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Beyond Malta, Gozo & Comino

Malta, Gozo & Comino is one of the busiest dive hubs in the world. These destinations dive in a similar way, with the same good months, marine life and kind of diving, and see far fewer divers.

If you're new to diving

Destinations with at least 4 documented Open Water sites.

  1. CreteGreeceBest Jul–Sep7 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, rays, big schoolsSame kind of diving: reefs, walls, caverns and cenotes88match
  2. MallorcaSpainGood May–Oct6 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterGood in the same months (May–Oct)Also macro life, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks, reefs76match
  3. Pembrokeshire & SkomerUnited KingdomBest Jun–Sep5 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, big schoolsSame kind of diving: reefs69match
  4. AzoresPortugalBest Jul–Oct4 Open Water sitesStrong current at 45% of sitesGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, rays, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks, reefs, walls67match
  5. Dorset (Portland & Swanage)United KingdomBest May–Oct6 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro lifeSame kind of diving: wrecks, reefs67match
  6. Narvik & LofotenNorwayBest Jul–Aug4 Open Water sitesMostly calm waterGood in the same months (Jun–Oct)Also macro life, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks67match

For certified divers

Some of these need Advanced certification or more: check each site's level.

  1. Finistère (Brest, Crozon & Glénan)FranceBest Jun–SepGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, raysSame kind of diving: wrecks, reefs, walls81match
  2. Gulen (Western Norway)NorwayDiveable all yearGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, rays, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks76match
  3. Argyll Sea Lochs (Loch Fyne & Loch Long)United KingdomDiveable all yearGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro lifeSame kind of diving: reefs, artificial reefs, walls75match
  4. Scapa Flow (Orkney)United KingdomBest Jun–SepGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks73match
  5. Lundy IslandUnited KingdomBest May–SepGood in the same months (Apr–Oct)Also macro life, big schoolsSame kind of diving: wrecks72match
  6. Plymouth & South CornwallUnited KingdomBest Jul–OctGood in the same months (May–Oct)Also macro lifeSame kind of diving: wrecks, reefs, artificial reefs68match

How we match: share of the good months in common (up to 25 points), same region (25), marine life seen regularly (20), kinds of diving (15), how many sites suit Open Water divers (10) and water temperature (5). We only suggest destinations in the same region of the world that share at least one kind of diving, and that are not among the busiest dive hubs we identified from dive volumes, dive-centre counts and marine-park visitor numbers.

More quieter alternatives to famous dive spots →

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