Articles

There are only a few places in the world where you can safely swim and snorkel with whales. Learn where, and when to go for guaranteed whale sightings!

Our liveaboard whale-swim departures in Tonga (Vava’u) and unique snorkel experiences in Mo’orea continue to offer world-class humpback encounters. Check out our 2025 Mo’orea whale snorkeling trips and Tonga diving departure dates to book your adventure today.

Exploring the underwater world doesn't always require scuba certification or bulky gear as snorkeling provides a simple and equally stunning way to experience marine life in its natural environment. Snorkeling travel is booming in 2025, with high demand for liveaboard snorkel options in the Maldives and Raja Ampat. We've added more itinerary flexibility to help travellers access remote reefs with shallow, clear-water drop-offs.

Our travel advisors and trip leaders are always on the move, exploring the underwater world! Using their firsthand experience and feedback from our valued guests, we've curated a list that showcases the best diving in the world in 2025. Learn when to go, where to stay, top dive sites, and more. 

Save up to $2,540 on spectacular liveaboards, resorts, and group trips worldwide and discover some of our best dive destinations!

Discover the Bluewater team's favorite dive sites around the world. From remote corners of Asia and Micronesia to our own doorstep, we've chosen our top 20 dive sites that keep us coming back again and again .

Our Travel with Bluewater Group Trips and Photo Workshops are increasingly popular, especially as scuba diving holidays for solo travelers. You can even meet fellow divers who become lifelong friends, like Lynn and Lisa, who bonded during our recent Photo Workshop in Anilao!

Looking for the best diving in Indonesia? We've dived around the country and picked our favorites. Here is our list of top 10 dive areas in Indonesia!

Planning a liveaboard dive trip? This ultimate 2025 packing list covers everything you’ll need – from must-have dive gear and personal items to handy extras that make life onboard smoother. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned diver, this checklist helps you dive in fully prepared.

Swimming with whales or whale sharks is a breathtaking, bucket-list experience—and yes, it's accessible even to beginners! This guide will prepare you with everything you need to know before jumping in.

When is the best time to dive Raja Ampat?
This Indonesian paradise offers world-class diving year-round, but conditions can vary depending on the season. From manta ray migrations to peak visibility and quiet off-season months, this guide breaks down what to expect month by month — so you can plan your perfect trip to Raja Ampat.

Thinking of diving the Maldives but not sure whether to stay at a luxury resort or book a liveaboard?

With its warm waters, vibrant coral reefs, and world-famous marine life — from manta rays to whale sharks — the Maldives offers some of the best diving on Earth. But how you experience it can vary hugely depending on your choice of accommodation. This guide compares Maldives dive resorts and liveaboards to help you decide which is best for your dive style, travel preferences, and budget.

There are only a few places in the world where you can spot blue whales, the largest mammals on the planet. Learn where and when to go for guaranteed blue whale sightings!

Swimming with whale sharks is one of the ocean’s most remarkable experiences. These gentle giants—reaching up to 12 m in length—are filter feeders and pose no threat to snorkellers. Whether you’re seeking a classic liveaboard expedition or a day-trip snorkel, this guide helps you choose the right destination, season, and operator for a safe and awe-inspiring encounter.

We've traveled around the country and picked the 9 best places for scuba diving in the Philippines. Learn what to see, where to stay and much more!

Philippine dive tourism is sizzling in 2025 after ADEX 2025 in Singapore generated over PHP 151.8M in leads, shining a spotlight on bucket-list sites like Cebu’s sardine run and Malapascua’s thresher sharks. With TPB’s push for sustainable dive practices and growing community-led initiatives, savvy travellers should lock in peak-season bookings early to chase epic encounters while supporting responsible tourism.

We've traveled the world and picked our top 7 locations with the best manta ray diving.

2025 report round-ups confirm classics like Komodo, Kona, and Maldives’ Hanifaru Bay still reign supreme for mesmerising manta encounters. Dive operators now weave in citizen-science photo-ID programs and updated season calendars , so you can chase gentle giants responsibly and add to vital conservation efforts

Our travel experts' top 5 picks for the best shark diving destinations in the world. Learn what to see, the best time to dive, and more! We’ve added new liveaboard shark‑diving departures to Cocos Island and expanded our Tiger Beach, Bahamas scuba options, allowing more diving time with tiger sharks and reef species. Explore 2025 itineraries and expert-led departures on our Cocos liveaboards and Tiger Beach shark diving.

There are only a few places in the world where you can safely swim and snorkel with whales. Learn where, and when to go for guaranteed whale sightings!

