If you are like me and are a new scuba diver, you are probably excited to get planning your first (or second, or third, or……) diving trip. This is where all the hard work of certification starts to pay off. But you can’t just head straight into advanced diving circumstances. Before anything else, it is crucial to get lots of time underwater. To do that, you need to know where some amazing beginner scuba diving locations are.
Let me help you with that! I have compiled a list of 3 locations that would be appropriate for a beginner. These locations touch on two that are in North America and one overseas. These three offer a variety of underwater interests because being a beginner doesn’t mean being bored, right?
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Florida Keys – A Beginners Delight
The Florida Keys offer an excellent variety of beginner scuba diving locations. The Keys are approximately 24km (15 miles) off the coast of Miami, Florida. This is on the southeastern tip of the United States and is easy to get to from anywhere in the world. The Keys are a coral cay archipelago consisting of Key Largo, Tavernier, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, and Key West. A long highway connects the Keys, so getting around is relatively easy. However, you need to take a boat to all dive sites.
The Florida Keys offer many opportunities for beginner divers and have dozens of sites to explore. As a beginner, you can explore the outsides of several wrecks, a colossal statue, and an undersea park. One of the most exciting areas to dive might be the Molasses Reef. The sheer size of this reef makes it one of the most sought-after dive sites in the world. In this area, the visibility is often very good, thanks to the gulf stream, and you will get to have a good look at all sorts of underwater marvels. This area is known for varieties of rays, nurse sharks, reef sharks, turtles, and many types of fish. Another really neat beginner site is the French Reef. You will find immense limestone cliffs and Elkhorn Coral here.
The water temperature in the Keys ranges from 24°C – 29°C (76°f – 85°f) depending on the time of year. The air temperatures are also relatively stable, sitting in a similar range.
Playa del Carmen/ Cozumel
This pair of fantastic beginner scuba diving locations are on the Yucatan Peninsula, on the east side of Mexico. It is in the stunning waters of the Caribbean Ocean, which are warm and beautiful year-round. However, they do experience a rainy season that runs approx. June to October, with varying amounts depending on the month. So, before you book, do your research on the specifics!
Playa del Carmen, or Playa, as it is known to many, and the island of Cozumel is across the water from each other. They definitely have enough scuba excursions individually that you would never need to go to both. But they are so close together; taking a day trip across to the other is easy! So whether you start your journey in Playa del Carmen or Cozumel, talk to your local dive shop about a day trip. I bet it will be worth it.
Playa del Carmen – The Amazing Cenotes
Playa del Carmen is known for its extremely cool cenotes. If you don’t know, cenotes are underwater caverns. They were made from limestone sinkholes connecting to the ocean and opening up to the land. As a beginner diver, you are safe to scuba here! What is neat about cenotes is that they have what is called a halocline. This is the area where the saltwater from the ocean meets the freshwater from above (rainfall). It occurs because the salt water has a different density than the fresh water and sits below it. You may also notice a slight difference in water temperature between the two layers!
Cozumel – Beginner Reef Diving
If you are making a trip to Cozumel, whether it be longer or shorter, you can visit the world’s second-largest reef system. It is called the Mesoamerican Reef and runs an impressive 1100 km (700 miles) from Mexico to Honduras! Due to its vastness, this reef is home to many species of underwater life. If you were to dive in Cozumel, the Columbia Shallows would allow you to spend some underwater time with all sorts of fish (barracuda), moray eels, octopus, and, if you are really lucky – sea turtles!
The water temperatures in this region range from 26°C – 29°C (78°f – 85°f), with the air temperatures ranging from 22°C-33°C. But, of course, all this depends on what month you choose to head down there!
Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand
The name of this paradise is translated into Turtle Island. There are three main villages on the Island – Mae Haad, Chalok, and Sairee. Sairee is the largest of the villages and is also home to Sairee Cottage Diving. This is the business I will hire to get me out into the waters of the area. I have chosen these folks because they stay open all year round, so a person is not completely limited in choices when booking a trip. In addition, Thailand is known to be incredibly affordable, and you can get all of your accommodations, food, and diving for a price that will bring a smile to your face.
When I started reading about Koh Tao, I discovered that much of this region offers incredible and diverse ocean life. There are more than 20 different dive sites to check out, and it has lots of amazing beginner scuba diving locations. As mentioned in our article “Do You Have to Be Certified for SCUBA Diving?” as an open water certified diver, you can go to a depth of 18m (60ft). This means most locations around Koh Tao have safe depths for you. One location that is a must-see is South-West Pinnacle. It is known for its juvenile fish species, and if lucky, you may be scuba diving with whale sharks!
The weather in Koh Tao tends to be relatively consistent. The water temperatures range from 26°C – 30°C (78°f – 86°f). The air temperatures have a similar lower range but can get hot there. You will find the ranges approximately 26°C -36°C (78°f – 96°f). They do have a rainy season, which tends to occur from October to February. The visibility can range anywhere from a few meters to 25m or more!
Beginner Diving Can Be Fun!
As a beginner scuba divers, we have opportunities for great adventures. Without question, there is so much to see under the water in our allowable depths. And guaranteed as we start getting more time diving, an advanced certification is in our future!
