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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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 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.)
Seascape view in sunny weather, Tanna Island, Vanuatu.Gerold Grotelueschen/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Andaman Islands, India
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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.
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.
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.
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For those who meet the credentials, aliveaboardis a great way to see the Galapagos.
Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia, Australasia.Ignacio Palacios/Getty Images
A person scuba dive in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.chameleonseye/Getty Images
Limestone cave and saltwater pool on a coral reef, Avaiki, Niue.MollyBrownNZ/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Fiordland, a popular tourist destination and natural landscape in New Zealand.Skyimages/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Sea Fan with scuba diver in background off Havelock Island in the Andaman Islands archipelago.James R.D. Scott/Getty Images
A tourist snorkeling in the Red Sea, Egypt.Maria Korneeva/Getty Images
A technical diver wearing a rebreather investigates the reefs of Key Largo.Stephen Frink/Getty Images
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