The best dive sites in the world. Best Budget Diving Spots

There are many places on the planet that are ideal not only for a beach holiday, but also for diving. It is about such corners of the Earth that will be discussed in our article.

Mauritania

The crystal clear waters of the Blue Bay Marine National Park, home to dolphins, clownfish and other exotic marine life, are great places to learn scuba diving.

Big Island (Hawaii, USA)

On the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, diving is a very popular activity. In the local waters, you can swim in underground caves, admire coral gardens and meet sea turtles, dolphins and moray eels.

Ilha Grande Island (Brazil)

Almost untouched by people, the island is a real paradise on earth. Having dived into absolutely clear water, you can see the remains of the colonial ships at the bottom, as well as swim with seahorses.

Virgin Gorda Island (British Virgin Islands)

For those who like to swim in natural underwater tunnels and grottoes, this place will be ideal.

Palau

The state, consisting of 250 islands in the Pacific Ocean, has a large number of lakes connected to the ocean by underwater tunnels. One of them, Lake Medusa, got its name for a reason. A huge number of jellyfish live in it, among which divers love to swim.

Bermuda

The most interesting for diving enthusiasts are the western beaches. The famous Western Blue Trench is located here, and at the bottom there are three sunken ships almost nearby.

Cayman islands

The shallow waters surrounding the Cayman Islands are ideal for beginner divers. In addition, you can meet huge stingrays here.

Saint John (US Virgin Islands)

The local diving is popular due to the large number of octopuses and parrot fish in the local waters.

Anguilla

In the local waters, where visibility reaches 35 meters, it is good to explore the coral gardens and their inhabitants.

Turks and Caicos

Popular with divers, the underwater White Trail is home to barracuda, lobsters and even the harmless nurse shark.

Kauai (Hawaii, USA)

In the local waters, diving enthusiasts can swim with green sea turtles, as well as with one of the most unusual fish - zebra surgeons.

Whitsunday Islands (Australia)

The Great Barrier Reef is considered one of the largest coral formations. It is he who pulls a large number of divers into the local waters.

Moorea (French Polynesia)

This island is not as popular as neighboring Bora Bora or Tahiti, but for diving enthusiasts, this place is one of the best. In the local waters, you can meet the Malagasy night sharks.

Oahu (Hawaii, USA)

The best diving spot on Oahu is Hanauma Bay, which is home to a huge number of exotic angle-tailed triggerfish.

Seychelles

The archipelago of 115 tiny islands is known for some of the best diving in the entire Indian Ocean.

Phi Phi Islands (Thailand)

In the local clear emerald waters, it is better to swim before lunch, while the sun's rays can penetrate between the underwater limestone cliffs.

Bora Bora (French Polynesia)

It is not surprising that diving is very popular in one of the most prestigious resorts in the world.

Vieques Island, Puerto Rico

Much of the island, formerly a training ground for the US Navy, is still largely untouched. The waters here are quite shallow and suitable for beginners in diving.

Maui (Hawaii, USA)

The best diving spot on Oahu is the Molokini Crater in the south of the island. It is home to dolphins, turtles and tropical fish.

Culebra (Puerto Rico)

The small island looks like a deserted place. But it is here that unforgettable places for scuba diving are located.

Boracay (Philippines)

Boracay is considered one of the best islands in Asia for a beach holiday. The magnificent beach is also ideal for snorkeling thanks to its sloping sandbar.

Sipadan (Malaysia)

In the local clear waters, divers can admire a wide variety of tropical fish living on coral islands.

Palawan (Philippines)

One of the most popular places in the world for divers, it attracts with the opportunity to see a large number of starfish and sea snails.

Bazaruto Archipelago (Mozambique)

The hard-to-reach group of 6 islands is considered one of the best places for diving and snorkeling on the planet.

Maldives

Local depths are visited daily by thousands of snorkellers in clear waters.

Diving is an opportunity to plunge into another reality and get to know yourself and your abilities. This is quite an expensive pleasure, but you can always find budget places and combine diving with an interesting vacation on land.

Turkey, Kas

Under the water

The water off the coast of Kas is clear, the underwater landscape is replete with caves, canyons and tunnels. The underwater fauna is teeming with stingrays, turtles, you can meet soldier fish, octopuses, moray eels. Underwater reefs have become natural traps for ships, turning them into archaeological artifacts. But the Flying Fish reef's celebrity is a sunken Italian torpedo bomber.

