Reef dive sites worldwide
Browse by country to find reef dives for your experience level.
Other types
Albania
1
Antigua and Barbuda
1
Aruba
1
Australia
17
reefClovelly Beach
Sydney · New South Wales · Australia
A sheltered ocean pool and rocky reef shore dive in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs where blue gropers, wobbegong sharks, and octopus provide exceptional macro encounters within a protected aquatic reserve.
reefJulian Rocks
Byron Bay · New South Wales · Australia
Where tropical and temperate currents collide at a volcanic rock outcrop, drawing leopard sharks, manta rays, turtles, and grey nurse sharks to Byron Bay's marine park.
reefMontague Island
Narooma · New South Wales · Australia
A temperate island reserve off the NSW south coast where grey nurse sharks, fur seals, and weedy sea dragons inhabit rich kelp forests.
Montague Island Grey Nurse Shark Gutters
Narooma · New South Wales · Australia
Surge channels and rocky gutters on Montague Island's western face where critically endangered grey nurse sharks aggregate in dense groups year-round, hovering motionless among boulders alongside wobbegong sharks and enormous bull rays.
reefNed's Beach
Lord Howe Island · New South Wales · Australia
A sheltered beach on Lord Howe Island's east coast where the world's southernmost coral reef meets a crystal-clear lagoon, and fearless endemic fish swarm snorkelers and divers in water shallow enough for beginners.
reefSolitary Islands Marine Park
Coffs Harbour · New South Wales · Australia
A marine park off Coffs Harbour where tropical and temperate ocean currents collide, creating one of Australia's most biodiverse underwater environments with an extraordinary mix of grey nurse sharks, manta rays, tropical fish, and temperate species.
reefCod Hole
Cairns · Queensland · Australia
A legendary Great Barrier Reef site where enormous, friendly potato cod approach divers for interaction on the pristine Ribbon Reefs.
reefGreat Barrier Reef (Outer Reef)
Cairns · Queensland · Australia
World's largest coral reef system. Outer reef sections from Cairns offer pristine coral and marine life.
Hastings Reef
Cairns · Queensland · Australia
A sprawling outer reef platform on the Great Barrier Reef accessible as a day trip from Cairns, offering sheltered coral bommies teeming with giant clams, anemonefish, and pelagic visitors cruising the reef edge.
reefRapid Bay Jetty
Adelaide · South Australia · Australia
South Australia's legendary pier dive, where the elusive leafy sea dragon drifts among jetty pylons alongside giant cuttlefish and Port Jackson sharks.
Mornington Peninsula
Melbourne · Victoria · Australia
A temperate diving playground on Melbourne's doorstep where kelp forests, weedy seadragons, and Port Phillip Bay's unique marine ecosystem offer fascinating cold-water encounters including endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
reefBusselton Jetty
Busselton · Western Australia · Australia
The southern hemisphere's longest timber jetty extends nearly two kilometres into Geographe Bay, its pylons encrusted with a kaleidoscopic artificial reef of soft corals, sponges, and invertebrates that rivals tropical diversity.
reefCoral Bay Ningaloo South
Coral Bay · Western Australia · Australia
The southern section of Ningaloo Reef accessible directly from the shore at Coral Bay, offering pristine shallow coral gardens with manta rays, reef sharks, and turtles in a remote Western Australian outpost where the reef meets the beach.
Mettams Pool
Perth · Western Australia · Australia
A naturally sheltered rock pool and limestone reef in Perth's northern suburbs where gentle conditions, abundant temperate marine life, and easy shore entry create Western Australia's most popular beginner dive site.
Navy Pier
Exmouth · Western Australia · Australia
One of the world's top shore dives, where colossal groupers, octopuses, and whitetip reef sharks patrol the pylons of an active military pier.
reefNingaloo Reef - Whale Sharks
Exmouth · Western Australia · Australia
The world's most accessible whale shark encounter, where the planet's largest fish gather along a pristine 260-kilometre fringing reef each autumn.
Rowley Shoals
Broome · Western Australia · Australia
Three pristine coral atolls rising from deep ocean 300km off Broome, offering untouched coral gardens, dramatic walls, and powerful tidal channel dives.
