1. Devil’s Den Cave, Williston, Florida, USA

We start the list with one of the most beautiful and oldest underwater caverns our planet offers. If you’ve ever visited the cenotes in southern Mexico, the site will feel so familiar that you’ll instantly know you’re in for a treat. The Devil’s Den sinkhole, shaped like an upside-down mushroom, is formed by limestone, quickly eroded by the friction of the moving water that forever reshapes its contours. Rays of light shoot down the center opening, projecting bright beams through the water that reach the bottom of the cave. Diving Devil’s Den mirrors the paradoxical climb to heaven: one must descend rather than go up to reach nirvana. Best of all, you don’t need to be cave certified to explore the place. While there are plenty of caves into which divers best not enter, Devil’s Den is a vast 10,000-year-old cavern with a maximum depth of 16.45 meters (54 feet) where you can always see the light of the central opening. If it’s your lucky day, you might even be greeted by passing fish or even some wandering turtles. Although dive scooters are not allowed at this place at all, we still wanted to share this beautiful spot with you.

Level: Open Water Certification or Above

X-factor: constant water temperature of 22 degrees Celsius / 72 degrees Fahrenheit

When to go: all year

Best for: singles and friends

2. Coiba National Marine Park, Gulf of Chiriqui, West of Panama

“Think of the amount of fish you have seen elsewhere and double it – think of the size of the fish you have seen and double it as well… that sums up the promise of diving Coiba.”

– Diver Magazine

Our number two diving spot went from “zero to hero” in fourteen years. Before becoming a national marine park and being named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005, the island was a prison that harbored some of the most ruthless criminals in Panama. Coiba was a place you’d have avoided for almost eighty years, but all that is in the past. Today, this Panamanian national park, comprised of the main island of Coiba and 37 other smaller islands and islets, greets visitors with an extraordinary density of indigenous flora and fauna preserved by its remoteness, boasting the largest coral reef in that region of the Eastern Pacific. Don’t let the 60-minute boat ride from Santa Catalina keep you away from this extraordinary place where you might even spy on any of the tens of species of sharks inhabiting the region.

Level: Open Water Certification or Above

X-factor: Unique flora and fauna

When to go: all year

Best for: nature lovers

3. Shark Point, Wolf Island, Galapagos

I love sharks, so the list couldn’t exclude one of the best spots to realize your dream of diving with them. The Galapagos Islands might not be a secret, but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer amazing diving spots. Shark Point stands out when looking for sharks because it has the most sharks on the planet, as confirmed by a 2016 study titled “Largest global shark biomass found in the northern Galápagos Islands of Darwin and Wolf.” Keep in mind that the conditions that attract all those sharks (strong currents and depth) also make Shark Point a spot for advanced divers only. If you want to see hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, black tip sharks, whale sharks, and more, place Shark Point at the top of your diving list for 2023.

Level: Advanced

X-factor: Loads of sharks

When to go: May to November

Best for: advanced scuba divers

4. Blue Hole, Gozo, Malta

Google Gozo’s Blue Hole and you will soon fathom why legendary French oceanographer, author, and filmmaker, Jacques Cousteau, considered it the best diving site in Europe. I didn’t take the time to confirm or debunk that claim for two simple reasons. One, I’d love for it to be true. Two, my goal here is to tell you about superior diving sites. The Blue Hole is a great diving site for divers of all levels. With a maximum depth of 14 meters, a natural formation shaped like an arch, created by the power of wind and water, presents descending divers with the choice of exploring the cavern or wandering out through the tunnel into the open ocean to discover schools of fish. The accessibility of the site, which is only a 5-minute walk from the parking lot, makes it an excellent choice for the more casual diver.

Level: all levels (Open Water Certification or above to go out to the open ocean)

X-factor: Jacques Cousteau’s favorite spot

When to go: all year

Best for: families, campers, or anyone who loves to dive

5. Red Sea, Egypt

The Red Sea is dear to my scuba-diving heart because it is where I earned my Open Water Certification. “You will be spoiled forever,” my diving instructor said back then. He was right. The warm waters, stunning coral reefs, and endless schools of colorful fish made for an unforgettable first diving experience as if the gods had created the largest and most colorful aquarium just for me. From Hurghada to Hamata, the Egyptian Red Sea is ready to reward divers of all levels. Whether you start right at the beach, jump from a dock directly into the water next to walls of coral reef, or take a boat ride to the more remote locations, unmatchable beauty is what you’ll find. After suffering abuse for many years, the Red Sea has recovered so much of its beauty that should you visit it, promise me you will take good care of it.

Level: all levels

X-factor: Colors like the rainbow

When to go: all year

Best for: everyone

As the sun begins to warm those of you south of the equator, let all of us on the northern side receive the winter and its festivities with a smile. 2023 will arrive soon enough, and with the five additional reasons listed above, we can wait for it with more anticipation. Even without a SCUBAJET, each one of these destinations will be unforgettable for any diver. Still, with such a fantastic device as a SCUBAJET, we can make sure to at least double the joy of their respective X-factors.