The world's top 5 weirdest destinations for scuba diving holidays

As revealed in a recent online article published by CNN online, some of the world's weirdest and rarest destinations for unique scuba diving adventures have been identified and summarised in a list of the top five.

For those looking for truly exotic and astonishing destinations for their next scuba diving holidays, here we reproduce the list of the Top 5 Weirdest Diving Sites in the World.

Underwater Reef Art in Mexico - if looking for a bit of culture in your next scuba diving trip to the warm and crystalline waters of Mexico's Gulf, then the tropical beaches of Cancun are the place to find the astounding Museum of Underwater Modern Art. This amazing, man-made museum exhibiting a total of over 403 permanent life-sized sculptures anchored to the sea bed is one of the world's biggest artificial reef collections in the world. So now you know, next time you're planning Cancun holidays why not add to the holiday fun with some great scuba diving at one of the world's most modern and unique underwater parks!

Image by: jimgourd, on Flickr.

Underwater Cemetery in the U.S. - both spooky and fascinating at the same time, this unique scuba diving site has not been created with recreational scuba divers in mind, however anyone who wants to is free to visit the world's first underwater cemetery. Located just over 5 kilometres off Miami's coast in Florida, this man-made artificial reef is the resting place of people who have chosen to become part of the region's marine ecosystem in their afterlife. The Neptune Memorial Reef is the resting home of people who chose to leave this world in a greener way by being cremated first, then having their earthly remains mixed with non-porous cement to be finally shaped into their favourite sculpture (a shell, starfish or other figurine) before being deposited in the bottom of the sea by scuba divers. An eery yet astonishing place to visit during a scuba diving trip, this underwater cemetery features a "classical recreation of the Lost City". Once completed it is expected that this unique memorial will have the capacity to host the sculptured remains of up to 100,000 people.

Image by: jimgourd, on Flickr.

Volcanic Underwater Adventure in Indonesia - for curious and adventurous people who have dreamed of getting the thrill of approaching a volcano without being burnt off, this unique scuba diving experience allows divers to get upclose to a real volcano without the threat of lava. The submerged volcano of Banua Whuhu in the island chain of Sangihe, Indonesia is a place not to be missed by authentic daredevils, giving them the opportunity to scuba dive along five metres of volcano dipped below the sea's surface and explore the sulphur-covered rocks that give way to beautiful coral reef formations and an extraordinarily rich marine ecosystem, including schools of neon fusiliers, huge barrel sponges and black-tipped reef sharks. This amazing volcano that rises over 400 metres from the bottom of the sea floor, gives divers an eerie and mystic sensation as the roaring sounds of the active volcano create the atmosphere and the silver ribbons of sulphur gas bubbles escape from the earth's crust (don't touch them though, they can really burn your fingers if not careful!).

Mysterious Underwater Ruins in Japan - the mysterious depths of Yonaguni's ruins puzzle and lure the most intrepid of divers with different hypothesis surrounding its rather marvellous existence. People still debate about the ruins found at this site and whether they belonged to a long-lost civilisation, were the crafty work of aliens or are simply part of an astounding naturally-occurring wonder. The only fact known is that the archaeological riddle and underwater pyramids still lure thousands of curious divers today. The site is found in a tiny little island that is both remote and difficult to reach, but whatever the origins of this geological phenomenon, long-lost city or alien creation, it is a truly impressive scuba diving site. It's not for beginners though, as the ruins are subject to strong waves and high currents due to their location in open waters.

Image by: amakusaleanne, on Flickr.

Continental Underwater Rift in Iceland - with a strikingly beautiful setting known as the only place in the underwater world where you are able to swim between two continents, the amazing Silfra rift in Iceland is the place where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. This amazing fissure is located at the Thingvellier National Park and the extreme clarity of the waters (thanks to year-round freezing temperatures that oscillate between two to four degrees) allows for truly inspiring scuba diving experiences. Not only are divers able to swim through this huge crack in earth caused by the two plates moving away from each other (averaging a separation of 2 cm per year) but the waters are so clear and pristine that many divers have experienced a heightened sense of depth and even vertigo! The water is so pure in this astonishing location that it can be safely drunk and many divers take the opportunity to do so.

Image by: Duiken Redactie, on Flickr.