Outline of recreational dive sites

Recreational dive sites are specific places that recreational scuba divers go to enjoy the underwater environment. They include recreational diver training sites and technical diving sites beyond the range generally accepted for recreational diving. In this context all diving done for recreational purposes is included. Professional diving tends to be done where the job is, and with the exception of the recreational diving service industry, does not generally occur at specific sites chosen for their easy access, pleasant conditions or interesting features.

Recreational dive sites may be found in a wide range of bodies of water, and may be popular for various reasons, including accessibility, biodiversity, spectacular topography, historical interest and artifacts (such as shipwrecks), and water clarity. Tropical waters of high biodiversity and colourful sea life are popular recreational diving vacation destinations. South-east Asia, the Caribbean islands, the Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia are regions where the clear, warm, waters and colourful and diverse sea life have made recreational diving an economically important tourist industry.

Recreational divers may accept a relatively high level of risk to dive at a site perceived to be of special interest. Wreck diving and cave diving have their adherents, and enthusiasts will endure considerable hardship, risk and expense to visit caves and wrecks where few have been before. Some sites are popular almost exclusively for their convenience for training and practice of skills, such as flooded quarries. They are generally found where more interesting and pleasant diving is not locally available, or may only be accessible when weather or water conditions permit. (Full article...)

Reef diving regions

• Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park – Marine protected area in the Cozumel reef system off Mexico
• Poor Knights Islands – Group of islands and marine reserve off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island
• Great Barrier Reef – coral reef system off the east coast of Australia, World Heritage Site
• Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area – A marine conservation area around the Cape Peninsula in South Africa

Reef dive sites

• Palancar Reef – Coral reef off Cozumel, Mexico in the Caribbean sea

• Blue Grotto (Malta)
• Boesmansgat – Sinkhole and dive site in South Africa
• Cenote – A natural pit, or sinkhole, that exposes groundwater underneath
  • Dzibilchaltun – Maya archaeological site with cenote in Yucatan, Mexico
  • Sistema Dos Ojos – Flooded cave system at the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
  • Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich – Flooded cave system in Mexico
  • Sistema Ox Bel Ha – Flooded cave system in Quintana Roo, Mexico
  • Sistema Sac Actun – Flooded cave system in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
• Chinhoyi Caves – A group of caves in north central Zimbabwe
• Devil's Throat at Punta Sur – Underwater cave near Cozumel, Mexico
• Engelbrecht Cave – Cave system in South Australia
• Fossil Cave – A flooded cave in the Limestone Coast area of South Australia
• Hranice Abyss – Flooded sinkhole near the town of Hranice in the Czech Republic
• Inland Sea, Gozo – A lagoon of seawater on the island of Gozo in the village of San Lawrenz linked to the Mediterranean Sea through an opening formed by a narrow natural arch
• Jordbrugrotta – Cave system in Norway
• Molnár János Cave – Water-filled cave in Budapest, Hungary
• Nereo Cave – Sea cave in Sardinia, Italy
• Piccaninnie Ponds – Protected area near Mount Gambier in South Australia
• Silfra – Water-filled rift in Iceland between the North American an Eurasian tectonic plates
• Wakulla Springs – A spring and cave in the Floridan Aquifer under the Woodville Karst Plain of north Florida
• Zacatón – Water-filled sinkhole in Mexico

• Ewens Ponds – Flooded sinkholes in South Australia
• Little Blue Lake – Flooded sinkhole dive site in South Australia

• Capernwray Dive Centre – Flooded quarry in Lancashire, England, used as a recreational dive site
• National Diving and Activity Centre – Flooded quarry in Gloucestershire used as a recreational dive site.
• Stoney Cove – Flooded quarry in Leicestershire used for scuba diving

