Best Scuba Diving Destinations

3. Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Great Blue Hole in Belize is a giant submarine sinkhole near the center of Lighthouse Reef, about forty-three miles from the mainland. The hole is circular and offers some of the coolest dives for more experienced scuba divers. Don’t expect typical coral reef diving here, however. The Great Blue Hole is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize for a reason, but it is not because of the array of wildlife and vibrant colors. The hole offers an otherworldly experience, characterized by Caribbean reef sharks and enormous stalactites. The key to this dive is to experience it without feeding into the common tourist interpretation of this dive. This dive sees its biggest successes when divers can just relax and enjoy the view along with the slight nitrogen buzz, which is a feeling noted as enjoyable by many divers and caused by unavoidable nitrogen narcosis. What might sound scary at first is actually a perfectly harmless effect that goes away as soon as divers begin to ascent at the end of their dive. It is recommended scuba divers with a little bit of experience under their belt attempt this dive, as new divers are sometimes prone to panic and should stick to shallower dives to get comfortable. Beginner divers will love the next scuba diving destination on this list.