Most Extreme Scuba Dive Destinations

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Searching for something more adrenaline inducing than a pleasant dive through a reef? Look no further than these extreme scuba diving destinations, where frigid water and sunken wrecks make for the experience of a lifetime.

Antarctica
This is the coldest and most remote scuba dive destination in the world. Divers who venture to the poles must obtain an Advanced Open Water certification with at least 20 dry suit dives. After all that training, there’s yet another hurdle to jump before you can dive there: the expenses. Some trips cost up to $13,000 for a one- to two-week adventure under the sea. But many say it’s worth every penny for the intensity, visibility, and spectacular wildlife.

The Dead Sea, Israel
The Dead Sea is the lowest elevation and the saltiest place to scuba dive on earth. Located at 1,385 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea’s salty atmosphere allows people of all sizes to float without any buoyancy device. Also thanks to the salt, some people claim diving the Dead Sea is like swimming through a patch of diamonds.

Papua New Guinea
Head to Papua New Guinea where the waters are home to rich in coral gardens and an abundance of marine life. To top it off, you can also dive amongst sunken relics from World War II, viewing everything from missiles to bomber planes.

Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Cocos Island is like something straight out of National Geographic. This diver’s paradise boasts a virtually untouched eco-system. With more than 20 dive sites, divers can view the extreme side of the ocean, like schools of hammerheads swimming all around you.

Truk Lagoon
Located in a sheltered body of water 1,800 kilometers northeast of New Guinea, this adventurous dive destination is ideal for wreck divers. There are nearly 50 sites to explore where shipwrecks, sunken tanks, and airplanes fill the ocean floor, all waiting to be explored.