Hello Spring – Discover 7 Best Places to Dive in April

Spring is in the air, the days are getting longer, and the northern hemisphere is coming to life after winter. It is a great month to get outside and start diving! Some of the top places to visit in April have calm seas and excellent visibility, making them perfect for a getaway no matter your experience level. In our round-up of the best places to dive in April, we have two whale shark hotspots, some of the best macro diving in Indonesia, a hidden diving gem off the tourist trail and more. Read on to get inspired and plan your next dive adventure.

1. Belize.

Belize is home to the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef system after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. With such an impressive reef system on its doorstep, Belize offers fantastic coral reef diving and has a wealth of dive destinations to choose from.

This ever-popular destination is home to many famous dive spots, such as Turneffe Atoll, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Lighthouse Reef and the Belize Great Blue Hole.

April is one of the best months to experience the many highlights of Belize scuba diving as the sea is calm, the winds are low, and the water visibility is exceptional. It is also peak whale shark season.

If you love whale sharks, Gladden Spit, Placencia is one of the best places to dive this month.

Thousands of fish spawn there around the full moons of March to June each year, attracting plenty of whale sharks to the area.

Known as one of the most biodiverse areas in the Caribbean, Belize also has an abundance of smaller marine life. With over 300 fish species, 3 species of sea turtles, plus dozens of coral and sponge species, it is a paradise for any diver.

READ MORE: 10 OF THE BEST CORAL REEFS IN THE WORLD.

2. Malapascua, the Philippines.

Malapascua is the only dive destination in the world where you can dive with thresher sharks year-round, making it a popular choice for many shark fans.

You can go diving in Malapascua all year, but now is a great time to visit. It is the dry season and the last month to spot both thresher and hammerhead sharks.

This beautiful island, fringed with soft white-sand beaches and warm, blue waters, is not just about shark diving. There is also an array of other dive highlights in the area.

There are diverse macro/muck diving opportunities among rock and coral formations, sloping reefs, small walls and thriving seagrass beds. Nearby Gato Island offers pristine reef diving within a protected marine reserve and sea snake sanctuary.

3. Silfra, Iceland.

With water temperatures hovering around 2–4 °C (35-39°F) all year, you will need more than one hot drink and plenty of thick clothing after you go diving in Iceland. But do not let that put you off!

Silfra is one of the best places to dive in Iceland and offers a unique experience that attracts divers from around the world.

This rift formed between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and is one of the only places where you can dive between two tectonic plates.

The water clarity at Silfra is phenomenal, with over 100 meters (328 feet) of visibility.

April is the last month of the low season in Iceland, meaning there are still fewer divers in the water and lower prices than usual.

The weather is starting to warm up, making it more comfortable for exploring, and you might even catch a glimpse of the last Northern Lights of the season.

READ MORE: TIPS AND TRICKS TO ENJOY COLD WATER DIVING.

4. Bay Islands, Honduras.

Sitting off the coast of Honduras, The Bay Islands are known for their exceptional snorkeling and scuba diving among protected marine reserves.

Roatan, the largest of these islands, is an idyllic calm-water destination, with shallow reefs, dramatic walls, and impressive boulder formations.

The Roatan Marine Park, also known as West End, protects a significant part of the Mesoamerican Reef and has around 260 dive sites.

In between diving Roatan, you can go ziplining through the jungle, swim with dolphins, or try horseback riding along the beach. And if that sounds like too much effort, we recommend relaxing in a beachside hammock all day long.

Utila is the smallest of the Bay Islands, but many divers say it has even better diving than Roatan, with fewer divers and over 100 dive sites.

You can also spot whale sharks year-round at Utila, though they peak in numbers from late February to the end of April.

With warm water, dry weather, and the chance to go swimming with whale sharks, now is a great time to go diving in Utila.

5. Cape Verde.

Below the Canary Islands, lies a little-known archipelago of tropical islands with lush green valleys, dramatic mountains and endless sandy beaches. All surrounded by bright blue, gin-clear waters and plenty of dive sites. Welcome to Cape Verde.

Cape Verde is becoming more popular, but it is still a dive destination well off the radar for most people – despite being just a short flight from Europe.

Made up of 10 volcanic islands, Cape Verde offers warm-water diving among diverse coral-covered landscapes.

The strong currents of the Atlantic bring nutrient-rich waters to the islands, attracting a variety of sharks, plus mantas and large schools of pelagic fish.

Seasonal ocean giants, including humpbacks and sperm whales (January to March), are also seen there. April is one of the best months to go diving in Cape Verde for calm conditions.

EXPLORE MORE FEATURED PLACES TO GO DIVING IN AFRICA.

6. Seychelles.

Made up of around 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, Seychelles is a paradise destination with numerous dive options for every diver. The water is calm, clear and warm during April, making it one of the best months for Seychelles diving.

The 42 Inner Islands are famous for their granitic rock formations and are perfect for new divers, with easy dive conditions and plenty of colorful marine life.

There are some photo-worthy swim throughs and the huge granite boulders are covered in clams, hard and soft corals. There are also several wrecks to dive.

Coral atolls make up the 70-plus Outer Islands, which have dramatic coral reef scenery, including drop offs, walls, pinnacles and canyons teeming with marine life. Like the Inner Islands, you can find sea turtles and reef sharks there.

The remote Outer Islands also host Napoleon wrasse, schools of humphead parrotfish, sailfish, silvertip sharks, nurse sharks and rays.

Wherever you dive, just make sure you leave time to visit Aldabra Island. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has hundreds of endemic species, and it is home to the largest population of giant tortoises in the world.

7. Alor, Indonesia.

Alor Island, with its black volcanic sands and underwater lava flows, is a mecca for muck diving. It has spectacular macro biodiversity, with old lava flows covered in corals and sands full of prized Coral Triangle critters.

As well as an array of weird and wonderful creatures, Alor has thriving coral reefs and a variety of offshore dive sites. There you can spot large schools of pelagics, hammerhead sharks, mola mola, turtles and rays.

The currents can be strong and unpredictable at Alor, so this is not an Indonesia diving destination for novice divers.

If you are an experienced diver and like to get off the tourist trail, it is one of the most peaceful places to dive in Indonesia.

As there are fewer currents and calmer seas from April until November, now is a great time to visit Alor and experience this underwater wonderland firsthand.

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