Our liveaboard whale-swim departures in Tonga (Vava’u) and unique snorkel experiences in Mo’orea continue to offer world-class humpback encounters. Check out our 2025 Mo’orea whale snorkeling trips and Tonga diving departure dates to book your adventure today.

Exploring the underwater world doesn't always require scuba certification or bulky gear as snorkeling provides a simple and equally stunning way to experience marine life in its natural environment. Snorkeling travel is booming in 2025, with high demand for liveaboard snorkel options in the Maldives and Raja Ampat. We've added more itinerary flexibility to help travellers access remote reefs with shallow, clear-water drop-offs.

Our travel advisors and trip leaders are always on the move, exploring the underwater world! Using their firsthand experience and feedback from our valued guests, we've curated a list that showcases the best diving in the world in 2025. Learn when to go, where to stay, top dive sites, and more. 

Discover the Bluewater team's favorite dive sites around the world. From remote corners of Asia and Micronesia to our own doorstep, we've chosen our top 20 dive sites that keep us coming back again and again .

We've traveled around the world and picked the best shipwrecks to scuba dive. Learn what to see, where to stay and much more!

Discover our top recommended destinations for scuba diving in July. Explore the diversity of diving in Dumaguete, snorkel with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, and dive into the unique underwater world of Mozambique. Whatever your preferences, we'll build your dream dive trip in July!

Discover our top recommended destinations for scuba diving in May. Explore the mindblowing species in the Galapagos, dive Cozumel's renowned reefs, and experience thrilling currents in Komodo. Whatever your preferences, we'll build your dream dive trip in May!

Learn about the best places to dive in April, including where to stay and diving highlights.

We've traveled the world and picked our top 6 locations with the best coral reefs. Scuba diving or snorkeling, this article will help you plan your next vacation!

Discover our top recommended destinations for scuba diving in September. Explore the diversity of diving in Bali, snorkel with humpback whales in Moorea, and seek the most incredible macro critters in Lembeh. Whatever your preferences, we'll build your dream dive trip in September!

Bluewater Travel's world-class guided trips and photography workshops are a favorite among customers and staff alike. Fantastic destinations, action-packed diving, expert guidance and tuition, and friendly, like-minded guests make eachscuba diving tripunique and memorable for those lucky enough to attend.

Planning a liveaboard dive trip? This ultimate 2025 packing list covers everything you’ll need – from must-have dive gear and personal items to handy extras that make life onboard smoother. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned diver, this checklist helps you dive in fully prepared.

When is the best time to dive Raja Ampat?
This Indonesian paradise offers world-class diving year-round, but conditions can vary depending on the season. From manta ray migrations to peak visibility and quiet off-season months, this guide breaks down what to expect month by month — so you can plan your perfect trip to Raja Ampat.

Thinking of diving the Maldives but not sure whether to stay at a luxury resort or book a liveaboard?

With its warm waters, vibrant coral reefs, and world-famous marine life — from manta rays to whale sharks — the Maldives offers some of the best diving on Earth. But how you experience it can vary hugely depending on your choice of accommodation. This guide compares Maldives dive resorts and liveaboards to help you decide which is best for your dive style, travel preferences, and budget.

Read about Bluewater's epic Spring 2025 Anilao Underwater Photoworkshop, 17 days of world-class critter diving, hands-on instruction, blackwater adventures, and creative photography led by Nirupam Nigam!

Our dive experts just spent 3 weeks exploring Egypt’s Red Sea—from famous northern wrecks to Elba Reef’s pristine southern sites. Get firsthand tips on top liveaboards, best dive seasons, and must-see spots like the Thistlegorm and spinner dolphins.

This unforgettable 12-day journey took us through world-renowned sites like Blue Magic, Melissa’s Garden, and the Four Kings. We explored coral-covered reefs, swam with manta rays, and encountered uncommon animals like walking sharks and pygmy seahorses. It was the dive trip of a lifetime, complete with professional guides, first-rate service, and constant marine life action!

Bluewater’s March 2025 Antarctica expedition took travelers from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia before embarking on the M/V Ortelius. Highlights included diving in the Beagle Channel, exploring iceberg-filled waters, and witnessing wildlife like penguins, whales, and leopard seals. The group crossed the Antarctic Circle, explored a sunken whaling ship, and dove into Deception Island's volcanic caldera. This unforgettable journey offered once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from breathtaking underwater sights to rare encounters with Antarctica’s wildlife.