For beginners, there are many easy dive sites in Kas: Neptun Riff, rich in antique amphoras; octopuses and sea turtles, Mavi Magara is a blue-lit cave once inhabited by Mediterranean seals.

Above the water

Kas is located 280 km from Antalya Airport in a bay surrounded by numerous islands. The town is very quiet, there are no Russian-speaking tourists, but the infrastructure is developed. Kas was chosen by young people and divers. Distracting from diving, you can see the ancient city of the World.

Best Diving Club: www.divingcharterturkey.com

Egypt, Dahab

Under the water

Egypt and diving are synonymous words. The former Bedouin village of Dahab has become a mecca for lovers of underwater spectacles. In Dahab, you do not need to swim to the dive site for a long time - dive sites are available from the shore. Both beginners and professionals will find here for themselves interesting objects for research.

The local celebrity is the Blue Hole, its depth reaches 100 m. Daredevils, who are “knee-deep”, dive into the hole in an attempt to get out through the 54-meter tunnel to the open sea, which often ends with commemorative plaques on the shore. In Dahab it is officially forbidden to dive deeper than 25 meters.

For beginners, it is enough to dive to a depth of no more than 10 m. In addition to the Blue Hole in Dahab, there are many other interesting spots: Lighthouse (Lighthouse), Bells (The Bells), Canyon (Canyon), Islands (Islands), Caves (Caves) and Free Pools (Three Pools), and this is not a complete list of dive sites.

Above the water

Dahab is located on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, 100 km from Sharm el-Sheikh. It is fundamentally different from the usual Egypt, it is a place for free people. There is a large selection of inexpensive accommodation for unpretentious tourists and restaurants with authentic cuisine. The main thing is diving and freedom. In Dahab, the wind blows 300 days a year, so besides scuba divers, windsurfers and kitesurfers live here. For a change, you can go to the Bedouin village, feel the delights of their life on your own skin.

When to go: all year round
Best diving club: dahab-club.ru

Spain, Canary Islands

Under the water

The Canaries are the islands of eternal spring. Oddly enough, many divers are not aware that the Canary Islands have an excellent "dive". Probably because the rest here is very diverse, and often it doesn’t come to diving. The flora here is not very picturesque, but the fauna makes up for the lack of coral reefs.

Huge, almost tame turtles easily let you “scratch your belly”, barracudas look out from numerous grottoes, and other sea creatures do not let scuba divers get bored. The migration of large shoals of fish merging into huge balls is unrealistically impressive.

Tenerife has over a dozen dive sites. Ali Baba Cave (Cuevade Ali-Baba) is 54 meters deep and covered with black corals. The Champiniones site is also bizarre "mushrooms" of solidified lava, Atlantida - basalt colonnades and underwater stairs, reminiscent of the remains of the sunken mythical Atlantis. It is also interesting to swim with stingrays in La ciudad de la srayas - a sunken fishing boat, around which they circle, smoothly moving their "wings".

Above the water

Although the Canary Islands belong to Spain, prices here are lower than European ones. The Canary Islands has everything from pristine beaches to volcanoes and nature reserves. You can safely go on vacation with the whole family, there is enough entertainment for everyone. In the Canary Islands, as a rule, large groups of divers do not gather, no fuss and haste. The instructors are very friendly and offer a wide range of dive sites.

When to go: all year round
Best diving club: www.oceandivingtenerife.com

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Under the water

Vietnam has the cheapest diving in the world, but you will have to spend money on a flight, the main thing is not to have too high expectations from it. Coral reefs delight with an abundance of underwater inhabitants who are not afraid of divers - for underwater photographers, Vietnamese diving is simply a paradise. There is something to see and many places where to dive: Nha Trang, Hoi An, the islands of Con Dao and Phu Quoc.

There are practically no sunken ships in Vietnam, the locals pulled out everything they could and handed it over for scrap. But the flora and fauna are simply amazing: pearl shells, colorful colorful fish and huge lazy turtles, cuttlefish, octopus and squid. The main thing is to get into the season when there are no strong currents.

