12 Incredible Underwater Adventures Across the Globe You Need To Experience
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More often than not, most people travel to a destination with the ocean in mind. Whether it be to sit alongside it in the sunshine with a cocktail in hand, swim in turquoise waters, or explore coral reefs and find the marine life they hide. However, the ocean has so much more to offer.
Shrouded in mystery, the ocean’s depths offer many interesting and exciting activities and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. To learn more, we’ve compiled a list of 12 incredible underwater adventures across the globe. We’ve selected these based on their unique offerings, entertainment, and amazing opportunities.
Shark Cage Diving in Cape Town, South Africa
Let’s kick things off with a terrifying yet spectacular experience that will get your blood pumping. There are so many great whites off the coast of Cape Town, the South African capital, that skilled shark spotters line the coastline, keeping a lookout. Therefore, you’ll have an excellent chance to see one during a shark cage tour.
Shark cage diving excursions are available from Simon’s Town harbor. On a tour, you’ll be taken out into deeper waters, put in a wetsuit, placed in a cage with oxygen, and lowered into the water. Then, it’s a case of waiting for the sharks to arrive. If one does, you can get up close and personal with one of the world’s most fearsome predators.
Read also: Colorful Coral Reefs
Cave Diving in Mexico’s Cenotes
Not all underwater adventures across the globe take place in the ocean. Some can take place inland, too, like cave diving in Mexico’s cenotes. Cenotes are naturally formed sinkholes that form when a cave ceiling collapses. These sinkholes can be found all over the Yucatan Peninsula in the southeast of the country, and they’ve become a big hit with cave divers.
Some of the most fascinating cenotes that offer cave diving include Angelita, Casa, and Dos Ojos. The former is home to Quintana Roo’s deepest cave and a uniquely shaped cave called the Temple of Doom. Cenote diving is an extreme activity, so you should be an experienced diver or travel with a tour group. This underwater world is cold, dark, and vast.
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Spend the Night in an Underwater Suite in Dubai
The following underwater adventure on our list will see you spend the night underwater in one of Dubai’s most luxurious hotels. Admittedly, this isn’t a natural experience, but it’s still well worth doing if you ever get the chance. Guests at the Atlantis on The Palm in Dubai can spend the night in the resort’s three-story aquatic suites.
The underwater suites at the Atlantis boast breathtaking views of the Ambassador Lagoon, an enormous aquarium home to mock ruins of the lost city of Atlantis and over 65,000 marine animals. You can spot sharks, rays, jellyfish, and groupers from your bedroom.
Read also: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Swimming With Orcas in Norway
As if getting into a cage surrounded by great white sharks wasn’t intense and exhilarating enough, underwater adventurers can swim with the top ocean predators – killer whales in Norway. Imagine sharing the Tromsø region’s crystal clear waters with a professional killer known to hunt great white sharks and blue whales. Sounds pretty scary, right?
However, contrary to their name, orcas are surprisingly friendly, curious, and protective marine mammals that don’t bother with humans, thankfully. Therefore, in the icy waters off the coast of Tromsø, travelers can sign up for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that sees them swim with wild orcas. Admittedly, you won’t get too close to the orcas, instead staying close to the side of the boat, but you’ll be close enough for them to sense you.
Read also: Hidden Gems Across the Globe
Underwater Volcano Diving in Mahengetang, Indonesia
Another incredibly unique underwater experience you can participate in is a volcano diving tour in Indonesia. It’s believed that there are approximately 5,000 active underwater volcanoes worldwide, and one of the most fascinating is found off the coast of Mahengetang in Indonesia.
Here, you’ll find a unique dive site called Banua Wuhu. Adventures can explore a mysterious underwater environment at this dive site with an incredibly rich and diverse seafloor, a tall 1,312-foot (400-meter) submarine volcano, and a massive field of giant sulfur-covered boulders. During a dive, you’ll spot various species of marine life, fascinating rock formations, and three separate volcano cones that rise from the seafloor.
Read also: Incredible Volcanic Destinations
Scuba Diving in Port Royal, Jamaica
History buffs who love the ocean are in for a real treat in Port Royal, Jamaica. Until the 17th century, Port Royal was a thriving pirate stronghold. Known as the “Wickedest City on Earth,” infamous smugglers, privateers, and pirates treated the port as a playground for many years.