Join trip leader Nirupam Nigam on an unforgettable February 2025 photo workshop in Socorro, featuring giant mantas, sharks, and expert underwater photography guidance aboard Rocio del Mar.

Explore Oman’s surprisingly vibrant reefs and macro life with Bluewater Travelaboard the Oman Explorer—the only liveaboard in the country.

Read about our unforgettable trip to interact with Pacific gray whales in Baja, Mexico, in February 2025. We experienced the incredible bonding experience of petting mothers and calves as they approached our boat to seek affection.

Bluewater Travel's Raja Ampat Photo Workshop aboard MV Ambai in December 2024 was a 12-day diving adventure to remember. Clients explored the biodiverse waters of southern, central and northern Raja Ampat, completing 36 dives and capturing stunning underwater images. Highlights included close encounters with manta rays, wobbegong sharks and the shy walking shark. Night dives and daily photography workshops were part of the experience. As well as diving, the tourists enjoyed scenic tours, a beach barbecue and even an unplanned engagement. The trip concluded with a photo competition and a celebration of the beautiful marine life and friendship experienced aboard MV Ambai.

Bluewater Dive Travel's Fiji Trip Report November 2024 describes an underwater photography workshop and a busy diving adventure. It is full of amazing dives, rare sea life, colourful coral reefs and island life. This is a well planned trip full of adventure, photography and marine encounters.

The Socorro Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most iconic diving destinations, promises breathtaking encounters with marine giants and vibrant underwater life. Our group’s 10-day liveaboard journey aboard the Valentina from November 10-19, 2024, proved to be an adventure of a lifetime. Here’s a recap of our incredible experience.

For another great UNESCO World Heritage Site to dive, check out Belize.

Our Fiji Photo & GoPro Workshop, held October 9-19, 2024, delivered breathtaking underwater experiences and vibrant cultural immersion. Guided by Nirupam Nigam and Todd Kortte, 25 divers explored the kaleidoscopic reefs of Beqa Lagoon and the legendary Bligh Waters. Highlights included dramatic shark dives, thriving soft corals, and vibrant marine life enhanced by nutrient-rich currents. Evenings featured workshops on photography and GoPro techniques, fostering remarkable progress among participants. Land excursions, cultural activities, and a final beachside lovo dinner added to the camaraderie.

Every year, French Polynesia hosts humpback whales who travel from Antarctica to the islands’ warmer tropical waters, to mate, calve, and nurse their young. Interactions with these giants of the sea are life-changing, and for the lucky few who encounter humpbacks in the water, the experience is described as once-in-a-lifetime!

Discover the highlights of our 2024 Bali to Komodo liveaboard trip: exploring remote dive sites, volcanic reefs, and vibrant marine life. From Lombok's hidden gems to Komodo's famed currents and manta encounters, this photo workshop journey captures Indonesia's exciting underwater beauty in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

In fall 2024, eighteen divers joined the Rocio Del Mar for Bluewater's Explore Baja trip in the Sea of Cortez. Starting from Puerto Peñasco, the journey featured diverse marine life encounters, including sea lions, whale sharks, and vibrant reefs. Highlights included unique underwater photography opportunities and memorable interactions with sea creatures like mobula rays and humpback whales.

Nirupam Nigam led a captivating 2023 Sea of Cortez photo workshop with Bluewater Travel, showcasing diverse marine life and dynamic underwater landscapes. The Rocio Del Mar provided exceptional amenities and personalized service, enhancing the experience. Participants explored macro wonders like signal blennies and enjoyed thrilling encounters with sea lions and whale sharks.

Indonesia offers some of the best macro photography opportunities on the planet, and Bluewater’s 12-day, dual destination trip to Lembeh and Bali gave 20 guests an experience to remember. Read all about our Lembeh/Bali 2024 trip.

Bluewater Travel's 2024 Svalbard group trip offered a thrilling Arctic adventure filled with diverse wildlife encounters, icy dives, and spectacular landscapes.

Domestic land and sea travel can be challenging and overwhelming, especially in a foreign country you aren't familiar with. It might seem scary to use public buses and ferries to reach your destination, and private transfers can be pricey. Tim took public transportation from Manila to Puerto Galera during a recent trip to the Philippines and documented the process to help you decide what transfer option is best for you.

There are only a few places in the world where you can spot blue whales, the largest mammals on the planet. Learn where and when to go for guaranteed blue whale sightings!

