With thousands of miles of coastline that span across multiple seas and oceans, Europe is a prime location for those who wish to plan a scuba holiday. Knowing which coasts to frequent, however, can make the difference between a bummer of an experience and an awesome adventure. In this list of top scuba holiday diving spots, the investigation has been simplified to show you where to go: now all you have to do is pick your favorite location and make the appropriate reservations!
Turkey
Along the western coasts of this country are thousands of unique and amazing scuba diving sites for you and your friends to enjoy. It is advised to plan your journeys and accommodations around the city of Fethiye, which is the closest large city to many of the best dive sites; Dalyan Reef, Three Tunnels and Aladins Cavern are all within just a few kilometers of this area. The large amounts of open skies, blue water, caverns, amphora and busy marine life make this location a prime target for a scuba diving getaway.
Malta
Another gem in the Mediterranean that offers a great selection of scuba diving spots, Malta may be the right destination for you. Around the town of Gozo is the largest concentration of diving spots with many unique features such as a two-ended cave and an underwater chamber that is lit from above and surrounded by three sides. Check around Anchor Bay for great scuba diving areas to view the marine life in Malta. Along the coast, there’s also an underwater bomber that crashed in WWII that is still in great condition.
Santorini
Just a stone’s throw from the western coast of Turkey is Santorini, one of the finest diving spots in all of the Mediterranean. The Mansell Reef is an open reef in the middle of the ocean approximately three meters down and a large drop off in the center of over 200 meters. Closer to volcanic caldera (the center of the island), you can see a lot of interesting volcanic formations and the water here is especially warm.
Azores
Moving outside the traditional boundaries of Europe into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores are situated on a fault line in the middle of nowhere but have much to see under the water. For example, Princess Alice Bank is the largest seamount in the mid-Atlantic Ocean and plays host to thousands of devil rays. Off the coast of Porto Santo Island is a clear water dive that gives way to an old sea-wreck that has since been taken over by Mother Nature.
Isle of Man
Definitely a venture taken in the summer months, the Isle of Man has a large diversity of plant and animal life and combined with its clear waters, makes a superb diving location for a vacation. Located in the middle of the Irish Sea with nothing else around for twenty miles in any direction, the area’s marine habitat remains relatively pristine. It is highly recommended to stay along the eastern coast and dive around the southwestern tip of the island, near the Calf of Man.
Photo courtesy of SAS Potato
Scuba diving holidays in Europe are guaranteed to be great. Whether you choose to take Malta holidays in the summer or your winter holidays in Turkey you have so many diving options available to you.
