The Diver's Travel Guide: 3 Bucket-List Scuba Trips That Changed My Life

There is nothing quite like the feeling of taking your very first breath underwater. The sudden silence, the weightlessness, and the realisation that you are exploring a world completely different to our own.

Whether you are looking to take your very first giant stride into the ocean or you are a seasoned diver searching for your next adrenaline-fueled drift dive, the destinations you seek out will naturally evolve.

Having progressed from my very first PADI certification all the way through to Rescue Diver, I have been lucky enough to explore some of the world's most spectacular underwater environments. Here are three world-class scuba destinations that belong on every diver’s bucket list as my personal favourites.

1. Fiji: Rainbow Reefs & Heart-Pumping Shark Dives

If you are looking for the absolute perfect place for a colourful reef diving (this is exactly where I got my PADI Open Water license!), look no further than the warm, crystal-clear waters of Fiji.

Known globally as the "Soft Coral Capital of the World," Fiji’s underwater landscape is a vibrant, neon kaleidoscope. The water is incredibly warm, and the coral structures in the shallower lagoons provide the ultimate, stress-free environment for beginners. But Fiji isn't just for quiet reef drifts—it is also home to some of the most thrilling shark diving on the planet.

• The Must-Dive Highlight:The Great White Wall & Beqa Lagoon. While the Somosomo Strait features a staggering vertical wall blanketed entirely in jaw-dropping, brilliant white soft coral, thrill-seekers need to head to Beqa Lagoon. Here, experienced local guides lead structured, cageless shark dives where you can find yourself surrounded by up to eight different species of sharks in a single dive—including massive, majestic tiger sharks and bull sharks. It is a heart-stopping, awe-inspiring testament to marine conservation.

2. Utila, Honduras: The Mesoamerican Playground

Located in the Bay Islands of Honduras, the laid-back island of Utila is a global mecca for scuba diving. Sitting right on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second largest reef system in the world—it boasts over 100 named dive sites. It was here, surrounded by dramatic underwater topography, that I pushed my own limits to complete my Advanced and Rescue Diver licenses.

Utila is famous for its sheer drop-offs, deep walls close to shore, and vibrant coral seamounts. It is also one of the few places on earth renowned for year-round whale shark sightings, giving divers the rare chance to swim alongside these gentle giants.

• The Must-Dive Highlight:The Night Dive "String of Pearls" & Whale Sharks. During a night dive in Utila, you can turn off your torch to witness an incredible biological phenomenon. Tiny bioluminescent crustaceans light up the pitch-black water like glowing strings of pearls, creating a genuinely magical, otherworldly underwater experience. During the day, keep your eyes on the blue—Utila's unique position on the reef makes it a sanctuary for whale sharks, where you can quietly slide into the water to snorkel alongside these majestic, spotted 12-meter giants.

3. The Red Sea, Egypt: Historic Wrecks &... Sea Bed Toilets?

For divers looking for sheer variety, historical drama, and heart-pumping drift dives, the Red Sea is an unparalleled playground. Stretching alongside Egypt, it offers incredibly clear waters, massive drop-offs, and a staggering abundance of marine life.

It is a place where you can explore a sunken maritime museum in the morning—like the hauntingly beautiful, world-famous WWII wreck of the SS Thistlegorm (still loaded with WWII motorcycles and jeeps)— and swim past some of the most bizarre cargo on the ocean floor in the afternoon.

• The Must-Dive Highlight:Yolanda Reef (Ras Mohammed National Park). In 1980, a cargo ship named the Jolanda ran aground here. While the ship itself eventually slipped into the deep abyss, it left behind its cargo scattered across a shallow reef: hundreds of ceramic toilets, bathtubs, and sinks. Today, these porcelain thrones have become a thriving artificial reef covered in colourful corals, teeming with marine life, and making for some of the most surreal (and funny) underwater photo opportunities on earth.

Map Out Your Next Underwater Adventure

Whether you are dreaming of taking your very first breath underwater in the South Pacific, exploring the walls of the Caribbean, or mapping out a liveaboard journey through the Red Sea, I can help you build the perfect itinerary.

At Plan My Trip, Idesign tailored dive travel itineraries that pair you with the best locations, source the ideal accommodations, and ensure you are in the right water at the exact right time of year.

Explore our Explorer Packages today and let’s start designing your next underwater escape.