Scuba Diving - Its a Whole New World

The underwater world of marine life, coral reefs, underwater caves and shipwrecks is an awesome sight to see. Scuba diving is a great skill to learn to open up scenery that most of the population will never see in a lifetime. The vivid colors of the undersea world offer some of the most awe-inspiring views in various locations around the world.

Open Water Certification card needed:

You will need to obtain an Open Water dive certification card from an accredited agency, such as PADI Scuba Instruction. This involves taking a course that consists of some basic knowledge of scuba diving that can be done online, at home or in a classroom setting. The next phase is to take five pool dives with a licensed scuba instructor. The final phase of the dive certification course is four actual open water dives, normally in a local dive location. These courses teach you how to scuba dive, and the safety or health requirements for safe scuba diving.

PADI diving courses:

The Professional Association of Scuba Diving Instructors, PADI, is one of the largest and most recognized agencies for scuba diving instruction and open water certification. They are internationally recognized in their courses and their instructors are located all over the world. Many other agencies offer accredited courses and certifications for recreational scuba diving but may not be professionally recognized in other locations. If you are PADI certified then your dive certification will be valid wherever you decide to go since it is globally recognized.

The Top Scuba Diving Locations Worldwide:

Once you have got your open water dive certification card, you have to decide where you want to go. Thats where the hard part comes in. There are so many great scuba diving destinations around the world, it is hard to pick just one.

The worlds top scuba diving spot, as voted on by SCUBA Travel readers is now Yongala, (a wreck in Queensland, Australia). The Egyptian Red Sea holds four of the top ten spots: Thistlegorm wreck is number two on the list, Shark and Yolanda Reef is number five, Big Brother is number eight and Elphinstone Reef is number ten. The other five top locations are in Micronesia, Sipadan Island, Navy Pier Australia, Kailua Kona Hawaii and Bali, Indonesia.

Even though the top 100 scuba diving destinations are located throughout the world, they are dominated by tropical spots like Cayman Islands, Honduras, Galapagos Islands, the Bahamas and the Isle of Man. The Great Barrier Reef, parts of Indonesia, Australia, Malta, and Mexico are other locations which have some great scuba diving opportunities.

Reefs, Wrecks and Rays:

It can almost be guaranteed that where ever a large reef formation or wreck is there will be scuba diving expeditions nearby. Since you will at some stage find yourself swimming with stingrays, puffer fish and marine life you may never have seen before. Be sure to get an underwater camera to capture the moment.

For more on the top scuba diving spots, you can go online to the scuba experts at www.scubasoul.com. They have tips, articles and recommendations for scuba diving locations, accredited PADI scuba instructors and open water dive certification cards.