Best dives of my 2020/2025 season
Read on my medium blog: https://medium.com/@simonatomarcelo/best-dives-of-my-2020-2025-season-51f6b352a4ff
As a level CMAS 3* diver, I usually take some weeks each time to enjoy good dive conditions around the word.
I decided to share the top 5 from the last 5 years. This will be, of course, the first of this series. Once I do another top dive, considered better than these ones, I will update this post.
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Number 5: Nosy Be — Madagascar
I was in Nosy Be in October 2024, the good period for Whale Sharks (but bad luck, no whale shark for us). We stayed 10 days in the island and we had 2 dives a day in the morning. The afternoon was for tourism and beaches.
Besides I did not saw any whale sharks — nature is like this ;) — the best dive was at Nosy Sakatia.
1. Water temperature: 24°-27° — OK for a 5mm suite considering 2 to 3 dives a day x 5 days.
2. Visibility: Good — around 40m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals were decent, but nothing special. The corals were in a start of white phase, due to a hot water season.
4. What to expect from animals: Some octopus, a single black tip shark and turtles.
5. Dives were organized by a local dive club at Nosy be, the Scuba Nosy Be. They also organized some non-dive trips for invited guests and for us after diving — as Nosy Iranja beach (amazing)!
Figure 1 — Photo by myself :)
Number 4: Ilha Grande — Brazil
I dive in Ilha Grande in 2021. Going there is easy from big capitals as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, both by car, and dive conditions are amazing. We stayed 4 days there, in February, with 2 dives per day in the morning.
1. Water temperature: Amazing, 24°. Easily diving with a 5mm suite.
2. Visibility: Amazing — around 60m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals were decent, with brain corals and some beautiful big wall of Corals.
4. What to expect from animals: Turtles and different kind of fishes.
5. Dives were organized by a local dive club at Ilha Grande, the Elite Dive Center
Figure 2 — Photos by me
Number 3: Pucket — Thailand
Pucket is for sure one of the regions with the most beautiful beaches in Thailand. Besides all these paradises, dives can for sure be amazing. I did 2 days with 3 dives per day in the region, all morning. I dived here end July, considered the rainy season. Indeed at the night rainy was heavy, but no rain during dives and temperature were very nice — from 27° to 32°.
The best site is a wreak called King Cruiser Wreck.
1. Water temperature: Amazing, 29°. Easily diving with a 3mm suite.
2. Visibility: Very Good — around 40m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals were nice, especially in the wreak.
4. What to expect from animals: Fishes everywhere. This wreak in particular was one of the most crowded place for fishes I ever saw. A lot of different fishes and what an amazing time there.
5. Dives were organized by a local dive club at Phuket the Tommy’s Divecenter Phuket.
Figure 3 — Wreak in a pool of fish — by me
Number 3.1: Pattaya — Thailand
This is an extra one, as Pataya in Thailand is not exactly a place where people go to dive. But besides anything else, access to Bangkok is very easy by car or by bus, and beaches there are not bad — so as dives could be good.
I decided to include here because for people in Bangkok area.
Best dive was HTMS Matthapon.
1. Water temperature: Good, 22°. Easily diving with a 3mm suite.
2. Visibility: Good — around 30m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals were good, some white ones due to very hot sun season. Nothing special
4. What to expect from animals: Hot water animals are frequently here, as hermiton, different color fishes, clown fish.
Special kudos for a huge jellyfish we saw on this dive — I would say 1.5m-2m easily — see the photo below.
5. Dives were organized by a local dive club at Pattaya, the Scuba Club Krabi
Figure 4 — the biggest jellyfish I ever saw
Number 2: Red Sea — Egypt
Red Sea is for sure one of the best dive sites in the planet. It was my number one for a long time, and I am pretty sure it can comes again to number one.
Here the dives were in a live abord, with 7 days dives, 3 dives a day, from breakfast until afternoon — some times night dives.
The advantage of the live abord is that it can explore far from cost dive sites — and these ones are the best ones!!
Consider Elphinstone and Brother’s island as the number 1 sites in Red sea, all only assessable from live abord.
1. Water temperature: In June, amazing, 26°. Easily diving with a 3mm suite, but for 3 dives/day better to go with a 5mm to keep it warm.
2. Visibility: Amazing — around 100m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals are special here. All colors, all possibilities.
4. What to expect from animals: Fishes everywhere. Turtles are also nice. Special attention to hammerhead sharks, and manta rays -> Amazing, amazing!!
Number 1: Sipadan — Malaysia
Sipadan was already elected one of the best dive sites in the planet. Diving here is for sure special.
I came from Kuala Lumpur, with a direct flight to Tawan, and after a transfer to pier. After the organized boat to the island of Mabul, where I stayed.
I got a package of 4N/3D, with 3 dives per day, 9 dives total. 2 per day are made at Sipadan itself.
The best site for sure is the Barracuda Point.
1. Water temperature: In Mars, really good 28°. Easily diving with a 3mm suite.
2. Visibility: Amazing — around 100m.
3. What to expect for nature: Corals are amazing, different sizes and colors. Less than Egypt at my view.
4. What to expect from animals: Fishes everywhere. Turtles are really at all sides — For sure the place where I most see turtles in my life. Special attention to white tip sharks and black tip sharks, that comes here as a cleaning station.
Photos by me ;)