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The U.S. has lifted its requirement for Covid-19 testing earlier than getting into the nation, making now a good time to begin diving the world once more. However what in case you’ve misplaced your dive confidence? It’s been some time since many people have been diving and our expertise is perhaps a bit rusty. However the excellent news is that there are many accessible dive locations with excellent circumstances to refresh dive expertise whereas having fun with world-class dives. Right here’s our round-up of the highest 5 simple dive locations to get again within the water.
Cozumel
Cozumel is the most important island within the Mexican Caribbean and a world-famous dive vacation spot with coral reefs energetic. With dive websites appropriate for novices to skilled divers, it’s the proper vacation spot to get again within the water post-pandemic.
Covid entry necessities
- There are not any Covid entry necessities for folks touring to Mexico.
- Most resorts ask company to fill out a well being questionnaire.
What makes Cozumel nice for getting again into diving?
Cozumel provides beautiful diving in clear, turquoise waters which might be heat all yr. There are a mess of dive websites simply off the coast, with ample reefs and quite a lot of dive sorts accessible.
What to anticipate whenever you get there
Cozumel may be very quiet for the time being and has quite a few topside highlights to discover in your non-diving days. There are conventional cities, historic ruins, and theme parks for households, plus white-sand seashores, seashore bars, and eating places.
Diving in Cozumel
Boasting the second-largest reef system on this planet, Cozumel has distinctive coral reef diving and an astonishing range of marine life, together with quite a few sea turtles and vibrant reef fish.
Cozumel’s high dive websites for newcomers embrace Columbia Reef and Chankanaab Reef, each of which have lovely, sunlit corals in clear, shallow waters with mild currents. Extra skilled divers will take pleasure in Cozumel’s thrilling drift dives, together with at Punta Tunich, and the large 100-foot-high (30 m) wall and coral pillars at Colombia Wall.
Bonaire
If you happen to love exploring at your personal tempo and self-guided diving, Bonaire is for you. This relaxed, slow-paced island lacks giant chain resorts and has dozens of well-preserved native dive websites only a few steps offshore.
Covid entry necessities
- There are not any Covid entry necessities for folks touring to Bonaire.
What makes Bonaire nice for getting again into diving?
Bonaire is the shore-diving capital of the world and provides simple, accessible reef diving that gives a delicate reintroduction to the underwater world. With an arid local weather and little rainfall, diving in Bonaire is superb all yr and the waters are extraordinarily clear.
What to anticipate whenever you get there
Bonaire is a small island, nevertheless it has loads of wild areas, together with an unlimited desert panorama, so it hardly ever feels crowded. That mentioned, Bonaire’s eating places can get busy, so e-book upfront.
There are many journey sports activities accessible, together with caving, sea kayaking, mountain climbing, windsurfing, and mountain biking, plus 22 attractive seashores.
Diving in Bonaire
Bonaire is all about reef and wreck shore diving, so hire a automobile and discover the handfuls of dive websites at your ft. Salt Pier is a simple shore dive with pillars lined in smooth and exhausting corals. Bari Reef is a wonderful night time dive for macro followers, and Karpata is an efficient place to identify pelagics within the blue. The well-known Hilma Hooker wreck is considered one of Bonaire’s hottest dives, and you’ll discover this spectacular wreck as a self-guided dive from shore.
Belize
With over 400 islands and 240 miles of Caribbean shoreline, Belize is an unimaginable dive vacation spot. It’s dwelling to among the world’s greatest dive websites and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Belize Barrier Reef. What extra may it’s essential get again into diving?
Covid entry necessities
- There are not any Covid entry necessities for folks touring to Belize.
- Buying Belize Journey Insurance coverage is now not obligatory however it’s extremely advisable by the Belize Tourism Board.
What makes Belize nice for getting again into diving
Belize hosts a various array of reefs that present idyllic reef diving for novices proper via to skilled divers. Belize’s waters are heat all yr and you’ll take pleasure in a mix of land-based and liveaboard diving there.
