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Best Dive Sites in Asia

The biggest underwater attractions for enthusiasts wanting to scuba dive at any of the 48 Asian countries include its vibrant coral life and warm, clear water dive sites.

In fact, the rich, diverse reefs in Southeast Asia are considered by most conservationists as being among the most important on our planet and make up around 75% of the six thousand different species of corals.

A to Z of Asia's Best Scuba Diving Locations

This section contains information on the best scuba diving in Asia and the most popular locations for beginners and qualified divers.

In general, as long as you have a safe body of water you can try scuba diving or learn how to snorkel in it.

As a result, searching the Internet to find the best dive spots in Asia is also a good way to explore:

Note: There are too many great dives out there to cover in one page. But, clicking on the extensive list below will take you to other sections that overview the best places for diving and snorkeling in that particular area or at any specific dive site.

Having current and unbiased diver reviews of sunken shipwrecks, vibrant coral reef formations, and flooded fresh water caves means you can find all the important info you need, including dive site depths, average visibility, best months to visit, and other key points of interest.

Top Diving Spots in Asia

The aim of this Asian Diver section is to create an informative guide to the top dive sites with other useful facts and figures.

No matter whether your scuba passion is swimming with mighty whale sharks in The Philippines, graceful manta rays in Thailand, or macro marine life in Indonesia, this section is an unbiased data bank of accurate information and advice.

Cambodia

Even though the scuba diving destinations in Cambodia remain relatively untraveled, divers and snorkelers may be pleasantly surprised if they choose to dive around the offshore islands.

Sihanoukville is the main diving coastline and a popular resort for tourists heading to the Gulf (e.g. close to the border with Thailand).

The inner and outer island reefs offer rocky outcrops and virgin coral reef formations, which all benefit from a relatively low volume of visitors.

India

Many of the best dive sites in India are isolated and largely unspoiled. But, the diving destinations visited regularly include those in Goa, Lakshadweep, and the emerging Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Featuring a diverse and exotic underwater environment, scuba diving and snorkeling adventures in India are becoming more popular and accessible with many new diving sites still waiting to be explored.

Colourful marine life, exotic tropical fishes, and large pelagic fish life await the adventurous diver willing to explore this relatively untouched area in south Asia.

Indonesia

Most of the scuba diving sites in south east Asia are commonly referred to as the 'Coral Triangle'. As such, the Indonesia diving spots may be among the least known.

However, Indonesian dive sites rate among the best in the world with a rich biodiversity of marine life and coral reefs.

Containing more than 13,000 tropical and deserted islands, Indonesia offers an incredible range of World War II wreck diving and macro diving from the beaches.

The Seas of Indonesia are home to some world class diving opportunities, such as Komodo, Sulawesi, and Bali. These are all excellent destinations for a scuba diving adventure holiday.

Japan

A string of islands near the east coast of Asia create a picturesque backdrop for the marine animals and migratory species that frequent this region of East Asia.

The section contains an extensive list of Japan diving sites with information about the aquatic creatures that divers and snorkelers can find in the waters that surround this island nation.

Malaysia

Malaysia has some of the richest waters in all of Asia, with an amazing variety of large fishes, pristine coral atolls, and incredible macro dive sites.

Malaysian Borneo and Sipadan Island are world class diving sites that are famous for hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, and large predatory fish.

The beautiful equatorial islands of Sabah are blessed with white sandy beaches fringed with coconut palm trees offering the traveler a superb selection of excellent diving and amazing tropical scenery.

This section contains a list of dive spots in Malaysia with extra details about the marine animals that attract scuba divers and snorkelers to this sun-drenched country.

Philippines

The island country in Southeast Asia (SEA) is a popular destination for diveable historic shipwrecks, macro and muck diving, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dive with thresher sharks.

This section contains detailed information about all the top dive spots in the Philippines with extra tips and advice for new and experienced divers.

Thailand

Thailand is instantly recognised for its excellent variety of easily accessible scuba diving sites in the warm waters of South East Asia.

With average water temperatures around 29° Celsius (84 Fahrenheit), and underwater visibility up to forty metres in some spots, it's no surprise that divers choose the diving destinations in Thailand for holiday and scuba career advancements.

The Andaman Sea to the west of Thailand - and especially Phuket and the Similan and Surin Islands to the north - offer some of the best Thai diving experiences.

Whereas the Gulf of Thailand to the East provides divers with a range of Wrecks and Reefs that generally offer year round diving opportunities.

Vietnam

It's fair to say that recent improvements in the infrastructure has helped Nha Trang and Phu Quoc become popular diving destinations to get scuba certified.

This section contains information about the best dive sites in Vietnam with extra details about the aquatic animals that scuba divers and snorkelers can find in this part of Southeast Asia.

Note: Another section contains more information about the best to scuba dive in Europe with some of the popular Mediterranean locations for beginners and experienced divers to explore.


Scuba Diving Asia: FAQ Section

How Many Dive Sites are there in the World?

According to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI®) statistics, the total number of dive sites listed around the world is 3,392.

Recent data also shows that there are 1,897 reef dives available, 877 wall dives, and 554 wreck dives (e.g. sunken ships) worldwide.

Which Country is Best for Scuba Diving?

So, after taking a scuba course to get certified, most divers will appreciate the dive sites in countries like the Bahamas, Egypt, Mexico, and Thailand.

In a nutshell, the top underwater environments for snorkelers and beginners all share five common factors, including clear visibility and the absence of strong water currents.

Where is the Clearest Water in the World for Scuba Diving?

Almost all submerged adventurers enjoy being in clear water - they want to see fish life and marine biology right? Well, we can't find anywhere clearer than the Silfra Ravine (formed by earthquakes 1789).

You will find this Icelandic fissure in Thingvellir National Park at the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Simply put, it has underwater visibility like no other diving spot in this list of best dive sites - or anywhere else on this planet.


Related Information and Help Guides

Note: Would you like to help us develop this section? Can you share interesting and practical details about how, when, and why you visited any particular locations for scuba diving in any of the Asian countries?

If so, we would like to feature personalised dive descriptions and comments. Articles written by divers who regularly dive the site, or local experts on the topography and marine life, will have preference for inclusions in this section.

Please use the contact form to send us any useful comments or information and "Scuba Steve" will reply personally by email.

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