Swimming with whale sharks is one of the ocean’s most remarkable experiences. These gentle giants—reaching up to 12 m in length—are filter feeders and pose no threat to snorkellers. Whether you’re seeking a classic liveaboard expedition or a day-trip snorkel, this guide helps you choose the right destination, season, and operator for a safe and awe-inspiring encounter.

We've traveled around the country and picked the 9 best places for scuba diving in the Philippines. Learn what to see, where to stay and much more!

Philippine dive tourism is sizzling in 2025 after ADEX 2025 in Singapore generated over PHP 151.8M in leads, shining a spotlight on bucket-list sites like Cebu’s sardine run and Malapascua’s thresher sharks. With TPB’s push for sustainable dive practices and growing community-led initiatives, savvy travellers should lock in peak-season bookings early to chase epic encounters while supporting responsible tourism.

We've traveled the world and picked our top 7 locations with the best manta ray diving.

2025 report round-ups confirm classics like Komodo, Kona, and Maldives’ Hanifaru Bay still reign supreme for mesmerising manta encounters. Dive operators now weave in citizen-science photo-ID programs and updated season calendars , so you can chase gentle giants responsibly and add to vital conservation efforts

Our travel experts' top 5 picks for the best shark diving destinations in the world. Learn what to see, the best time to dive, and more! We’ve added new liveaboard shark‑diving departures to Cocos Island and expanded our Tiger Beach, Bahamas scuba options, allowing more diving time with tiger sharks and reef species. Explore 2025 itineraries and expert-led departures on our Cocos liveaboards and Tiger Beach shark diving.

There are only a few places in the world where you can safely swim and snorkel with whales. Learn where, and when to go for guaranteed whale sightings!

Our liveaboard whale-swim departures in Tonga (Vava’u) and unique snorkel experiences in Mo’orea continue to offer world-class humpback encounters. Check out our 2025 Mo’orea whale snorkeling trips and Tonga diving departure dates to book your adventure today.

Read about Bluewater's epic Spring 2025 Anilao Underwater Photoworkshop, 17 days of world-class critter diving, hands-on instruction, blackwater adventures, and creative photography led by Nirupam Nigam!

Our dive experts just spent 3 weeks exploring Egypt’s Red Sea—from famous northern wrecks to Elba Reef’s pristine southern sites. Get firsthand tips on top liveaboards, best dive seasons, and must-see spots like the Thistlegorm and spinner dolphins.

This unforgettable 12-day journey took us through world-renowned sites like Blue Magic, Melissa’s Garden, and the Four Kings. We explored coral-covered reefs, swam with manta rays, and encountered uncommon animals like walking sharks and pygmy seahorses. It was the dive trip of a lifetime, complete with professional guides, first-rate service, and constant marine life action!

Bluewater’s March 2025 Antarctica expedition took travelers from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia before embarking on the M/V Ortelius. Highlights included diving in the Beagle Channel, exploring iceberg-filled waters, and witnessing wildlife like penguins, whales, and leopard seals. The group crossed the Antarctic Circle, explored a sunken whaling ship, and dove into Deception Island's volcanic caldera. This unforgettable journey offered once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from breathtaking underwater sights to rare encounters with Antarctica’s wildlife.

Our travel advisors and trip leaders are always on the move, exploring the underwater world! Using their firsthand experience and feedback from our valued guests, we've curated a list that showcases the best diving in the world in 2025. Learn when to go, where to stay, top dive sites, and more. 

Join trip leader Nirupam Nigam on an unforgettable February 2025 photo workshop in Socorro, featuring giant mantas, sharks, and expert underwater photography guidance aboard Rocio del Mar.

Are you planning a liveaboard trip to the Socorro Islands? Recent changes to marine park fees have introduced significant updates that divers need to be aware of. Bluewater Travel is always here to guide you through these changes and ensure that your travel plans remain smooth and stress-free.

Discover the Bluewater team's favorite dive sites around the world. From remote corners of Asia and Micronesia to our own doorstep, we've chosen our top 20 dive sites that keep us coming back again and again .

Our Fiji Photo & GoPro Workshop, held October 9-19, 2024, delivered breathtaking underwater experiences and vibrant cultural immersion. Guided by Nirupam Nigam and Todd Kortte, 25 divers explored the kaleidoscopic reefs of Beqa Lagoon and the legendary Bligh Waters. Highlights included dramatic shark dives, thriving soft corals, and vibrant marine life enhanced by nutrient-rich currents. Evenings featured workshops on photography and GoPro techniques, fostering remarkable progress among participants. Land excursions, cultural activities, and a final beachside lovo dinner added to the camaraderie.

