Fortunately, there are plenty of places in the world where you can shore dive, and the best shore diving resorts and destination have access to nearby reefs, gentle beach entries, and shipwrecks sitting just a few dozen meters from shore. Not having to rely on boat operators (or share a boat with divers of unknown abilities) offers the freedom for divers to dive when they want, where they want, as many times as they want.
The world’s best shore diving destinations range from the coral-laden shores of Bonaire to cold-water bays and kelp forests around San Diego.
Want to dive the Kubu Wreck (also called the Boga Wreck) in Bali? Good news: it’s a shore dive. Photo: DiveIvanov/Shutterstock
The shore diving locales below cater to a range of diving styles and experience levels. It’s a loose guide, so don’t let it deter you from going somewhere you really want to visit — every location below will usually have at least one or two sites suitable for beginners, and diving is technically available year-round in most places. If you’re a beginner considering Bonaire or Curaçao, you’ll be happy to know those two islands are known for having some of the easiest (and most impressive) shore diving in the world.
Most places where you can dive have one or two available shore diving sites, even if most of the diving is usually done from boats. So if you happen to be somewhere where diving is available, it’s worth asking if the nearby shops have any shore dive sites they could take you to.
Local dive shops are your very best source for trip-planning information and are usually happy to answer any questions that help you become a more informed and prepared diver.
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The Hilma Hooker is easily accessible from shore. Photo: Bonaire Tourism
Bonaire, a small island in the Dutch Caribbean, has a well-deserved reputation among divers for having the best shore diving in the world. The island has more than 80 dive sites accessible directly from the shore, making the island hugely popular with divers who value freedom and flexibility in dive planning.
Bonaire’s reef system runs along the entire leeward (western) side of the island, and some sections of coral reef start just a few steps from the shore. Depths at nearly all sites are suitable for beginners, and it’s easy to navigate between dive sites as there’s one loop road that follows the coastline. Nearly all dive resorts on the island offer packages that include a rental car and unlimited tanks, so you can drive directly to whatever site you want to visit.
The Bonaire National Marine Park protects the entire coastline, ensuring healthy reefs and an abundance of fish and marine critters. Expect to see vibrant coral formations teeming with colorful fish, turtles, or maybe octopus and and rays. Eagle-eyed divers might even spot the occasional elusive seahorse or frogfish. However, Bonaire isn’t the place to go for sharks — which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about sharks.
The calm currents and excellent visibility, often exceeding 90 feet, make Bonaire ideal for all skill levels. Beginners can build confidence in the shallow reefs, while experienced divers can explore deeper walls and swim-throughs. Bonaire also boasts an extremely well-preserved wreck: the Hilma Hooker, a freighter that ran aground in 1985 and is now a popular dive site teeming with marine life.
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Dive resorts are very popular in Bonaire, and a few dive resorts even have house reefs so you can dive from the resort without needing to hop in the car. Resorts that don’t cater exclusively to divers will almost always still offer diving as an activity, since it’s the reason many travelers visit the island.
A diver on the USAT Liberty. Photo: Shahar Shabtai/Shutterstock
Bali, the “Island of the Gods,” is a paradise for scuba divers, and shore diving enthusiasts are well catered to on the island. With more than 50 shore diving sites accessible directly from the beach, Bali offers incredible freedom and flexibility for independent divers. Much of the shore diving is on the east coast near towns like Amed and Tulamben. Amed offers a laid-back atmosphere with numerous dive resorts and guesthouses catering specifically to divers, while Tulamben is famous for the wreck of the USAT Liberty, a World War II shipwreck teeming with marine life and accessible directly from the shore.
A nice bonus to diving in Bali is that there are plenty of dive sites accessible by boat, so you can blend shore and boat diving, based on your preference. There are a handful of more advanced (and semi-world-famous) dives around the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Menjangan Island, on the north side of the island, is part of a protected national park with exceptionally healthy marine life. If you visit the Nusas, be sure to do a dive to the manta ray cleaning station, where giant rays and mola molas are common sightings.
Bali has a dry season from April to November and a wet season from December to March. The dry season offers the best diving conditions with calm seas and excellent visibility, but the wet season can still be a good option for diving, with occasional rain showers and slightly lower tourist crowds.
