Best Underwater Photography Locations for Dive Trips

In the Caribbean, you can photograph colorful reefs with tropical fish, reef sharks, eels, turtles and rays. Calm water and good visibility make the region a strong choice whether you are a beginner or an experienced underwater photographer. The Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Saba, and the Bahamas also offer large fish, wrecks, walls, seamounts, and shore and drift diving. Mexico covers both the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, where you can photograph large pelagic species around Socorro in the Revillagigedo Archipelago.

Central America and the Galapagos

Belize and Honduras offer wall dives, pinnacles, and barrier reef systems, with chances to see larger pelagic species plus plenty of macro life along the reef slopes. Costa Rica offers abundant fish life, and remote Cocos Island adds schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks, manta rays and occasional whale sharks. In the Galapagos Islands, a wide-angle lens lets you capture hammerheads, eagle rays, sea lions, fur seals and, in season, whale sharks.

South Pacific

In the South Pacific, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands offer colorful hard and soft coral gardens, sheer walls, wrecks, and schooling pelagic fish. Fiji's Rainbow Reef and Bligh Water are known for vivid soft corals, and Beqa Lagoon's shark dives put you close to bull sharks. Papua New Guinea's Milne Bay offers excellent muck diving for macro photography, while the Solomon Islands add WWII wrecks around Guadalcanal and reefs in Marovo Lagoon.

Micronesia

In the northern Pacific, Micronesia centers on Palau, Yap, and Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon. In Palau, Blue Corner's currents bring in gray reef sharks, barracuda, and schooling jacks. German Channel is known for manta rays. Yap's Mil Channel is known for year-round manta ray encounters. Chuuk Lagoon holds dozens of World War II shipwrecks, such as the Fujikawa Maru, where coral-covered decks and cargo holds make striking wide-angle subjects.

Southeast Asia

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines are known for their rich variety of corals and fish. You can explore some of the world’s best muck diving along with coral gardens, vertical reef walls, and historic shipwrecks. Currents and visibility vary by site, so you can mix drift dives with calm, macro-focused dives. Soft and hard corals, schooling pelagics, and tiny invertebrates make the region a good fit for both wide-angle and close-up photography.

Marine life highlights

• Caribbean: reef sharks, eels, turtles, rays, and tropical reef fish
• Socorro, Mexico: large pelagic species
• Belize and Honduras: larger pelagic species and macro life on the reef 
• Cocos Island, Costa Rica: scalloped hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and occasional whale sharks
• Galapagos Islands: hammerheads, eagle rays, mantas, and seasonal whale sharks
• South Pacific: hard and soft corals, invertebrates, schooling pelagic fish, and several shark species
• Micronesia: sharks and manta rays, plus WWII wrecks in Chuuk Lagoon
• Southeast Asia: muck-diving critters, soft and hard corals, schooling pelagics, and tiny invertebrates

Should you choose a dive resort or a liveaboard for underwater photography?

Liveaboard dive trips typically offer four to five dives a day, and their itineraries typically reach dive sites you can’t get to from a resort. Dive resorts usually offer fewer dives per day but more activities on land. 

If you want to photograph larger open-water species, look for liveaboard itineraries that head far offshore. If you prefer reef life and macro subjects, a resort close to the reef may suit you better. Currents, visibility, and time of day all affect your shots. Your guides can help you plan dives around your interests and pace.

What are underwater photography weeks?