Above the water

Picturesque beaches, a variety of fruits and vegetables, cheap food and accommodation. In Nha Trang, along the 30-kilometer line of the beach, there is a boulevard with hundreds of cafes, bars and clubs. Phu Quoc Island is more suitable for a relaxing holiday, there are no crowds of tourists and noisy embankments. But there is rich nature: mountains and relict forests, waterfalls and jungles. You can diversify your water dives by watching how black pepper grows or how the "fragrant" Vietnamese nuoc mam fish sauce is made.

When to go: to Nha Trang - February-October, to Phu Quoc Island - from November to May
Best Diving Club: www.divevietnam.com

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

Under the water

Hikkaduwa has a wide coastline and the best dive resort in Sri Lanka. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean and clear water have created excellent conditions for diving. Along the coast of Hikkaduwa, a coral reef stretches for 300 meters, protecting the bay from waves. From the shore to it is a stone's throw - some 50 meters. Great place for newbies. Giant tortoises are happy to swim with divers in shallow water. There are over 20 dive sites. One of the most interesting is the sunken British ship Earl of Shaftsbury. It lies at a depth of 12–20 m and is accessible for penetration.

Above the water

Hikkaduwa is located 100 km south of Colombo. Here you can stay both in a hotel and in a small family hotel. The easiest way to get to Hikkaduwa is by bus or train from Colombo. Travel time is 2-3 hours. In order to escape from a seaside holiday, you can go to the city Buddhist temple, admire the birds on the lake. Night discos are open for tireless tourists.

Crimea

Under the water

There are no coral reefs, exotic animals and bright underwater plants in Crimea. But there are still interesting places for diving. Diving in the Crimea is, first of all, touching the history and traces of past eras.

On Cape Tarkhankut, south of Olenevka, under water there is an underwater museum "Alley of Leaders". These are the busts of the Ilyichs and Karl Marxes, which were eventually joined by Pushkin and Yesenin, Mayakovsky and Tchaikovsky. Capes Aya and Batiliman are rich in various grottoes and caves. And in the Sevastopol area there are many sunken ships from the Second World War.

Above the water

Rest in the Crimea is so diverse that you should decide for yourself what you like and can afford. A hotel, a boarding house or a tent - everything is appropriate here. And most importantly - there is a choice. In addition to nature, there is a lot of entertainment on the coast, but still the Crimean mountains, combined with the clear sea, are the best that is on the Crimean peninsula.

When to go: May to September
Best diving club: blackseadivers.com.ua

Thailand, Similan Islands

Under the water

Similans are nine uninhabited islands in the Andaman Sea, located 70 kilometers from the mainland of Thailand. Large boulders with arches and tunnels, caves in which lobsters live, leopard sharks basking in shallow water, rays, barracudas and surgeonfish. Sometimes there is also a whale shark.

For beginners, the dive sites Breakfast Bend and Christmas Point are suitable, where you should dive at dawn, when the sun illuminates the underwater world, revealing everything to the smallest detail. Elephant Head Rock is one of the most popular sites, although the currents are quite strong and it is only recommended for professionals.

Above the water

The Similan Islands are one of the most beautiful places in southern Thailand and they are a national park. You can spend the night in tents or bungalows owned by the national park administration, or on board a ship. Diving in Similan is worth going not for one day, but for at least three.

When to go: November to April
Best Diving Club: www.phuket-scuba-club.com

Baikal

Under the water

The most famous and cleanest lake on the planet is Baikal. Diving is also practiced here. Moreover, both in summer and in severe frosts, when the water becomes transparent and the ice reaches a thickness of more than 10 cm. Quite extreme and unusual. Particularly impressive are the winter dives near the ice hummocks, between which you can swim, as if through galleries.

Diving must be insured with a rope so as not to get lost among the ice twists and ice tunnels. Famous Baikal dive sites: Brown Bear Coast, Listvyanka, Ushkany Islands, where you can watch seal rookeries. Professionals will be interested in cave diving - diving into underwater caves.

Above the water

Diving on Baikal takes place regardless of the weather. You can go on one "diving" or spend a week on Baikal. Accommodation on the shore in small private hotels, food in the same cafe. There are both economy options and those with a claim to stardom, with two-story rooms and a jacuzzi. Dives in Listvyanka are carried out from the shore twice a day: in the morning and in the afternoon.

