Spring is officially here, and if you haven’t already, it’s time to break out your gear and giant stride into adventure. To help inspire your next dive trip, here are 5 incredible dive destinations perfect for springtime travel!

BELIZE

Home to the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere, Belize offers divers so much more than its famous Blue Hole. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is covers nearly 200 miles and includes seven protected areas, offering an array of dive experiences from mild to wild. Candy-colored coral gardens, eagle rays, schooling reef fish, and grouper and are just a few of the highlights divers can experience in Belize, and visiting in Spring offers the best chances for whale shark encounters before the rainy season.

Can’t Miss Dive Sites:

Blue Hole: No list of Belize dive sites is complete without mention of the iconic Blue Hole. Exceeding 400 feet in depth and spanning 1,000 feet in width, the Blue Hole is was a favorite of Jacques Cousteau.

Ambergris Caye: If you’re planning a trip to Belize, Ambergris Caye is a must. Located close to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye offers encounters with marine life unseen anywhere else in the area, including a variety of shark and ray species.

Placencia: If whale shark encounters are on your Belize bucket list, Placencia is your spot. Home to Gladden Spit, this southern region offers fewer crowds than Ambergris Caye, and your best chance to see the biggest fish in the ocean.

Dive Conditions: Belize is located between Mexico and Guatemala, which means warm, clear conditions year-round. Spring water temperatures range between the high-70s to low 80s, and visibility can easily exceed 100 feet. Most of the diving in Belize is beginner-friendly, making it a perfect destination for family and new-diver travel.

Essential Gear: Whether you’re snorkeling in the shallows or need an extra layer for your Blue Hole descent, you’ll thank yourself for bringing the UPF 80 T-Flex Rash Guard. Not only will it protect snorkelers from sun exposure, but it makes donning and doffing your wetsuit a breeze when worn as an under-layer.

RED SEA

Immerse yourself in a spectacular display of marine life in the Red Sea. This jewel in the Middle East is an offshoot of the Indian Sea, and is lauded by divers worldwide for its diverse underwater offerings and healthy biodiversity. With more than 800 species of fish, thriving coral reef systems, staggering walls, and iconic wrecks, the Red Sea has hundreds of dive sites to accommodate divers of all skill levels. Shallow, calm waters in the North Red Sea make it the perfect destination for beginners, and its here you’ll find the legendary USS Thistlegorm and the vast majority of Egypt’s famous shipwrecks. To the south, the virtually untouched reefs in Ras Mohammed Marine Park are teeming with marine life, including pelagics, barracuda, jack and snapper. Southern sites are largely reserved for advanced divers thanks to ripping currents and staggering depths.

Can’t Miss Dive Sites:

USS Thistlegorm:  Arguably the best-known wreck dive in the Red Sea, the USS Thistlegorm is a must-dive regardless of skill level. Sunk in 1941 after a bombing split the ship in half, the Thistlegorm rests roughly 100 feet down with its cargo on display. Motorbikes, Jeeps, and an anti-aircraft gun can be seen among the wreckage, now with a sprinkling of hard and soft corals.

The Brothers: Pelagic encounters and sheer walls await divers at this pair of pinnacles, both of which are carpeted in a thick coat of vibrant corals abuzz with schooling fish. Little Brother offers consistent sightings of oceanic whitetip, thresher, and silky sharks, and the islands are accessible by liveaboard only.

Mohammed Marine Park: Designated a national park in 1983, Ras Mohammad Marine Park offers incredible biodiversity throughout its 330-square mile span. Nutrient-rich currents provide sustenance for pelagics and foster a thriving coral reef system for divers to explore.

Dive Conditions: The Red Sea offers incredible conditions year-round, but spring offers ideal temperatures above and below the surface. The North Red Sea has calm waters ideal for beginners, while the south offers ripping drifts and staggering walls for advanced divers.

Essential Gear: If you’re looking to drop weight from your luggage without sacrificing performance, the GO BCD is your new best friend. As its name implies, the GO BCD was designed for dive travelers. Weighing in at less than 6 pounds, the GO is packed with features and folds down to practically nothing, freeing up space for other essentials.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

When it comes to dream destinations, Galapagos tops the list for many divers. The iconic archipelago famously inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution thanks to its incredible biodiversity above and below the surface. Schooling sharks in a variety of species, swimming marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, and manta rays are just a few of the famous residents, and the best opportunity to meet them is via liveaboard. Book your trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in spring to catch the tail end of the warm season, where conditions are clear and visibility is perfection.

Can’t Miss Dive Sites:

Wolf & Darwin Islands: Accessible only by liveaboard, these isolated islands are worth the trip. Encounters with scalloped hammerheads en route to Cocos Island, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks and mantas come standard, and whale shark sighting typically begin in June.

