Dive sites: reef

Fakarava South Pass (Tumakohua)

BoatCurrent: moderateVisibility no figure available, better on an incoming current

Fakarava South Pass, 200 m wide, is part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve and home to 600 gray reef sharks on average, joined by more than 17,000 camouflage groupers that come to spawn around...

A beige zebra shark covered in black spots swims toward the camera just above a coral reef, its long tail raised, in a cloud of small silver fish, with white sand on the left and blue water above

ThailandReef

Elephant Head Rock

Andaman Sea: Similan, Surin and Lanta

5 to 40 mAdvancedFrom November to April

BoatCurrent: strongVisibility 10 to 30 m

Elephant Head Rock is three granite boulders southwest of Similan Island 8, forming an underwater maze of arches and canyons between 5 and 40 meters, and it is the best-known site in the park.

An oceanic manta seen from below, its white belly marked with large black spots, gill slits visible, a trevally beneath it, the surface above

MexicoPelagic

El Boiler

Revillagigedo Islands (Socorro)

6 to 40 mAdvancedFrom November to May

LiveaboardCurrent: variableVisibility 25 to 40 m, sometimes 15 to 20 m in November and December

El Boiler is a pinnacle off San Benedicto, in the Revillagigedo Islands, rising from 45 meters to a few meters below the surface.

A gray sunfish with pale spots, seen three-quarters on in open blue water, its long dorsal and anal fins stretched out, surrounded by small reef fish.

IndonesiaPelagic

Crystal Bay

Bali and Nusa Penida

5 to 30 mAdvancedFrom July to October

BoatCurrent: strongVisibility 20 to 40 m

Crystal Bay is a bay on Nusa Penida, off Bali, where sunfish rise to be cleaned from August to October, in 18 to 20°C water.

A hawksbill turtle seen from above swims just over rocks covered in algae, brain corals, gorgonians and yellow tube sponges, in green-turquoise water

FranceReef

Cousteau Reserve (Pigeon Islands)

French West Indies: Guadeloupe and Martinique

3 to 40 mTry diveFrom December to May

BoatCurrent: lightVisibility 10 to 30 m

The Cousteau Reserve surrounds two volcanic islets 1.5 km off Malendure beach in Guadeloupe and has been the marine core of the National Park since 2009.

Close-up of an anemone with green, purple-tipped tentacles, nestled in the orange-red folds of its column, approached from the right by a pink anemonefish with a white stripe

ThailandPelagic

Chumphon Pinnacle

Gulf of Thailand: Koh Tao

14 to 36 mOpen WaterFrom March to September

BoatCurrent: moderateVisibility 20 to 30 m in season, 5 to 10 m in November and December

Chumphon Pinnacle is a granite pinnacle 10 kilometers northwest of Koh Tao, with its top at 14 meters covered in anemones.

A huge school of fish in silhouette, seen from below against the sunlight sparkling under the surface, in deep blue water.

IndonesiaPelagic

Castle Rock

Komodo

4 to 30 mExperiencedFrom April to October

BoatCurrent: strongVisibility 15 to 30 m

Castle Rock is a seamount in the north of Komodo National Park, rising from beyond 60 m to 4 m below the surface.

A diver in a black wetsuit facing the camera, framed by red sea fans and orange soft corals where small anthias swim, against blue water.

IndonesiaReef

Cape Kri

Raja Ampat

5 to 40 mAdvancedFrom October to April

BoatCurrent: strongVisibility 15 to 30 m

Cape Kri is the eastern tip of Kri Island, in Raja Ampat: in 2012, ichthyologist Gerald Allen counted 374 fish species there in a single dive, a world record.