Resort Diving

Carthaginian II Wreck (Photo courtesy of Maui Diving & TripAdvisor)

Updated August 9, 2022

This is the one hundred and sixty-first in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Maui, Hawaii. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you been diving in Maui before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving Maui Hawaii

Background

Maui is the second-largest Hawaiian island and the largest in Maui County which includes Moloka’i, Lana’i, and unpopulated Kaho’olawe, and the Molokini crater.  The population of the island is 145,000 with 26,000 in the commercial and financial hub, Kahului.

Volcanic in origin like all of Hawaii, Maui has a tropical climate and diverse terrain dominated by volcanoes.  The western cones are older and more eroded than those in the east with Mount Haleakala peaking above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters).

The first westerner to see Maui was Captain Cook in 1778, though he didn’t land due to lack of a suitable site.  Shortly thereafter traders, whalers, loggers, and missionaries arrived with local rulers maintaining control of the Kingdom until 1893 when American business interests took over.  A year later the Republic of Hawaii was formed.  The government lasted in that iteration until the US annexed Hawaii in 1898.  It became the 50^th state in 1959.

Today tourism is the driving economic force in Maui with 3 million annual visitors.  It is not a one-trick pony, though, with retail, health care, business services, agriculture, and IT playing significant roles.

For more historic, cultural, geographic, and demographic information, please check Wikipedia-Maui.

Undersea World

Most of the diving on Maui is done along the western coastline which has undamaged rich reefs with a good diversity of marine life and a lot of hard corals, especially, as well as a nice array of soft corals, sponges, and other encrusting invertebrates on the volcanic terrain.

Most sites are accessible from shore and have a good variety and volume of fish and macro critters with highlights including helmet conchs, lobsters, crabs, octopus, frogfish, moray eels, anthias, damselfish, blue-striped grunts, wrasses, parrotfish, trumpetfish, triggerfish, surgeonfish, snappers, angelfish, reef sharks, manta rays, and lots of turtles.

Pulling back and taking a wide-angle view at the 5 islands of Maui County, there are numerous shallow channels with the southern edge bordered by Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe creating a shield to strong ocean swells flowing across from lower in the Pacific.  If the reefs along the shoreline begin to seem quite similar to each other, 3 miles off the south shoreline is Molokini Island with its half-moon crater clearing the surface and several types of underwater topography including a steep drop-off to more than 100 meters.

For further variety, Lanai Island is only an hour away from Lahaina Harbor by dive boat for a number of sites with a much different flavor.  On the ride over you have a good chance to enjoy dolphins, flying fish, and humpback whales, which are most often seen in the January to April time slot.

Other highlights in the area are occasional appearances of a variety of much sought-after sharks like whale sharks, Galapagos sharks, hammerhead, oceanic whitetip, and tiger sharks, and playful monk seals.

If that is not enough there are caves, caverns, and swim-throughs, and intriguing wrecks like the scuttled Carthaginian II at 100 feet (30 meters) in depth.

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is possible on Maui all year.

• The average daily air temperature highs range from 79°F (26°C) in January and February to 86°F (30°C) in August and September.
• Water temperature runs from lows of 76°C (24°C) in December through March to highs of 80°C (27°F) in August through September.  3-5mm wetsuits are suitable when the water is at its warmest.  Some divers may opt for 6-7mm of insulation when it is coolest
• There is substantial rain all year with a drier season from May through September.  Rains are usually of short duration and not intense.
• Current can be strong at times on some sites.  In the summer months, it is windier and surface chop can be greater.
• Visibility is typically 50-100 feet (15-30 meters) on the inshore sites and 100-150 feet (30-45 meters) on offshore sites.

There are conditions suitable for all levels of diver.  Around two dozen dive shops operate on Maui providing a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

Hawaii Liveaboard

There is not a liveaboard that directly cruises the Maui dive sites, but there is one that dives on the big island.  Here is my review and a link to that liveaboard:

• Best Scuba Diving Hawaii Liveaboards

Kona Aggressor II, Hawaii Liveaboard, Check the Price

There is great diving on all the major islands of Hawaii.  Here are my reviews.

• Molokai Scuba Diving Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Kauai Hawaii
• Best Scuba Diving Oahu Hawaii

Selected Maui Dive Sites

Carthaginian II Wreck: 97 feet (30 meters), 100-foot (30-meter) 2-mast schooner built in 1920 scuttled to become an artificial reef in 2005 off Puamana Beach Park, resting upright, easy penetration into the holds, look for frogfish, trumpetfish, schools of snappers, and grey reef and whitetip reef sharks patrolling around and inside the wreck, little current, suitable for experienced level divers (check out the video at the top)

Honolua Bay: 18-45 feet (5-14 meters), shore entry, marine preserve with a variety of corals and reef tropicals, highlights are barracuda, bluefin jacks, and manta rays, suitable for all levels of diver

Airport Beach: 8-50 feet (2.5-15 meters), shore entry, sandy coastline with the reef starting at 8 feet (2.5 meters), nice corals with reef tropicals like lemon butterflyfish, Moorish idols, lionfish, needlefish, and yellowtail coris, look for green turtles and the occasional hawksbill turtle, mild currents run from north to south, excellent site for the open water course dives, suitable for all levels of diver

Mala Wharf: 35 feet (10 meters), shore entry, concrete pier built in 1922 that partially collapsed in 1992 during Hurricane Iniki, rich encrusting invertebrates on the pier and rocks, lots of reef tropicals and macro critters, highlights are frogfish, whitetip reef sharks, and green turtles, suitable for all levels of diver

