The Best in Bahamas Scuba Diving
With tons of islands from which to choose,
Bahamas scuba diving is among the best anywhere.
The archipelago of the Bahamas is made up of 700 islands that extend over 500 miles. While many are uninhabited, quite a few of these islands offer travelers a number of unique activities, including some of the finest scuba diving in the world.
Because the island chain is so vast, the marine life is quite diverse. Contained within the boundaries of this nation are about 100,000 square miles of water just waiting to be explored. Divers might find marine life at one end of the archipelago that's non-existent at the other end.
That's what makes scuba diving in the Bahamas so special. You can return again and again, choosing a different location each time, and always see something you haven't seen before.
Where to Go
While you'll find plenty of dive centers on the more populated islands of Nassau and Grand Bahama, many divers enjoy the atmosphere of the smaller Out Islands, the name given to all the islands other than the two mentioned above.
Among the Out Islands, the Abacos are quite popular. Here, the water is shallower than in most of the archipelago. Walker's Cay in the north offers wonderful shallow cavern diving, an abundance of fish, and some unique shark dives. Green Turtle Cay is also teeming with dive shops and outfitters, and the marine life is rich in the shallow reefs here.
Bimini is consistently rated one of the best diving locations in the world. Located about 50 miles from Miami, it's one of the easiest scuba diving destinations to reach in the Bahamas. Many wrecks are located here and many locals believe that you'll find remains of both the Fountain of Youth and the ancient city of Atlantis near Bimini.
Eleuthera, dubbed the pineapple capital of the Bahamas, is home to the largest number natural wrecks in the archipelago. As a matter of fact, the jagged reef that runs across the northern edge of the island has been responsible for many lost boats throughout the centuries.
San Salvador is the optimal location to enjoy wall diving. The underwater topography here is splendid and the fish plentiful and friendly. The island also boasts lots of history, being the first place that Christopher Columbus landed on his way to the New World.
Live-aboards
Some Bahamas scuba diving enthusiasts just can't get enough of this great diving destination on a half- or full-day trip. Many choose the fun and convenience of a live-aboard diving excursion.
At an average length of three to five days, these trips offer lots of advantages. Boats tend to be less crowded, you'll only need to lug and unpack your gear once, and you'll most likely travel a little further out than most one-day trips, offering more opportunity to see diverse sea life.
Family Adventure
Because it's so inexpensive to travel to the Bahamas, it's the perfect place to introduce your children to the joy of diving. If they're newcomers to the sport, that's no problem. Many of the resorts offer beginning diving courses for kids at an extremely affordable price.