Water temperatures remain pleasant throughout the year and are general quite warm (though the Nusas can have much colder thermoclines, requiring a five-mil). If encountering mola molas is on your wishlist, aim for a trip between July and October when sightings are most frequent around Nusa Penida.
In Bali, it’s required that you use the services of a dive guide or shop, and hotels do not offer self-guided house reef diving. But that’s a perk, as renting a car in Bali can be a bit of a pain, and guided shore dives usually include transportation from your hotel.
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Bali is one of the most popular islands in the world for travelers, with a range of accommodations to suite all tastes. You’ll find everything from affordable hostels to mid-range dive resorts to extremely luxurious full-service resorts. Fortunately, the towns of Amed and Tulamben aren’t as touristed or as expensive as more popular destinations like Ubud or Seminyak.
More Bali lodging recommendations:
Photo: NaturePicsFilms/Shutterstock
San Diego is one of two excellent places in California for shore diving. San Diego may not be tropical, and the water is often chilly enough to demand a seven-mil or a drysuit, but the payoff is access to unique shore diving sites with healthy marine life like sea lions. Divers can choose from underwater canyons, kelp forests, and areas to see small leopard sharks.
Popular sites include La Jolla Shores, a protected cove with calm waters and a shallow reef teeming with fish life. The site in front of the Marine Room restaurant is known for leopard sharks, and experienced divers will find steep drop offs to the north of the Marine Room, just a short swim from shore.
La Jolla Cove is home to a thriving underwater ecological reserve where you can dive through kelp forests (which feels like diving in an underwater forest) and see rocky reefs teeming with colorful fish and playful harbor seals. Depending on the weather, entry and exit may be in strong(ish) waves. Be sure to wear booties as the entry can be rocky, and carry a diving knife since the kelp can occasionally get tangled on hoses. Because of the waves and currents, it’s usually best for experienced divers only.
Visibility in San Diego varies depending on the location and season, typically ranging from 15 feet on a bad day to 60 or 70 feet on a good day. Water temperatures are chilly year-round, averaging in the low 60s to low 70s. The water is warmest in August and September, but you can expect the calmest waves and best visibility from June to October. La Jolla Dive and Zach’s Scuba Shack are the main dive shops in La Jolla (though you can lobster dive in season with La Jolla Watersports).
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It goes without saying you’ll find every kind of accommodation under the sun in San Diego. If you’re diving, you’ll want to stay in La Jolla, since the traffic to get there from other parts of town can be quite bad (and parking in La Jolla is tough). Unfortunately, there are no dive-specific resorts around La Jolla. But most resorts in La Jolla or in the greater San Diego region may be able to recommend a few nearby dive shops.
More San Diego lodging recommendations:
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Headed to Hawai’i? If so, you’ll find shore diving on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai.
Oahu has more than 40 named dive sites, including a handful of beginner-friendly shore dive sites. Some of the best shore diving sites include Hanauma Bay, a world-famous nature preserve with calm, protected waters and abundant fish life; as well as Electric Beach (off Kahe Point Beach Park), popular for larger creatures like dolphins that like to play in the current. At Electric Beach, you’ll have about a 200-foot swim to get to the dive site, and may have to carry your gear through some mid-sized waves.
On the north shore, head to Shark’s Cove (named for the shape of the shoreline, not actual sharks), for swim-through lava tubes and lots of colorful fish. Lanai Lookout, also on the north shore, is known for eagle rays and reef sharks, as well as the occasional whale. But it has a steep, tricky entry, and can get some very strong waves, so it’s only for advanced divers, and should be done with a guide the first few times.
On Kauai, the shore diving is on the southern part of the island near Koloa Landing. The sites are in protected coves with very easy entries and basically no waves or currents, and it’s almost impossible to dive there and not see a sea turtle. It’s one of the easiest beginner shore dive spots in the Hawaiian islands.
If you’re on Maui, most diving is on the west side of the island, with a lot of variety. You can do night shore dives at Mala Wharf, or do a wall dive at Black Rock. Local operator Banyan Tree Divers has a good guide to popular Maui shore dive sites on its website, but it’s not an exhaustive list, as the island has dozens of potential shore-entry dive locations. Of the Hawaiian island, Maui is probably the best bet if you want to avoid boat diving entirely.