When to go: February to July
Best diving club: www. baikaldiving.ru

Philippines

Under the water

The Philippines is part of the so-called "coral triangle" (together with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia). Here is such a rich variety of flora and fauna, like nowhere else in the world. At the bottom lies a huge number of sunken ships from the Second World War. The islands of Coron, Busuanga, Tubbataha and Basterra reefs in the Sulu Sea are among the best dive sites in the world. Off Donsol Island, from March to May, you can swim with whale sharks.

Above the water

The best beaches in the world, a varied cuisine in which everyone will find a dish to their liking, generous nature with incredible beauty of lakes, caves and grottoes and, of course, the Filipinos are one of the most cheerful and hospitable people in the world. The water temperature in the Philippines all year round is 26‒28°C.

When to go: all year round
Best Diving Club: www.divescotty.com

Israel, Eilat

Under the water

It is always a season in Eilat, diving is carried out at any time of the year, it is always warm and dry here. The Eilat reef is rich and varied and goes down to a depth of 50 meters. Rich in wildlife and flora, the reef boasts a variety: eels, moray eels, flounders, rays, crustaceans and molluscs. The bottom of the bay is generally continuous coral seas, teeming with "coral fry".

There are also special attractions: two small specially sunken ships that were once part of the Israeli Navy - the 40-meter Satil missile ship and the small Yatush patrol boat. There are no predatory sharks here, although whale sharks visit Eelat regularly. "Japanese gardens" of sprawling corals is another underwater feature of Eilat.

Above the water

Eelat nestled comfortably between Jordan and Egypt. A seven-kilometer beach resort on the Red Sea, where a coral reef begins at the edge of the coast - all dives are made from the coast. The Sinai mountains and the sands of the Negev desert are also Eilat. And also hotels, restaurants, discos, dive clubs, which are slightly reminiscent of Egyptian Hurghada, but unlike Egypt, there is a good diving school here.

When to go: all year round
Best diving club: aqua-sport.com

Cheap does not mean bad, so do not be afraid of budget dive spots. If you are a beginner, then before you buy a course, try an introductory dive. What if you don't like it? And be sure to think about insurance. Not all resorts can issue it, but dive centers with a good reputation will definitely require it.

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com, flickr.com

Diving is a special type of recreation that relaxes and pleases and causes a surge of adrenaline.. Moreover, diving can be quoted as a family type of tourism and entertainment.

And it suits all ages. That is why every year it becomes more and more popular. If you want to get away from everyday life, a diving vacation is what you need.

Which country to choose?

Diving is possible not only in warm waters, but also at a temperature of 10-20 degrees. But if you are a beginner, it is better to go to warm countries. There, the water temperature is suitable, and the climate is favorable, and there are plenty of exotics. Plus, the equipment is not so complicated and expensive.

Beginner divers prefer tours to Egypt. The best place for diving is the coastal zone near the resort of Sharm El Sheikh. Famous for its coast and Marsa el Alam. Can .

A great place for diving tours is Thailand. There are also Russian-speaking trainers, and excellent places for diving. And the underwater expanses will not leave indifferent even the most demanding diver.

Vacation on is popular. Here you can dive near the sunken US Liberty, and at Manta Point you can see huge manta rays. If you have not tried to dive into the caves, we recommend.

If you haven't been yet, please correct this error. The most popular resorts are Hoi An, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Con Dao and Phu Quoc islands. By the way, one of the cheapest in the world.

In general, when choosing a country, look at the goals and plans that you set for yourself.

What do you need to know?

Find out in advance the list of services of local trainers. Ask about the possibility of training and obtaining a certificate (but it is better to come to rest with the relevant documents).

Take an experienced person with you as a partner.

Listen to your instructor

Physiological problems are possible during and after diving. Be attentive to your well-being.
Read everything you are asked to sign before diving.

There are a number of contraindications for diving, if you have them, then it’s not destiny.

Find all the gear you need before you go on vacation, as your size may not be there.
To avoid decompression sickness, dive and ascend according to the rules.

Scuba diving is one of the favorite tourist adventures during a beach holiday. For many, scuba diving becomes a hobby, and then they travel the world and explore the mysteries of the deep sea. Both novice scuba divers and professionals will be interested to know where is the best diving.