Bahamas
2Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park
Staniel Cay · Exuma · Bahamas
The Caribbean's first no-take marine reserve, where 40 years of protection have created reef fish populations five times denser than surrounding waters and Nassau grouper aggregations found nowhere else.
reefTiger Beach
Freeport · Grand Bahama · Bahamas
The world's premier tiger shark diving destination, offering face-to-face encounters on a shallow sandy bottom.
Bahrain
2Pearl Diving Heritage Site
Manama · Persian Gulf · Bahrain
A historically significant shallow reef off Bahrain where centuries-old pearl diving traditions meet modern recreational diving, with natural oyster beds, coral patches, and the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Dar Island Reef
Manama · Southern Governorate · Bahrain
A small resort island south of Bahrain where shallow coral patches and resident sea snakes provide accessible diving in the heart of the Persian Gulf, just a short boat ride from Manama.
Bangladesh
3Kutubdia Island
Cox's Bazar · Cox's Bazar District · Bangladesh
A frontier dive destination off Bangladesh's southern coast where rocky reef patches and abundant fish life offer genuine exploration diving on reefs that have never been formally surveyed by the recreational diving community.
Saint Martin's Island
Teknaf · Cox's Bazar District · Bangladesh
Bangladesh's only coral island where colourful reef life and rocky formations offer the country's best snorkelling and shallow diving in the Bay of Bengal.
Sonadia Island
Cox's Bazar · Cox's Bazar District · Bangladesh
An emerging snorkelling and shallow dive destination off Cox's Bazar where mangroves, rocky reefs, and migratory marine species converge in the Bay of Bengal.
Belize
4Shark Point
San Pedro · Ambergris Caye · Belize
A sandy-bottomed channel on the Belize Barrier Reef where nurse sharks and southern stingrays congregate in crystal-clear shallows.
Glover's Reef Atoll
Dangriga · Stann Creek District · Belize
The southernmost and most remote of Belize's three atolls, a UNESCO World Heritage site where pristine wall diving plunges from shallow coral gardens into the abyss along a ring of reef encircling a turquoise lagoon.
South Water Caye Marine Reserve
Dangriga · Stann Creek District · Belize
A UNESCO-protected marine reserve on the Belize Barrier Reef where pristine coral gardens, patrolling eagle rays, and resident nurse sharks thrive on a remote caye accessible only by boat from Dangriga.
The Elbow
Belize City · Turneffe Atoll · Belize
A current-swept point where two reef walls converge, creating a marine life magnet with eagle rays and large pelagics.
Bonaire
4Bari Reef
Kralendijk · Bonaire · Bonaire
Bonaire's most popular house reef and arguably the best shore dive in the Caribbean, offering 24/7 access to a pristine coral slope with exceptional macro life, resident turtles, and the island's healthiest hard coral coverage.
Salt Pier
Kralendijk · Bonaire · Bonaire
An iconic shore dive beneath a working salt-loading jetty, where massive pier pilings create an artificial reef teeming with cryptic marine life.
Klein Bonaire Reef
Kralendijk · Caribbean Netherlands · Bonaire
The pristine fringing reef surrounding uninhabited Klein Bonaire island where decades of strict protection have created the Caribbean's healthiest continuous reef system with exceptional wall diving and turtle nesting beaches.
1000 Steps
Kralendijk · Kralendijk · Bonaire
A stunning double reef system accessed by a limestone staircase, famous for pillar corals and turtles at every turn.
Brazil
3Abrolhos Marine National Park
Caravelas · Bahia · Brazil
Brazil's first marine national park protecting the largest coral reef system in the South Atlantic, home to endemic mushroom-shaped coral formations called chapeiroes and seasonal humpback whale breeding grounds.
Buraco da Raquel
Vila dos Remedios · Fernando de Noronha · Brazil
A dramatic volcanic rock formation with natural tidal pools teeming with octopuses and reef fish in UNESCO-protected Fernando de Noronha.
