Posted by Links and Tours Ltd
1) Great Barrier Reef, Australia
1) Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The world’s largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef, is under threat from a recently approved coal port and may be downgraded by UNESCO as an endangered World Heritage Site.
But for now this 1,400m (2,300km) reef, which can be seen from outer
space, remains one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Its
kaleidoscopic coral shelves are home to an abundance of marine life
including turtles, sharks and more than 1,500 species of fish.
An orange-lined triggerfish surveys the Great Barrier Reeftreetstreet / Thinkstock
2) Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada
Imbued with beautiful beryl blues, Grenada’s dazzling west coast
becomes all the more spectacular when you dip below the waves and
discover its sunken art museum.
The Underwater Sculpture Park, featuring installations by Jason
deCaires Taylor and Troy Lewis, is located on the seabed and is the
first of its kind. Man on a Bike, a life-size gent cycling along a reef,
and Ring of Children, a circle of kids holding hands, are among the
inspiring artworks that double up as a substrate for marine life.
Ring of Children is just one of a host of seabed sculpturesGrenada Underwater Sculpture Park
3) Underwater Museum, Mexico
When hurricanes and tropical storms destroyed reefs in Cancun,
Mexico, authorities floated the idea of submerging 500 life-size
sculptures onto the seabed to give marine life something to live upon.
In dived British artist, Jason deCaires Taylor, who created an incredible set of statues
that range from sunken cars and small houses to bankers burying their
heads in the sand. Spread over two sites, both can be reached by
snorkelers.
The Underwater Museum doubles up as a substrateCreative Commons / 2il org
4) Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
Charles Darwin described it as “the most remarkable reef in the West
Indies,” a statement that still rings true today. Forming part of the
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, this underwater World Heritage Site is home
to a cornucopia of marine life, including 500 species of fish and 106
species of coral.
The jewel in its crown, though, is the Great Blue Hole, a large
submarine sinkhole that attracts divers and snorkelers from around the
world
The Great Blue Hole is a feature of the Belize Barrier ReefPurestock / Thinkstock
5) S S Thistlegorm, Egypt
Sunk by German bombers in 1941, the trains, trucks, armoured vehicles
and motorcycles aboard S S Thistlegorm never made it to their intended
destination of Alexandra in Egypt.
Instead the vessel was considered lost until local fishermen helped
French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau pinpoint its remains near Ras
Muhammad in the Red Sea in the 1950s. Now divers can discover the entire
ship, including anti-aircraft machine guns and holes left by the bombs,
in a single dive.
Fish explore a truck on the sunken S S ThistlegormCreative Commons / Wilfred Hdez
6) Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
A miracle of Mother Nature, the Galapagos Islands are home to some of the most diverse marine life on the planet.
The archipelago’s unique flora and fauna – Galapagos penguins,
Galapagos sharks, marine iguanas and many more – have evolved in
isolation from the rest of the world, inspiring Charles Darwin to
develop his theory of evolution there.
For whales and sharks, the best time to visit is between June and September.
Green turtles are part of an all star line-up in Galapagospkphotoscom / Thinkstock
7) Blue Corner Wall, Palau
With an astounding array of underwater life (think bright sea whips,
darting reef sharks, flapping eagle rays, rich coral reefs and schools
of pelagic fish), Blue Corner Wall is considered by many as the best
dive site in the world.
Just south of the Philippines, this underwater marvel in Palau isn’t
for the inexperienced. Strong currents can drag even the strongest
swimmer away, so nearly all divers hook themselves into the wall before
taking in one of the most breathtaking, below the surface sights known
to man.
Abundant marine life makes Blue Corner Wall a joy to diveMichael Stubblefield / Thinkstock
8) Ithaa Restaurant, Maldives
If you’re looking for a seafood restaurant with a difference, Ithaa
might be for you. This underwater eatery in the Maldives turns the
aquarium theme on its head, exhibiting diners to the local marine life
in a transparent dining room.
The first of its kind, Ithaa seats just 14 guests at a time, who can
quaff their way through a six-course seafood dinner in full view of nosy
– and, presumably, disapproving – fish.
Ithaa Restaurant turns the aquarium theme on its head Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
9) Lake Baikal, Russia
The oldest and deepest (1,700m/5,577ft) freshwater lake in the world,
Lake Baikal is home to 20% of the planet’s unfrozen freshwater.
Located in southeast Siberia, its unique freshwater fauna, which
includes the famous freshwater seal, has evolved in isolation from the
rest of the world, which is why some call it ‘the Galapagos of Russia.’
During winter it is possible to drive across the lake.
Baikal seals are unique to this lake in Siberiajim8080 / Thinkstock
10) Beluga whales, Canada
Every year, between June and August, thousands of beluga whales swim
to the shores of Churchill to frolic in the recently melted waters.
