Have you ever wondered what it would have been like if human Civilization had prospered under water and if we were living our lives with the aquatic animals under the sea? Our lives would have been a lot more colorful and interesting. Scuba Diving is the art that allows you to familiarize yourself with the water kingdom. Once you have the basic training in scuba diving, you can learn all about the coral reefs and a host of aquatic lives which include some beautiful and dangerous fishes. Here are some amazing scuba-diving destinations that you can explore.
The Perhentian Islands , Malaysia
The Perhentian islands in the north-eastern coast of Malaysia consists of two main islands – The Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil along with several smaller islands. Both islands enjoy a Marine Park status, with Kecil being the backpackers favorite and Besar being frequented by family tourists. You can find many species of turtles including Green turtles on these islands. You can also spot Puffafish and sharks when scuba-diving here. The islands are open for diving only from April to October as the sea becomes too rough during the monsoon months.
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Nha Trang ,Vietnam
The Hon Mun Island in Nha Trang offers shallow and calm reefs to the divers who are mostly beginners. Some of the fishes that you might find at this location are butterfly fish, puffer fish and Moray eels. The best time to dive in Nha Trang is between January to October and April to August. If you are diving for the first time, then you would need diving lessons and getting your diving lessons in Vietnam will cost you less.
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Koh Tao, Thailand :
Koh Tao means ‘Turtle Island’ in Thai. Koh Tao got its name because of the population of green sea turtles and Hawksbill that it once had. Even now while diving into the island’s famous 20 + sites one can still spot many sea turtles. You can also find Triggerfishe and the Whale Shark in Koh Tao. The island is also famous for its many driving schools that offer PADI and SSI courses at an affordable rate. The Chumphon Pinnacle and the Trident Wreck are the best sites for diving students to practice diving. The best time for scuba diving is between March and May.The months of November and December should be avoided because of the low visibility.
Koh Phi Phi :
The islands of Koh Phi Phi Leh and Koh Phi Phi Don are situated in the National Marine Park and offer soft coral walls and great sea life. The Koh Phi Phi boasts of stunning aquatic life and has numerous driving schools to teach you scuba diving. This is where Leonardo Dicaprio’s movie ‘The Beach’ was filmed . The months of February to May is the best diving time because during this period the sea stays warm. The price of diving at Koh Phi Phi is a bit higher than at Koh Tao. If you find Koh Phi Phi to be overly crowded then you can try out the diving lessons at Koh Lanta which is a much quieter site.
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Koh Lanta
One of the best places to dive in Koh Lanta is Koh Haa which means the ‘Five Islands’. Both beginner level and advanced level diver courses are taught in Koh Haa. The five islands have a sandy shallow lagoon that offers calm waters and clear visibility to scuba-divers. Here you can expect to find diverse marine life. Some of the aquatic life that you might find here are clownfish , reef sharks, Octopus, parrot fish , angelfish , lion fish , triggerfish and Barracuda. It is also a great site to spot Hawksbill Turtles.
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Bali and Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Tulamben Bay is the most popular diving site in Bali. This is the place where the USAT Liberty Shipwreck had happened. The Shipwreck that can be found at a depth of five to thirty meters offers a great diving experience to both beginners and advanced divers. Manta Point at Nusa Penida is another famous diving site in Indonesia which is popular for the Manta Rays and Mola-mola. This is the junction of the convergence of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The best time for diving in Bali is between May to November.
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Coron Island, Philippines :
The Coron Island in Philippines is famous for the Japanese shipwrecks of World War II and is a great site for divers with all levels of expertise. The island has more than twenty five diving sites and close to twelve wrecks. You can literally pick any month of the year for your dives except the months between May to August. Diving to observe wreckage takes special skills, planning and the guidance of a wreck diver.
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