• Wreck diving regions
  • Chuuk Lagoon – A sheltered body of water in the central Pacific in the Federated States of Micronesia
  • Maritime Heritage Trail – Battle of Saipan – A group of WWII wrecks in the lagoon at Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands
  • Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve – Reserve to protect and conserve shipwrecks and historical resources in Lake Superior
  • Wreck Alley, San Diego – Recreational dive area, also known as "Sunken Harbor", with several wrecks sunk as artificial reefs
  • Tulagi – Small island in the Solomon Islands north of Guadalcanal
• Wreck sites
  • HMS A1 – The Royal Navy's first British-designed submarine
  • HMS A3 – A-class submarine of the Royal Navy
  • USS Aaron Ward – Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy
  • SS Abessinia – German ship wrecked at the Farne Islands in 1921. Now a dive site
  • MV Aeolian Sky – Greek registered freighter sunk off Dorset after a collision
  • SS Albert C. Field – Canadian cargo ship, sunk off the Needles during World War II
  • SS America – Steam packet wrecked off Isle Royale in Lake Superior
  • SS Andrea Doria – ocean liner sunk after a collision off Massachusetts
  • SS Antilla – Hamburg America Line cargo ship scuttled in 1940 off Aruba
  • SS Antilles – French cruise ship that ran aground and sank off Mustique
  • SS Aquila – British built cargo ship sunk off Ambon
  • HMS Boadicea – B-class destroyer of the Royal Navy, sunk by enemy action in Lyme Bay
  • MV Bianca C. – Passenger ship sunk off Grenada
  • Booya – Three masted steel schooner wrecked in Darwin, Australia
  • SS Breda – Dutch ship sunk off Scotland in 1940
  • HMAS Brisbane – Perth-class guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy sunk as a dive site off the Queensland coast
  • Bungsberg – German cargo ship sunk near Tallinn, Estonia
  • HMAS Canberra – Adelaide class guided missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy scuttled as dive site off Barwon Heads, Victoria
  • SS Carl D. Bradley – Self-unloading Great Lakes freighter that sank in a Lake Michigan storm tons of orphans afterwards.
  • SS Carnatic – British steamship wrecked in the gulf of Suez
  • SS Cedarville – Great lakes bulk carrier wrecked in a collision
  • SMS Dresden – German light cruiser scuttled in Scapa Flow
  • SS Dunraven – British cargo vessel wrecked in the Gulf of Suez
  • SS Eastfield – Ship sunk off Cornwall 1n 1917, now a dive site
  • HMT Elk – British trawler sunk off Plymouth in 1940, now a recreational dive site.
  • SS Ellengowan – Schooner rigged single screw steamer which sank at moorings in Darwin, Australia
  • RMS Empress of Ireland – Ocean liner which sank near the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River after a collision
  • HMS Falmouth – Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy sunk off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by German submarines
  • Fifi – Tugboat that caught fire and sank in Bahrain
  • SS Francisco Morazan – German built cargo ship wrecked in Lake Michigan
  • Fujikawa Maru – Japanese armed transport ship sunk in Truk lagoon
  • Japanese destroyer Fumizuki – Mutsuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy sunk at Truk
  • USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg – US Navy transport ship sunk as artificial reef at Key West
  • HMS Ghurka – Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy sunk off Dungeness by a German mine
  • Glen Strathallan – British ship scuttled in Plymouth sound as a dive site
  • SS Gothenburg – British steamship wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef
  • Herzogin Cecilie – German-built four-masted barque wrecked near Salcombe
  • Hilma Hooker – Shipwreck in Bonaire in the Caribbean Netherlands
  • SS Hispania  – Swedish steamship wrecked in the Sound of Mull, now a dive site
  • HMS Hood  – Royal Sovereign-class battleship of the Royal Navy scuttled in Portland Harbour
  • HMAS Hobart – Guided missile destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy scuttled off Yankalilla Bay
  • Igara – Bulk carrier wrecked off the east coast of Malaysia and partly salvaged
  • SS James Eagan Layne – Liberty ship sunk off Cornwall, now a dive site
  • Captain Keith Tibbetts
  • King Cruiser – Car ferry of that sank off the West Coast of Southern Thailand
  • SMS Kronprinz – First World War German battleship scuttled in Scapa Flow
  • Kyarra – Cargo and passenger luxury liner torpedoed and sunk near Swanage
  • HMS Laforey – Royal Navy destroyer sunk by a mine off Sussex
  • USAT Liberty – United States Army cargo ship torpedoed by Japanese submarine and beached on the island of Bali.
  • SS Louis Sheid – Belgian ship sunk off Devon on 1939. Now a recreational dive site
  • USS LST-507 – US Tank landing ship sunk off the south coast of England, now a dive site
  • SMS Markgraf – German battleship scuttled in Scapa Flow
  • MS Mikhail Lermontov – Soviet cruise liner wrecked in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand
  • HMS M2 – Royal Navy submarine monitor wrecked in Lyme Bay
  • SS Maine – British ship sunk in 1917 near Dartmouth, Devon. Now a recreational dive site
  • SS Maloja – UK registered passenger steamship sunk by a mine off Dover
  • HMS Maori – Royal Navy Tribal class destroyer sunk in Malta
