Best diving in America & the Caribbean

From the USA to Argentina, the American continent offered me some of my most intense experiences, such as scuba diving in the Great Blue Hole in Belize, the cenotes in Mexico, the crater of a volcano in Hawaii, with whale sharks in Honduras and with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. While the Caribbean Islands attract most of the attention of the holidaymakers, the colder waters are full of bucket list dives as well. The destinations from the “Best diving in America” list are also featured on my World Dive Map.

Special notes:

  • You can find my personal favourites with the ♥ symbol!
  • Destinations promoting unethical activities, such as feeding and baiting, have been excluded from this list.

Florida

Diving in Key Largo, Florida

Diving in Florida is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots such as the Florida Keys and famous dives such as Pennekamp coral reef state park in Key Largo and the Vandenberg shipwreck in Key West. The sunshine state is a great destination for scuba divers who love wreck diving and coral reefs. A little less known, you can also give a try at diving in the northern Florida springs and snorkelling with manatees in Crystal River.

The marine life in Florida is mostly about reef sharks, nurse sharks, stingrays, barracudas and manatees. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 3 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from October to May. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Florida:

Hawaii

Night dive with manta rays Kona Hawaii

Diving in Hawaii is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots such as Maui and Kona on Big Island and famous dives such as the Molokini Crater and the manta night dive. Hawaii is a great destination for scuba divers who love shore diving and turtles. Less known for scuba diving, you can also give a try to Oahu or the lava tubes of Big Island.

The marine life in the Hawaiian Islands is mostly about turtles, manta rays, humpback whales, reef sharks and eagle rays. It’s the right place to go for both beginner and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 5 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from April to November. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Hawaii:

Mexico

Diving in cenote carwash Mexico

Diving in Mexico is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots such as Yucatan peninsula, Cozumel Island in the Caribbean Sea and Baja California on the Pacific side. The most famous dive sites are the cenotes of the Riviera Maya and Cabo San Lucas at the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula. Mexico is a great destination for scuba divers who love cave diving and shark diving. A little less known, you can also give a try at diving in Acapulco or Puerto Escondido on the Pacific side, and Banco Chinchorro in the south of Yucatan.

The marine life in Mexico is mostly about whale sharks, sea lions, manta rays, turtles, hammerhead sharks, bull sharks and moray eels. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 5 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from October to May, but the cenotes can be dived year-round. The best dive sites can be reached by boat or from the shore.

Best diving in Mexico

  • Cozumel Island
  • Cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula ♥
  • Cabo Pulmo & Cabos San Lucas, Baja California
  • Socorro, Revillagigedo Islands

Belize

Blue Hole Belize

Diving in Belize is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots such as Ambergris Caye and famous dives such as the Great Blue Hole and the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. The barrier reef in Belize is one of the largest in the world. A little less known, you can also give a try at diving in Caye Caulker which is close to the Hol Chan marine reserve.

The marine life in Belize is mostly about grey reef sharks, nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays, turtles, dolphins and corals. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 3 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from November to May. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Belize

Honduras

scuba diving Utila Honduras

Diving in Honduras is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots in the Bay Islands such as Roatan and Utila in the Caribbean Sea. The most famous dive sites of this small country of Central America might be Mary’s Place in Roatan and the Black Hills in Utila. Honduras is a great destination for scuba divers who love whale sharks.

The marine life in Honduras is mostly about whale sharks, dolphins, angelfish, moray eels, coral reefs and ostracods. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 3 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from March to August. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Honduras

Panama

Diving in Coiba, Panama

Diving in Panama is one of the best in the Americas with famous diving spots such as Coiba National Park on the Pacific side and Bocas del Toro on the Caribbean side. Punta Faro and Sueño del Pescador in Coiba are the most famous dive sites. Panama is an excellent destination for scuba divers who love shark diving. A little less known, you can also give a try at diving in Portobelo on the Caribbean side or Taboguilla Island near Panama City on the Pacific side.

The marine life in Panama is mostly about whale sharks, mobula rays, eagle rays, turtles, hammerhead sharks, and white-tip sharks. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 5 mm wetsuit on the Pacific side, while a 3mm shorty is enough on the Caribbean side. The best time of the year is from January to April, but Bocas del Toro best season is in October. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Panama

Ecuador

Diving in Galapagos, Ecuador

Diving in Galapagos, Ecuador, is one of the best in the Americas, with famous diving spots such as Darwin and Wolf, Isabela and San Cristobal. Some of the most famous dive sites include Darwin’s Arch, Punta Vincente Roca, Gordon Rocks and Kicker Rock. The Galapagos Islands are a great destination for scuba divers who love shark diving. A little less known, you can also give a try at diving on the mainland of Ecuador, in Puerto Lopez, where you can go diving in Isla de la Plata.

The marine life in the Galapagos is mostly about hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea turtles and sea lions. It’s the right place to go for experienced divers mainly. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a 7 mm wetsuit. The best time of the year is often from November to July. The best dive sites can be reached by boat.

Best diving in Galapagos / Ecuador

  • Darwin & Wolf
  • Isabela Island
  • Santa Cruz
  • San Cristobal
  • Isla de la Plata

Argentina

Diving in Ushuaia, Argentina

Argentina is a cold-water diving destination. The marine life in Patagonia is mostly about sea lions, whales and leopard seals. It’s the right place to go for both beginners and experienced divers. Due to the water temperatures, regarding scuba gear, it is most common to scuba dive there in a drysuit.

Best diving in Argentina

  • Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego ♥
  • Puerto Madryn, Patagonia

Diving destinations in the Americas still on my bucket list

Maybe one day, I’ll have the time to complete this page by travelling to the following places from North to South America:

  • Canada
    • Vancouver Island, British Columbia
  • California
    • Channel Islands National Park
  • Cuba
    • Gardens of the Queen
  • Nicaragua
    • Little Corn Island
  • Costa Rica
    • Cocos Island
  • Colombia
    • Malpelo Island
  • Brazil
    • Fernando de Noronha Island

Are you looking for the best diving destinations all over the world? You should check these other articles:

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to WAD Newsletter to receive the latest posts directly into your inbox.


PIN IT FOR LATER

Best diving in North America
Best diving in Central America
Best diving in South America