Top Dive Resorts & Liveaboards for 2026, as Chosen by you

On: 23 December 2025   By: Tamsyn Jones
In: Diving news

Dive Resorts

Marriott Beach Resort

The Marriott Beach Resort is a long-standing favourite for Red Sea divers, offering a smart beachfront base with easy access to Hurghada’s renowned dive sites. With Aquarius Diving Club located on site, guests can move seamlessly from hotel to dive boat in minutes.

Hurghada offers an impressive variety of diving, from sheltered reefs ideal for beginners to vibrant walls, drifts and coral gardens for those with more experience. Highlights include the marine park around the Giftun Islands and the legendary wrecks of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas, visited subject to minimum numbers, home to four intact wrecks and dense schools of glassfish.

Between dives, the resort provides a comfortable place to unwind, with a private beach, swimming pools (one heated in winter), a choice of restaurants and spa facilities. Its beachfront location close to downtown Hurghada makes it a convenient and reliable choice for diving holidays in the Red Sea.

Buceo Anilao

Nestled in the heart of Anilao, Buceo Anilao is a firm favourite for divers drawn to the Philippines’ macro-rich waters. With an attractive house reef directly in front of the resort and more than 50 dive sites within a short boat ride, it’s widely regarded as the country’s muck diving capital.

The house reef, known as Secret Garden or Buceo Point, offers a mix of reef and muck diving, home to nudibranchs, frogfish, pipefish, crabs and a wealth of juvenile marine life. Further afield, highlights include Secret Bay (Mainit Muck), Twin Rocks and the iconic Verde Island, renowned for its exceptional visibility and dense fish life.

Designed with divers in mind, the resort offers comfortable hillside accommodation, an on-site PADI dive centre with camera facilities, and a relaxed setting ideal for dive-focused holidays.

Wadi Sabarah Lodge

Wadi Sabarah Lodge is a secluded, dive-focused retreat on Egypt’s southern Red Sea coast, well suited to divers looking for excellent access to reefs without the crowds. With Emperor Divers based on site, diving begins directly from the house reef, making it easy to build relaxed, flexible dive days around shore and boat diving.

The lodge’s location near Marsa Alam gives access to some of the Southern Red Sea’s most rewarding sites, including Elphinstone Reef and Sha’ab Samadai (Dolphin House). The area is known for healthy coral reefs and frequent encounters with dolphins, turtles and reef sharks, alongside sheltered bays that work well for newer divers.

Built in traditional Bedouin style and set along a natural stretch of beach, Wadi Sabarah offers a calm, comfortable base between dives, in a part of the Red Sea known for its excellent reefs.

Dive into Raja Ampat

A small beachfront dive resort on Waigeo Island, Dive into Raja Ampat is set beneath a dense jungle canopy and surrounded by nature. With just a handful of bungalows and an on-site dive centre, it offers a quiet, unspoilt base in one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary diving regions.

Raja Ampat is known for its exceptional reef diversity, with manta rays, reef sharks, turtles, wobbegong and walking sharks all found in the area, alongside large schools of fish and a wealth of macro life. Resort-based diving keeps travel time short, while the surrounding reefs provide plenty to explore straight from the island.

Accommodation is simple and well-integrated into the landscape, with bungalows overlooking the sea and shaded by trees. Birds of paradise are often seen around the resort, and Indonesian cuscus regularly move through the grounds.

Camel Dive Hotel

Camel Dive Club & Hotel is a long-established favourite for divers who want easy access to Sharm El Sheikh’s best diving alongside a sociable, central base. Located in the heart of Naama Bay, the hotel has an award-winning dive centre on site and a long-standing reputation within the Red Sea dive community.

Diving from Sharm centres largely around day boats, with regular trips to Ras Mohammed Marine Park, the reefs of Tiran and iconic wrecks. Sheltered reefs and good visibility make the area suitable for those learning to dive, while experienced divers are drawn to the region’s walls, currents and fish-rich sites.

Camel is as much about the atmosphere as the diving. Its courtyard layout, busy bars, restaurants and a rooftop terrace create a natural hub for divers to unwind and socialise. With everything on site and strong environmental credentials, Camel suits divers who enjoy great diving with a lively, social feel.

Siladen Resort & Spa

Image by Maximillian Schwarz

Siladen & Spa is a small island resort set within Bunaken National Marine Park, offering direct access to some of North Sulawesi’s most celebrated diving. Reached by boat from Manado, it provides a quiet, well-run base with diving at the heart of every experience.