Hellcat Wreck: 32 feet (10 meters), off the coast of Kihei, World War II F-6-F Hellcat Fighter rests overturned on its back with the engine 60 feet (18 meters) away, suitable for all levels of diver

Molokini Crater: 3 miles (5 kilometers) offshore from South Maui, state seabird and marine sanctuary, half-moon shaped crater from an extinct volcano with several dive sites, the back wall site is a sheer drop-off to 300 feet (100 meters), known for excellent visibility and the chance to see whale sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, tiger sharks, and manta rays, other marine life includes, lobsters, bluefin jacks, filefish, bannerfish, triggerfish, yellow tangs, surgeonfish, parrotfish, and groupers, suitable for experienced level divers (check out the video above)

Lanai First Cathedral:  45-60 feet (14-18 meters) off the south coast of Lanai, a 45-minute boat ride from Lahaina Harbor, big lava tube cavern reminiscent of a cathedral, light penetrating from many openings, marine life includes schools of squirrelfish, blue-line grunts, trumpetfish, pyramid butterflyfish, eels, surgeonfish, parrotfish, cowries, and grey reef sharks, tidal flow can create strong currents propelling divers within, suitable for experienced level divers (check out the video below)

Things to Do in Maui (aside from scuba diving)

Maui is a tropical paradise that abounds in natural beauty and activities to fascinate a tourist.  Here is a sample of sights and activities to consider:

Drive to Hana, Learn to Play a Ukelele, Old Lahina Luau, Little Beach, Maui Grown Coffee, Makena Cove, Kaanapali Surf School, Feast at Lele, Maui Whale Festival, Slack Key Guitar Festival, Wa’a Paddle Tour, The Seven Sacred Pools, Maluaka Beach, Made in Maui Festival, Maui Wines, Hyatt Penguins, Maui-Lanai Ferry, Paia Fish Market, Black Rock Cliff Dive, Joey’s Kitchen, Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, Hawaiian Shave Ice, Ironwood Ranch, Lahaina Historic Trail, Kula Botanical Garden, Haleakala National Park, O’o Farm, Maui Ocean Center, Loco Moco, Stargazing.

This video paints an attractive portrait of the natural attractions and range of activities available on Maui.

Maui Transportation, Hotels, & Diving Services

Transportation

• Air – Kahului Airport (OGG) is linked to the other airports in the state and to many US and Canadian cities along the western corridor and inland cities including Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Edmonton, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City.  Smaller general aviation airports are located in Kapalua (JHM) and Hana (HNM).
• Public bus service is available to the main towns at reasonable rates.  In fact, there are three free routes. There is also a rural shuttle that runs three times a week.
• Shuttle services, like Executive Shuttle and others, provide transportation to Maui tourist destinations.
• Car Rental – Many locations aren’t accessible by public transport and a car adds greatly to convenience.  Several major companies have offices at Kahului and Kapalua Airports and numerous hotels and other off-airport locations.  Pricing is generally more expensive at the airports.

For more details related to all of the above transportation options and other tourist information, go to Wikitravel-Maui.

Hotels and Diving

In Maui, there are hundreds of lodging options from $51 to$2,495 per night and two dozen or more dive shops in operation.  They offer a full range of services that include equipment rental, diving certification classes, dive guides, and boat tours.

The website linked below has the details for the lodging and can arrange a booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site.  The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Maui Lodging

Photography in Maui

With the colorful coral reefs, a variety of fish, sharks, whales, seals, and beautiful onshore targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and give scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Maui scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated April 30, 2022

This is the eighty-fourth in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Vanuatu. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Vanuatu before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving in Vanuatu

Background

Vanuatu is an archipelago of 82 islands (65 inhabited) situated southeast of the Solomon Islands, west of Fiji, and northeast of New Caledonia.

The islands cover 1,300 kilometers (810 miles) from north to south and are volcanic in origin with active volcanoes on land and undersea in the vicinity.  Mount Tabwemasana on the island of Espiritu Santo is the highest point in Vanuatu at 1,879 meters (6,165 feet). Tropical forest covers most of the islands though there is a relatively small number of flora and fauna species.

Archeological evidence indicates that Austronesian peoples arrived there 4,000 years ago.  The first European contact came when Portuguese explorer (representing Spain) Pedro Fernandes de Queirós landed on Espiritu Santo in 1606.  Captain Cook arrived during his epic voyage in 1768.  The major intervention occurred in the 1860s when up to half of the adult males were taken as indentured laborers to Australia, Fiji, and New Caledonia, most not to return.  In 1906 a joint ruling partnership known as the British French Condominium was formed.  The 1940s saw some challenges to foreign rule start to arise and with the entrance of the U.S. military, a notion of nationalism started to come to life along with the new “Cargo Cult” religion that placed messianic significance on the arrival of never before seen bulk supplies of goods.  In 1980 during the brief “Coconut War,” the Independent Republic of Vanuatu was formed.

Today, broadly speaking, the economy is based on agriculture, tourism, offshore financial services, and raising cattle.

The population of 245,000 is 98.5% Melanesian with Bislama, English, and French the official languages.  Bislama is a form of Pidgin English which is the second language for most.  There are actually 113 languages in use with roughly 2,000 people using each.

Christianity is the predominant religion today with Presbyterianism practiced by 1/3 of the population.  The Cargo Cults have dwindled, but the John Frum group version is still practiced by a sizable minority, especially on Tanna, including some parliament members.  There is a rich diversity of cultural practices from island to island and village to village.