  • Marguerite – French ship sunk in Lyme Bay in 1917. Now a dive site
  • SS Mauna Loa – Cargo steamship sunk in the bombing of Darwin
  • USAT Meigs – United States Army transport ship sunk in Darwin Harbour
  • SS Mendi – Passenger steamship that sank after a collision south of the Isle of Wight
  • SS Milwaukee – Great lakes train ferry that foundered in a storm
  • USCGC Mohawk – US Coastguard cutter sunk as artificial reef off south-west Florida
  • SS Mohegan – Steamer wrecked off the coast of the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall
  • RMS Moldavia – British ship sunk in 1918 off Beachy Head, now a dive site
  • HMS Montagu – Pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy wrecked on Lundy Island
  • MV RMS Mulheim – German owned container ship wrecked at Land's End, United Kingdom
  • Nagato – Super-dreadnought sunk by nuclear test in Bikini atoll
  • SS Oceana – Cargo and passenger ship sunk off Beachy Head after a collision
  • USS Oriskany  – US Navy aircraft carrier sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Florida
  • MS Oslofjord – Ocean liner sunk after hitting a mine off the River Tyne
  • Maltese patrol boat P29 – Ship scuttled as dive site off Malta
  • Maltese patrol boat P31 – Minesweeper/patrol boat scuttled for use as a recreational dive site
  • SS Pedernales – Lake tanker damaged by a torpedo at Aruba, was part of the ships remains
  • SS Persier – British ship sunk in Plymouth Sound in 1945. Now a dive site
  • HMAS Perth – Guided missile destroyer of the Australian Navy, sunk as a dive site off Western Australia
  • MS Piłsudski – Polish passenger ship sunk off the Yorkshire coast
  • MV Pool Fisher – British merchant vessel that sank off the Isle of Wight
  • HMS Port Napier – Royal Navy minelayer destroyed in Loch Alsh, Scotland, by an explosion following an engine room fire
  • Preußen
  • SS President Coolidge – American ocean liner sunk by mines in the New Hebrides
  • PS Queen Victoria – Paddle steamer wrecked off the Baily Lighthouse, Ireland
  • SS Radaas – Ship sunk in 1917 near Portland Bill, now a dive site
  • Rainbow Warrior – Greenpeace vessel bombed by French intelligence service operatives in Auckland harbour, refloated and scuttled as a dive site
  • SS Regina – Steel ship that foundered in Lake Huron in a storm
  • RMS Rhone – Royal Mail Ship wrecked off Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands in a hurricane
  • SS Rondo – Ship sunk in Sound of Mull in 1935, now a recreational dive site
  • SS Rosehill – Steam collier torpedoed and sunk near Fowey, Cornwall
  • Royal Adelaide – Iron sailing ship wrecked on Chesil Beach
  • Royal Charter – Steam clipper wrecked off Porth Alerth on the coast of Anglesey
  • MV Rozi – Tugboat scuttled as a dive site off Malta
  • HMS Safari
  • MV Salem Express – Car and passenger ferry wrecked off the Egyptian coast
  • USS Saratoga – Lexington-class aircraft carrier
  • USS Scuffle – Admirable class minesweeper sunk as an artificial reef off Cozumel
  • HMS Scylla – Royal Navy frigate sunk as artificial reef off Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
  • HMS Sidon – Royal Navy submarine sunk in Portland Harbour by explosion of a faulty torpedo
  • USS Spiegel Grove – US Navy dock landing ship sunk off Key Largo as an artificial reef
  • Stanegarth – Steam tugboat scuttled as a dive feature at Stoney Cove
  • SS Stanwood – British ship sunk off Falmouth in 1939
  • SS Stella – Passenger ferry wrecked off the Casquets
  • HMAS Swan – Australian "River" class destroyer sunk as a dive site off the coast of Dunsborough, Western Australia
  • USS Tarpon – US Navy Submarine which foundered south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, while under tow to the scrap yard.
  • SS Thesis – Steamship wrecked in 1889 in the Sound of Mull, Scotland. Now a recreational dive site.
  • SS Thistlegorm – British armed merchantman sunk in the Red Sea at Ras Muhammad
  • Toa Maru – Japanese transport ship sunk by a submarine off Gizo, Solomon Islands
  • SS Torrey Canyon – Suezmax class oil tanker wrecked off the western coast of Cornwall
  • U-40 – German submarine sunk by a mine in the English Channel
  • U-352 – German submarine sunk by depth charges south of Morehead City, North Carolina
  • U-1195 – German submarine sunk by antisubmarine mortar to the southeast of the Isle of Wight
  • Um El Faroud – Libyan owned tanker scuttled as dive site off Malta
  • SS Varvassi – Greek freighter wrecked at The Needles in a storm after engine failure
  • SS Vienna – Steamship sunk after a collision in Lake Superior
  • SS Walter L M Russ – German freighter wrecked in St George's Channel
  • SS Washingtonian – American freighter that sank off Delaware after a collision
  • HMNZS Wellington – Leander class frigate sunk as artificial reef off Wellington, New Zealand
  • USS Yancey – Andromeda-class attack cargo ship sunk as an artificial reef off North Carolina
  • SS Yongala – Australian registered passenger ship that sank off Cape Bowling Green, Queensland, Australia
  • MS Zenobia – RO-RO ferry that capsized and sank near Larnaca, Cyprus
  • SS Zealandia – Australian cargo and passenger steamship sunk in the bombing of Darwin
  • Zingara – Cargo vessel wrecked in the Straits of Tiran in the Red Sea

• Kristu tal-Baħħara