What are some of the best scuba diving locations?
What are some of the best paces for a new scuba diver?
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Answers ( 1 )
When choosing a destination for a new scuba diver, the most important factors are comfort, ease, and visibility. As you become a more advanced diver, you'll become more comfortable with challenges such as stronger currents, colder water temperatures, and lower visibility levels. But until then, keeping those factors in mind will greatly increase the likelihood that you'll have a good dive. Another consideration is choosing sites that have interesting stuff to see without having to go to depths beyond what the diver is qualified for. Some sites have great diving, but to really appreciate them, you need to go to 80 feet of more. Those aren't ideal for a new diver, even though they may become routine after some time. The fewer factors the diver has to worry about, the better, because then you can concentrate on the great stuff you're seeing.
So the best dive destinations for new scuba divers have:
- Very clear water, with visibility in the 70+ foot range
- Warm water temperatures, preferably above 78 degrees fahrenheit
- Low levels of current and surge (unless it's a drift dive)
- Abundant marine life at depths less then 60 feet
- Well-run dive operations with recognized accreditation from the top scuba bodies (PADI, SSI, etc.)
Some good ones that come to mind are Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Hawaii (especially the Big Island/Kona and Maui), Thailand (but make sure to choose a good operator that has instructors that speak your language), Australia's Great Barrier Reef (catch it while you can!), British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Bonaire, Honduras (Roatan and Utils), Anilao (Philippines), Indonesia (Raja Ampat and Sulawesi), and the Maldives.