For a more detailed introduction to Vanuatu, click here:  Wikipedia – Vanuatu

Undersea World

The volcanic terrain has provided an interesting habitat for exploration with a number of major caverns, steep drop-offs, swim-throughs, big rocks, coral bommies, and underwater shoals.

There is great diversity in invertebrate life, especially the number of hard corals to go with soft corals, sponges, gorgonians, and whips.  The other marine life is also pretty rich, but this is not a location for a lot of spectacular lifelike whale sharks, manta rays, and pelagics that typify many of the South Pacific areas.  Reef sharks, hawksbill, and green turtles are often seen, though, and infrequently dugongs.

The situation onshore is that people eat fish every day that is caught nearby tending to deplete populations on the reef and unbalance the ecology.  In addition, freshwater is scarce, waste management is primitive and slash and burn farming decreases ground cover and soil quality promoting more runoff of the soil, all of which don’t enhance marine life.

All that being said, there are a lot of interesting big and small creatures to visit including big black snappers, schools of fusiliers and bannerfish, Napoleon wrasse, soldierfish, butterflyfish, regal angelfish, surgeonfish, damselfish, triggerfish, pipefish, moray eels, peacock flounders, lionfish, scorpionfish, octopus, cuttlefish, batfish, barracuda, jacks, anemones, many species of mollusk, crabs, shrimp, nudibranchs, and many more.

The main attraction for divers in Vanuatu is the number of spectacular wrecks, with the most famous being the President Coolidge, off Espiritu Santo.  There are plenty of other wrecks suitable for all levels of divers in both the Santo and Vila vicinities.

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is always good with air and water temperatures warm all year.

Air temperature daily averages range from 22°C (72°F) in April to September to 28°C (82°F) in the summer starting in October.

Water temperature runs from 24-30°C (75-86°F) requiring around 3 mm of thermal insulation when the water is at its coolest.

The rainy season is from January to March.   Cyclones are a possibility and there was a category 5 storm in 2015.

Visibility is typically quite good at better than 15 meters (50 feet) and ranges out to 50 meters (168 feet).

Most sites have little to no current, but a strong current is occasionally possible on some sites.

There are dozens of sites to enjoy within an easy range of Port Vila and Luganville.

Both areas have a number of dive shops, with new ones opening regularly, that can provide a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

Liveaboard Diving

There is not a liveaboard that directly cruises the Vanuatu dive sites, but there are boats that go to the Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.  Here are my reviews and links to those liveaboards:

• Best Scuba Diving Trips, Solomon Islands Liveaboards
• Best Fiji Resorts and Liveaboard Diving
• Best Scuba Diving Vacations – Papua New Guinea Liveaboards

Bilikiki, Solomon Islands Liveaboard – Check the Price

Fiji Aggressor, Fiji Liveaboard – Check the Price

MV Febrina, Papua New Guinea Liveaboard – Check the Price

Selected Vanuatu Dive Sites

SS President Coolidge (Espiritu Santo): 20-70 meters (68-235 feet), 200-meter (675-foot) luxury liner accidentally sunk by mines in 1942, fully loaded with people’s belongings and military supplies, all went down, and much is there to see today, well encrusted with invertebrates, lots of fish and macro critters, Boris, the 200 kg grouper who has been there for 25 years, many penetration opportunities, gas masks, tools, cannons, guns, and trucks are still intact, experienced to technical levels

Million Dollar Point (Espiritu Santo): 40 meters (130 feet) maximum depth, WWII dumpsite for jeeps, trucks, airplane engines, bulldozers, and other military equipment that they couldn’t sell, shore access, lots of encrusting invertebrates and corals, lots of fish and macro life, all levels

USS Tucker (Espiritu Santo): 17-21 meters (57-70 feet), 104-meter (341-foot) destroyer sunk by a mine in 1942, nearly torn in two, ransacked over the years, many pieces and component parts, lots of fish and corals, all levels

Tutuba Point (Espirtu Santo): 24 meters (80 feet), the northern tip of Tutubu Island a short distance from Luganville, beautiful hard and soft corals, Napoleon wrasse, turtles, reef sharks, all levels

Mele Reef (Port Vila): coral shoal rising to 6 meters (20 feet) in the middle of Mele Bay, a marine sanctuary, a large reef with many buoys, lots of invertebrate life, and many fish, a steep wall in one section with shallow reef top, all levels

The Cathedral (Port Vila): 26 meters (87 feet), big cavern off Pango peninsula, swim through with light passages to the back with a chimney passageway to a surface area inside the reef, from there can pass to the outside of the reef and a wall, experienced level

MV Konanda (Port Vila): 26 meters (87 feet), island trading vessel scuttled to become an artificial reef in 1987 after being damaged in a storm, sits on a sandy bottom, derricks and rigging protrude to within 10 meters (35 feet) of the surface, has been prepared for safe penetration into cabins and holds, experienced level

Star of Russia (Port Vila): 33 meters (110 feet), 80-meter (260-foot) sailing ship, famous for racing a steamship in the early 1900s, perhaps sunk in 1953, rests in Port Vila Harbor, the teak deck has rotted away, hull intact, safe, easy penetration, wheel, rudder and anchor machinery intact, experienced level

MV Semle Federsen (Port Vila): 40 meters (130 feet) to the cabins and wheelhouse, ready to be scrapped this old steel 43.5 meter (145 foot) cargo vessel was scuttled in 1985 to become an artificial reef in Mele Bay along the Pango coast, rich marine life, experienced level

Tasman (Port Vila): 40 meters (130 feet), Qantas S23 Sandringham bulk plane, 33-meter (110-foot) wingspan, dumped in the harbor after an accident made it unserviceable, discovered in 1978, largely intact, penetration possible into the cockpit, experienced level

Vanuatu Photos

With the interesting undersea terrain, walls, beautiful hard and soft corals, variety of fish, moray eels, turtles and spectacular wrecks, scenic beaches, forests and mountains, and historical and cultural sites as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Vanuatu Transportation, Lodging, and Dive Shops

Transportation

The main international airport in Port Vila has regular flights to and from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands.  Air Vanuatu handles traffic between Luganville and Sydney and Brisbane and a number of domestic flights.

