The 5 Best Destinations in the World for Shore Diving

One of the biggest advantages of shore diving is flexibility. There’s no rush to fit into a boat’s departure schedule, no pressure to surface when other divers do, and no need for complex logistics. Divers can choose their depth, spend more time observing marine life, and return to shore whenever they want. For new divers, shore entries offer a more controlled environment, compared to back rolling off a boat.

However, shore diving comes with its own set of challenges. Entry and exit points can be tricky, especially in areas with surf, rocky terrain, or strong tidal changes. (You’ll probably want dive booties for walking across rocky beaches). Navigation requires a bit more planning, as there’s no dive guide pointing the way. And while shore dives tend to be shallower, tides and currents can still play a major role.

Despite these challenges, shore diving often provides incredible biodiversity in places where boats don’t typically visit. From seagrass beds teeming with macro life to dramatic drop-offs just beyond the shoreline, shore diving proves that you don’t need a boat to access world-class underwater experiences.

We’ve recommended below some of the most popular and most convenient places to stay (mostly dive resorts) in each destination. Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

Bonaire

• Can’t-miss sites: Alice in Wonderland, the Hilma Hooker Wreck
• Where to stay: Buddy Dive, a purpose-built dive resort with its own house reef
• Recommended operators: Dive Friends Bonaire ensures dives are as fun and relaxing as the name would imply
• Best season: Year-round

Bonaire is the perfect shore diving destination thanks to its calm, warm waters and lack of strong currents, making entries and exits easy for divers of all levels. Unlike many Caribbean islands, Bonaire is outside the hurricane belt, ensuring year-round diving with consistently great conditions. The island’s marine park is well-protected, and the reefs thrive with colorful fish, sea turtles, and coral formations — all just a short swim from shore. Shark encounters are extremely rare, allowing divers to explore the underwater world without concern. With more than 60 marked shore dive sites, Bonaire offers a stress-free diving experience. There’s a reason it’s known as the “Shore Diving Capital of the World.”

Kona, Hawaii

• Can’t-miss sites: ‘Alula Beach, Old Airport
• Where to stay: Royal Kona Resort has a private beach and is within walking distance of popular shops like Jack’s Diving Locker
• Recommended operators: Jacks Diving Locker or Kona Shore Divers are each great picks
• Best season: Year-round, but summer offers the calmest conditions and best visibility

Shore diving on Hawaii’s Big Island is among the best in the world, with easy access to lava tubes, coral reefs, and abundant marine life. The island’s calm, clear waters and minimal currents make it ideal for divers of all levels, while the volcanic coastline provides unique underwater formations like arches, caves, and swim-throughs. Two-Step (Honaunau Bay) is one of the most popular sites, known for above-average visibility, sea turtles, and abundant reef fish. Puako and Mile Marker 4 are both vibrant reefs with eels and occasional manta rays, while Old Kona Airport Beach is a great spot for macro photography and lava rock formations. With its lack of hurricanes, warm waters, and excellent visibility, the Big Island is a shore diver’s paradise year-round.

Amed, Bali, Indonesia

• Can’t-miss sites: USAT Liberty Wreck, Pyramids
• Where to stay: Puri Wirata Dive Resort and Spa has an infinity pool, beachfront access, reasonable prices, and an on-site dive shop (Bali Reef Divers)
• Recommended operators: Bali Reef Divers has multiple shops and a streamlined booking process
• Best season: Year-round, but summer offers the calmest conditions and best visibility

Shore diving around Amed, Bali, offers easy access to coral reefs, black volcanic sand, and vibrant marine life, all set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Agung. The Japanese Wreck is a highlight, sitting in shallow water just meters from the beach, covered in colorful corals and teeming with macro critters like pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs. Nearby, Jemeluk Bay has a healthy reef, artificial statues, and occasional reef sharks, making it a great spot for both beginners and experienced divers.

Amed’s calm waters and gentle currents provide ideal conditions for leisurely shore dives, with excellent visibility in the dry season. The town of Amed is far less crowded than other beach towns in Bali, with a laid-back atmosphere and more affordable hotels than better-known towns like Ubud. However, it’s easy to combine Amed with other dive locations in Bali, or even other islands like Nusa Lembongan (known for the chance to dive with mola mola, or giant sunfish).

Curaçao

• Can’t-miss sites: Playa Kalki, The Tugboat Wreck
• Where to stay: All West Apartments has fully equipped condos with private decks, direct beach access, and unlimited tanks left in the gear room each morning
• Recommended operators: Go West Diving or The Diving Bus have guided shore dives and gear rentals
• Best season: Year-round

It’s no surprise that Curaçao, located near Bonaire, also has fantastic shore diving. Curaçao offers easy beach access, calm waters, and some of the most vibrant coral reefs in the Caribbean. Like Bonaire, it’s outside of the hurricane belt, creating not just year-round diving opportunities, but a near-constant visibility of 75 feet or more. The reefs are healthy and free of wave and storm damage (though they do have plenty of lionfish), and the weather on your surface intervals is bound to be pretty darn nice, too.

Curaçao is a bit more developed than Bonaire, so it has a wider range of restaurants, hotels, and things to do for non-divers. Willemstad, the capital, is significantly larger than Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire, so it’s a bit more of a tourist destination in its own right. That could make Curaçao a better place to dive for travelers who want access to some of the best shore diving in the world, but also want more in the way of nightlife, museums, shopping, and dining. But you won’t be sacrificing world-class diving, as the island has dozens of marked shore dives in addition to boat-accessed sites.

La Jolla, California

• Can’t-miss sites: La Jolla Cove, Point Loma Kelp Forest
• Where to stay: You can’t get much closer than the Grand Colonial La Jolla, where most of the rooms look out at La Jolla Cove
• Recommended operators: Marisa Dive Charters is female-owned and operates from a convenient location in Mission Bay, San Diego
• Best season: Autumn

Shore diving in La Jolla is among the best in California, with close proximity to thriving kelp forests and diverse marine life. La Jolla Cove is famous for its towering kelp, bright orange garibaldi, and curious sea lions, making it a favorite for photographers and marine life enthusiasts. Just south, La Jolla Shores leads to the deep Submarine Canyon, where divers can spot stingrays, sevengill sharks, and seasonal squid runs. In late summer, hundreds of leopard sharks gather in the warm, shallow waters near the Shores (usually accessed from the beach directly in front of the Marine Room), creating a spectacular — yet harmless — encounter.

All of this makes La Jolla a great base for a vacation that includes some diving as well as time doing other activities — San Diego is absolutely packed with must-see sights. However, if you want to focus your trip primarily on diving, you could also make the quick drive north of La Jolla to add a two-night trip to Catalina Island (boats often leave from south of Los Angeles) or dive at Shaw’s Beach, about an hour north of La Jolla. You can also dive some excellent wrecks from San Diego itself. Conditions around San Diego are often excellent in summer and fall, with calmer waters and good visibility inside the kelp forests.

Where else to go shore diving around the world

Though the five destinations above are well-known for their shore diving, they’re far from the only options. In fact, most dive destinations around the world have at least one or two shore dives — whether you’re on the tiny Puerto Rican island of Vieques or at a luxury resort on the Red Sea. Check out more of our favorite shore dive spots, explore the best lake diving locations in the US, or start daydreaming about one of these 40 gorgeous Airbnbs scattered across the Caribbean.