Cousin’s Rock: Creatures great and small await at Cousin’s Rock, including sea lions, three species of rays, and sea horses. Incredible coral formations make it a dream for underwater photographers and macro hunters alike, and like Wolf and Darwin Islands, Cousin’s Rock is exclusively accessible by liveaboard.

Cabo Douglas: If marine iguanas are on your must-see list, make sure your visit includes Cabo Douglas. Located on the eastern side of Fernandina Island, Cabo Douglas features shallow dives with the swimming lizards, as well as encounters with Galapagos penguins.

Dive Conditions: June marks the end of the warm/wet season in the Galapagos, where conditions are calm and temperatures are ideal. Booking in spring offers water temperatures in the mid-to-high 70s, with fewer currents to navigate.

Essential Gear: No matter when you’re visiting the Galapagos, gloves are crucial to avoid injury. We recommend the D-Flex Glove for optimal warmth, protection, and flexibility.

HAWAII

When it comes to picking the best diving in Hawaii, divers most often choose Oahu, Maui, Kauai, or Big Island. Each of these incredible Hawaiian destinations offers a unique flavor for divers to enjoy, from thriving reefs, staggering walls, and incredible wrecks to animal encounters with mantas, sea turtles, dolphins, and reef sharks. Planning your Hawaiian dive adventure in Spring not only saves costs compared to the peak season, but also offers calmer conditions and the best visibility. If whale encounters are what you crave, plan your trip in April or May to catch the tail end of the annual Pacific Humpback whale migration.

Island Highlights:

Oahu: Welcome to Hawaii’s wreck-diving Mecca. Oahu is home to some of the greatest wrecks in Hawaii, 10 of which rest at rec-friendly depths. These incredible artificial reefs now house species including eagle rays, pufferfish, turtles and frogfish, making it a great destination for all the divers in your crew.

Kona: Night diving with dancing manta rays is arguably one of the most incredible encounters Hawaii has to offer, and there’s no better place to watch the show than Kona. The island’s resort lights draw massive amounts of plankton, which in turn draw dozens of hungry mantas at a time.

Maui: If you’re looking for advanced diving in Hawaii, Maui has you covered. The iconic Molokini Wall is just a short boat ride from the island, where hordes of sharks, swim along the staggering walls of the volcanic crater.

Dive Conditions: Expect balmy water temperatures in the 75-80°F range paired with picture-perfect visibility when visiting Hawaii in spring. Conditions are mild during this time of year, making it ideal for divers of all skill levels.

Essential Gear: Whether you’re night diving with manta rays or exploring caverns and swimthroughs, you’ll thank yourself for having a reliable dive light. We recommend the NOVA 850R for guaranteed power and performance.

BAHAMAS

For adventure seekers, there’s no better Caribbean destination for shark-infested waters than the Bahamas. The gin-clear Caribbean waters of this 700-island archipelago are positively teeming with the apex predators, and adrenaline-filled, up-close encounters are virtually guaranteed. Year-round residents include Caribbean reef sharks, nurse sharks, black tip reef sharks and lemon sharks, and in total the Bahamas is home to roughly 40 unique species. Thanks to its consistently warm temperatures and minimal annual rainfall, the Bahamas offer great diving year round. But if sharks are what you seek, April through June is your prime window (and you’ll miss hurricane season, too). April and May also mark the arrival of Mahi dolphin fish in the area.

Can’t Miss Dive Sites:

Cat Island: For advanced divers seeking heart-thumping encounters, Cat Island is the place to be. From April through June, Oceanic Whitetip sharks take residence, offering thrilling encounters in the blue. Nitrox certification and plenty of experience are required for this encounter, but the reward is an adventure of epic proportions.

Bimini: Crystal clear waters, white sand, and a view of staggering underwater cliffs draw divers year-round to Bimini, but if you visit in April, you’ll have a chance to catch the end of the annual aggregation of great hammerhead sharks.

New Providence Bond Wrecks: If you’re a 007 fan and you haven’t dived New Providence, you’re missing out. The Caribbean waters of this Bahamian island are home to artificial reefs and wrecks featured in Sean Connery’s Bond films: the Vulcan Bomber from “Thunderball” and the Tears of Allah from “Never Say Never Again.”

Dive Conditions: The Bahamas offers incredible, warm-water diving year-round, but spring offers water temperatures in the high-70s/low 80s, and sunny topside temperatures in the 80s as well.

Essential Gear: Breathe easy, even when surrounded by sharks, with a reliable and lightweight regulator. We recommend the new MK11/C370 for effortless airflow and easy packing for island hopping.