Regular ferries cover the Port Vila-Espiritu Santo route.

There are a variety of cargo vessels to all the inhabited islands that will take passengers.

Bus (mini-bus) and taxi services are readily available in Port Vila.  In other places, not so much.

Flagging down trucks is possible.

For fuller details of all the options, please click here:  Wikitravel – Vanuatu

Lodging and Dive Shops

There are a number of dive shops in Vanuatu with several in Port Vila and several in Luganville.  The dive shops available are accredited by training organizations and offer full services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and boat dive cruises.

Port Vila has over 60 lodging options ranging from $11 to $616 per night.  Around 16 are available in the Luganville area running from $7 to $188 per night.  At least one there has an in-house dive shop, the Coral Quays Fish and Dive Resort.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Vanuatu Hotels (Port Vila)
• Vanuatu Hotels (Luganville -Espiritu Santo)

For a look at life in Port Vila and Luganville, please check out the video below the Things to Do section.

Things to Do in Vanuatu (aside from scuba diving)

With 82 Islands Vanuatu has a vast number of locations to visit.  Focusing more on the Port Vila and Luganville areas, here is a shortlist of options for places to go:  Millenium Cave, National Museum of Vanuatu, Mele Cascades, Port Olry, Market Meal Booths, L’Houstalet, Wahoo Bar, Kesorn’s Exotic Thai Kitchen, Nambawan Cafe, Natangorea Cafe, Jill’s Cafe, Hideaway Island, Loru Conservation Area, Oyster Island Restaurant, Ekasup Cultural Village, Chief Roi Mata Burial Site, Velit Bay Plantation, Aore Island, Deco Stop Restaurant, Slipway Sports Bar & Grill, Champagne Beach, War Horse Saloon, Million Dollar Point, Erakor Island, Au Faré, Vila Outdoor Market, Summit, Tu Restaurant, Spice, Ringi Te Suh Marine Conservation Area, Chill, Secret Garden, Brewery Bar & Restaurant, Little Paradise Restaurant, Cape Foreland Lighthouse, Lenakel Wharf.  This video will give you a good feel for Vanuatu life and conditions:

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Vanuatu scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in Vanuatu.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated February 12, 2023

This is the sixty-fourth in a series of reviews of the best scuba diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Zanzibar, Tanzania.

In addition to this series on diving destinations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Zanzibar before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Best Diving in Zanzibar

Background

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania consisting of Unguja Island, commonly called Zanzibar, Pemba Island to the north, and many smaller islands.  The Zanzibar archipelago also includes Mafia Island to the south, a part of Tanzania. Including Pemba, the total population is 1,305,000.

Unguja, the main focus of this article, is set 25-50 kilometers (16-31 miles) off the coast of mainland Tanzania and is 85 kilometers (53 miles) long and 39 kilometers (24 miles) wide.  This low-lying island has a high point of only 120 meters (390 feet) and has been occupied by people for over 20,000 years.

Zanzibar long served as a trading base with the Swahili settlements on the mainland and has attracted a diverse group of traders who have made it their base over the millennia including Persians, Arabs, Indians, Malays, Chinese, and later Italian, Portuguese, Omani, and the British.  Today the vast majority of citizens are ethnic Africans with a number of ethnic Arabs, Persians, and Indians.  Swahili is the official language with many residents also speaking Arabic, French, and/or Italian.

Famous for cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper production, these spices are still a part of the economy today, but the market for Zanzibar has suffered from more efficient foreign production.  A palm fiber product (raffia) is also a major crop with tourism becoming increasingly important.

Besides seaside activities, there are a number of endemic species like the red colobus monkey and servaline civet that attract visitors.

Overall the economy is weak and has been influenced by failed socialism from the central government.  The annual per capita income is $656.  Traditional fishing and the production of dugout canoes remain a staple for many.

Undersea World

Zanzibar is renowned for over 500 fish species, diverse underwater terrain with rich reefs, walls, pinnacles, and wrecks with great macro life, a beautiful array of reef tropicals, some big residents, and intriguing pelagic visitors.

Pemba Island, 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Unguja (Zanzibar), has a variety of sites with highlights including mantas, hordes of mobula rays, eagle rays, turtles, and reef sharks. Near Pemba is Mesali Island with a turtle nesting site and pods of dolphins.

Mafia Island, 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Unguja Island, is known for snorkeling with whale sharks and has a famous pinnacle where there are pelagics including sailfish and tuna to go along with schools of batfish, turtles, reef sharks, and rays, lots of reef fish and great macro critters like leaf fish and nudibranchs.

Unguja Island, the most developed scuba diving location, has dozens of sites mostly around the northern third, though there are sites and services available in other locations to the south, especially around Zanzibar City, where shipwrecks are an attraction.  Unguja has beautiful hard and soft corals, tube and barrel sponges, and great macro critters like ribbon eels, stonefish, frogfish, and a variety of pipefish, seahorses, morays, nudibranchs, and flatworms.  There are over 600 species of fish with highlights like butterflyfish, squirrelfish, angelfish, porcupine puffers, blue-spotted stingrays, fusiliers, bannerfish, Moorish idols, snappers, and grouper.  There are also green and hawksbill turtles, cuttlefish, reef sharks, eagle and manta rays, and seasonal whale and hammerhead sharks.