Finally, if you’re headed to the Big Island, you’ll want to base yourself on the island’s northwest side, where most of the shore diving sites are located. Of particular note is a site called “Nudi Madness,” and if you’re obsessed with nudibranch, you’ll be pleased to know it’s exactly what you think. The visibility isn’t great, but the site is shallow so you can spend all your time looking for the colorful, whimsical nudibranch that call the site home. Their numbers are at their peak in the summer. Kona Honu Divers has a great map of all the best shore diving sites.
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Your search for lodging in Hawai’i should start with which island you want to visit, followed by making sure there’s a dive shop nearby. But since pretty much every coastal town in Hawaii has a dive shop nearby, that’s not hard to do. There aren’t many dive-specific resorts in Hawai’i, but many dive shops have partnerships with hotels. For example, the Grand Wailea Maui works with Dive Wailea, and Aloha Scuba Diving Company is inside Oahu’s Ala Moana Hotel.
More Hawai’i lodging recommendations:
- The Finest Resorts in Honolulu for the Ultimate Family Vacation or Romantic Getaway
- 8 Maui Beach Hotels With the Best Views in Hawai’i
- These Hotels on Hawai’i’s Big Island Showcase the State’s Best Beaches
- The Most Luxurious Resorts on the Hawaiian Islands for a Vacation of a Lifetime
- Kauai’s Coolest Hotels Offer a Truly Relaxing Beach Escape
Photo: Dmitriy Efremychev/Shutterstock
Tulum isn’t really shore diving — it’s cenote diving. But the concept is the same, as you’ll park just steps from cenotes (tropical sinkholes) and walk to your entry point. Cenotes are formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock and are usually connected by underground tunnels, creating a network of caverns, tunnels, and open water areas. The visibility is usually fantastic.
Tulum has more than 60 accessible cenotes, and most dive shops go to at least a dozen or so. Some cenotes are cavern-like, with sunlight filtering through openings overhead that creates an ethereal underwater light show. Others are open-air cenotes, resembling shallow lakes with lush vegetation along the edges. The most adventurous dives venture deep into the labyrinthine cave systems, requiring specialized training and equipment. And on some deeper cenotes, you can pass through a sulfur layer that looks like an underwater river.
Cenote diving emphasizes proper technique and respect for the delicate environment, since it doesn’t take much to make a stalactite break (and kicking up silt can reduce your visibility to almost nothing). You don’t need to be a certified cave or cavern diver, but having an advanced open water certification is a must, as is excellent buoyancy control. And you’ll want to carry at least two flashlights. Aktun Ha, also known as Carwash, is one of the closest cenotes to Tulum and very popular with beginner divers.
Entry points vary depending on the cenote. Some have convenient staircases leading down to the water, while others might require a giant stride entry from a floating platform. Most dive shops are located in and around Tulum Town, rather than at Tulum Beach (where traffic is a pain to deal with, anyway). Good options include Koox Diving, the Cenote Guy, and Agua Clara Tulum, among others.
You can dive year-round, but the dry season is December to April and offers the best diving conditions with minimal rain. The shoulder seasons (May/June and September to November) are less crowded and cheaper, but the cenotes will have poorer visibility after heavy rain. If you’re hoping to dive with the bull sharks off Playa del Carmen, visit between November and March.
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If you’re diving in Tulum, you’ll want to stay in Tulum Town or the northern end of Tulum Beach, as the extra time it’ll take you to drive to the southern parts of Tulum Beach can easily add 45 minutes to your commute. There aren’t any formal dive resorts in Tulum, though there are a few resorts with on-site dive shops in Playa del Carmen (about 40 minutes north), which is also near some divable cenotes. Options include the Iberostar, which works with the highly regarded Dressel Divers, or Ah Xok Suites, partnered with Phantom Divers.