Adventurers love to dive near the reef. Elphinstone. In addition to the fact that it is very interesting to study the beauty of the underwater world, sharks are found in these waters, which can be found while swimming.

At any Egyptian resort, you can learn to scuba dive, of course, provided that you already know how to swim. Children under 10 years of age are not allowed to dive.

is the dream of all divers. Here you can scuba dive all day, but still not explore all the wonders of the underwater world of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives consists of 26 atolls, each of which includes many large and small coral islands. The atolls are surrounded by lagoons with a large number of coral reefs. To go diving in the Maldives, it is not necessary to swim far, you can dive right off the coast of the atoll that you have chosen for your vacation.

The best diving in the Maldives is safari tour where you will have the opportunity to explore and compare the most popular dive sites, visit uninhabited islands, go fishing and have a barbecue.

lagoons Maldivian atolls is one of the best places for beginner divers. There are very soft coral reefs, so diving in these places is safe. In addition to reefs, in these waters you can explore mysterious caves and sunken ships, and, of course, you cannot ignore the diverse fauna of the Indian Ocean.

Among the resorts , providing the best diving, you can highlight the island. There are many scuba diving centers offering the best modern equipment. Dives are organized for beginners and experienced scuba divers. The waters of the Andaman Sea attract with coral reefs and an interesting underwater world.

The best diving in the Caribbean is And . Here the main attention of divers is focused on the rich fauna - colorful tropical fish and marine animals.

If we are not talking about the most popular resorts among Russians, then the best diving is provided for you on Galapagos Islands, on the Bahamas, in papua new guinea, in , on the Marshall Islands, in Canada(British Columbia), etc.

The coast of Russia is washed by 12 seas, which belong to three oceans. The Caspian Sea is closed, it has no outlet to the ocean. The Russian seas, cold, harsh, but very interesting, are much less known to most divers than the seas of Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. It's a shame? Not patriotic? Diving in Russia is harder, more extreme, more emotional, and a real adventure.

In recent years, diving centers with the necessary infrastructure have been created in the best diving places in Russia: diving equipment and equipment (compressor, cylinders, compensators, lungs, wetsuits and everything necessary for diving), watercraft: from boats to safari ships, in centers certified instructors. They can teach beginners, dive certified divers. You can come to such a center only with an international certificate, and everything you need will be given in the center.

Thanks to the emergence of appropriate infrastructure, diving in Russia has become comfortable and affordable.

The Black Sea is the closest, most familiar and accessible to the inhabitants of the European part of Russia. This sea is a huge deep depression, which is connected by the narrow straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea is unique. Due to its great depth (the maximum depth is 2245 meters, and the average is 1197 meters), and the narrow straits that connect the sea with the Mediterranean, only the surface layers of water contain oxygen. Below 200 meters there is no oxygen, and therefore no life at all. The surface and deep layers of water do not mix. The salinity of the Black Sea is also low. The fauna and flora of the sea is rather poor. All underwater inhabitants can be seen up to 20-25 meters, at a depth accessible to divers.

But if there is no desire or opportunity to go abroad, you want to improve your skills or get a certificate, then the Black Sea is an ideal option for these purposes.

Diving in the Caucasus

Almost every resort town or village has a diving center. You can go diving anywhere from Adler to Anapa. But the best place for diving in the Caucasus is in the Vityazevo area. Vityazevo is a village located 11 kilometers from Anapa towards the estuaries. There is a large selection of places to stay in the private sector https://edem-v-gosti.ru/rus/vityazevo/

The beaches of Vityazevo are washed by the waters of the Black Sea and the Vityazevsky Estuary. On one of the wild beaches there is a diving club "Chernomor", which has existed since 1995.

The water area around Chernomor is very interesting for diving. Bank "Mary Magdalene", a lot of anchors and fragments of sunken ships, the tanker "Vasily Kuibyshev", blown up by a German torpedo in 1942, the attack aircraft IL-2, allegedly shot down in 1943. On sunken ships you can always find a lot of fish that use them as a refuge. In addition to fish, here you can see crabs, rapans, jellyfish, ctenophores and a lot of algae, which are overgrown with the walls of sunken ships. Fortunately, there are no underwater inhabitants dangerous to humans in the Black Sea. Diving in Vityazevo is very diverse and well organized.

