News
Top Liveaboards for New Divers
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Learning to dive is an exciting time and almost every diver remembers their first breath underwater and the first dive site they explored. There are many great destinations for new divers to experience once qualified, including liveaboard safaris perfect for gaining confidence and skills amongst world-class dive sites.
Here are our top 10 liveaboard destinations for new divers:
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef, stretching for 2300 kilometres along the coast of Queensland, is perfect for new divers. There are numerous Australian liveaboards to choose from and many don’t require a minimum number of dives to participate. Diving is possible all year, with the summer months (December/January) offering the best visibility and a water temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. With water visibility averaging over 40 metres in the Coral Sea and diverse marine life at numerous sites, this area of Australia offers an ideal introduction to liveaboard diving.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas is known for easy and consistent dive conditions, making it perfect for new divers. It is a shark hotspot where diving with inquisitive Tiger Sharks in crystal clear water is the norm. Divers can join a Tiger Beach Liveaboard off Grand Bahama and enjoy dive sites ranging from 6m to 30m depth, with little or no current. Some companies will request an Open Water certification with a minimum of 30 dives. There are also dive companies that offer Tiger Shark diving with less dive experience required. October to January are the best months to visit for peak Tiger Shark season.
Red Sea
The Red Sea is known for colourful dive sites with soft and hard corals, great visibility, and an abundance of fish life and shipwrecks. There are numerous day boats from Sharm el Sheikh that visit well-known Ras Mohammed Marine Reserve and the Straits of Tiran, plus accessible shore dives. The best way to explore off-shore sites and avoid the crowds is on an Egypt liveaboard departing from Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada. Diving is possible all year and there is an abundance of dive sites and liveaboard itineraries to choose from. Check dives are common on Egypt liveaboards, helping staff to ensure they plan the right dives for all experience levels.
Thailand
Thailand is a favourite for new divers and the combination of diverse dive sites, affordable liveaboard diving, and stunning landscapes, attracts divers each year. Dive sites include reef diving, walls, wrecks, pinnacles, caverns and more. There is abundant marine life to enjoy including Manta Rays and Whale Sharks, plus diving is possible year-round. Both short and long liveaboard itineraries are available, making it a great destination for gaining an Open Water certification and hopping aboard.
Seychelles
The Seychelles is a great destination for divers to experience sailing aboard a modern yacht or traditional schooner, whilst enjoying reef diving amongst this archipelago of 115 islands. Dive site depths of the Inner Islands are 8 to 30 meters, with easy conditions, making it ideal for new divers. The marine life is diverse, with octopus, moray eels, nudibranchs and sharks commonly seen. Diving is possible year-round and a Mahé liveaboard in October or November offers the chance to swim with visiting Whale Sharks.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, a small island off the coast of India, has liveaboard dive safaris in the Northwest Kalpitaya that offer incredible diving for both new and experienced divers. The coral reef at Northwest Kalpitaya has blacktip reef sharks and the chance to see Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, Sperm Whales, and diverse reef fish species. The liveaboards are luxurious, check dives are conducted to ensure new divers are placed within groups of similar abilities, and the water visibility is up to 40 meters. Liveaboards set sail during November to February.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is made up of an archipelago of 922 islands and has pristine reefs with over 500 species of coral, plus numerous wrecks from World War II to explore. There are over 600 aircraft and 200 varieties of other wreck to explore in the waters off the Florida Islands and some of the wrecks can be enjoyed by snorkelers and recreational divers alike. Both short and long liveaboard safaris are available, from 2 to 15 days’ length, and there is no minimum logged dives requirement on many of the liveaboards.
Cuba
The Cuban government only permits a certain number of people to dive there each year, resulting in healthy and unspoilt marine reserves such as the Jardines de la Reina or ‘Gardens of the Queen’ and Canarreos Archipelago. Diving in Cuba is suitable for new divers, has easy dive conditions, and is known for excellent night diving. The diversity of life is staggering; with over 700 species of fish, including 100 shark species, and mangroves with resident manatees. The best season to visit is December to April.