What to anticipate whenever you get there
Belize is widespread with U.S. guests, so e-book forward throughout public and faculty holidays. As soon as there, you possibly can go jungle strolling and chicken watching, discover Mayan ruins, and revel in Belize’s mouth-watering delicacies. And if that’s an excessive amount of effort, simply chill out on Belize’s golden and white-sand seashores.
Diving in Belize
The Belize Barrier Reef is without doubt one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on this planet, boasting three turtle species, lots of of reef fish species, pelagic fish, whale sharks, and lots of of corals and sponges.
Ambergris Caye has over 40 accessible dive websites dotted alongside its shores, and it’s a good place to base your self to discover Belize’s different high dive highlights: the Nice Blue Gap, Lighthouse Reef, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
Turneffe Atoll is one other high place to take pleasure in all that Belize scuba diving has to supply. This atoll has over 200 cayes, with various underwater landscapes, together with big partitions lined in corals. There are ripping currents for knowledgeable divers, shallow aquarium-like dive websites, and loads of pelagic motion.
Florida Keys
In case you are on the lookout for someplace nearer to dwelling, strive the Florida Keys. It’s a wreck diving mecca, with loads of coral reefs as nicely. And in case you dwell close by, you will get your diving repair over the weekend.
Covid entry necessities
- There are not any Covid entry necessities for folks touring to the Florida Keys.
What makes the Florida Keys nice for getting again into diving?
In addition to being accessible, without having to go abroad, the Florida Keys have constantly heat waters, loads of sunshine, and diverse diving that provides one thing for all divers.
What to anticipate whenever you get there
It is a widespread U.S. trip spot, so make sure to e-book forward. As soon as there, you possibly can take pleasure in loads of topside highlights, together with attractive seashores, constitution fishing, artwork galleries, museums, spas, and a fine-dining scene.
Diving within the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys has the one dwelling coral barrier reef within the continental United States and can be dwelling to the Florida Keys Nationwide Marine Sanctuary. There are limitless reefs, seagrass fields, sandbars, islands, and intensive mangroves to discover, with over 6,000 marine species, together with manatees.
Added to that, the Florida Keys has epic wreck diving. There’s a shipwreck path with 9 historic wrecks, and an estimated 1,000 shipwrecks in whole. If you happen to love rust, diving in Florida is difficult to beat.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas is without doubt one of the best locations to entry from the U.S., being only a quick flight away. Famed for its shark diving, it ticks the containers for shark followers who need a world-class dive journey with out touring far.
Covid entry necessities
- Vaccinated vacationers should present proof of vaccination.
- Unvaccinated vacationers (aged 2 and older) want to point out proof of a unfavourable PCR or speedy antigen check taken not more than 72 hours previous to journey.
What makes the Bahamas nice for getting again into diving?
Heat climate, a mess of islands, and water that hardly ever drops under 80 F (27 C) is sufficient to tempt anybody to go to the Bahamas. Under the floor, there are colourful reefs and crystal-clear waters that host an abundance of sharks.
What to anticipate whenever you get there
Unsurprisingly, the Bahamas continues to be some of the widespread locations for People. These beautiful islands have an limitless listing of topside actions that cater for almost each curiosity, making it excellent for households and group journeys.
Diving within the Bahamas
The Bahamas has been a delegated shark sanctuary since 2011 and has distinctive shark diving. Go to Tiger Seaside to dive with quite a few tiger sharks in heat, shallow waters, then jump over to Bimini for diving with nice hammerheads. Alternatively, Cat Island provides swimming with oceanic whitetips.
If shark diving isn’t your factor, strive the Exuma Cays and Eleuthera. There, you possibly can dive the well-known Austin Smith wreck, expertise a singular present dive known as the Washing Machine, and drift over lovely reefs all day lengthy.
Kathryn Curzon, a shark conservationist and dive journey author for SSI (Scuba Colleges Worldwide), wrote this text.
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