As in the Caucasus, almost all cities and towns of the Crimean coast have diving centers. Many of them are located in quite interesting places with the purest water, varied terrain and a fairly rich underwater world. Such places include Sudak, Novy Svet, Gurzuf. But the best place for diving in Crimea is located on the Tarkhankut peninsula, which is located in the steppe region of Crimea, northwest of Evpatoria.

Tarkhankut is a completely unusual place both on land and under water. Today, most of the coast of the peninsula is part of the Tarkhankut Reserve. The coast of the peninsula breaks off into the sea, forming bizarre rock formations, arches, bays and caves. In numerous caves, until the 40s of the last century, the extinct species of seals - monks, were bred cubs. In most caves, the entrance is only from under the water; it is rather difficult to squeeze into a narrow hole with cylinders.

In addition to caves, there are many interesting things under water. At different depths, there are many ships that have sunk over the past 3 centuries.

Enthusiast divers have created an "Alley of Leaders" underwater. They dragged the busts of the leaders under the water, and built an alley out of them. The impression is indescribable! The second underwater alley is the alley of anchors.

The underwater sites of Tarkhankut are diverse, picturesque, and have very romantic names: "The Cup of Love", "Neptune's Arch", "Chucha Tunnel", "Neptune's Grotto", "Crocodile", "Monastery".

It is very difficult to visit all the interesting places in a short period of time on your own. In the village of Olenevka, closest to Tarkhankut, there is a diving center "Team EKS", which perfectly knows the underwater world of the peninsula, has everything you need, including watercraft.

Tarkhankut is not only the best place for diving in Crimea, but it is quite a worthy place for diving in Russia.

In the north of the European part of Russia there is a very interesting sea for diving - the Barents Sea. This cold, deep and harsh sea is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the summer months, there is light around the clock, and in June the sun does not set at all.

The waters of the sea are saturated with oxygen due to the warm current of the Gulf Stream passing here. Therefore, the underwater world here is very diverse. The coast of the sea is indented by deep bays-fjords. A few years ago, on the site of the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, on the desert coast, a sports and tourist complex was built, which includes the Zelentsy diving center.

The center is amazingly well located. From the often stormy sea even in summer, the village is protected by islands, and the surrounding bays - Yarnyshnaya, Zelenetskaya and others, are located so that even in a storm there is always a quiet place for diving.

Diving in the Barents Sea is not for beginners. The sea water is only 4 degrees all year round. You can dive only in a dry suit and insulation, gloves, and preferably in a full face mask. Diving in this "outfit" requires certain skills and experience. In their absence, it will not be possible to see, appreciate, and enjoy the unusually rich underwater world. And there is something to see underwater. Magnificent walls that go hundreds of meters deep, stars of rare beauty, crabs, hedgehogs, scallops - all this can be seen on dives in amazingly clear water.

Diving in Far Zelentsy is almost always deep-sea. Up to 10-15 meters in the littoral, which is partially exposed at low tides, algae grow in a continuous strip - seaweed, fucus and red algae. Deeper on the walls hedgehogs echinuses glow with blue balls. Even at a depth of 40 meters, this color is preserved, and in the gray dusk of the depth, the hedgehogs look like outlandish lamps.

Not only underwater landscapes, but also the magnificent nature of the Murmansk tundra will delight divers in Dalnye Zelentsy. Bird markets, powerful ebbs and flows, sunny days and nights, amazing tundra vegetation and berries, fishing - these are just a small part of what can be seen in the vicinity of the complex.

The Barents Sea is one of the best diving spots in Russia.

In terms of difficulty, diving on Lake Baikal can be compared with diving on the Barents Sea. It is cold, deep and incredibly beautiful both on land and under water. After perestroika, the underwater world of Baikal became accessible thanks to numerous diving centers that appeared in Irkutsk and on the shores of Lake Baikal. Underwater diving combined with trips on the incredible beauty of the Baikal ice is one of the most unforgettable experiences.

The underwater world of the world's largest freshwater lake is not as rich as the underwater world of the seas. But the unique transparency of the water, sheer walls that go to a depth unattainable for diving, relic Baikal sponges on the walls - all this makes diving on Baikal very attractive.

