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Scuba diving vacations

Scuba diving vacations from around the world from specialist responsible operators passionate about diving & conservation. Scuba diving vacations that are fantastic experiences & better for the environment.

scuba diving vacations
Cayman Islands dive resort, West Bay
All inclusive options on Grand Cayman's north shore, from US $270 - US $330 per accommodation per night (sleeps 2)
Cote d Azur scuba diving vacations in France
Diving trips in the Cote d Azur for all levels, from £399 - £775 (8 days) ex flights
Marine conservation & research, Seychelles
Marine conservation & research in the Seychelles, from US $3315 - US $6375 (4 weeks) ex flights
Diving in the Red Sea & Pyramid tour
Scuba diving vacation in the Red Sea, from £450 (8 days) ex flights
Cayman Islands scuba diving holiday
Warm water, great visibility, pristine reef in Grand Cayman, from US $1500 - US $2500 (7 days) ex flights
Marine conservation in Belize
Monitor reefs in the Caribbean, from £650 - £5925 (1 week) ex flights
Antarctic diving expedition
An Antarctic expedition for divers & non-divers alike, from €5190 - €7650 (11 days) ex flights
Marine conservation vacation in Thailand
Join in a fantastic marine conservation project on a tropical island, from £595 (7 days) ex flights
Boutique hotel in Dahab, Egypt
Uninterrupted sea views, from US $60 per double room per night
Learn to dive in Gozo, Malta
PADI open water diving course in Malta, Gozo, from £600 - £895 (8 days) ex flights
Marine conservation in Madagascar
Coral reef research in Madagascar, from £1400 (3 weeks) ex flights
Scuba diving and tour in Cuba
Scuba diving in the Pearl of the Caribbean., from €895 (15 days ) ex flights
Belize diving conservation holiday
An eco dive vacation with a difference, from £1150 - £1250 (14 days) ex flights
Marine conservation in Malaysia
Dive, replant coral and save turtles in tropical paradise, from £424 - £1380 (4 weeks) ex flights
Marine conservation expedition in Mexico
Ambitious & unique coral reef research, from US $3052 - US $5772 (14 days) ex flights
Liveaboard sailing vacation in Greece
Combine a sailing and diving adventure in the Greek islands, from €694 - €750 (7 days) ex flights
Shark conservation in South Africa
Research sharks above & below the water, from £995 (14 days) ex flights
Mexico divemaster internship
Study marine conservation & develop leadership skills, from US $8662 (12 weeks) ex flights
Beach and diving vacation in Sardinia, Italy
Diving & beaches in the Gulf of Orosei., from €439 - €630 (8 days) ex flights
South Africa diving vacation & safari
Experience the rich natural history, from £1150 (11 days) ex flights
Kosrae scuba diving resort in Micronesia
Scuba diving resort in Micronesia from US $50 per person per night
Mozambique diving vacation
Unique beachside with diverse coral reefs, from £1215 (10 days) ex flights
Sinai Camel & Dive Safari vacation
Dive in the Red Sea & camel safari up the coast, from £495 (8 days) ex flights
Family diving vacation in the Red Sea
Scuba diving for the family in the Gulf of Aqaba, from £270 (8 days) ex flights

100 reviews for scuba diving vacations4 star overall rating

These full and frank independent scuba diving vacations reviews are from travelers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travelers below.

