration? We talk about the best places for diving around the world. From Australia to the Barents Sea.
Why Scuba Diving
The acuity of sensations in diving is incomparable to anything - you can look at what no one has seen before you, communicate with the inhabitants of the sea depths. You can feel like an astronaut - with modern equipment you acquire neutral buoyancy at almost any depth. Such a peculiar state of weightlessness, which gives a feeling of freedom and flight.
So-called recreational diving is available to travelers, when the loads are calculated so that they are much less than a person can withstand. Pair insurance, good organization and reliable equipment bring the risk of diving to zero.
Where to go diving
Great Barrier Reef
The vast expanse of the ocean, filled with coral reefs, is comparable in area to England. The diversity of marine life is such that their number is similar to the fauna of the continents. The Great Barrier Reef unites 3000 reefs, 70 coral islands (only there are more than 350 varieties of corals). The variety of fish and mollusks is estimated at several thousand. The Great Barrier Reef has a developed diving infrastructure. You can come to these places all year round, but the best time is:,.
Catalina Island
This island is located near California. It is not only a diving base of varying degrees of difficulty, but also a great vacation spot for those who prefer dry land. The most famous of the local beauties is the Avalon Underwater Park, where novice athletes gain experience. It is preferable to visit this place in summer.
Maldives
“The best dive sites in the world” is a phrase that many associate with a paradise place. Indeed, snow-white beaches, blue transparent lagoons and palm trees are at the service of vacationers. But the main feature of the Maldives is a fantastic underwater world with bright tropical fish, sea turtles, moray eels and stingrays. The best season in the Maldives is from the end to.
Are you planning a trip? That way!We have prepared some useful gifts for you. They will help save money at the stage of preparation for the trip.
Malta
Diving attracts travelers to Malta. It is characterized by an indescribably beautiful underwater landscape - grottoes and canyons, caves, sunken ships of all times - all this untouched beauty will attract the attention of travel and adventure lovers. In Malta, you can relax from early spring to late autumn.
South coast of the Red Sea
The resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Dahab have been occupied by numerous tourists for a long time and for a long time, since you can come here all year round. Great place, but one minus - it's very crowded!
Yucatan
Only here, on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, you can fully experience the exoticism of diving underground and underwater at the same time. The largest accumulation of underwater caves in the world attracts expeditions, as divers continue to discover more and more new caves. The water here is unusually clear and all cave spaces with giant underwater stalactites and stalagmites are in full view. The Indians consider these places sacred. You can visit Yucatan all year round.
Diving is a very exotic sport. Any diver, be it an expert or a beginner, will be fascinated by the depths of the places where he finds himself on every dive. Each diver has their own list of favorite dive sites. A survey of divers around the world has come up with a list of some of the best dive sites.
Similan Islands
The Similan Islands in the western Andaman Sea are considered the best diving destinations in Thailand. The archipelago consists of 9 white sand islands covered with tropical jungle. There are 2 options for diving: the east side - gentle coral reefs, and the west side - massive coral-covered granite boulders. Depth can vary from 15 to 40 meters. Read also about the most beautiful islands in Thailand in a separate selection, there are also very good places to dive.
maldives reefs
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. It is the largest coral reef system in the world, stretching over 3,000 kilometers. These are the only reefs on Earth that can be seen from space. The Great Barrier Reef also has a variety of wildlife and exotic fish including green sea turtles, dolphins, humpback whales and clownfish.
Diving and spearfishing, places with the best diving in the world. Photo and video of the underwater world of the seas. Diving tours and diving courses in Moscow, Russia and abroad. From Egypt to Australia, from Mauritius to Seychelles - all about diving: sites, dives, prices and tours.
A fact that many thousands of diving fanatics are ready to confirm: diving is the most addictive type of outdoor activity. People who have made the first few dives and at least did not think about buying a mask, fins and a wetsuit can be counted on the fingers. Still would! Bright, incomparable and always a little adrenaline feeling from underwater walks will not leave anyone indifferent.
The beauty of diving
Dangers - real and imaginary
Fear of the first dive often becomes the main drag that prevents tourists from joining a new type of outdoor activity. However, diving, especially recreational diving, can be called an extreme sport only for advertising purposes. Scuba diving, like skiing, has its own levels of difficulty, and there are practically no serious dangers for beginners - after all, no one puts neophyte skiers who confuse a yoke with a telemark immediately on the “black” track. Of course, a person who has been put on a wetsuit for the first time in his life will experience excitement - and what else! But if you dive with modern equipment and carefully consider the instructions, then this excitement will remain just a pleasant surge of hormones before diving into the unknown. A real "extreme" - great depths, tangible currents, night diving, ice and speleo diving - is the lot of experienced divers.
For beginners - shallow water, water at a comfortable temperature and the absence of strong currents. The only thing they should be afraid of is close contact with poisonous creatures or plants. The pre-dive briefing will certainly include a separate item that nothing can be grabbed under water with your hands: not only for the safety of the diver himself, but also in order not to cause any harm to the underwater flora and fauna. In fact, if every diver in the Red Sea touches one coral, in a couple of years there will be nothing to touch.
What to choose?
Diving tours can be divided into two main types: daily diving and diving safaris. It is better to go on a dive safari for already experienced divers who are not afraid of seasickness and are ready to exchange excursions and shopping for rare dive sites and a company of like-minded people. In essence, a dive safari is a sea cruise with two to four dives per day. Since there is no need to return to the shore every evening, safaris make available distant and interesting dive sites, where, among other things, the underwater world is much less "spoiled" by tourists.
The main disadvantage of a dive safari is that when living on a ship, the flavor of the country is not so sharply felt, although passengers will certainly be pleased with national amusements and cuisine. The duration of such a cruise can vary from 3 to 13 nights.
Daily diving is more suitable for beginner divers and groups in which only a part of the person dives. In the morning, the diver will be picked up at the hotel and taken either to the diving center or directly to the pier, from there they will be taken by boat or small boat to the planned dive site. After the first dive, the diver will have a light lunch on board, then the second dive, and in the evening - return to shore. If desired, it is possible to dive three times a day.
If there are two vacationers, and only one of them dives, then the second one can also be invited to take a boat trip, watch the process and swim for fun with a mask and snorkel. The advantages of daily diving are obvious: a full-fledged beach holiday, and if you suddenly feel unwell, you can postpone the day of diving without losing your mood and wallet. The main disadvantage of this method of diving is that dive sites close to the coast have seen more than one generation of tourists, and therefore their condition often leaves much to be desired.
Where to go?
Conventionally, diving tourism countries can be divided into two categories:
Category one: "You can't help but dive here!" There are destinations where divers from all over the world go to dive. These are almost all countries of Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and others. Caribbean and Latin America: Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico. Europe: Malta, Croatia, Norway And also - South Africa, Australia, Maldives,
