Immerse yourself in the underwater world with these must-see diving spots, from Mexico to the Maldives.

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If you crave a dose of awe, take a dive trip.

Each dive is a chance to protect the marine world, too.

Assorted images of Heron Island underwater on the southern great barrier reef

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Its also the countrys first PADI Adaptive Services Facility.

Divers can stay overnight in the outfitters boutique Lodge 9 accommodation, too.

Look for other favorites like nurse sharks, turtles, and clams, too.

A school of Blue Maomao swim in Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand

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Lizard Island invites marine biologists on many scuba outings to teach guests about the wildlife.

The Australian Museum runs a Great Barrier Reef research station on the island, too.

Lucky divers may spot reef sharks, turtles, and eagle rays while theyre here.

birdseye view of islands in bright blue waters

Aerial view of coral reefs and Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.Nigel Marsh/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Visit with sustainableSau Bay Resort and Spa, located right along Rainbow Reef.

Its one of the first PADI Eco Centers in the South Pacific.

The Revilla is, hands down, some of the best big-animal diving on Earth, he told me.

underwater view of fish swimming around pink coral

Great White Wall, Rainbow Reef, Taveuni Island, Somosomo Strait, Pacific Ocean, Fiji Islands.Jason Edwards/Getty Images

Its manta ray encounters are truly magical.

Aliveaboard boat, which typically runs trips between eight to 10 nights, is the best way to visit.

Its a magnet for divers with high shark densities, too, says Clue.

Giant Oceanic Pacific manta ray glides by male diver, Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico

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Look for octopus, groupers, tuna, lobsters, eels, and even turtles.

Visayas, Philippines

R.M.

The prime scuba season runs from about November to June, although thresher sharks can be seen here year-round.

Scuba diver swimming past wall of Jacks, Cocos Island, Costa Rica

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Try aliveaboardto pack in the sightseeing, or a dive resort likeEvolutionon Malapascua Island.

For example, the resort trains local people to become divers and dive instructors.

The lake, located at nearly 3,000 feet of elevation, has restrictions against power boats.

Manta Ray, Maldives

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Some of the most popular of the islands over 100 dive sites include Salt Pier and Hilma Hooker.

Lodging here is limited, with only 400 beds available for visitors.

To scuba, tryPADI outfitter Dive Lord Howe.

landscape view of people in blue waters of a beach with white rocks and green trees

Dive into the waters in Halkidiki, Greece.Marius Roman/Getty Images

Try beachfrontSanctuary Rarotonga, which runs an onsite scuba shop, for easy reef access.

Its a stargazing oasis asthe only DarkSky-certified country in the world.

Fiordland, New Zealand

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This isnt your average scuba dive.

aerial view of beach with people laying on the sand and bright blue waters

Aerial view of Puka beach in Boracay Island, Western Visayas, Philippines.R.M. Nunes/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Its also among the wettest places on Eartha feature that makes scuba here even more enticing.

Heavy rain creates a dark, tannin-stained top layer of seawater that invites typically deep-dwellers closer to the surface.

(Alternatively, try freediving with boutique outfitterWild Fiordland.)

yellow sandy beach and bright blue waters with green trees in the background

Seascape view in sunny weather, Tanna Island, Vanuatu.Gerold Grotelueschen/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Andaman Islands, India

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Scott/Getty Images

For an intrepid dive adventure, try Indias Andaman Islands.

The regions remote turquoise waters lie well off the tourist trackbut not for lack of beauty.

landscape view of Mt Fuji in the distance past a lake of water with canoes on the sand

The sunrise of Mount Fuji at Late Motosu in Japan.Yim Man Wai/Getty Images

Book a stay atBig Tree Cottages, a PADI dive resort with underwater and land-based outings.

Guests here have access to over 60 shore and off-shore dive sites, with day and night dives.

Explore Snapper Ledge, a beginner-friendly shallow reef that sees massive schools of snapper.

fishes with bright yellow tails swimming underwater

Reef fish on a gorgonian off the Caribbean island of Bonaire.Douglas Klug/Getty Images

Or visit the submerged Christ statue, an eerie monument thats now covered in coral.

And build in time for theCoral Restoration Foundation.

Its marine life is just as dramatic, but youll have to work to see it.

Marine life of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

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For those who meet the credentials, aliveaboardis a great way to see the Galapagos.

view of shallow water with fishes swimming

Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia, Australasia.Ignacio Palacios/Getty Images

the back of someone scuba diving with a view both below and above water

A person scuba dive in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.chameleonseye/Getty Images

Limestone cave and saltwater pool on a coral reef

Limestone cave and saltwater pool on a coral reef, Avaiki, Niue.MollyBrownNZ/iStockphoto/Getty Images

the front of a boat on water with green mountains around the water

Fiordland, a popular tourist destination and natural landscape in New Zealand.Skyimages/iStockphoto/Getty Images

underwater diver swimming towards pink coral

Sea Fan with scuba diver in background off Havelock Island in the Andaman Islands archipelago.James R.D. Scott/Getty Images

someone snorkeling underwater reaching towards coral

A tourist snorkeling in the Red Sea, Egypt.Maria Korneeva/Getty Images

a diver underwater under orange coral reefs

A technical diver wearing a rebreather investigates the reefs of Key Largo.Stephen Frink/Getty Images

Diver Viewing Green Sea Turtle, Galapagos Islands

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