Cote d Azur scuba diving vacations in France
Most memorable was diving in the warm, clear mediterranian waters with a friendly and professional guide. The driving company went out of their way to make sure we had a memorable trip. (more)
From £399 - £775 excluding flights
Marine conservation in Belize
A real experience and trip of a lifetime. We met friends for life and experienced thing we may never get opportunity to experience again.  (more)
From £650 - £5925 excluding flights
Antarctic diving expedition
All of it was memorable, but if I had to pick it would be my first sight of Antarctica which was at sunrise, wow! And my 30 minute dive with a leopard seal. But it was all amazing. (more)
From €5190 - €7650 excluding flights
Whale Shark diving conservation in Seychelles
Most exciting was 5 days of going out with the whale sharks - all equally brilliant and completely different experiences and behaviour each day. Getting into the water the first time and seeing the giants in the flesh was unforgettable. (more)
From £1395 excluding flights
Red Sea diving in Dahab, Egypt
We did a camel safari to a dive site where we did two beautiful dives and had lunch at a Bedouin village... We had a really great time and would recommend to anyone. (more)
From £405 excluding flights
Liveaboard sailing vacation in Greece
The entire experience was incredible - it was both challenging and exciting. The diving was especially incredible - I experienced diving in caverns for the first time, and witnessed 3 different wrecks, one of which was 3,000 years old. (more)
From €694 - €750 excluding flights
Learn to dive in Sardinia, Italy
One of the most memorable parts of my trip was a snorkelling excursion along the Golfo di Orosei. Along the way, as we sailed past all the stunning beaches and caves, Cinzia gave us plenty of information about the geography and nature along the coast, but all in a very humorous and fun way. Once in the crystal clear water we were lucky enough to see a couple of weird and wonderful creatures. (more)
From €418 - €805 excluding flights
Marine conservation in Madagascar
Excellent vacation, highly recommended. I will definitely be traveling with responsibletravel and I have already told everyone I know about your website. Keep up the good work.  (more)
From £1400 excluding flights
Arctic diving, marine life & wildlife expedition
Most memorable were the extremes of weather, the diversity of animals, the quality of the accommodation and facilities, and something you can't plan for - new found friends! (more)
From £2550 - £3990 excluding flights
Mozambique diving vacation
We went out to scuba dive a couple of times and managed to swim with both turtles and dolphins, and in between tanks we had a whole desert island to ourselves. (more)
From £1215 excluding flights
Antarctica cruise, with diving & climbing options
The very first Antarctic landing was a photographer's feast that was totally mindblowing at such an early stage of the trip. (more)
From US $6090 - US $10850 excluding flights
Sinai Camel & Dive Safari vacation
Most memorable moments were scuba diving the beautifully unspoiled reefs of Ras Abu Galum, stargazing at night while sipping Bedouin tea, loving the wonderful camels and letting your mind remain silent while taking in the beautifully stark and wild scenery of South Sinai. (more)
From £495 excluding flights
Marine conservation expedition in Mexico
Most memorable? The diving and marine life, the culture, the beauty of the place, i.e too many memorable parts. (more)
From US $3052 - US $5772 excluding flights
Learn to scuba dive in the Red Sea, Dahab
Diving the Islands was my favourite. The quad biking and evening in the desert was good too. The night sky in the desert was amazing. The staff at the Coral Coast Hotel were great, they made me a cake for my birthday and sang Happy Birthday in Arabic. They did origami arrangements with the towels. (more)
From £442 excluding flights
Diving in the Red Sea & Pyramid tour
I enjoyed the day in Cairo. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Visiting the Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids with the camel ride was unforgettable. Snorkelling in the diving in the Red Sea is magical!!! (more)
From £450 excluding flights
Sardinia diving vacations, Italy
Most memorable was diving on the wrecks in the bay, pleasant evenings spent with a glass of wine overlooking the water and our great hosts Cinzia and Maurizio. (more)
From €403 - €565 excluding flights
Mexico divemaster internship
Most memorable was diving with dolphins, realising the benefit that the data will provide...9/10.  (more)
From US $8662 excluding flights
Marine conservation & research, Seychelles
This is one of the most awesome adventures I've had and can't wait to go back. (more)
From US $3315 - US $6375 excluding flights
Saba ecolodge accommodation, Dutch West Indies
Fabulous. We loved the great hiking trails on Saba and the cooking at the ecolodge where was stayed was absolutely fabulous! (more)
From US $75 - US $95 per cottage per night
Thailand beach resort
Walking on a completely empty long golden beach, watching the monsoon rains from our windows and kayaking in the mangrove swamp and watching the monkeys were the highlights. (more)
From €75 - €150 per person per night

Vacation Reviews

We invite every traveler who books a vacation via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the vacations they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same vacation can have different views!

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Unedited reviews from other travelers

5 stars
I am reborn! Simply the best vacation I have ever been on
4 stars
Some great stories to tell the grandchildren. Would recommend to a friend
3 stars
Very enjoyable
2 stars
It was OK
1 star
A bit disappointing really

Scuba Diving Vacations

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving and allows divers to stay underwater for long periods of time thanks to the scuba set of compressed air that they carry with them. There is a wide variety of scuba diving vacations available for absolute beginners as well as experienced divers. Red Sea diving vacations are very popular as the Red Sea is regarded as one of the best dive locations in the world and is noted for its marine life and corals. Red Sea diving vacations will reveal diverse aquatic sea life in abundance, including more than 1200 species of fish and 2,000km of reef extending along the coastline.