More Tulum lodging recommendations:
- The 8 Best Hotels in Tulum for Photo-Worthy Jungle Vibes
- 9 Gorgeous Airbnbs for Your Tulum Bachelorette Party
- These Top-Rated Tulum Airbnb Rentals Put You Right Near the Beach
- Pablo Escobar’s Former Mansion Is Now a Luxury Hotel in Tulum, Mexico
- The Rosewood Mayakoba Is the Perfect Mix of Luxury and Wellness Near Playa Del Carmen
Photo: Tunatura/Shutterstock
The Red Sea’s water clarity, shipwrecks, and large pelagics are already enough to land it on most divers’ bucket lists. But add in the fact that diving there is relatively inexpensive, and that the resorts along the Red Sea are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa, and it’s no surprise that it’s becoming more and more popular.
If you’re into shore diving, you have multiple places to choose from. While you’ll likely want to do some boat dives to reach the Red Sea’s deeper sites (or maybe even a liveaboard, as they tend to be quite affordable), you’ll find that many towns have resorts with house reefs and easily accessible shore dives.
High season for diving in the Red Sea is spring and fall, with water reliably in the high 70s/low 80s Fahrenheit and visibility reliably exceeding 100 feet. The water is still warm in the off-seasons (summer and winter), but remember that the temperatures on land in summer can be unbearably hot. Visibility can also be a bit reduced in the summer due to the occasional plankton bloom.
If you want to see hammerheads around Marsa Alam, visit between May and July.
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Starfish cling to the seafloor in a forest of giant kelp. Photo: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, just south of Monterey in Big Sur, is a unique underwater experience accessible via shore diving and one of the prettiest state parks in California. This marine protected area is home to healthy kelp forests, rocky reefs teeming with life, and frequent sightings of charismatic fauna like otters.
Diving is done from Whaler’s Cove, via a boat entry ramp. It’s not difficult, but it can get slippery, so make sure you have booties with grip. There can also be waves and currents, so take your time with the surface swim on your way out to sites like Middle Reef and Worm Patch.
The main draw to shore diving at Point Lobos is the fact that the underwater world at Point Lobos is a kaleidoscope of color. Dozens of fish species live in the safety of the kelp forests, including colorful (and easy to spot) garibaldi. You’ll also likely see plenty of sea stars, rockfish, and eels, and otter and harbor seal sightings are very common, too. If you’re lucky, you may even see a few sharks or notice whales breaching in the distance.
Diving at Point Lobos has a daily cap of 20 divers and reservations are mandatory for all divers. You can make them up to two months in advance via the park website. There are no dive support facilities in the park, so make sure you have all your own gear or go with a guide from a shop like Spangler’s Scuba or Sac City Scuba. Both operators can take you to other shore dive locales around Monterey, too.
The best shore diving conditions around Point Lobos are in the summer, from roughly May to October. Expect calmer seas and better visibility (up to 60 or 70 feet, if you’re lucky), as well as slightly warmer temperatures. However, the water is always on the chilly side, only peaking in the low-to-mid 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Most people wear dry suits, though a head-to-toe seven-mil kit should be fine for one or two dives if you aren’t dry suit certified.
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If you’re diving at Point Lobos, you’ll want to stay in the southern part of Monterey or Carmel-by-the-Sea. You could also stay in Big Sur at one of the smaller resorts along Highway 1, but just remember that they’re mostly along one-land roads, which means traffic can be pretty bad in the peak season and on weekends.
Photo: NaturePicsFilms/Shutterstock
Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island very close to Bonaire, has nearly 40 shore diving access points, some of which have multiple sites within them, making it a haven for divers seeking freedom and flexibility. It’s not as many divers as Bonaire, but the island is larger with more developed towns and more choices for large luxury resorts, making Curaçao potentially a better pick for groups who want diving to be only part of their vacation.
Most of the best shore diving sites are on the island’s south coast, which is surrounded by a healthy reef. Since many of the coral formations begin just steps from shore, shore diving is popular with divers of all levels, and dives can be as shallow as 30 feet or so. Entry points vary, but many of the most popular sites have purpose-built entry platforms or sandy beach areas where you can be in shallow surf to put on your fins and tank.