Seasons and Conditions

It’s always nice and warm in Zanzibar and possible to dive year-round.

Average daily high temperatures hit their peak in February and March at 33°C (91°F) and lows of 28°C (83°F) in June through August.

The annual range for water temperature is 25.5-29°C (76-84°F).  A 3 mm wetsuit ought to suffice for most divers when the water is at its coolest.

The heaviest rains come in March through May with another wetter time in November and December.  Some days of diving could be missed at those times.

Most of the sites have mild currents.  A few, particularly some of those offshore, can have a strong current.

Average visibility is from 12-18 meters (40-60 feet) and can extend beyond 60 meters (200 feet) at times on some sites.

There are conditions suitable for all levels of diver.

On Unguja Island where tourism and diving are most developed, there are at least 26 dive shops, mostly located in the north, that can provide training, equipment rental, guiding, and boat tours.  Pemba Island is much more limited in diving services and accommodations and Mafia Island is the most limited of the three.

Liveaboard Diving

None of the major liveaboard yachts travel to Zanzibar.  However, there a quite a few that cruise the relatively nearby Madagascar and Seychelles dive sites.  Please click here for my reviews:

• Best Diving Vacations – Madagascar Liveaboards
• Seychelles Best Scuba Diving Holidays

SY Sea Bird, Seychelles Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price

MV Galatea, Madagascar Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price

For my reviews of some other Southwest Indian Ocean resort diving areas, please check these posts:

• Shark Cage Diving Gansbaai South Africa
• Shark Diving in Mossel Bay South Africa
• Scuba Diving Cape Town South Africa
• South Africa Scuba Diving Port Elizabeth
• Protea Banks Diving South Africa
• Aliwal Shoal Scuba Diving South Africa
• Diving Sodwana Bay South Africa
• Best Diving Mozambique Reviewed
• Scuba Diving Mombasa Kenya
• Scuba Diving Mauritius Review
• Scuba Diving Reunion Island

A Sampling of Zanzibar Diving Sites

Tumbatu Reef: 5-30 meters (16-100 feet), coral wall to 12 meters (40 feet) and gentle slope with coral heads to 20 meters (68 feet) and sandy on down to 30 meters (100 feet), good macro life including ghost pipefish and seahorses, grouper, all levels

Saidi Reef: 14-60 meters (47-200 feet), channel dive, great diversity, big barrel sponges, huge schools of yellow snappers, big Spanish dancers, strong current possible, advanced level

Hunga Reef: 18 meters (60 feet) maximum depth, patch reefs of connected coral heads with hard and soft corals, schools of twin stripe fusiliers and yellow snappers, parrotfish, unicornfish, grouper, emperor angelfish, morays and crocodile fish, trevallies, reef sharks, eagle and manta rays, strong current possible, experienced level

Shamzi Reef: 28 meters (93 feet) maximum depth, fringing reef great for macro and muck diving, small sections of coral to 14 meters (47 feet), small wall from 18-24 meters (60-80 feet), then changing to a slope down to 28 meters (93 feet), many varieties of scorpionfish including weedy and Mauritius scorpionfish, octopus, pipefish, nudibranchs, boxfish, flying gurnards, seahorses, all levels

Leven Bank: 14-30+ meters (47-100+ feet), shoal in the Pemba Channel 15 kilometers (8 miles) off the northern tip of Unguja (Zanzibar), spiraling whip corals, nudibranchs and macro critters, triggerfish, surgeonfish, angelfish, pufferfish, schooling rainbow runners and jacks, honeycomb moray eels, possible large rays, and sharks, frequently has a strong current, advanced level

Kichafi & Haji Reefs: 14 meters (47 feet), two side-by-side reefs often combined in a single dive, Kichafi has pristine plate, petal and cabbage corals, moray eels within, schooling snappers, spadefish, emperor angelfish, lionfish, moving to Haji lots of soft corals, coral bommies and an arch, octopus, scorpionfish, leaf fish, other macro critters, all levels

Misoli Reef: 30 meters (100 feet), from 10-18 meters (35-60 feet) rich diverse coral reef with a great variety of species, the southeast side has a dropoff to 30 meters (100 feet) with a cave and big groupers, advanced level

Kichwani Wall: 30 meters (100 maximum depth), in the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area, steep coral wall with lots of nooks and crannies, leaf fish, nudibranchs, lionfish, porcupine puffers and other macro critters, schools of fusiliers, batfish, snappers, redtooth triggerfish, bluefin jacks, cabbage coral section at 18-30 meters (60-100 feet) with possible turtles or a crocodile fish, possible whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, dolphins, whale shark or humpback whale, experienced level

Zanzibar Photos

With the interesting coral gardens, colorful anemones, sponges, soft corals, and encrusting invertebrates, nudibranchs, crabs, scorpionfish, frogfish, and other macro critters, reef fish, schools of yellow snapper and pelagics, turtles, rays and dolphins, and forests, endemic animals and historical sites on land, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Zanzibar Transportation, Dive Shops, and Lodging

Transportation

There are daily flights from the mainland on several airlines to the large international airport in Zanzibar City.

Several times daily ferry service from Dar es Salaam runs to the pier in the Stone City section of Zanzibar City.

