Making a list of the 10 best dive sites in the world in 2026 is not an easy task.
There are tens of thousands of dive sites out there at hundreds of diving destinations and every scuba diver’s interests are different.
Therefore, the following places are my personal picks for the 10 best dive sites in the world in 2026.
I hope they give you some inspiration for your own scuba diving bucket list of places to visit in a lifetime.
The 10 best diving sites in the world 2026
There are countless great diving destinations in the world and you can spend a lifetime exploring them. These are the best places to dive in 2026, as I see them.
- Bajo Alcyone – Cocos Island, Costa Rica
- Cape Kri – Raja Ampat, Indonesia
- South Pass – Fakarava, French Polynesia
- Blue Corner – Palau, Micronesia
- Manta Ray Night Dive – Kailua Kona, Hawaii
- Wolff & Darwin Island – The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- SS Thistlegorm Wreck – Egypt
- Socorro Island – Mexico
- Felicitas Mine – Germany
- Fujikawa Maru Wreck – Truk Lagoon (Chuuk Lagoon), Micronesia
As some of them can only be reached by liveaboard, make sure to check out all our current liveaboard deals to see if you find a nice discount on an upcoming cruise!
1 Bajo Alcyone – Cocos Island, Costa Rica
The Cocos Island National Marine Park is the unofficial capital of hammerhead shark diving in the world.
Hundreds upon hundreds of them circle the island and are a guaranteed sighting.
I picked Bajo Alcyone as the specific dive site, as it was named by famous Jacques Cousteau, but I could as well have taken any other spot around.
I absolutely love this place and if you check out some photos and diving videos, you will, too.
And yes, they get Orcas there. Orcas!!! Just watch the video below if you need any more reasons to dive in Cocos Islands!
I recommend taking a liveaboard cruise around the island to really see all the dive sites.
Oh, and please get a good underwater camera before you go!
Diving facts Cocos Island, Costa Rica.
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | December – May is dry season. Whale sharks and mantas can be seen between June – October |
| What to see | Whale sharks, bull sharks, dolphins, turtles, orcas(!). Sightings depend on the season. |
| Water Temperature | 24-29°C (75-84°F) |
| Best for | Hammerhead sharks, whale sharks |
| Difficulty | Advanced. Heavy currents and surges |
2 Cape Kri – Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Ah, good ole’ Raja Ampat. Is there a best-of list this region in Indonesia is not part of?
Raja Ampat boasts the richest marine biodiversity in the world both in shallow, and mesophotic reefs with over 1,700 species of reef fish alone.
As if an incredible abundance of marine life wasn’t enough to justify it being on our list of the best dive sites in the world, Raja Ampat is also frequently visited by whale sharks, Manta rays, and other large marine species.
An absolute must for any underwater photographer, trust me when I say you have to dive here at least once in your life!
The best way to explore diving in Raja Ampat is by liveaboard.
Diving facts Cape Kri, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | May – September as it is the driest season. |
| What to see | What’s not to see? Some highlights: Large schools of fish, manta rays, reef sharks, wobbegong sharks, walking sharks, turtles, Spanish mackerel, tuna, barracuda, pygmy sea horses, nudibranchs galore, ghost pipefish, cuttlefish, crustaceans, beautiful coral reefs |
| Water Temperature | 27-30°C (80-86°F) |
| Best for | Reef diving, underwater photography |
| Difficulty | Mostly easy diving |
3 South Pass – Fakarava, French Polynesia
Arguably the best drift dive in the world, the South Pass on Fakarava in French Polynesia has it all.
A beautiful reef, an abundance of fish, amazing visibility, and pelagics like sharks, large rays, and dolphins.
French Polynesia is still considered a hidden gem by many and not frequently featured on popular diving lists.
However, if you like ocean and reef diving, Fakarava is one of the best diving destinations on the planet.
Diving facts for Fakarava South Pass, French Polynesia
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | May – November |
| What to see | Sharks, dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, turtles, thousands of fish |
| Water Temperature | 26-29°C (78-84°F) |
| Best for | Reef diving, an abundance of fish, drift diving, sharks, so much more |
4 Blue Corner – Palau, Micronesia
Palau is a place straight from the travel brochures and if you haven’t checked it out before, now is the time to do so!
Blue Corner is one of the most famous dive sites around the islands and features an absolutely stunning underwater wall dive that makes this list of the best dive sites in the world.
Here, the answer to the question of “how many fish did you see on your dive?” is always “yes“.
Hundreds and thousands of fish, sharks, rays and anything you can imagine can be found here.
The big schools of barracuda alone make this dive an incredible experience.
Just watch the video below that captures some of the magic of this dive site and see for yourself:
Diving facts Blue Corner, Palau, Micronesia
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | Dry season from October- May |
| What to see | Sharks, schools of fish, rays, turtles, whale sharks. |
| Water Temperature | 27-30°C (81-86°F) |
| Best for | Reef diving |
| Difficulty | Mostly easy to intermediate diving. |
5 Manta Ray Night Dive – Kailua Kona, Hawaii
There is just no way Hawaii has not crossed your mind when thinking about the best travel destinations in the world.
With white sandy beaches, palm trees, and turquoise waters, Hawaii is THE picture-perfect honeymoon-ready place.
Unsurprisingly, it also features one of the best dive sites in the world: The world-famous Manta Ray night dive at Kalua Koni.
This one is simple, you drive out to the dive spot on a boat, jump into the water, lay down at 5-6 meters depth, and wait for the mantas to arrive.
Just check out the video above and you’ll see why it should be on your bucket list if it isn’t already!
And if you need more night diving inspiration, check out our list of the best night dive sites.