Baikal waters have an inexplicable magic. Even experienced divers, for whom a depth of 30-40 meters (the maximum allowed depths for diving with compressed air) is not uncommon, note that the walls that go into the abyss drag down into the depths. Today, reaching great depths has become possible thanks to technical diving, which is now available to amateurs. Diving with mixtures and rebreathers has made depths of 70, 100 and even 200 meters available.

For traditional divers, the most interesting dive sites are along the coast of the Baikal railway, and off the coast of Olkhon. Here, under water, you can see canyons of a completely straight shape, up to 70 meters deep and from 2 to 20 meters wide. Interesting places for diving are also off the coast of the Baikal-Lena Reserve, at Capes Elokhin and Kedrovy, opposite the Ice River.

The most comfortable way to see the underwater world of Baikal is on a diving safari (as dive tours are usually called). Divers live on a ship that follows a route that passes through the most interesting sites.

The magnificent nature of Lake Baikal, the unique underwater world, excellent infrastructure for diving and technical diving make the lake one of the best diving sites in Russia.

Kamchatka remains unfamiliar and difficult to reach for most Russians. Meanwhile, the Kamchatka Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and unusual places in Russia. Diving in Kamchatka began to develop much later than in the European part of Russia. But today, both divers from all over the country and Kamchadals themselves are actively exploring the underwater world of Kamchatka.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is washed by the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, and the Pacific Ocean. These rough cold waters are unsuitable for diving most of the year. Therefore, Avacha Bay is the most popular for diving, on the shores of which Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located. A large, beautiful bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by a strait only 3 kilometers wide. The bay is well protected from ocean storms, accessible from the sea and warms up better than the ocean. There are many coves suitable for diving on the shores of the bay: Quiet, Bezymyannaya, Stanitskogo, Bolshaya and Malaya Lagernye.

The bay is shallow, 25-28 meters. The water in the warmest summer months on the surface does not exceed 15 degrees, but at a depth, of course, it is cold, and you can dive only in dry suits.

The underwater world of the bay is very interesting. Here you can see ascidians and sea anemones, hairy crabs, octopuses, several types of starfish, shrimps, sponges, mussels, holothurians, hedgehogs, numerous fish, as well as thickets of algae.

Fans of sunken ships will be pleased with their abundance in the bay. The ships lie at shallow depths, and it is safe to visit them.

Closer to the exit from the bay, you can see charming seals, which are very curious, but do not let people near them.

Today in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky there is a Calypso club, which accepts those who wish to see Kamchatka and its amazing underwater world. The club organizes diving tours, which allow you to see many interesting dive sites in a few days.

South of Vladivostok are some of the best diving sites in Russia. The subtropical zone is located here, so the underwater world of Peter the Great Bay, the largest bay of the Sea of ​​Japan, is unusually rich.

It's really warm here in the summer. In July-August there is a subtropical heat, the water warms up to 22-23 degrees. For divers, this is a real paradise, you can dive in wet suits, or without them at all.

It is impossible to describe the diversity of the underwater world of the Sea of ​​Japan in an article. The guide to animals and plants of Peter the Great Bay occupies a large volume. This part of the Sea of ​​Japan is the richest place in terms of flora and fauna of all Russian seas. In the warm subtropical waters of the sea, plant and animal species are found that cannot be found in other Russian seas. Trepangs, giant mussels, oysters, sea scallops, dozens of star species, soft corals, several types of urchins and dozens more species of marine life.

Diverse and underwater landscapes of the bay. Walls and detached rocks, piles of boulders, sandy glades - in each new place there is a new underwater landscape, and life is in full swing everywhere.

Diving in the Sea of ​​Japan is well organized. There are several diving centers in Vladivostok that organize diving according to world standards. The centers have dive boats on which daily dives are carried out. Underwater sites are described in detail. Divers can choose the places they like.

Diving in Peter the Great Bay is a real treat. The magnificent nature of the southern coast, the unusual variety of underwater sites, the gentle climate of the subtropics - everything here pleases.

