From New England to Key West the U.S. East Coast offers Scuba Diver a figurative and literal “treasure trove” of dive delights.

The scuba diver beginners and experts alike will find 100’s of dive sites all up and down the East Coast, no matter what skill level of diving certification scuba diver posses, or specialty challenges you crave.

Best Places to Scuba Diver on the U.S. East Coast

New England of course is known for lobster, and lobster diving is very popular in the northern waters of the East Coast for scuba diver. There are many boat charters that can get you out to the lobster grounds for a unique “bug dive”.

Being one of the main port sites in the U.S., wrecks also abound off of the coast of New England, making it a scuba diver playground.

For those with the skills and expertise beyond recreational scuba diver and have advanced to Technical scuba diver, the allure of one of the most famous wrecks in the world rests in these waters - the Andrea Dora.

There are many wrecks and other interesting marine habitats off the coast of New York’s Long Island and the Jersey Shore. Both New York and Jersey’s beaches offer some great beach scuba diver sites.

When it comes to Scuba Diving in the United States, Florida and the Florida Keys immediately come to mind.

Avid scuba diver also know about the great wrecks that are located off of the Carolina Coast, but let’s not forget the other side of the country - California and the West Coast of the U.S also offer some truly unique and exciting diving experiences for scuba diver.

Actually the Channel Islands of Southern California offer some of the best scuba diving in the world, let alone the States.

With an average visibility of 50 - 100 feet The Channels are far enough off the coast for clean and clear waters, yet close enough to get too quickly.

Best places to Scuba diver on the U.S. west coast

Some of the greatest views of marine diversity are available to scuba diver here, with each of the islands featuring its own unique characteristics and underwater flora and fauna.

Sea lions abound at Santa Barbara Island and it is not uncommon for a scuba diver here to find oneself surrounded by the playful and friendly creatures. The kelp beds of Santa Barbara are exquisite and bountiful, and there are many caves and caverns for those with proper scuba diver certification to explore.

You might think that as a beginner or basic scuba diver your choices of truly amazing or exotic aquatic experiences are somewhat limited.

Not true, indeed even for the beginning Scuba Diver holding an entry-level Scuba certification the world truly is your Ocean - or River, Lake or Stream for that matter.

Some of the most exotic and popular dive sites in the world like Costa Rica, Fiji, Thailand even Australia have sites for beginners as well as the advanced or experienced diver.

A little closer to home Florida and the Florida Keys offer some of the most extensive dive areas and different Scuba Diving environments that are easy enough for beginning scuba divers but diverse enough to return again and again.

For example Scuba Diving Magazine rated Islamorada in the Florida Keys the number one dive site for beginner’s scuba divers.

Best locations for beginner scuba diver

There you can find many dive sites like the fully protected Alligator Reef Sanctuary; this 25 ft dive is located only 3.5 miles off the coast of Islamorada and is ideal for snorkelers and beginner Scuba Divers.

Every scuba diver dreams of Treasure Hunting maybe it is because it has been estimated that the literally billions of dollars that have been found and pulled up from below the waves, represent only about 2 percent of what lies below.

And the treasures beneath the surface are not only the obvious ones of gold and silver. The sea holds a trove of historical artifacts that are also treasure if only for their historical value.

Scuba dive for treasure hunting

There is not a specific scuba dive certification labeled “Treasure Diver” but if you are going to do any serious treasure hunting, wreck diver and or cave or cavern diver certification would be strongly recommended.

Since the wrecks that hold the most promising possibilities of sunken riches are also likely in deep waters some type of training in extended and deep-water scuba dive is also recommended such as Enriched Air Diving or Rebreather Diving.

It is possible however for even average recreational scuba dive of modest ability to search for undersea treasure, without ever having to enter a wreck or a cavern.

Think you know the nightlife in the tropics? Think again- you haven’t seen “Night Life” until you have Scuba Dive at night.

Night Diving is a specialty certification that comes with Advanced Open Water Certification and it is one that is highly recommended.

The major Dive Organizations define a Night Scuba Dive as any dive that begins after the sun sets below the horizon.

This is actually the best time to begin a night scuba dive, as there is still light some light trickling through the crystalline waters as you begin your decent.

Then as you resurface you are greeted by dancing moonbeams reflected off of your scuba dive mask. The seas below the surface are a whole new world at night.

Even a reef that you have dived on many times in daylight becomes eerily unfamiliar during a night scuba dive.

Not only do nocturnal creatures only seen at night make their appearance, but also the ocean abounds with bioluminescent creatures, planktons and other microorganisms, that put on their own unique aquatic light show.

There are many dive shops and dive schools that offer Scuba Diving Instruction.