Taxis are available around the island along with dala dala (open-air trucks) and mini-busses.

Cars, bicycles, and scooters are also for rent.  Dhows and speedboats can also be hired for private boat trips.

Dive Shops & Lodging

There are at least 26 dive shops, a number of which are affiliated with resorts, that operate on Unguja (Zanzibar) Island.  They are in operation year-round and offer a full range of services including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and boat dive cruises.

One highly recommended full-service dive center is Spanish Dancer Divers.

There are at least 405 accommodations of every level available around the island from $4 to $804 per night.  The website linked below is a good source for the available options and can arrange a booking.  The most convenient accommodations for diving are on the northern half of the island.

You can easily find the locations on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Zanzibar Resorts

Zanzibar Things to Do (aside from scuba diving)

Zanzibar has a unique history and shoreside scenery and natural beauty to match the undersea world.  Here is a list of places and activities to consider:  Old Fort, Zanzibar Butterfly Center, House of Wonders (palace), Beit-el-Sahel (palace), Jozani Forest, various beaches, Kidichi Spice Farms, Nungwi Minarani Aquarium, Spice and Stone Town Tour, Hamani Persian Baths, Chumbe Island Coral Park, Peace Memorial Museum, Anglican Cathedral.  Click on the below videos for a look.

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Zanzibar scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in Zanzibar.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated September 6, 2022

This is the forty-second in a series of reviews of the best scuba diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Costa Rica.

In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard dive locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards / Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been scuba diving in Costa Rica?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Costa Rica Scuba Diving Reviews

Background

Bordered on the north by Nicaragua, the south by Panama, the east by the Caribbean, and the west by the Pacific is the Presidential Constitutional Republic of Costa Rica.

The population of around 5 million is renowned for having a universally high educational level with most speaking English in addition to Spanish, the national language.

Having a relatively small area of 51,000 square kilometers (19,700 square miles) there is extreme biodiversity with the greatest density of species of any region in the world.  There are numerous rivers, forests, tall mountains, and 14 volcanoes, some of which have been active in the last 75 years, not to mention occasional earthquakes.

When the Spaniards started arriving in the 16^th century the population of indigenous people was very sparse.  Today Amerindians make up less than 3%.  About 84% are people of European or mixed European and Amerindian heritage.  About 1% can claim Afro-Caribbean heritage.

Since declaring independence from the Mexican Empire in 1847, Costa Rica, unlike the other countries in the region, has had a stable, prosperous and progressive society.  After their civil war was settled in 1949 they became a democracy and have been so ever since.

Coffee was a very important part of the economy for much of its history, but today the drivers are finance, corporate services, pharmaceuticals, and eco-tourism.  There is also a Free Trade Zone that encourages foreign investment through tax incentives.

Undersea World

Costa Rica is one of the few places where you only need to travel a short distance to have access to the Pacific and Caribbean.  For diving purposes the country can be divided into 5 areas:

• Guanacaste (North Pacific Coast)
• Central Pacific Coast
• Drake Bay (South Pacific Coast)
• Cocos Island
• Caribbean

Guanacaste (North Pacific Coast)

• Bat Island: off the coast of Santa Rosa National Park, a marine preserve, highlights include bull sharks up to 6 at a time and hammerhead sharks
• Gulf of Papagayo: more than 20 sites, 10 to 20 minutes from shore, many pinnacles, schools of eagle and cow-nosed rays, whitetip reef sharks, horse-eye jacks, grunts, snappers, pufferfish
• Catalina Islands: 20 small islands, stingrays, giant manta, devil, mobula and bat rays, turtles and morays

Central Pacific Coast

• Tortuga Islands: usually reached on day trips, several shipwrecks, lots of inhabitants like parrotfish, moray eels, angelfish, scorpionfish, stingrays
• Herradura: dives within 10 minutes offshore, a highlight is giant mantas coming to this cleaning station
• Manuel Antonio: caves and caverns, rocky volcanic terrain, angelfish, eels, lobsters, octopus, puffers, seahorses, sharks, turtles

Drake Bay (South Pacific Coast)

• Osa Peninsula and Caño Island Biological Reserve: protected area, great biodiversity, healthy coral reef, archways, rocky outcrops, swim-throughs, excellent visibility, big schools of grunts, snapper, barracuda, angelfish, sergeant majors, whitetip reef sharks and rays, dolphins, pilot and humpback whales, nearby pinnacle (Devil’s Rock) attracts giant mantas and mobula rays

Cocos Island

• Cocos Island: liveaboard takes 36 hours to get there, world-class, sometimes called “Little Galapagos”, tremendous biodiversity and 27 endemic fish species, volcanic pinnacles, ocean currents, and upwelling brings lots of nutrients and pelagics, including tiger, bull, hammerhead, and whale sharks, manta rays, resident whitetip reef sharks, strong current, for advanced level divers

Caribbean

• Caribbean: less developed as a diving destination, shallow coral reef running to Panama, soft corals, schools of small fish, dolphins, turtles, more volatile weather conditions than on the Pacific side

Costa Rica Liveaboard Diving

To check out Costa Rica liveaboard diving opportunities, please click here:

• Costa Rica Liveaboards

For my review on Cocos Island Liveaboards, please click here:

• Best Belize Dive Trips & Cocos Island Diving

Seasons and Conditions

It is warm year-round with the coolest time in February and March with average highs then of 25ºC (77ºF).

Water temperature is variable getting as low as 21°C (70°F) at depth from December through March and ranging from 24-29ºC (75-84ºF) the rest of the year.  For most divers, 3 mm of neoprene will be enough protection.  Perhaps some will want 5 mm at the coolest temperatures which is the best period for whales and manta rays.