Like Bonaire, Curaçao’s reefs are very healthy and robust. This is for several reasons, one of which is that the islands are rarely hit by hurricanes, which can damage and destroy shallow reefs. Angelfish, butterflyfish, and colorful juveniles are a common sight, as are sea turtles, barracuda, and even the occasional octopus. The clear water, shallow depths, and brightly colored critters also make it very popular with underwater photographers, as photos retain more color the closer you are to the surface. If there’s one site not to miss on the island, it’s Alice in Wonderland, with reliably clear water and some of the brightest reefs you’ll ever see outside of a fish tank.
Year-round, visibility is generally excellent, ranging from 60 to 100-plus feet, depending on location and season. While some divers may opt to wear just a rashguard, most divers will likely want a three-mil wetsuit to stay warm during multiple days of diving.
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Many resorts near the best shore diving sites on the southern coast cater specifically to divers, with on-site dive shops, gear storage, tank fills, and easy access to house reefs for shore diving. Budget-friendly options like guesthouses and vacation rentals are also available. Popular dive-specific resorts on Curaçao include:
Ultimately, nearly every resort and hotel on the island is used to having divers visit, and the sheer number of dive shops means you won’t have to walk far from your resort to find one. Like in Bonaire, most divers do self-supported dives by renting a car and driving to the entry points, rather than going on guided dive trips.
Photo: Arseniy Bobrov/Shutterstock
Choosing between shore diving and boat diving depends on what you’re looking for in your underwater adventure. Shore diving offers a taste of freedom and convenience. You can pack your gear, head to the beach, and explore the underwater world directly from the shore. There’s no waiting on other divers or having to plan your day around a boat schedule. You set your own pace and dive whenever you’re ready, as many times as you want. However, shore dives are typically shallower and limited to whatever you can reach in a short swim from land.
Boat diving provides a more structured experience with a guide or divemaster at the helm. They take care of navigation, brief divers on the site, and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Divers will need to follow the guide and have access to an expert to help them assemble and check their gear, which can be good for beginners.
Boat trips can also reach deeper sites and offshore locations, opening up a wider world of marine life encounters, wrecks, or underwater walls that wouldn’t be accessible from shore. The downside is that boat diving typically comes with a higher price tag compared to shore diving, plus crew tips. And you usually don’t get to do more than two dives per day on a boat-diving scuba vacation.
Shore diving entires can be as basic as simply walking into the water. Photo: Alexandr Jitarev/Shutterstock
Shore diving boasts several advantages for scuba enthusiasts. First and foremost, it offers incredible freedom and flexibility. You ditch the rigid schedules of boat trips and dive on your own terms. This spontaneity is a big draw for many divers, as is the fact that it’s cheaper (you only need to factor in gas and parking, especially if your resort package includes unlimited tanks).
Another perk is the ease of logistics. With shore diving, there’s less gear to lug around since you enter the water directly from the shore, and you don’t have to haul your stuff in and out of a crowded boat or get ready in a hurry to time the currents correctly. You also don’t need to do backroll entries (though that’s a skill every diver should know), and you can say goodbye to getting seasick before your dive starts. Shore dives can also be a great way to develop your self-reliance as a diver. Since there’s usually no dive guide on hand, you’ll hone your navigation skills and become more comfortable planning and executing your dives.
You’ll skip the hassle of dealing with a boat, but may still have to carry your dive gear along beaches or down rocky and slippery staircases. Photo: blue-sea.cz</>/Shutterstock
While shore diving offers freedom and budget-friendly perks, there are also some drawbacks to consider.
One challenge is entry and exit. Unlike the ease of climbing onto a boat platform, shore entries can be tricky, especially with factors like waves, currents, or uneven rocky terrain. These conditions can make carrying your gear and navigating entry/exit points more difficult and potentially hazardous. They can also be quite easy, but it really depends on the site and conditions.
Another con is self-reliance. Without a dive guide on shore dives, the responsibility for navigation, dive plan execution, and awareness falls entirely on you and your buddy. This can be daunting for new divers and requires a strong foundation in dive safety procedures, gear assembly, and some basic navigation skills.
Finally, shore dives typically limit you to shallower depths. Breathtaking coral reefs and interesting underwater features are often accessible from shore, but if you’re hoping to encounter specific marine life like sharks or explore deeper wrecks and walls, boat diving may be the better option.
Always dive with a buddy. Photo: Juice Flair/Shutterstock