Ilha das Cabras
Ilhabela · Ilhabela · Brazil
A beginner-friendly ecological sanctuary just 100 metres from shore, home to a Neptune statue and abundant marine life in Ilhabela's protected waters.
Cambodia
3Koh Prins Reef
Sihanoukville · Sihanoukville Province · Cambodia
A remote rocky island south of Sihanoukville where bamboo sharks, seahorses, and recovering coral gardens offer Cambodia's best macro diving far from the tourist crowds of Koh Rong.
Koh Rong
Sihanoukville · Sihanoukville Province · Cambodia
Cambodia's largest island where recovering coral reefs, seahorses, and bioluminescent plankton offer an unspoiled alternative to Thailand's crowded dive sites.
Koh Tang
Sihanoukville · Sihanoukville Province · Cambodia
A remote Cambodian military island with pristine, rarely-dived reefs teeming with healthy coral, reef sharks, and large schools of fish in crystal waters.
Canada
1Cape Verde
1Cayman Islands
1China
3Weizhou Island
Beihai · Guangxi Province · China
A volcanic island in the Beibu Gulf with China's best-preserved coral reefs, unique geological formations, and warm waters teeming with colourful reef fish.
Wuzhizhou Island
Sanya · Hainan Province · China
Hainan's premier dive destination where tropical coral reefs, warm clear waters, and abundant marine life make it China's best recreational diving site.
Xisha Islands (Paracel Islands)
Sansha · Hainan Province · China
A remote coral archipelago in the South China Sea where pristine atolls, massive pelagics, and spectacular wall diving remain accessible only to permitted Chinese liveaboard expeditions in one of the ocean's last frontiers.
Colombia
7Capurgana
Capurgana · Choco Department · Colombia
A roadless Caribbean village on Colombia's border with Panama where untouched coral reefs thrive in the warm, clear waters of the Gulf of Uraba, reachable only by boat or small aircraft.
Gorgona Island
Guapi · Colombian Pacific · Colombia
A former prison island turned national park in Colombia's Pacific, where vibrant coral reefs host whitetip sharks, turtles, and seasonal humpback whale encounters.
Islas del Rosario
Cartagena · Corales del Rosario National Park · Colombia
A 23-island Caribbean archipelago just off Cartagena, housing Colombia's most accessible coral reefs with over 28 dive sites in a protected national park.
Tayrona National Park
Santa Marta · Magdalena · Colombia
Colombia's most biodiverse marine park where the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta plunges into the Caribbean, sheltering coral reefs, sea turtles, and reef sharks among granite boulders and tropical jungle backdrop.
Taganga Granate Bay
Santa Marta · Magdalena Department · Colombia
A sheltered bay east of Taganga village where volcanic boulders create a maze of swim-throughs harbouring seahorses, frogfish, and dense coral growth in Colombia's most affordable diving region.
Providencia Island
Santa Isabel · San Andres and Providencia Archipelago · Colombia
A remote Colombian Caribbean island surrounded by the world's third-largest barrier reef, offering pristine wall dives, untouched coral gardens, and the legendary sea of seven colours.
Playa Grande
Santa Marta · Taganga, Santa Marta · Colombia
A colourful Caribbean reef near the fishing village of Taganga, perfect for beginners and open-water students with calm waters and abundant tropical fish.
Comoros
1Cook Islands
1Costa Rica
1Croatia
3Kornati Islands
Murter · Dalmatia · Croatia
Croatia's most spectacular national park archipelago with dramatic cliff walls plunging into deep Adriatic waters, hosting gorgonian forests and rich marine life.
Red Rocks Brela
Brela · Makarska Riviera, Dalmatia · Croatia
A vibrant reef site along the dramatic Makarska coastline where iron-rich red rock formations host dense Mediterranean marine life beneath the towering Biokovo mountains.
Brbinjscica Bay
Zadar · Zadar County · Croatia
A pristine bay on the eastern coast of Dugi Otok island in the Zadar archipelago, where dramatic underwater cliffs, Posidonia meadows, and rocky reef support diverse Adriatic marine life in exceptional visibility.