The rainy season is a long one running from June to November.  It is warmer at that time and the rain does not interfere too much with diving.

Visibility can go from 6-30 meters (20-100 feet), based on the season.  During the plankton blooms in the winter months, the water is less clear.

Currents can be strong around Cocos and some of the other islands on occasion.  Inexperienced divers should not try diving at Cocos Island.  Most of the other sites close to shore that are not too deep and don’t require significant penetration are suitable for all levels.

Costa Rica Photos

With the interesting underwater terrain, macro life, wrecks, huge rays, sharks, schools of colorful reef fish and big pelagics, dolphins, and whales, and beautiful forests, landscapes, and historical onshore targets, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Costa Rica Transportation, Dive Shops, & Lodging

Transportation

There are 4 international airports, 18 “major” domestic airports, and 47 airports total with paved runways.  Doesn’t that seem like a lot for such a small country?  The road and transport system is extensive, though in some disrepair, with many options including public buses, ferries, vans, shuttles, rental cars, motorbikes and scooters, taxis, uber, and horseback.

Dive Shops

There are many full-service dive shops close to all the major sites (save Cocos).  Some hotels will have them, as well.  The full range of services is available including equipment rental, dive courses, guiding, and cruises year-round.

Lodging

There are hundreds of resorts, hotels, guest houses, and condos available in Costa Rica from $1(today) to $800 per night.  The website linked below is a good source for the available options and can arrange a booking.  Their rates are the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Costa Rica Resorts

Costa Rica Things to Do (aside from scuba diving)

Costa Rica is well known as a premier eco-tour destination and vacation paradise with a stable government.  The seaside is a great attraction, but the rain forests, mountains, volcanos, rivers, lakes, and extreme biodiversity is probably even more famous.  On top of that is the rich cultural history on display.  Here is a list of activities and sites:  national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, jungles, mangroves, rare animals, birding, waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes, rafting, canyoning, kayaking, surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, birding, hiking, golf, yoga, mountain biking, horseback riding, spelunking, city life, shopping, historic buildings and sites, coffee tours, restaurants, food, music and nightlife, tours of all kinds, museums, galleries. It’s a very rich cultural and natural scene with countless activities.  Please check out the video below for a glimpse.

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Costa Rica scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving there.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:

>>comments<<

Madeira Grouper (Photo is courtesy of TripAdvisor and Madeira Diving Center)

Updated December 26, 2022

This is the one hundred and seventieth in a series of reviews of the best resort diving locations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Europe.  For other “Best” reviews of liveaboards and destinations, go to “Best Liveaboards & Destinations Lists” on the top menu.

Have you been diving in Europe before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Best Scuba Diving Europe

Where can you go for great diving in Europe?  There are many wonderful spots available from above the Arctic Circle in Norway, to Northern Scotland, down to Mediterranean locations, and outside the Strait of Gibraltar among the European Atlantic Ocean Islands.  A great variety of reefs, wrecks, caves, fantastic macro critters, and megafauna await.

Here are the best we can find for you to consider for your next scuba diving adventure.

• Costa Brava, Spain
• Lofoten, Norway
• Sardinia, Italy
• Madeira Islands, Portugal
• Croatia
• The Azores, Portugal
• Scapa Flow, Scotland
• Crete, Greece
• Canary Islands, Spain
• Malta

Costa Brava, Spain

On the far northeast Mediterranean shore of Catalonia is a rugged coastline giving way to rich undersea topography of drop-offs, caves, tunnels, and sheltered coves with exceptionally rich corals and gorgonians, and 600 types of fauna.  The Cap de Creus marine reserve offers rich marine life with megafauna including Mola Mola, dolphins, whales, and pelagics, and the Boreas wreck a short distance south of there provides intriguing exploration and penetration opportunities on a German WWII tugboat turned private drug runner scuttled in 1989 to become an artificial reef.

• Dive Season:  year-round, best from May to September when the water is warmer
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature:  13-26°C (57-79°F) with highs in July and lows in December
• Visibility:  10-30 meters (33-100 feet)
• Highlights:  Boreas wreck, sea stars, nudibranchs, sea hares, moray and conger eels, octopus, cuttlefish, lobster, tubeworms, fan mussels, schools of sardines, cardinalfish, John Dories, wrasses, bream, red mullet, sea bass, groupers, sharks, turtles, schools of barracuda, eagle rays, Mola Mola (ocean sunfish), pelagics like tuna,  dolphins, whales.

For my more complete review of Costa Brava scuba diving, please check this:

• Costa Brava Scuba Diving

Lofoten, Norway

Above the Arctic Circle, the undersea terrain of the Lofoten Archipelago including rock walls and canyons is bathed in the nutrient-rich warm water of the Gulf Stream.  The plant and invertebrate life are extremely abundant with giant kelp, anemone-covered walls, lots of crustaceans, mollusks, and macro critters, as well as abundant fish life and the possibility of an orca sighting.  Tidal flows in and out of the fjords create exhilarating drift dives and there are numerous wrecks with something suitable for all levels of diver.

• Dive Season:  year-round, practically speaking May through September is best due to water temperature and limited daylight
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature: reaches a high of 15°C (59°F) in July and August and lows of less than 5°C (41°F) from January through March
• Visibility: averages 8-12 meters (26-40 feet), poor seasonal lighting is a major influence
• Highlights:  carpets of soft corals, giant kelp forests, fields of algae, walls covered with anemones and dead man’s fingers, jellyfish, starfish, urchins, nudibranchs, amphipods, hermit crabs, blade shrimps, spider crabs, mussels, scallops, cod, pollack, halibut, flounder, squirrelfish, shoals of herring, monkfish, wolffish, orcas, very fast drift diving, shallow and deep wrecks including WWII warships, cargo and passenger steamers, and fishing boats.

