Best places to dive in the world - our top 10

While visiting the Galapagos Islands is already a dream for many of us, getting to dive there is the absolute best thing. It won't be cheap, but it's the diving experience of a lifetime. In the waters surrounding the Galapagos you'll find many creatures you will never get to see elsewhere, like the famous marine iguana, but also ultra-rare species like eagle rays and hammerhead sharks. There will be plenty of other fish and mammals surrounding you, making sure you're dive here will be nothing short of extraordinary. 

Perhaps even the world's most famous coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef is known when it comes to diving. A bit off the coast from Cairns is the best place to start your diving adventure here. You can come across turtles, sharks, stingrays and many more, depending on what time of the year you'll be visiting. No matter when you dive here, there's always a lot to see. 

Honourable mention: Heron Island, Australia

While most people choose to go for the obvious pick in Australia, we wouldn't be KILROY if we wouldn't suggest a less ordinary alternative. Heron Island is just that. While technically still part of the Great Barrier Reef, it's a really remote area with plenty of beautiful coral, sea turtles and a lot of aquatic life. Getting here is easiest from Gladstone, a little north of Brisbane. 

This one is for the extremists among us. Cocos Island is a gem, but one that you'll have to travel far for. almost 550 kilometres off the coast from Costa Rica, it's one of the most thrilling dives you can do, period. The full island is a national park, to which you can only go from Puntarenas on the mainland. The main attraction here is diving with schools of sharks, like whale sharks and hammerheads though of course there are plenty of other large fish around here. 

If you prefer a little less extreme, and aren't too fond of sharks, we suggest trying a diving course in Manuel Antonio, which is much more beginner friendly. Check it out here! 

We're maybe repeating ourselves here, but in the Philippines there are dive sites aplenty. Naming them all would be too much, so we'll share the highlight that is Dauin. The reefs here are in excellent shape, and the best thing is all the fun starts very close to the shore. You can simply walk in the water from the beach, and swim down to the pretty coral. All of this means an absence of strong currents, so it's suited to all diving skill levels. Just don't expect any big fish here, Dauin is all about the macro life and the coral reefs. If you want to see bigger fish and turtles, we suggest diving in Moalboal. 

In the Philippines there's also the option to join a great marine conservation program, if you're already PADI Advanced Certified. On the project you will learn specific diving skills suited to marine research, but also help out with reef clean-ups. If you care about the environment and our ecosystems, it's a great way to give back. 

Another one of those great beginner destinations is Playa del Carmen. Fundiving or a full-on Open Water Course, it's all possible here. In the ocean here, you'll come across baracudas, stingrays and parrotfish. From Playa del Carmen, it's also possible to enjoy a completely different kind of dive: cenote diving! A cenote is a natural limestone sinkhole, that exposes an underground ''lake'' of water. They can be very deep, and diving in one is something you need to try out when visiting this region of Mexico. 

Want a more offbeat location? Try Baja California Sur! This Mexican region is great for land-based diving, and with blue whales, sea lions and whale sharks there are a lot of big ones to spot here. The Gulf of California was once famously described as ''earths aquarium'' by explorer Jacques Cousteau, and to our judgement he sure had a point there! 

Already an island paradise, Hawaii has some amazing diving spots to choose from. While during February and March you can come across humpback whales, the west side of Maui is great all your round. At the base of the West Maui Mountains, you can find stunning reefs with plenty of coral and different kinds of fish. Nearby there's a manta ray cleaning station, where manta rays wait for Hawaiian wrasse fish to get rid of algae and other small plants growing on their backs. It's a truly wholesome scene. Want something different? Consider doing a manta ray night dive, for a different perspective on the Hawaiian marine life! 

Being an island nation, Indonesia has a natural draw to divers. There is simply a lot to see, from Bali to Lombok and the Komodo islands. While those are great, you haven't really been diving in Indonesia if you haven't been to the Gili Islands. Dive spots are scattered around the islands, with the likes of Halik (lots of colourful coral, fish and turtles) and Manta Point (manta rays, cuttlefish and octopuses) being great for divers of all skill levels. Need some more challenge? Head out to Simon's where you will dive to 30 meters deep to find scorpion fish, leaf fish and lionfish among others. 

Hidden gem: If you're serious about diving and your time and budget allow it, the Raja Ampat islands off the coast from West Papua are worth a visit. It's a little remote, but it's regarded as one of the best dive sites on our planet. Coral reefs like you've never seen before, lots of bright-coloured fish and stunning surroundings. Cape Kri should be on your list if you plan to dive in this region. A few years ago, it was here that researchers recorded the most fish species ever on a single dive in the ocean, and it put Raja Ampat on the map. The best thing? It's suitable for divers of all skill levels. 

It sounds like the title of a tragedy, but this diving spot in New Zealand is actually bringing great joy to divers alike. The Poor Knights Islands are a group of volcanic islands just off the coast of New Zealand's North Island. They are famous for their exceptional scuba diving, often rated as one of the best in the world. The islands' clear waters, marine life, and remarkable underwater rock formations make them a diving destination like no other. When diving you will find yourself among plenty of dolphins, parrotfish, stingrays and sharks among others. 

Fiji is colourful above ground, but even more so when you dive into the bright blue waters of the South Pacific. Here you can really find Nemo, with plenty of clownfish, but also seahorses, turtles and many many more. Fiji is also renowned for it's shark diving, with as many as 9 spotted in one single dive!

If you really dig the marine life here, there's even a two-week marine conservation expedition you can take part in. When joining this, you will gain coral reef research diving skills as you conduct underwater marine conservation surveys, among multiple other activities. 

We close this list with a little bit of cheating, since this isn't one destination. It would be way too much naming all of the islands in the Caribbean, there are simply too many. But since some of our favourite dives happened here, we wouldn't feel right not namedropping this region of happiness and sunshine at all. 

A small sum-up of dive spots to consider in this part of the world are:  

• 1,000 Steps in Bonaire
• Tiger Beach in the Bahamas
• Bloody Bay Marine Park on the Cayman Islands
• Bayahibe in the Dominican Republic

This list is by no means complete, so consider it a ''best of the Caribbean''. You're welcome to hit up our travel advisors when planning your big diving getaway!

Did you pick a favourite from the above? We don't blame you if it's hard to choose between all this coastal beauty. Some locations are easier to get to, and you might have other things on your bucket list besides diving. To make sense of all your travel wishes and needs, book a spot with one of our travel experts. They will gladly help you plan the trip of a lifetime, and share their tips and tricks with you.

Sounds good, I'm in!