Cuba
1Curacao
1Cyprus
1Djibouti
2Musha Islands
Djibouti City · Djibouti Region · Djibouti
A cluster of small volcanic islands in the Gulf of Tadjoura where whale sharks, pristine coral gardens, and a complete absence of other divers create one of the most exclusive diving experiences in the Red Sea corridor.
Moucha Island
Djibouti City · Gulf of Tadjoura · Djibouti
A pristine coral island in the Gulf of Tadjoura where whale sharks, dolphins, and sea turtles congregate in warm, crystal-clear waters at the gateway to the Red Sea.
Dominica
1Dominican Republic
1Ecuador
3Galera San Francisco Marine Reserve
Muisne · Esmeraldas Province · Ecuador
Ecuador's largest continental marine reserve, where warm Choco currents nurture vibrant coral reefs, whale sharks, and humpback whales along a wild Pacific coastline.
Isabela Island Los Tuneles
Puerto Villamil · Galapagos Islands · Ecuador
A surreal landscape of collapsed lava tunnels off Isabela Island where sea turtles, white-tip reef sharks, and seahorses inhabit a labyrinth of volcanic arches, bridges, and channels in the Galapagos marine reserve.
Isla de la Plata
Puerto Lopez · Machalilla National Park · Ecuador
Ecuador's 'Poor Man's Galapagos' harbours the world's largest manta ray population, humpback whales in season, and the country's best-preserved coastal coral reef.
Egypt
30Abu Fandira
Marsa Alam · Fury Shoal · Egypt
A shallow coral paradise in Egypt's deep south known for its pristine coral gardens, resident pod of spinner dolphins, and relaxed diving conditions suited to all levels.
Fury Shoal Playground
Marsa Alam · Fury Shoal · Egypt
An aptly named shallow reef playground in the southern Red Sea with swim-throughs, archways, sandy lagoons, and an abundance of marine life in a brilliantly lit, current-free setting.
Hamda
Marsa Alam · Fury Shoal · Egypt
A stunning shallow reef in the Fury Shoal system offering labyrinthine coral channels, brilliant turquoise lagoon waters, and an underwater maze perfect for exploration.
Shaab Claudia
Marsa Alam · Fury Shoal · Egypt
A labyrinthine reef system in Egypt's Fury Shoal known for its intricate swim-throughs, coral-encrusted tunnels, and a famous underwater cavern where sunlight pierces through a natural skylight.
Ras Za'atar
Hurghada · Hurghada · Egypt
A current-swept promontory reef north of Hurghada where a dramatic coral wall attracts schooling pelagics, eagle rays, and occasional reef sharks in crystal-clear Red Sea water.
Abu Dabbab
Marsa Alam · Red Sea · Egypt
Sandy bay with seagrass beds. Home to dugongs, sea turtles, and guitar sharks. Excellent for snorkeling.
Dolphin House (Sha'ab Samadai)
Marsa Alam · Red Sea · Egypt
Protected horseshoe reef with a resident spinner dolphin pod. Regulated access to protect the dolphins.
Jackson Reef
Sharm el-Sheikh · Red Sea · Egypt
Northernmost reef of Tiran Strait. Shallow coral plateau with walls dropping into blue water. Strong currents.
Marsa Egla
Marsa Alam · Red Sea · Egypt
A pristine shallow bay south of Marsa Alam where a seagrass-fringed reef hosts resident green sea turtles, dugong sightings, and one of the Red Sea's healthiest inshore coral ecosystems.
Ras Mohammed
Sharm el-Sheikh · Red Sea · Egypt
National park headland with dramatic wall drops and strong currents. Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef combined.
Sha'ab Maksur
Hurghada · Red Sea · Egypt
A horseshoe-shaped reef system north of Hurghada offering sheltered lagoon diving with crystal visibility, pristine coral gardens, and resident pods of spinner dolphins that frequently join divers in the shallows.
Sha'ab Samadai South Plateau
Marsa Alam · Red Sea · Egypt
The exposed southern plateau of the famous Dolphin House reef, where strong currents sweep a coral-encrusted slope bringing grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and pelagic fish to a site most visitors never reach.