For my more complete review of Lofoten scuba diving, please check this:

• Scuba Diving Lofoten Norway

Scapa Flow, sheltered by several of the 70 Orkney Islands, is the location where the German High Fleet was quarantined at the end of World War I.  To prevent the 74 ships from coming into the hands of the British, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter had them scuttled.  52 were sunk and some beached.  Later 44 were raised and salvaged with 8 remaining on the seabed including a number of major vessels.  In addition to these 8, there are 20 more that were used to block channels or sunk for various reasons over the years.  Most are 30 meters (100 feet) or less of depth with marine life flourishing in the rich waters of Scapa Flow.

• Dive Season:  year-round
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature: highs in September of 14°C (57°F) and lows in April of 4°C (39°F)
• Visibility: <10-30 meters (<33-100 feet), with the best in winter
• Highlights: 28 wrecks including a cruiser, 3 battleships, a destroyer, a couple of U-Boats, and other vessels sunk to block channels,  marine life highlights are seagrass and kelp, soft corals, herringbone hydroids, sea stars, urchins, hedgehogs, horse mussels, crabs, lobsters, codfish, lings, wrasses, common skates, basking sharks in summer, and grey and common seals.

Crete

The largest Greek Island and on the south of the mainland, Crete has volcanic undersea topography that includes rocks, walls, arches, caverns, and caves in clear water with little to no current.  The reefs have a variety of plants, sponges, and hard and soft corals with a large array of macro critters, mollusks, crustaceans, reef fish, pelagics, turtles, rays, seals, dolphins, the possibility of hammerhead sharks, and sperm whales.  A number of caves and ship and plane wrecks are accessible at recreational depths and suitable for all levels of divers.

• Dive Season:  year-round
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature:  highs of 26-27°C (79-82°F) in August and lows of 17°C (63°F) from January to March
• Visibility: 15-35 meters (50-116 feet)
• Highlights:   black corals, anemones, tube anemones, tube worms, crinoids, scorpionfish, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, moray and conger eels, slipper and spiny lobster, mollusks, crabs, nudibranchs, seahorses, shrimps, flying gurnards, octopus, cardinalfish, soldierfish, several varieties of wrasse, black gobies, razorfish, star-gazers, grouper, common stingrays, brown rays, schools of jacks and barracuda, loggerhead turtles, occasional tuna, dolphins, porpoises, monk seals, the possibility of sperm whales and hammerhead sharks, several notable plane and shipwrecks that are mostly reasonably shallow and don’t require advanced technical diving skills

For my more complete review of Crete scuba diving, please check this:

• Best Scuba Diving on Crete

Canary Islands, Spain

Set to the west of Morocco, the Canaries, volcanic in origin, are under the influence of warm Gulf Stream and Canary currents and cold oceanic currents.  The coral growth is not as rich as in the Caribbean or Southeast Asia but there is abundant marine life otherwise with 550 fish species and 1,000 invertebrates reflected in a multitude of macro critters and reef tropicals to go along with a variety of turtles, sharks, rays, cetaceans, pelagics, and 50 shipwrecks to boot.  Excellent sites are widespread around the islands with 3 Marine Protected Areas.

• Dive Season:  year-round
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature:  19-23°C (66-74°F)  with the low in January and the high in August
• Visibility:  usually 30 meters (100 feet) or better
• Highlights:  parrotfish, boxfish, drummers, moray eels, garden eels, crabs, sea urchins, nudibranchs, octopus, cuttlefish, scorpionfish, trumpetfish, damselfish, pufferfish, glass-eyes, goatfish, triggerfish, seahorses, groupers, jacks, marlin, tuna, mobulas, common and marbled stingrays, eagle and manta rays, blacktip, whitetip, nurse, guitar, angel, hammerhead, mako, bull, silky and whale sharks, 400 resident pilot whales, sperm whales, beaked whales, false killer whales, orcas, dolphins, 5 species of turtle (green, hawksbill, leatherback, Kemps Ridley, and loggerhead), 50 shipwrecks.

For my more complete review of Canary Islands scuba diving, please check this:

• Best Scuba Diving the Canary Islands

Malta

Malta, the 3 island archipelago just south of Italy, has a surprisingly rich and colorful reef of corals and sponges in harbors and on seascapes of plateaus, arches, caves, and swim-throughs with smooth surfaces, little current, and clear water.  There is a good selection of macro critters, reef fish, and pelagics, but the top attraction is the historic and scuttled ship and plane wrecks numbering 20 or more with some suitable for near beginners and others in the deep requiring advanced or technical skills. In all, there are more than 50 great sites.

• Dive Season:  year-round
• Skill Level:  beginner to advanced
• Water Temperature:  15-26°C (54-77°F) with highs in August and lows in February and March
• Visibility:  up to 40 meters (130 feet) at times
• Highlights: nudibranchs, crabs, damselfish, sea bream, octopus, lobster, rainbow wrasses, scorpionfish, Mediterranean parrotfish, triggerfish, starfish, grouper, barracuda, amberjacks, tuna, turtles, more than 20 divable historic and scuttled ship and plane wrecks.

For my more complete review of scuba diving in Malta, please check this:

• Best Scuba Diving Malta