See the seafood before it hits the platter
Want some face time with a Bluestriped Grunt? Or how about a little R&R with an Eastern Blue Devil? Whether you’re a diehard bubble head or a newbie looking for a hobby, there’s nothing quite like being 40 feet under the beautiful briny, shimmery, shiny sea. And Scuba Diving Magazine’s Annual Reader’s Choice issue has a dive destination for you.
- So long as you don’t watch the movie Open Water before you go, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is a must for any SCUBA enthusiast. It’s the largest and most extensive reef system in the world. Most of the dives are shallow, so don’t be intimidated by the size of the reef. Do be intimated by the fish in some areas which include sharks the size of airplanes.
- First time strapping on the tanks? According to the Scuba Diving readers, Grand Cayman is among the best dive destinations for beginners. With fringing reefs, shallow shelves and quick shoreline drop-offs, divers have instant access to both shallow and deep reef environments. Swim on over to Grand Cayman’s North Wall, home to Stingray City and Sandbar - two of the most legendary stingray encounters in the world.
- If you’re looking to get away from high-rise hotels and crowds, then Belize is your spot. Visit the famous Blue Hole, part of the Lighthouse Reef. Almost 1,000 feet in diameter and over 450 feet deep, its walls are almost perfectly vertical and fairly smooth. Once a dry cave system before an earthquake and that pesky Ice Age, the Blue Hole features enormous stalactites (hanging down), stalagmites (rising up) and columns (when stalactites meet stalagmites) dating from the Pleistocene period.
- Cozumel: It is - ow-you-say - breathtaking. Yes, ever since Jacques Cousteau revealed Cozumel’s underwater beauty to the rest of the world in his 1961 documentary, Cozumel has consistently occupied a top spot among diver’s favorite destinations. What the world saw was an underwater fairyland of swaying coral gardens, waves of countless tropical fish riding the currents, steep walls that fall deep into the ocean floor, sunken galleons and tunnels that went well inside the island’s underwater foundations. Plus, according to Scuba Diving Magazine, Cozumel has the best nightlife of the list so when you kick off the fins you can kick back in style.
Get the Fare Buzz for Scuba Diving Magazine’s Reader’s Choice list from your home airport.
As SCUBA divers say, tanks for the memory,
Steve and Paul, Kayak.com co-founders