Known as ‘sea canaries,’ on account of the strange chirping noises
they make, these white whales are a friendly bunch and have become
something of a tourist attraction in the Hudson Bay, where they swim
with snorkelers and kayakers.
11) Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan
Most divers come to Jordan’s Red Sea for its gentle currents, warm
waters and colourful coral reefs. But disaster junkies and history buffs
arrive in search of something different – sunken military hardware.
An important WWII supply route, these troubled waters saw many ships
sink during the conflict. Popular wrecks include the scuttled Cedar
Pride and an M40 tank, which sits silently on the seabed.
A diver explores the Gulf of Aqaba's warm waters Jonathan Milnes / Thinkstock
12) Jules Undersea Lodge, USA
Airport transfers take on a new level of difficulty for guests of
Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo. Nestled in a mangrove lagoon, some
6.5m (21ft) underwater, this former research laboratory can only be
reached by experienced scuba divers.
Rooms are a tad pokey, but guests have the use of showers and a
kitchen – a pizza delivery service is also available. If Florida’s
marine life isn’t entertaining enough for you, the hotel has a decent
collection of film, literature and music.
Swimming through masses of, what is essentially, coral sperm may not
sound like everyone’s idea of fun, but every autumn divers and
snorkelers swarm to reefs to witness the annual spawn.
Despite sounding unpleasant, the rare natural spectacle is an
incredibly beautiful event, with the coral’s newly released gametes
resembling something of an underwater snowstorm as they float toward the
surface.
Coral spawn glistens in the light of a torchCreative Commons / Brittanie
14) Florida shark migration, USA
For those suffering with galeophobia (a fear of sharks) news that the
largest shark migration in the US happens off the coast of Florida
every year may be enough to put them off visiting The Sunshine State.
But for shark and wildlife lovers the winter migration grants a rare
opportunity to witness tens of thousands of blacktip sharks up close as
the predators make their way south along the Atlantic coast.
Still not convinced? Well, let this reassure you; not one fatal
blacktip shark attack has been recorded in Florida since records began.
The migration means onlookers can see timid blacktips up closeIPG Gutenberg UK LTD / Thinkstock
15) Sandfalls, Mexico
The kind of phenomenon more suited to a trippy fantasy film than the
coast of Cabo in Mexico. The sandfalls are a twist on your traditional
waterfall, with strong currents causing sand to slip from underwater
coastal shelves down into a deep 120m (400ft) abyss.
Cabo’s sandfalls were originally discovered by the famous diver,
Jacques Cousteau, and are home to over 300 species of marine life
including barracuda, reef sharks and octopus.
16) Lost city of Heracleion, Egypt
The ancient Egyptian port of Heracleion, founded in 8BC, disappeared
under the waves some 1,200 years ago and its existence had long since
descended into myth until it was rediscovered in 2000 by archaeologist
Frank Goddio.
The underwater city now lies 6.5km (4 miles) off the coast of Aboukir
Bay near Alexandria, where archaeologists have discovered the remains
of giant religious statues, ancient ships and, most intriguingly, dozens
of small limestone sarcophagi believed to have once contained mummified
animals.
16-foot stone statues guard the underwater city of HeracleionGlobal_Pics / Thinkstock
17) Yonaguni monument, Japan
Several intriguing rock formations off the Japanese island of Yonaguni have mystified scholars since their discovery in 1987.
Debate rages over whether these structures, which look like some sort
of underwater temple, are man-made or a quirk of nature. Some experts,
including Masaaki Kimura, have gone one step further, suggesting the
formations are ruins of the lost city of Mu.
A diver weighs up the Yonaguni MonumentCreative Commons / Vincent Lou
18) Neptune Memorial Reef, USA
The largest man-made reef ever created, Neptune Memorial in Florida
was built as an underwater burial site, where people could have their
cremated remains mixed with cement to help create an artificial reef.
However, after a souring of relationships between the creators and
the sponsor, the submarine cemetery has been abandoned. Since then
nature has reclaimed the site, which is now officially identified as a
natural coral reef – albeit one made from dead people.
The reef is made from concrete infused with cremated remainsCreative Commons / Todd Murray
19) Underwater post office, Vanuatu
A gimmick that generated much media coverage when it opened earlier
this year, this underwater post office is located off the coast of
Hideaway Island in Vanuatu – predictably, it is the only one of its
kind.
Travellers can don full dive gear or a snorkel and fins to post their
waterproof postcards, either at the post box or the manned counter.
Admittedly, it does look kind of fun.
The world's most impractical post office is also the most funPADI
20) The Sardine Run, South Africa
Known as ‘the great underwater migration,’ the spectacular sardine
run sees billions of sardines head north along the eastern coast of
South Africa every summer.
The sardine shoals, which stretch up to 15km (9 miles) in length, are
the star attraction, but dolphins, sharks and seabirds come to spoil
the show by feasting on the fish.
The sardine run is a spectacle both above and below waterCreative Commons / Angela Huxham
