Travel

10 BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO EXPLORE OCEAN DEPTHS NOW

by Boris Bialek. Colors. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

We’ve rounded up a deep bucket list of some of the most beautiful places to explore the incredible world that lies deep in the ocean.

1. RAJA AMPAT -- WEST PAPUA, INDONESIA

Dive in the oceans surrounding Raja Ampat, Papua New Guinea, where you’ll find the richest, most diverse coral region in the world. Explore this group of about 1,500, mostly uninhabited, islands, for some of the world’s best scuba diving. It’s home to over 1,200 fish species, 600 coral species, and 699 mollusk species.

2. ELEPHANT HEAD ROCK -- THAILAND

Elephant Head Rock, in Similans, Thailand, is the perfect place for a thrilling dive into the ocean. This massive rock gets its name from its unusual shape - it really does look just like an elephant’s head! The beautiful boulders that formed Elephant Head Rock also create plenty of arches, caverns, swim-throughs, and gullies that are perfect for diving and exploring. Colorful fish swim under overhanging ledges and over submerged boulders, and you might even see some black tip, white tip, and leopard sharks if you dive near the deep-water pinnacles!

3. ARI ATOLL -- THE MALDIVES

Stay at one of over 20 resorts in Ari Atoll, the Maldives, to experience the natural beauty of the ocean. It’s a natural atoll, a ring-shaped island made of coral, and is one of the largest in the Maldives. Check out the incredible dive sites, where you can watch hammerhead sharks and manta rays glide past thilas, soft coral-covered underwater islands or towers.

4. THE BLUE HOLE -- BELIZE

Dive deep into the Blue Hole, in Belize. This massive sinkhole - essentially an underwater cave- is more than 400 ft. deep! It sits at the center of a small atoll, called Lighthouse Reef. Few marine animals can survive within the hole because the water circulation is poor and anoxic.

The beautiful, deep blue color is produced by blue light that filters through incredibly transparent water, hitting the bright white sand at the ocean’s bottom.

The Blue Hole is a part of the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was made famous by Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world.

5. KOMODO NATIONAL PARK -- INDONESIA

If you think Komodo dragons are cool, wait til you see what lives beneath the ocean at Komodo National Park, in Indonesia. You’ll be in awe, as throngs of manta rays, barracuda, surgeonfish, and dogtooth tuna, swim around you in the shallow seas.

6. KIMBE BAY -- PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Kimbe Bay, in Papua New Guinea, is a beautiful ocean destination, that is home to some of the world’s most important coral. More than 60% of the coral species in the Indo-Pacific region live here, as well as over 860 coral reef fish species.

7. COCOS ISLAND -- COSTA RICA

Cocos Island, Costa Rica, may be small, but it has a tremendous reputation for beautiful dives. The dramatic landscapes, with steep drop-offs into the ocean was an inspiration for Jurassic Park. Its waters are teeming with scalloped hammerheads, white-tip reef sharks, rays, and dolphins. No hotels here, so you have to visit via a liveaboard.

8. SIPADAN ISLAND -- MALAYSIA

The only oceanic island in Malaysia, Sipadan Island, was formed by living coral that grew over an extinct volcanic cone. It is part of the Indo-Pacific Basin, home to hundreds of coral species and over 3,000 fish species. Swim among barracuda, roaming sea turtles, rays, sharks, pelagics, and parrotfish. Check out the underwater caves.

9. BAA ATOLL -- THE MALDIVES

You will likely see whale sharks, hawksbill and green turtles, honeycomb moray eel and giant schools of rays at Baa Atoll, in the Maldives. It’s a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, with 2 marine protected areas. The only way to access this beautiful dive spot is via liveaboard.

10. JELLYFISH LAKE -- PALAU

A swim at Jellyfish Lake, in Palau, is a totally unique adventure. Millions of golden jellyfish (papau etpisoni) migrate across the lake every day, as they follow the sun, which feeds the algae they eat. These jellyfish are stingless, so feel free to swim and even touch them!

Jellyfish Lake is one of about 70 marine lakes in the Rock Islands. About 12,000 years ago, when the sea levels were higher, these lakes were part of the ocean. The jellyfish became trapped in the lake once the water levels retreated.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: by Boris Bialek. Colors. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
Image: by Elias Levy. Wayag Island, Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
Image: by Paul Carmona. Berlenga Island.The Elephants Head. Elephant Head Rock, Thailand.
Image: by faiyu Shafyq. Ari Atoll Mirihi Island Resort. Ari Atoll, Maldives.
Image: by Eric Pheterson. Great Blue Hole - Belize. The Blue Hole, Belize.
Image: by Sam Thompson, of Sam and Katy. Komodo National Park. Komodo National Park, Indonesia.
Image: by myheimu. Kimbe Bay West New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea.
Image: Courtesy of NASA EO. Cocos Islands from the Earth Observatory. Cocos Island, Costa Rica.
Image: Courtesy of Joy Travel. Sipadan Island, Malaysia.
Image: by Markus Fritze. A nice coral grouper above the reef. Baa Atoll, The Maldives.
Image: by Syn. Jellyfish Lake. Jellyfish Lake, Palau.
Image: by Neville Wootton. Titus, Marion & another Anemonefish. Ari Atoll, Maldives.
Image: by Stéphane Enten. Coco Island. Cocos Island, Costa Rica.
Image: by BN App - Download now!
Image: by Tony Shih. Sunset in Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat, Indonesia.