Diving in the marble quarry of Ruskeala

Ruskeala marble quarry is located not far from the city of Sortavala and the Finnish border. The extraction of marble here began as early as the Swedes in the 17th century. But a century later, for the pompous projects of St. Petersburg, it took a lot of marble. A large-scale development began in the quarry for the extraction of marble for the cathedrals and palaces of the northern capital. The architect of St. Isaac's Cathedral, O. Montferrand himself, personally chose marble for the columns of the cathedral in his quarry. The facade of Mikhailovsky is lined with marble from the quarry, and the windows of the Winter Palace are decorated. It was used in the construction of the Kazan Cathedral, the palaces of Gatchina and Tsarskoye Selo.

What is it about diving? The huge volume of mining led to the formation of a huge deep open pit during development. After the explosion in 1960, the quarry flooded. As a result, a large reservoir was formed, surrounded by sheer marble camps. The depth of the reservoir reaches 200 meters. Under the water were the passages between the quarries, sunken equipment. The amazing transparency (10-15 meters) of the water, the most interesting underwater terrain and good transport accessibility quickly led to the fact that diving in the quarry became popular with divers of the nearest cities and St. Petersburg.

The quarry today is a tourist attraction. You can ride a boat on the lake, go down the cable over the quarry, and the pier is rented to divers.

With the advent of technical diving, Ruskeala has become a unique place for the preparation and training of technical divers. You can come here at any time of the year. Winter ice diving is especially exotic. Diving equipment must be brought with you.

The underwater halls of the quarry are an amazing, incomparable sight. Huge marble pillars of old workings, passages, caves - everything here is of unusual size and shape.

Every year around the quarry, which has become a popular tourist attraction today, the number of hotels where you can stay for a few days increases. Therefore, there is where to relax after a hard diving.

Caspian, White and other seas of Russia

Diving in the seas, other than those listed, is of no interest, or difficult to implement.

The Caspian Sea is available for diving only on the coast of Dagestan and Azerbaijan. The eastern shore is a desert zone, the northern one is the Volga delta, which is of interest to spearfishers. Scuba diving is prohibited and considered poaching.

The western coast of the Caspian Sea is completely deserted underwater. In addition, the Caspian Sea is very difficult. Even in summer, the wind rises daily by 9-10 o'clock, a storm of 4-5 points begins at sea. Of the 30 days of the summer month, 4-5 days can be calm. To come to the sea before 9 am, and at 11-12 no longer be able to even swim is somehow strange.

The White Sea is the only sea located entirely on the territory of Russia. Compared to the Barents Sea, it is less interesting for diving. Despite the fact that the Pomors have lived on the shores of the sea since the 12th-14th centuries, there is practically no infrastructure on the coast. Of the several bays of the White Sea, the most interesting for diving is the Kandalaksha Bay, especially the islands of the bay.

Large clubs in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities travel to the White Sea during the summer months. At the same time, you need to take everything you need with you: from tents, a compressor, boats with motors, cylinders, suits and many small things for life and diving.

The water in the White Sea, even in hot summers, rarely warms up above 18 degrees. It's even colder at depth. Diving here is possible only in dry suits.

Under water, you can see interesting underwater reliefs - stones, dumps, various underwater inhabitants - stars, hedgehogs, sea anemones, hermit crabs. If you're lucky, you can see the indigenous inhabitants of the White Sea, beluga whales.

The nature of the White Sea is magnificent. Forest-tundra with berries and an abundance of mushrooms, forest lakes and sea fishing for White Sea cod, haddock - all this makes the rest very interesting. Having the opportunity to go to a base equipped for diving in the Barents Sea, the question of whether it is worth fighting heroically in the White Sea remains open. Who likes what.

The Baltic Sea is fresh, poor in terms of underwater flora and fauna, and is of interest only to lovers of sunken ships. But even well-known clubs in Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg often arrange trips to other seas, while ignoring the nearest sea.

The seas belonging to the Arctic Ocean basin (Kara, Laptev Sea, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas) are generally unsuitable for diving. It is almost impossible to get there, even in summer the seas are often not free of ice, the coasts of the seas are practically uninhabited. Most importantly, the complete absence of life - pack ice practically turns coastal waters into a desert.

Diving in Russia is interesting and varied. Every year the number of diving centers in the most attractive places for diving is increasing. More and more Russians have the opportunity to join this exciting, emotional activity.