Many people go on Egypt scuba diving vacations to access the Red Sea. A well-liked Egypt diving destination is Dahab, which is a small town on the southeast coast of Egypt and has many dive centres. Dahab diving has gained worldwide fame and enjoys large numbers of tourists. You can go Dahab diving any time of year as it has pleasant weather all year round.

Dahab is characterised by shore diving, with depths for all levels amongst the maze of coral islands. Dahab diving can suit all levels - there are gentle reef slopes and coral gardens for beginners and some more challenging sites such as the Blue Hole or the Canyon for the more advanced. As well as diving in Egypt, other popular diving locations include diving in Lanzarote, Arctic diving, Antarctica diving, Sardinia diving vacations and scuba diving in Italy.

Dive Courses

If you want to learn to dive, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the worlds largest recreational diving membership and training organisation which offers several diving courses, ranging from the entry levels of‘scuba diver’ and ‘open water diver’ to the ‘advanced open water diver’ and ‘master scuba diver (divemaster)’. PADI courses are performance-based dive programs and emphasise practical knowledge and safety, dive physics and chemistry.

The Open Water Diver (OWD) entry-level certification is one of the most popular courses and consists of knowledge development, confined water dives, and open water dives. The Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) focuses on refining the skills learned in the OWD, allowing the diver to explore a broader variety of diving to a maximum of 30 metres including deep diving, drift diving and night diving.

The Divemaster qualification is generally used by a diver who has overall responsibility for a group of divers. During Divemaster training, candidates learn dive leadership skills through classroom and independent study, completing water skills and stamina exercises, as well as training exercises. PADI members include dive centres, resorts and educational facilities all over the world and teach the majority of the world’s recreational divers so you can learn to dive on a diving vacation in a gorgeous location such as Greece, Egypt, Mexico or Indonesia.

Wreck Diving

There is something quite ghostly about exploring a sunken shipwreck which is teeming with the life of a coral reef. Most divers can’t resist exploring sunken vessels, aeroplanes and automobiles which soon become a safe haven for thousands of species and corals. Wreck diving is specialist but is accessible to divers of all abilities – some are available from the shore and can be enjoyed by beginners. Regions such as Micronesia, the Caribbean and Pacific have so many wrecks that they can be the focus of an entire diving vacation.

Whale Shark Diving

Whale shark diving is very popular as the Whale Shark is the biggest fish in the sea, reaching up to 18m in length, and is usually found in warm, tropical waters. There is little known about this graceful creature, which is supposed to have originated 60 million years ago. Many people go on whale shark scuba diving vacations which contribute to its conservation as it is currently listed as a vulnerable species and is frequently targeted by commercial fisheries.

Great white shark diving vacations are also sought after by those looking for the ultimate thrill. The Great White Shark is a predator, preying mainly on seals, and is found in the coastal surface waters in all major oceans. Great White Shark diving involves cage diving which offers you the unforgettable experience of having Great Whites swim around and above you.

Liveaboards

Liveaboard diving vacations are a great option for those wishing to access remote areas and maximise the number of dives they can experience – up to four or five a day. Single travelers will find that liveaboard diving vacations offer a great opportunity for socialising and people who want to go diving with children will also benefit, as the facilities are all close to hand. You can choose a liveaboard diving vacation pretty much anywhere including the Polar Regions, the Americas, Asia, Australasia and the Caribbean.

Want to know more about scuba diving vacations before you go?

Find out more about diving by reading these scuba diving articles.

Make sure your dive doesn’t destroy what you’ve come to see. It's a privilege to be able to enter and experience the magical underwater world. However coral reefs around the world are under extreme threat, and if we want to ensure that our kids can enjoy the same wonderful experiences then we need to dive responsibly. Read Justin's top tips in this responsible scuba diving article.

New to scuba diving? Find out more about learning to scuba dive from Helena who learn to dive in the Red Sea in 2007. Read her advice in this learn to scuba dive article.

Our friends at Coral Cay Conservation have put together the following tips and guidelines to help travelers be more responsible divers. By taking these simple steps when visiting areas with coral reefs, you are helping protect the health of coral reefs and the marine life that depend on them for survival. Read their advice in this guidelines for scuba diving article.
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