There are even scuba trips and scuba vacations that come compete with scuba training and certification.

While modern day Scuba dive is quite safe, it is still a sport with some risks, proper training is required, and there are a few things you should look for before selecting a scuba class or training course.

Observe these facts before selecting scuba dive class or training course

Make sure that the scuba dive shop; school or course is affiliated with one of the major Scuba training organizations. PADI (www.padi.com) and NAUI (www.naui.com) are the two most recognized.

With so many scuba dive courses and scuba training programs out there, your goal should be to find one that is reliable, respectable, honest and will offer you a thorough and yet positive certification experience.

Here are a few tips that can help you to select the best scuba dive training programs.

Like when shopping for anything else, if something seems like a bargain when compared to the costs of its competitors - it probably isn’t.

Scuba. The word conjures up images of divers slowly weaving their way among beautiful coral reefs as exotic fish swim by, trails of bubbles drifting off behind them.

Scuba or scuba diving has entered the vernacular to describe any self-contained equipment that allows one to breathe and remain underwater for extended periods of time.

But the word SCUBA was originally an Acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, and was applied specifically to the equipment used by US navy divers, also known as frogman, developed during WWII by scientist and engineer Dr. Christian Lambertsen.

Around the same time the man most associated with Scuba diving and underwater adventure Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan modified an automobile regulator and invented the on-demand underwater breathing regulator that became known as the “Aqualung” and set the standard for modern Scuba diving equipment.

While all modern Scuba gear uses the same ideas and designs of the first rigs invented by Cousteau and Lambertson in the ’40’s - basically tanks of gas strapped to the divers back and some type of on-demand regulator - man’s desire to swim like a fish and need to explore the underwater world goes back much further then that.

When it comes to great Scuba Dive sites and scuba diving opportunities in Asia most dive professionals agree that the place to be is Phuket Thailand.

Don’t let the funny name intimidate you (its pronounced “Poo-get”) - for divers Phuket Thailand translates into “Paradise”

Phuket Thailand has been called the ‘Pearl of the South’ and for scuba divers it’s certainly the gem of Asia diving. This island paradise rests in the Adaman Sea lying only 8 degrees north of the equator.

The Phuket Thailand has a year round tropical climate with an average water temperature of 78°F. The waters surrounding Phuket Thailand are home to an astonishing variety of undersea life.

Below the surface of the Adaman sea is a feast for the eyes of scuba divers. Vast panoramas of corals explode with color.

Tropical fish species abound. Manta rays and the majestic whale shark are not uncommon sites. The warm clear waters and wealth of marine life of Phuket Thailand make it a must for Asia Divers and underwater photographers.

The Adaman is home to one of the most spectacular coral reefs on the planet, attracting divers worldwide. More than 3000 different types of fish and over 500 unique corals have been identified and catalogued to date in this area.

Hawaii islands are known for its rolling surf, pineapples, hula dancing, and volcanoes.

The Hawaii islands also have some of the best waters for scuba diving in the south pacific, and arguably the world.

The Hawaii Islands actually consist of 132 islands, though you “mainlanders” generally only think of the eight main islands, Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Kahoolawe and Hawaii.

Hawaii islands is one among the eight islands useful for scuba diving

These fabled Hawaii islands are a paradise for divers - being surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and located over 2400 miles from the nearest continent has created a unique underwater environment, in fact over 25% of all marine species in the world call Hawaii islands home.

For divers of all skill levels the four most visited islands are Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii islands, with each Island sporting its own undersea riches and unique dive locations.

Lanai, Molokai and Niihau is frequented a little less often by Scuba Divers - while they offer some unique dives and encounters with marine life, they are generally recommended for intermediate to advanced divers.

From Key Largo to Key West the Florida Keys span 110 miles and are a tropical wonderland and Scuba divers paradise you can visit without ever having to leave the United States.

The Florida Keys is the third largest barrier reef in the world, and the only living coral reef in the United States.

Starting with John Pennekamp State Park in the upper keys, down on through Islamorada and into Florida Keys, the Florida Keys offer some of the best Scuba Diving sites and experiences in the world.

Scuba diving in the Florida Keys

The first Key, Key Largo has been called the Scuba Diving Capital of the World, and with good reason. Here you will find John Pennekamp State Park, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - a 2800 square mile protected sanctuary for coral and dozens of aquatic creatures.

The Sanctuary is divided up into six distinct dive sites, each with its own special appeal to scuba divers.

The Stature of Christ Abyss - a 9-Foot Stature resting just below the surface nestled among coral formations

The Speigle Grove - a 500 Ft Vessel, intentionally sunk in 2002