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However, the port sank after an earthquake in 1692 and a series of hurricanes, tidal waves, and floods. Now, the seafloor where the port once stood is a historical treasure trove, and you can discover it on a scuba diving tour. On a scuba diving trip, you’ll explore the remnants of this once-infamous pirate city, observing the ruins of old buildings.
Read also: Surreal Places in the Caribbean
Explore Antarctica by Submarine
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Have you ever wondered what exploring the underwater world of Antarctica would be like? Well, now’s your chance because two Viking cruise ships, Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis, are equipped with two U-Boat Worx Cruise Sub 7 MK II each. These U-boats allow adventures to explore the depths of Antarctica in comfort.
When conditions are right, the submarine can drop to 402 feet (122 meters). At first, all you’ll see is a wall of darkness. Don’t worry; the captain will turn the lights on and reveal a beautiful underwater world filled with underwater waterfalls and colorful marine life. During your dive, you might spot sea spiders, starfish, and sea sponges, among other things.
Read also: Spectacular Glaciers To Visit
Discover the Museum of Subaquatic Art (MUSA) in Cancun, Mexico
Museum enthusiasts looking for a new experience must visit the Museum of Subaquatic Art in Cancun, Mexico. This mind-blowing museum is the biggest underwater museum in the world and a must-see for snorkelers and divers.
At the museum dive site, travelers can explore a beautiful reef filled with unique exhibits and teeming with marine life. When not admiring the unique sculptures, explore the natural reef, keeping your eyes peeled for colorful fish species and unique coral formations. A selection of local and international artists constructed the sculptures on the reef. Most sculptures take the form of people sitting on the ocean floor.
Read also: Mystical Caves Across The World
Travel Across the Sea in a DeepFlight Super Falcon in Laucala, Fiji
For a more fast-paced underwater adventure, head to Laucala Island in Fiji. Laucala was owned by Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull’s billionaire owner. As you would expect from the man who gave the world wings, his island is home to an exhilarating experience. He debuted the world’s first resort-based DeepFlight Super Falcon submersible.
This private submarine allows guests at the exclusive resort to travel across the sea floor in style, exploring coral reefs and spotting tropical fish as they go. The two-winged submersible was created by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, who famously created James Cameron’s high-tech submersible. Aside from Laucala’s apparent beauty, this experience is one of the main reasons tourists travel to the luxury island, so don’t miss out.
Read also: Spectacular Tropical Islands
Swim With Manta Rays in Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Nusa Penida is a small island in Indonesia near the southeastern island of Bali. This island is most famous for its breathtaking landscapes, pristine beaches, and tropical forests. However, one of the best experiences on the island takes place in the sea. On the island’s west side, travelers can snorkel in Manta Bay.
As the name would suggest, Manta Bay is home to many manta rays, a large species of ray that reaches 22 feet (7 meters) wide. Snorkeling alongside these gentle giants is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so make the most of it. During your adventure, you can explore the coral reefs, bursting with fish and attractive coral formations.
Read also: Most Beautiful Beaches in the World
Sleep in a Submarine Hotel in St. Lucia, Caribbean
Sadly, at $292,000 a night, this submarine hotel in St. Lucia is reserved for the world’s elite. However, if you have the funds, you could arguably experience one of the world’s most incredible underwater adventures. Known as the Lover’s Deep Submarine, this luxury submarine will take you around the Caribbean, providing you with a captain, a butler, and a chef.
The submarine crew will happily take their mega-rich guests wherever they want, reaching depths of 650 feet (198 meters) as they do so. Sitting back and drinking champagne, you can gaze out of the windows, spotting beautiful marine life like sea turtles. What’s not to like?
Read also: Surreal Places in the Caribbean
Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
If there’s only one underwater adventure on everyone’s bucket list, it’s most likely to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. Arguably the most iconic underwater destination in the world, it’s somewhere that has to be on your list of things to do before you die.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, featuring nearly 3,000 reefs and 900 islands and stretching for more than 1,429 miles (2,300 kilometers). There are various ways to explore the reef, but snorkeling is the best. On a snorkeling tour, you can take your time exploring the reef and get closer to marine life. Species you can spot include green turtles, clownfish, manta rays, and Maori wrasse.
Read also: Exotic Destinations
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