Diving facts Kailua Kona, Hawaii
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | December – March to also see humpback whales around the island |
| What to see | Manta rays at night |
| Water Temperature | 24-27°C (75-80°F) |
| Best for | Night diving with manta rays |
| Difficulty | Easy |
6 Wolff & Darwin Island – The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Galapagos Islands are probably on every traveler’s bucket list. Especially Darwin Island just has something mysterious about it and we get a feeling of exploration and excitement just thinking about it.
Scuba divers can also enjoy some of the best diving in the world on Galapagos Islands. Hundreds of hammerhead sharks roam in the depths, while whale sharks, manta rays, and seals are frequent visitors.
The best way to explore the dive sites around Galapagos is on a liveaboard trip. Just be aware that it is not a beginner-friendly diving destination and you should be at least an Advanced Open Water Diver before traveling here.
Diving facts the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | May is usually the best time to dive in Galapagos. Whale Shark Season (June-November) and Manta Season (December-May) which is warmer. |
| What to see | Whale sharks, manta rays, whales, sharks, seals, and dolphins. Sightings depend on the season. |
| Water Temperature | June-November: ~16-24ºC (60-75°F), December-May: ~21-30ºC (70-86°F) |
| Best for | Hammerhead sharks, whale sharks |
| Difficulty | Advanced. Rather cold waters, currents, choppy water, and rough conditions. Many blue water descents. |
7 SS Thistlegorm Wreck – Egypt
The SS Thistlegorm in Egypt is the most famous wreck dive in the world and should be on every diver’s bucket list.
It’s also on our 2026 list of the best wreck dive sites in the world.
Sunk in World War by a German submarine missile, this wreck offers something for all levels of divers.
Beginner divers can dive on and around the wreck and enjoy the great ship, as well as a multitude of trucks and debris around.
Advanced and technical divers can go on to penetrate the inside of the wreck which is one of the best diving experiences you will ever have.
Getting to the Thistlegorm is easy, and many dive centers and boats go there every dive. Diving starts at around €50 per dive, making this the most affordable dive site on this list.
Oh, and don’t forget your underwater camera because you will need it!
Diving facts SS Thistlegorm, Egypt
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | May – November |
| What to see | Only the best wreck dive in the world |
| Water Temperature | 18-28°C (65-82°F) |
| Best for | Wreck diving |
8 Socorro Island – Mexico
It’s no wonder that the island of Socorro is one of the best dive sites in the world, as it is among the best liveaboard diving destinations in the world.
Essentially a large cleaning station for the pelagic species of the Pacific, Socorro is one of those dive sites that will not leave you disappointed ever.
If you are lucky, you can see whale sharks, Manta rays, seals, and a humpback whale on the same dive.
However, this diving site is definitely not suited for beginners and requires a certain amount of experience and skills.
I highly recommend you watch the video below to see more about diving in Socorro.
It was shot using these two cameras if you are looking for a great professional underwater camera:
For more suggestions, read my guide on the best underwater cameras in 2026.
Diving facts Socorro Island, Mexico
| Diving Season | November – May |
| Best time to dive | January-March |
| What to see | Humpback whales, sharks, manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks, seals. Species sightings will depend on season. |
| Water Temperature | ~28ºC (82ºF) in November, ~21ºC (69ºF) in February, ~25ºF (68ºC) in May |
| Best for | Large pelagics like bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, and several shark species |
| Difficulty | Advanced. Strong currents, sometimes low visibility |
9 Felicitas Mine – Germany
Many “top 10 dive sites in the world” lists only include ocean diving spots and completely neglect other types of water and environment such as freshwater, caves, or other structures.
The Felicitas Mine in Germany is my current favorite mine to dive in in the world. Granted, I haven’t seen all of them, yet, but this dive spot is something special.
Cave diving itself is incredible and a completely different experience from your usual reef diving scuba dives.
The Felicitas mine is nicely structured and offers much to see to those who are interested (and certified) in doing so.
The old tunnels, equipment, vehicles, and everything else that used to be used can still be found in there.
If you cannot imagine diving in a mine, watch the video above to get an impression of what it looks like.
Diving facts Felicitas Mine, Germany
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | Year-round |
| What to see | Old flooded mine |
| Water Temperature | 4°C (38°F) |
| Best for | Mine diving |
| Difficulty | Expert cave & mine divers only |
10 Fujikawa Maru Wreck – Truk Lagoon (Chuuk Lagoon), Micronesia
Chuuk Lagoon (often referred to as Truk Lagoon) in Micronesia is one of the top 3 wreck diving destinations in the world. As such, it was an obvious choice for the top 10 dive sites in the world, as well.
The atoll was a naval base of the Japanese Empire in World War 2, and you can find many military shipwrecks around here that can be dived.
It is essentially a giant yard full of sunken ships, planes, and other vehicles.
Fujikawa Maru is often considered the best of the wrecks of the lagoon and should immediately go on your scuba diving bucket list.
Diving facts Truk Lagoon, Micronesia
| Diving Season | Year-round |
| Best time to dive | December – April |
| What to see | Some of the best wreck diving in the world, coral reefs, pelagic marine animals |
| Water Temperature | 27-28°C (81-84°F) in the winter, 28-30°C (83-86°F) in the summer |
| Best for | Wreck diving all day long |
| Difficulty | Any level of diving available |
Conclusion
This concludes my list of the top 10 dive sites in the world in 2026.
It’s completely okay if you don’t agree or think these are totally awful choices. What’s on your diving bucket list still?
Make sure to download our scuba diving trip packing list before traveling, so you don’t forget anything important!
Definitely check out my ultimate liveaboard diving guide!
Last but not least, good dive insurance is required for any scuba diving activities. There are very affordable options out there which are much better than getting them from the dive resort at your destination.
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Always dive with friends and happy bubbles. 😃
Cheers
Julius