Reefs are underwater cities, their vibrant corals creating a complex and multilayered landscape that hosts innumerable creatures.
And, just as each city in the world is unique, each reef has its own personality, from the vibrant marine megalopolis of the Great Barrier Reef to the shadowy depths of the Great Blue Hole in Belize. There are plenty of healthy, thriving reefs to visit, if you know where to look.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Striped clownfish dart among swirling fingers of sea anemones while silvery fish reel in huge glittering whorls. Corals fan out in shockingly pink fractal branches or grow in coruscated hummocks, delicate enough to be damaged by a careless bump but, all together, vast enough to be seen from space.
Stretching 2,900 km (1,800 miles) from Papua New Guinea to just shy of Brisbane, this is the world’s largest collection of marine life. The ecosystem knits together a mind-boggling array of corals, fish, sponges, mollusks, rays, starfish, dolphins, whales, sharks, and birds, to name just a few of its inhabitants. This tightly interwoven biome was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, and it remains one of the most vital marine sanctuaries in the world.
Some of the healthiest reefs in Australia are near Lady Elliot Island, just north of K’gari (formerly Fraser Island). There, you can find mottled wobbegong sharks, swim alongside spotted eagle rays, and hear haunting snatches of whale song. It’s a special place for both diving and snorkeling, with some spots that you can reach from the beach, as well as some farther out that you need a boat to access.
During the Australian summer months (December to February), the island is home to immense nesting colonies of raucous seabirds, most of which have a very lackadaisical attitude toward any human presence. This can be a good thing or a bad one, depending on how you feel about close encounters of the feathered kind. To get the most out of the island, stay a few nights at the island’s eco-resort or, alternatively, drop in for the day on a fly-in-fly-out tour from Brisbane.
If you’d like to dedicate your trip entirely to diving, you might instead enjoy a multi-day, live-aboard cruise around Osprey Reef. This submerged coral atoll is perched on a seamount and the reef is fed by the cool, nutrient-rich waters that well up from the deep ocean. Isolated Osprey Reef hosts many rare or unique species, like the curious and gentle minke whale.
For something a bit closer to shore, there’s also Mackay Reef, which you can access on a one-day catamaran trip from Port Douglas. Whether you choose to charter your own boat or head out in on a group vessel, this is a great option if you’re not much of a diver. Many of the boats come equipped with glass-bottom floors, so you can marvel at the swirling coral and flitting fishes without getting (too) wet.
Another option, from certain stays, is a scenic helicopter flight around the Whitsundays. Soaring above inlets of alabaster-white sands and turquoise sea, you eventually reach the blue-brown latticework of coral at the Great Barrier Reef’s edge. The main attraction here is Heart Reef, named for its unusual naturally formed heart shape.
Lastly, located southeast of Brisbane, Lord Howe Island isn’t technically part of the Great Barrier Reef, but the diving here is also worth the trip. It’s the southernmost coral reef in the world and includes both tropical and subtropical coral, as well as some endemic species. The island carefully restricts visitors to help preserve the reef’s health, so it’s necessary to book well in advance.
Somosomo Strait & the Great Sea Reef, Fiji
The Somosomo Strait, between Taveuni and Vanua Levu islands, is almost single-handedly responsible for the fact that Fiji is known as the soft coral capital of the world. A constant flow of currents feeds the lush carpet of soft-bodied corals here, stirring their delicate, almost feathery tendrils into hypnotic ripples.
There are a number of sites in the strait that have earned reputations as excellent dive spots. Rainbow Reef is a study in scarlet, fuchsia, orange, and umber. The Zoo is known for its preponderance of large animals, including rays, barracudas, and sharks. Pot Luck boasts large schools of sweetlips, barracudas, and vividly stippled parrotfish. The Great White Wall is a towering vertical wall entirely carpeted in dendronepthya, their undulating blue-white polyps blooming in the tide.
