We all know the world’s top diving destinations. Certain names often come up in conversations with friends and vacation plans. Who hasn’t dreamed of the seabed of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, or the Maldives? But while the record for these places certainly remains unbeaten, we would like to discover new destinations. A new “top 5” for diving might offer the same thrills but… with fewer crowds. Are you ready for a journey full of wonders?
The Mafia of Tanzania
In Tanzania, on the east coast of Africa, there’s a Mafia. No, not the criminal organization you’re all thinking of… Mafia, in fact, is the name of an island (also known as Chole Samba) located south of the much more famous Zanzibar and, with it, recognized as part of the so-called “spice archipelago”.
Unlike Zanzibar, which is always crowded, Mafia Island remains a tranquil paradise. It can be reached by direct domestic flights from Dar Es Salaam Airport or from Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) to the small regional airport located on the island. You can also board (uncomfortable and dilapidated!) ferries from the small port of Nyamisati, after a car journey of about three and a half hours from Dar Es Salaam. The best weather conditions for both visiting the island and diving in its sea, so precious it has even become a protected reserve, occur between November and March. Spectacular in terms of biodiversity, Mafia island’s sea is home to turtles, tropical fish, coral reefs, and uniquely colored algae.
A fun fact: the name “Mafia”—in the case of this island—derives from the Swahili phrase “mahali’pa afya” (healthy place).
Lofoten Islands, Norway
If you like thrills… in every sense of the word, come dive into the polar sea of the Lofoten Islands, Norway. Landing at Bodø Regional Airport, with a connecting flight from Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), you can take the direct ferry to the archipelago.
Each island has its own charm and its own landmark town. Among the most beautiful places in the Lofoten Islands are Svolvær, Hamnøy, Reine, and the town with the shortest name in the world: Å! You can hike to the panoramic heights of Djevelporten or decide to dive right away. Of course, you better plan your diving holiday here for late summer, when the sea water is finally warmer.
What can you admire on the seabed of a sea as cold as Lofoten’s? Especially shipwrecks! On the seabed, where spectacular sea anemones also grow, you can explore the carcasses of fishing boats and ships sunk during the many polar storms.
Oshikoto in Namibia
After a very long flight to the airport in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, it’s always advisable to rest for a couple of days before diving. You need to be in good shape to tackle the seabed, even if it’s the calmest bottom of… a lake!
That’s right, in Namibia—an arid region in West Africa— you shall experience the best diving in Lake Oshikoto (or Otjikoto). Namibia boasts beautiful beaches and coastlines, the most famous of which is Sossusvlei, where enormous sand dunes of hundreds meters in height, plunge directly from the desert into the ocean. Yet it’s not this fabulous coastline that attracts scuba enthusiasts; Lake Oshikoto is much more intriguing. It is, in fact, a “sinkhole”, a “well” created by the collapse of a huge limestone cave that then filled with water.
Between November and April (which corresponds to summer here), conditions are ideal for descending into this long, vertical tunnel with crystal-clear waters. This treasure trove contains fantastic submerged rock formations, fascinating algae, and even the remains of weapons that German settlers dumped here before leaving the country.
Poor Knights Islands but rich seabed
The Poor Knights Islands are a tiny archipelago not far from the coast of New Zealand’s capital, Auckland (Auckland Airport – AKL). Unlike its neighbor, Australia, New Zealand is more like a tropical England, with more light and color. Nature dominates everything here, above and below the sea!
Among the many excellent diving spots, especially during the austral summer (December-March), we recommend the Poor Knights Islands for their crystal-clear waters that harbor volcanic rocks shaped like arches, tunnels, and sheer drop-offs! One of the most impressive caves is almost 20 meters deep. Swimming above the seabed of the Poor Knights Islands means to admire dolphins, rays, exotic nudibranchs, corals, and reef fish. In the area known as Landing Bay Pinnacle, you can also admire eels, scorpion fish, and “fire stars”.
The Recife reefs in Brazil
If you enjoy Brazil’s warm atmosphere, don’t just enjoy the dances, beaches, and mysterious forests of this continent-nation. Treat yourself to the thrill of scuba diving in the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the best places for that is Recife (Recife Airport – REC), easily accessible from all major South American airports. The best time for diving is between July and August, when you descend into the deep blue to admire multi-colored tropical fish, unique algae, microorganisms, corals of all sizes, and above all, numerous shipwrecks (more than thirty!) that sank on this coast over the centuries.
Recife’s coast currently hosts a protected marine park that continues the “shipwreck tradition,” purposely sinking old boats in order to provide shelter and new anchorages for the area’s coral.