Shaab Sabina
Hurghada · Red Sea · Egypt
Horseshoe-shaped reef with sheltered lagoon. Resident dolphin pod and excellent coral coverage.
Tiran Island
Sharm el-Sheikh · Red Sea · Egypt
Four reef system in the Tiran Strait. Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson reefs offer diverse topography.
Um Gamar
Hurghada · Red Sea · Egypt
Two ergs (coral pillars) rising from the seabed with rich marine life and a resident sea turtle population.
Yolanda Reef
Sharm el-Sheikh · Red Sea · Egypt
Famous for scattered cargo from the sunken vessel Yolanda — bathtubs and toilets on the reef floor.
Abu Dabab North
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
The northern extension of the famous Abu Dabab bay, where a sloping reef with dense seagrass meadows provides year-round feeding grounds for dugongs and green turtles in a quieter section away from the main beach entry point.
Abu Galawa Soraya
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A picture-perfect reef in the Fury Shoal system featuring a photogenic sailboat wreck in crystal-clear shallows, a turquoise lagoon, and pristine coral pinnacles teeming with tropical fish.
Careless Reef
Hurghada · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
An offshore reef pinnacle rising from deep water east of Hurghada, famous for its resident grey reef shark population, dense soft coral coverage, and dramatic topography of ergs and pillars in crystal-clear Red Sea water.
Elphinstone South Plateau
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
The southern tip of legendary Elphinstone Reef where a sloping coral plateau drops into deep blue water and oceanic whitetip sharks make regular appearances, creating one of the Red Sea's most iconic and pulse-quickening shark encounters.
Gota Abu Ramada
Hurghada · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A small reef island south of Hurghada known as 'The Aquarium' for its extraordinary density of colourful reef fish, offering shallow, calm diving on a pristine coral plateau that delivers the Red Sea's best fish-watching in waist-deep water.
Hamata Southern Reefs
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
Egypt's southernmost mainland dive destination, where remote offshore reef systems in pristine condition host spinner dolphin pods, resident sea turtles, and coral formations untouched by the mass tourism of the northern Red Sea.
Hurghada Small Giftun Island
Hurghada · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
The protected reef system around Small Giftun Island in the Hurghada Marine Park, where strict access controls have allowed coral recovery and marine life to flourish beyond what is found on the mainland reefs, making it the area's premium dive destination.
Marsa Mubarak
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A sheltered bay south of Marsa Alam where resident dugongs graze on seagrass beds, green sea turtles rest on sandy patches, and a healthy fringing reef offers gentle diving and snorkeling in warm, shallow water.
Marsa Shouna
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A shallow protected bay south of Marsa Alam where calm turquoise water, dense coral gardens, and resident green turtles create one of Egypt's finest sites for beginners and underwater photographers.
Panorama Reef
Safaga · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A massive offshore reef south of Safaga with stunning wall diving, vibrant soft coral plateaus, and regular visits from sharks, dolphins, and large pelagics.
Ras Ghozlani
Hurghada · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A current-swept headland reef south of Hurghada where converging currents attract dense schools of glassfish, hunting lionfish, and large Napoleon wrasse along a colorful coral wall.
Safaga Tobya Kebir
Safaga · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A large reef system in Safaga Bay where a coral-encrusted plateau drops to sandy slopes rich in soft corals, offering relaxed diving among dense anthias clouds, green turtles, and the occasional eagle ray in characteristically excellent Red Sea visibility.
Samadai Lagoon Approach
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
The outer reef approach to Shaab Samadai's protected dolphin lagoon, where pristine coral walls, cleaning stations, and resident spinner dolphin pods offer world-class encounters at a carefully managed Red Sea site.
Sataya Reef (Dolphin House South)
Marsa Alam · Red Sea Governorate · Egypt
A horseshoe-shaped offshore reef system in the southern Red Sea where resident spinner dolphins rest in a protected lagoon and the outer walls boast pristine coral growth with shark and turtle encounters.
Reef diving
Reef dive sites range from shallow coral gardens to deep sloping reefs. Browse locations by country and region to find reef dives matching your experience level.