Sunshine and warm, crystal clear waters fringed by white sandy beaches sum up why the Maldives is a diving paradise. While the main season is December to March, you can dive here all year round. The Maldives has over 1200 islands. These are surrounded by sea currents that draw in whale sharks and manta rays from the Indian Ocean.
Indonesia has soared up the trend table of popular diving holidays. Not surprising with areas such as Raja Ampat, considered to have the world's highest marine biodiversity. On just one dive you might be lucky enough to encounter epaulette and wobbegong sharks, manta rays, pygmy seahorses, whale sharks, and bobtail squid. The main diving season is October to April.
If history rather than wildlife tempts you to dive then this is one of the world's best wreck diving locations. During the Second World War, hundreds of Japanese aircraft and ships were sunk in the lagoon. Some of the lagoon is now a designated Japanese memorial but more than 50 wrecks are open to divers. The season runs from October to April.
If you prefer cold water diving, then Norway has some notable sites along the length of its coast. From October to February you can dive close to pods of orcas, while during December, you might be lucky enough to swim near migrating humpback whales as they follow herring shoals along the sheltered Kaldfjord near Tromso. You'll definitely need to pack a drysuit.
For the truly adventurous who want a liveaboard experience that offers diving every day, Antarctica has plenty to offer. You can only go from October to February, the summer months in Antarctica, and you will need to be properly certified and experienced. During your liveaboard holiday, you can dive under ice, swim around icebergs and alongside penguins and playful leopard seals, while spotting humpback whales getting fat on krill.