Belize
Divers visiting Belize can enjoy the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest in the Northern hemisphere, and the famous Blue Hole. The dives include shallow coral reefs, wall dives, drift dives, and deep dives in the Blue Hole. There are plenty of sites suitable for new divers and marine life including groupers, jacks, Eagle Rays and turtles. Whale Sharks can be seen at Placencia from April to June.
Turks and Caicos
This archipelago of 40 coral islands is rich in marine life, with Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Hawksbill Turtles, Bottlenose Dolphins and Eagle Rays being commonly seen. It is also possible to see Humpback Whales during January to March. Liveaboard diving is available all year and the Turks and Caicos have calm seas and consistent water temperatures year-round. It is a great destination for new divers and non-divers are also welcome aboard.
Discover more liveaboard diving holiday solutions around the world at Liveaboard.com.
Marine Life & Conservation
Dr. Sylvia Earle Announced as First PADI Emeritus AmbassaDiver
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PADI® has announced the first PADI AmbassaDiver™ for 2025: legendary scuba diver, marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle.
“Dr. Earle embodies everything PADI stands for and we celebrate her continued commitment to inspiring future generations of divers and conservationists,” says Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer for PADI Worldwide. “For decades, she has continued to break through the glass ceiling and show what is possible when it comes to both seeking adventure and saving the ocean. It’s a privilege to amplify her legacy as a scuba diver and ocean advocate.”
Since 2015, the PADI AmbassaDiver program has aimed to amplify the personal stories of exemplary scuba divers who are part of a global team committed to encouraging their communities to experience, explore, and protect the underwater world.
“I am honored to be asked to serve as the first PADI Emeritus AmbassaDiver,” says Dr. Sylvia Earle. “I look forward to being a champion for PADI and using this honor to inspire respect, love, and care for the ocean while providing effective guidance on safety for those who seek adventure underwater.”
Dr. Earle’s key accomplishments for the ocean include:
- one of the first scientists to use scuba to document marine life firsthand
- the first female chief scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- recording the deepest walk on the ocean floor leading the first all-female team of aquanauts for the Tektite II project in 1970
- founding Deep Ocean Exploration and Research in 1992 to develop human-occupied submersibles and other subsea technologies.
- Leading the 5-year Sustainable Seas Expeditions with National in National Marine Sanctuaries
- Founding Mission Blue in 2009 to establish more MPAs and “Hope Spots”
- being awarded TIME Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet in 1998, the 2009 TED Prize, the United Nations Champion for the Earth in 2014, and the Ken Burns Prize in 2024
- authoring over 200+ publications, lecturing in 80+ countries, leading 100+ marine expeditions and spending nearly 10,000 hours underwater
- Co-Hosts the Dive in With Liz and Sylvia program sponsored by the Ocean Elders
“Dr. Earle’s PADI Emeritus AmbassaDiver distinction is more than a title—it will become a powerful movement that engages the global diving community, honors her legacy, and inspires others to rally behind our shared vision to explore and protect the ocean,” continues Valette Wirth.
Twelve additional PADI AmbassaDivers are anticipated to join Dr. Earle as the program’s 2025 inductees later this month. Learn more about the PADI AmbassaDiver team at padi.com/ambassadiver.
About PADI
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centers and resorts, 128,000 professional members, and more than 30million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean TorchbearersTM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARETM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.SM
Gear Reviews
Gear Review: Insta360 Ace Pro2 (Watch Video)
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In a video produced exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman reviews the Insta360 Ace Pro2.
Available Now
Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is available to purchase today worldwide via Insta360.com and select retailers. The Standard Bundle retails for US$399.99 and includes a Wind Guard, Battery, Standard Mount, Mic Cap, and USB-C Cable. The dual battery bundle includes the same accessories and two batteries for US$419.99.
Check out Jeff’s review of the Insta360x4 at https://www.scubaverse.com/category/equipment/product-reviews/.
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