An Active Honeymoon: Top Scuba Destinations

Not everyone wants to sit around on a beach for their honeymoon.  If you're a scuba enthusiast, consider a honeymoon where you can experience one of the world's scenic underwater adventures.  If you aren't already a certified diver, you can take a three-week course from your local dive shop before your travel to obtain your certification. Among the best spots for a scuba honeymoon are:

• Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos – Located just off the coast of south Florida, this island paradise features sparkling turquoise waters and a steep 12,000 foot channel near to shore, making for excellent wall diving.  The channel walls are home to black coral as well as a variety of sponges.  During the winter (January through March), humpback whales frolic off shore.

• Kona, Hawaii – The west coast of Hawaii's "Big Island" has a rugged volcanic coastline coupled with calm, temperate waters.  The area is home to a plethora of marine life, over one-third of which is unique to the Kona Coast.  One popular feature here is night-diving, where you can dive, surrounded by dozens of tame manta rays.

• Cozumel – Located just off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the island of Cozumel is home to dozens of protected coves (mostly on the islands western shores).  This combined with the islands 100-foot deep visibility and temperate waters make it an ideal spot for viewing marine life.  Unique to the area is the goliath grouper.

• Palau – This somewhat remote South Sea island, about 500 miles east of the Philippines, is a diver's mecca.  Called one of the "Seven Underwater Wonders of the World," this island nation boasts colorful reefs, sheer walls, caverns, and over 1500 species of fish plus 700 species of corals and anemones.  The most popular dive site there is the "Blue Corner," home to large permanent schools of barracuda and a number of sea turtles and fairly tame sharks.

• St. Lucia – This island is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean. Shaped like a butterfly, with twin peaks on either end with a lush valley in between, St. Lucia is home to a collection of romantic hillside and beachfront retreats.  The warm, crystal-clear waters here are house a variety of unique marine creatures, including stunning purple vase sponges, bountiful sea fans and corals, gangs of blue tangs and Creole wrasse, and golden spotted eels.

• Phuket – Located off the southwest coast of Thailand, this island's tourism was devastated by the Tsunami in 2004.  Today, the resorts have rebuilt and the carefree lifestyle and vibrant nightlife have returned.  The island is known for its long stretches of beaches and warm, clear water.  The best diving is located at the Similan Islands National Park, a 140 square kilometer natural wildlife refuge and World Heritage Site.  The park, easily accessible via boat from Phuket is home to a wide variety of colorful marine creatures, including clown fish, lion fish, and manta rays.

Share This