The Best Diving in the Bahamas

New Providence Island -Many ships have sunk near Nassau in the past 300 years, and all the dive outfitters here know the most scenic wreck sites. Other attractions are underwater gardens of elk-horn coral and dozens of reefs brimming with underwater life. The most spectacular dive site is the Shark Wall, 10 miles off the southwest coast of New Providence; it's blessed with incredible, colorful sea life and the healthiest coral offshore. You'll even get to swim with sharks (not as bait, of course).

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Grand Bahama Island--The island is ringed with reefs, and dive sites are plentiful, including the Wall, the Caves (site of a long-ago disaster known as Theo's Wreck), and Treasure Reef. Other popular dive sites include Spit City (yes, that's right), Ben Blue Hole, and the Rose Garden (no one knows how this one got its name). What makes Grand Bahama Island a cut above the others is the presence of a world-class dive operator, UNEXSO (the Underwater Explorer's Society; tel. 888/365-3483 or 242/373-1250).

Andros -Marine life abounds in the barrier reef off the coast of Andros, which is one of the largest in the world and a famous destination for divers. The reef plunges 6,000 feet to a narrow drop-off known as the Tongue of the Ocean. You can also explore mysterious blue holes, formed when subterranean caves fill with seawater, causing their ceilings to collapse and exposing clear, deep pools.

Bimini -Although Bimini is most famous for its game fishing, it boasts excellent diving too. Three miles of offshore reefs attract millions of colorful fish. Even snorkelers can see black coral gardens, blue holes, and an odd configuration on the sea floor that is reportedly part of the lost continent of Atlantis (a fun legend, at any rate). Divers can check out the wreck of a motorized yacht, the Sapona (owned by Henry Ford), which sank in shallow waters off the coast in 1929.

Eleuthera -In addition to lovely coral and an array of colorful fish, divers can enjoy some unique experiences here, such as the "Current Cut," an exciting underwater gully that carries you on a swiftly flowing underwater current for 10 minutes. Four wrecked ships also lie nearby, at depths of less than 40 feet, including a barge that was transporting the engine of a steam locomotive in 1865, reportedly after the American Confederacy sold it to raise cash for its war effort.

Long Island (the Southern Bahamas) -Snorkeling is spectacular on virtually all sides of the island. But experienced divers venturing into deeper waters offshore can visit underwater cages to feed swarms of mako, bull, and reef sharks. Dive sites abound, including the Arawak "green hole," a blue hole of incomprehensible depth.

Turks and Caicos Islands -These islands offer a rich assortment of relatively unexplored underwater sites, including sea lanes where boaters and divers often spot whales in April. A collection of unusual underwater wrecks includes the HMS Endymion, which sank during a storm in 1790. Miles of reefs house myriad kinds of colorful marine life. Right off Grand Turk, experienced divers love the many miles of "drop-off" diving, where the sea walls suddenly drop into the uncharted depths of blue holes more than 7,000 feet below sea level. Along the descent, you'll see colonies of black coral, rare forms of anemone, purple sponges, stunning gorgonia, endless forms of coral, and thousands of fish (with different species at different depths).

©Frommers (used according to the terms of affiliation with the Travelocity.com)

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