We've been through the Cabo Airport countless times on the way to lead our Travel with Bluewater group trips and have put together this guide so you'll know what to expect when you land, can navigate the airport with expert ease, and focus on your holiday ahead.

Every year, French Polynesia hosts humpback whales who travel from Antarctica to the islands’ warmer tropical waters, to mate, calve, and nurse their young. Interactions with these giants of the sea are life-changing, and for the lucky few who encounter humpbacks in the water, the experience is described as once-in-a-lifetime!

Discover the highlights of our 2024 Bali to Komodo liveaboard trip: exploring remote dive sites, volcanic reefs, and vibrant marine life. From Lombok's hidden gems to Komodo's famed currents and manta encounters, this photo workshop journey captures Indonesia's exciting underwater beauty in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Planning a liveaboard dive trip? This ultimate 2025 packing list covers everything you’ll need – from must-have dive gear and personal items to handy extras that make life onboard smoother. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned diver, this checklist helps you dive in fully prepared.

Want to explore the world's oceans and discover the amazing life beneath the waves?

Over the past two decades, we have become accustomed to always having a camera on us in the form of a smartphone. So, it only makes sense that technology would develop to enable us to take these miniature supercomputers everywhere even underwater.

Domestic land and sea travel can be challenging and overwhelming, especially in a foreign country you aren't familiar with. It might seem scary to use public buses and ferries to reach your destination, and private transfers can be pricey. Tim took public transportation from Manila to Puerto Galera during a recent trip to the Philippines and documented the process to help you decide what transfer option is best for you.

Swimming with whales or whale sharks is a breathtaking, bucket-list experience—and yes, it's accessible even to beginners! This guide will prepare you with everything you need to know before jumping in.

When is the best time to dive Raja Ampat?
This Indonesian paradise offers world-class diving year-round, but conditions can vary depending on the season. From manta ray migrations to peak visibility and quiet off-season months, this guide breaks down what to expect month by month — so you can plan your perfect trip to Raja Ampat.

Thinking of diving the Maldives but not sure whether to stay at a luxury resort or book a liveaboard?

With its warm waters, vibrant coral reefs, and world-famous marine life — from manta rays to whale sharks — the Maldives offers some of the best diving on Earth. But how you experience it can vary hugely depending on your choice of accommodation. This guide compares Maldives dive resorts and liveaboards to help you decide which is best for your dive style, travel preferences, and budget.

Snorkeling is one of the most magical and beginner-friendly ways to connect with the ocean. Whether you're drifting over shallow coral gardens or meeting sea turtles face-to-face, you don’t need to be a scuba diver to witness the underwater world.

We've been through the Cabo Airport countless times on the way to lead our Travel with Bluewater group trips and have put together this guide so you'll know what to expect when you land, can navigate the airport with expert ease, and focus on your holiday ahead.

Reduce your travel stress with helpful packing lists from the experts at Bluewater Travel. Use our downloadable, printable checklists to ensure you pack everything you need and avoid overpacking.

Our Travel with Bluewater Group Trips and Photo Workshops are increasingly popular, especially as scuba diving holidays for solo travelers. You can even meet fellow divers who become lifelong friends, like Lynn and Lisa, who bonded during our recent Photo Workshop in Anilao!

Travel to the Galapagos is an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime experience for many scuba divers. While it may be easy to get caught up in the excitement of visiting such an awesome destination, it's important to consider some essential Galapagos travel tips to make your trip much more enjoyable!

Indonesia is renowned for its incredible diving in the heart of the Coral Triangle and holds a high spot on most divers bucket lists. The sprawling archipelago boasts expansive coastline and prolific and varied marine life. While major islands such as Bali and Java are easy destinations to reach via air, some of the more remote areas can present travel challenges particularly with domestic flight bookings.

Solo dive travel has many benefits, including flexibility, independence, personal growth, and meeting new people. However, divers traveling solo often face a difficult choice: to pay a substantial single supplement or share their rooms/cabins with strangers. As seasoned divers with plenty of experience traveling solo, the experts at Bluewater Travel have put together a guide of liveaboards and dive resorts with single-friendly policies.

Planning a trip to Tubbataha? Skip the fluff and get straight to the logistics. This is your essential guide to Tubbataha liveaboards — including booking tips, permits, packing checklists and how to actually get there. Consider it your no-nonsense prep guide for one of the best dive adventures on Earth.

Looking to start your scuba diving journey in the Caribbean? This guide highlights the region’s best beginner-friendly dive sites—calm waters, vibrant marine life, and easy access make them perfect for first-time divers.