And, to the west, the Namena Marine Reserve boasts a wealth of biodiversity, with hundreds of species of corals and marine plants. It’s also a migratory crossroad for cetaceans, including bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales, as well as many endangered turtle species.
Further north from the strait, there’s also the Great Sea Reef, a well-hidden secret among Fiji’s diving enthusiasts, who are eager to make use of its quieter, lesser-explored waters before word fully gets out.
The third longest barrier reef in the world, it stretches along the coast of Vanua Levu, with a panoply of eclectic species calling the area home. Among them are the iridescently clothed parrotfish, human-sized wrasse, and whole shivers of dart-like whitetip reef sharks, which dash through the sparkling waters between skeletal black coral bushes and neon-hued overhangs.
For somewhere luxe to spend the night between dives, you can’t beat Matangi Private Island. With beach huts overlooking the azure ocean, you’re never too far from sea life, especially as there’s a house reef you can access directly off the shore.
Otherwise, you might consider the resorts on Taveuni. Though best-known known for its dense rainforest interior, the island’s just a stone’s throw away from the Somosomo Strait. Taveuni Island Resort is a great option if you’re looking for something small and intimate up in the hills. Whereas Paradise Taveuni Resort sits on a secluded beachfront with views directly out onto the Coral Sea.
The best time to dive in Fiji is during the dry season, between May and October.
Baros and North Male Atoll, Maldives
The real draw of diving in the Maldives is the sheer amount of marine life that lives around the coral — it's much greater than you’ll find anywhere else. The wild bulk of sessile life — including hard and soft corals, gorgonian fans, and bright sponges — supports a riot of bright tropical fish and invertebrates. You’ll also find manta and eagle rays, humpback wrasse, reef and whitetip sharks, and huge schools of barracuda and batfish.
Baros, an island resort close to the city of Malé, has shouldered the responsibility of maintaining its house reef with a restoration and conservation project. It offers good snorkeling and diving straight off the beach, suitable for beginners but with plenty to tempt experienced divers too. There are also boat trips to more distant spots.
Nearby, North Male Atoll has a healthy reef, but the stronger currents make it less suitable for novice divers.
Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
Stretching 300 km (185 miles) along the coast of Belize, the Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest in the world and the colossal ecosystem abounds with life. Scientists estimate that only 10% of the reef has been explored, and new species are discovered every day.
The best-known feature is the Great Blue Hole, a massive underwater sinkhole that plunges down 124 m (407 ft) into a cavern filled with knobbly stalagmites. This UNESCO World Heritage site attracts a number of shark species, including nurse sharks, hammerheads, and blacktips. Divers come from around the world to plunge into its dark blue waters and explore the deep cave. You can dive alongside them on a one-day, divemaster-led trip that also visits Half Moon Caye, a crescent-shaped island and host to a gregarious colony of red-footed boobies.
Otherwise, Belize is best known for its snorkeling and the glass-clear water provides excellent viewing opportunities. Two of the best spots are Hol Chan and Mexico Rocks. The latter has friendly green turtles, only the size of a dinner plate, who like to gently nip at divers as they swim by.
Turneffe Atoll is a destination for serious divers, especially those who want to spend several days diving while living on a ship. More than 400 mangrove islets are interspersed with lagoons, and the nutrient-rich shallows sustain a huge array of marine life. You’ll likely spot jacks and goliath groupers, as well as moray eels, barracudas, manatees, and bottlenose or spotted dolphins.
After an intensive day, you can then turn in at somewhere like Victoria House, a stately beachfront estate nestled amid vibrant bougainvillea trees on nearby Ambergris Caye. Xanadu Island Resort is another eco-friendly option on the island. Despites its proximity to the main town, it’s a quiet place where you can easily switch off under a palm-shaded hammock.
The best time for diving in Belize is between April and June.
Utila and Roatán, Honduras
Southwest of Turneffe Atoll, Utila is at the southern reaches of the Great Maya Reef, a larger system that includes the Belize Barrier Reef. The smallest of the major Bay Islands, Utila has dozens of excellent dive sites with thriving corals and plentiful pelagic fish. But the big attraction here is usually the endangered whale sharks.
