Take a Selfie with a Maori Wrasse in Australia
The Maori Wrasee is a whimsical but strikingly beautiful fish found along the reef slopes on The Great Barrier Reef. Their large lips, comical eyes and friendly disposition makes them the perfect selfie partner!
Dive with the Great White in South Africa
Need a nice shot of adrenaline? Head to Gansbaai in the Southern Cape and swim in close proximity to the fiercest predator in the waterworld with only a metal cage preventing you from ending up as fish meal. There are several diving companies that offer a dive in “Shark Alley” but try to go with an operator that invests its profits into shark conservation. Peak shark season runs from May to October.
Swim with a Leafy Sea Dragon in Australia
Named after the dragons of Chinese legends, the Leafy Sea Dragon can be found off the coast of southern and eastern Australia. The creature uses its leaf-like protrusions to camouflage among the seaweed and escape predators. Sea dragons are arguably the most mysterious and elusive of Australia’s marine life and you should consider yourself extremely luck if you manage to catch a glimpse.
Go wreck diving in Micronesia
The tiny state of Chuuk in Micronesia is a favourite hunting ground for wreck diving enthusiasts. The lagoon is the world’s largest ship graveyard and has more than 300 Japanese battleships, aircrafts, submarines and freighters that went down during an American assault in 1944. Divers are advised to wade carefully as the wreck’s cargo comprises of explosives, mines, torpedoes and depth charges.
Dive with the Mantas in Hawaii
Manta Rays are one of the most graceful creatures in the ocean and while it is fairly easy to encounter them individually, however, being surrounded by thousands makes for an exciting experience. Head to Kona feeding dive in Hawaii where divers sit around an underwater version of a campfire (a bright light) on the ocean floor to attract plankton. Before long, the plankton will attract a massive swarm of Manta Ray and you are guaranteed an up-close and personal encounter with these unique creatures.
Get married underwater in Trang, Thailand
Say “I do” with a splash with an underwater wedding at Trang in southern Thailand. Every Valentine’s Day, dozens of couples – dressed in their wedding outfits- don their scuba tanks and dive to an underwater altar located 12 meters beneath the Andaman Sea. The full Thai wedding ceremony even involves the couple releasing one million baby shrimps and a massive clam into the ocean according to Buddhist tradition.
Descend into The Cathedral in Mauritius
Dive 50 feet off the western coast of Mauritius and you will be greeted by massive schools of dolphin. Further down is an underwater cave where you can find gropers, clownfish, lionfish and host of other marinelife lurking amongst the corals. Descend further and you will come face to face with the monolithic cathedral-like cavern, barely-lit by speckled light filtering in through the seaweed. However, watch out for the giant moray eels that lurk in these depths.
Down shots in an underwater bar in Israel
The Red Sea Star is a wacky watering hole floating along the seabed off the coast of Eilat in Israel. It is currently the sole underwater bar in the world and is designed to offer a ‘sense of the sea’ with a ‘dry diving’ experience. The 62 panoramic windows gives an excellent vantage point to watch the exotic marinelife and vibrant coral.
Rendezvous with the Dugong in Palawan
Dugongs are shy creatures that are notoriously hard to find so it can be an exciting experience to encounter them during a dive. The best place to watch these adorably whimsical creatures is at the Dugong Dive Center in Palawan. Dugongs can only be spotted on Northern end of the island of Busuanga, in a very remote location but the dive center has some expert divers who will guide you to the location and back safely.
Swim with Sea Lions in Mexico
Sea Lions are basically the aquatic version of a dog. They are friendly, curious and extremely playful creatures that will entertain you for hours with their grace and agility. Mexico is currently the only place in the world where you can swim with Sea Lions. You will be accompanied by professional marine mammal trainers during your entire session in a specially designed pool.