Gargantuan but elusive, these slow-moving filter feeders prefer warm, calm seas, and their migratory patterns usually bring them past Utila between February and April, as well as in October and November. That said, some argue that you can see them year round, and peak times are less predictable than they used to be.
Gentle whale sharks aren’t the only creatures you’re likely to spot. Dolphins, pelagic fish, octopuses, and hundreds of species of coral all thrive here, especially on the Black Hills seamount.
Near Utila, Roatán also has many good spots for reef diving, including Dolphin Den. The twisty maze of passages wends through the reef, your way illuminated by sunlight that spears through crevices in the coral. You’ll see snake eels and darting silversides here alongside various tropical fish.
Ibagari Boutique Hotel is an idyllic stay on the island, located on the powdery white sands of the popular West Bay. On site, you’ll find an award-winning diving operator that caters to all levels of ability.
Corals of the Andaman Islands, India
Only a handful of the 300 islands on this far-flung archipelago are open to visitors — a restriction that helps to protect the islands’ Indigenous peoples. This careful conservation, combined with the isolated nature of the islands, means that the Andaman Islands remain largely undiscovered for most divers and snorkelers.
The biodiversity here is remarkable. In addition to the usual hundreds of species of fish and corals, you’ll find tuna, stingrays, and dugongs (sea cows), as well as the occasional saltwater crocodile. This is also an important breeding ground for various turtle species, some of which are critically endangered. You’ll find leatherbacks, hawksbills, and green and Pacific ridley sea turtles.
New or less-experienced divers can stay on Havelock Island for a dose of barefoot relaxation along with gentler dive trips. This densely jungle-swathed isle practically invites you to explore its interior, and you can follow its many trails on foot or by bike in search of wild pigs and geckos in the tropical forests.
You’ll find that Barefoot Resort exudes this wild, rustic atmosphere to a tee. There are no TVs here, nor Wi-Fi or many other modern amenities, giving you plenty of opportunities to just switch off, lounge on the sustainable furnishings, or perhaps take part in a holistic wellness workshop.
For something a little more lavish, there’s also Taj Exotica, a modern spa and resort couched between mangroves right on the warm, crystalline waters of Radhanagar Beach.
The best time for diving in the Andaman Sea is between December and April. It’s also worth noting that many resorts in the area heavily restrict snorkeling and diving for visitors aged 50 and over.
- Learn more about the Andaman Islands
Bunaken National Marine Park, Indonesia
At the heart of the Coral Triangle, Bunaken National Marine Park boasts one of the planet’s richest troves of biodiversity, including hundreds of varieties of coral. Oceanic currents sweep a steady supply of nutrients through the reserve, creating an almost flamboyant wealth of life, from tiny shrimp to wide-winged eagle rays.
The area is best known for its warm, clear waters and impressive wall reefs, particularly around Lekuan Beach. The sheer vertical cliffs are filled with tremendous coral structures, including black corals, plunging down deeper than most divers are willing to go. Flocks of parrotfish swim by, and you’ll find lionfish, bluefin trevally, and scorpionfish, as well as the occasional wrasse. Green turtles are particularly common here, and you might also find larger animals, including hawksbill turtles, dolphins, and sea snakes.
For somewhere to set up base, you’ll find comfort in the eco-friendly villas at Siladen, a private island resort and spa at the very heart of the park. Facing the dramatic conical peak of Manado Tua volcanic island, it’s an ideal spot to view the tangerine sunsets that the area is known for.
The resort also offers plenty of water-based activities beyond diving, including a dolphin-watching tour, kayaking, and a snorkeling site just a few minutes’ walk from the villas.
The best time to dive in Bunaken is between April and October.
Further reading
Plan your trip
Tell us about your plans and one of our specialists will plan a unique trip for you...
Make an inquiryRequest our brochure, The World Your Way
Order your digital copy via email.
Request a brochure