Diving focuses on Bunaken’s dramatic walls and coral slopes, with excellent visibility and generally calm conditions. The seas are home to many unusual species, ranging from reef shark, green turtles, Napoleon wrasse and dugongs. The variety of sites makes Bunaken appealing to a wide range of divers, particularly photographers and naturalists. Many guests choose to combine a stay here with time in the Lembeh Strait to experience its world-famous macro diving.

Between dives, Siladen offers comfortable villa accommodation, a beachside spa and relaxed dining in an island setting. It suits divers and snorkellers looking for fascinating marine life, great facilities and a peaceful location within a protected marine park.

Liveaboards

Royal Evolution

Royal Evolution is a purpose-built liveaboard operating in Egypt’s southern Red Sea, and is a superb choice for experienced divers looking to access some of the Red Sea’s least visited sites. Divers can combine remote reefs with bucket-list wreck diving - some itineraries include legendary sites such as the SS Thistlegorm and the wreck-strewn reefs of Abu Nuhas.

On board, Royal Evolution offers a large dive deck, ample sun decks and comfortable communal areas. Its layout and range make it particularly well-suited to experienced divers who would like to spend an extended amount of time diving some of the Red Sea’s most remote sites.

Emperor Superior

Emperor Superior is a regular top seller for Red Sea liveaboard diving, particularly for groups and dive clubs. With free Nitrox included and marine park fees covered, it appeals to divers looking for a good-value option that keeps costs predictable over the course of the trip.

The boat operates classic Red Sea itineraries and suits a wide range of experience levels, making it an easy fit for mixed-ability groups. Its layout and capacity work well for sociable trips, whether travelling with friends or as part of a larger club booking.

It’s this combination of inclusions, group-friendly setup, and access to well-known Red Sea dive routes that sees Emperor Superior booked again and again by our clients.

Argo Xplorer

Argo Xplorer is a popular choice for Red Sea liveaboard diving, particularly for divers looking for a modern boat with generous space and a relaxed onboard setup. Part of the established Xplorer fleet, it attracts bookings from clients who value comfort, smooth logistics and well-organised dive days.

The boat suits a broad range of divers, from recreational groups to those with more experience, thanks to its spacious dive deck, easy water access and flexible cabin layout. Ample outdoor deck space, including shaded areas and a hot tub, makes it easy to switch off between dives, while the salon and communal areas give people space to relax between dives.

It’s this balance of space, comfort and dependable Red Sea diving that keeps Argo Xplorer appearing among our top rated liveaboards last year.

Mermaid II

Mermaid II is a comfortable, award-winning liveaboard operating in some of Indonesia’s most dive-rich regions, including Komodo and Raja Ampat. With a limited number of guests on board, dive decks and communal areas never feel crowded.

Itineraries cover areas known for strong marine diversity, from Komodo’s vibrant reefs to the coral gardens and schooling fish of Raja Ampat. Diving is supported by a large dive platform, along with camera facilities and generous rinse space, making it well-suited to underwater photographers.

Accommodation includes a mix of deluxe and budget cabins, allowing some flexibility depending on preference and itinerary. Social areas are spread across shaded outdoor decks and an open sun deck, offering space to rest between dives as the boat travels through Indonesia’s breathtaking island chains.

Carpe Novo

Carpe Novo is a modern Maldivian liveaboard built with space, comfort and diving at its heart. The 42-metre vessel is well regarded for its experienced Maldivian crew and itineraries that focus on classic Maldives highlights alongside more remote atolls, depending on the season.

When diving in the Maldives, you can enjoy channel, reef and drift dives, with warm water, strong currents and the chance to encounter manta rays, reef sharks and, at certain times of year - whale sharks. Carpe Novo’s itineraries are designed to maximise time at productive sites, with diving supported by a dedicated dive dhoni that keeps the main vessel uncluttered and relaxed between dives.

On board, comfortable cabins, generous communal areas and a well-equipped camera room make Carpe Novo a solid choice for divers looking to explore the Maldives by liveaboard in comfort.

Dive Centres

Circle Divers Dahab

Circle Divers Dahab is a PADI five-star dive centre based at the Jaz Dahabeya Hotel, with direct access to Dahab’s well-known house reef just offshore. It provides a straightforward, flexible base for diving along the Gulf of Aqaba in one of Egypt’s most distinctive dive destinations.

Diving in Dahab covers a wide range of shore and boat-accessible sites, suitable for all experience levels. Well-known locations include the Blue Hole, Bells, Canyon and Eel Garden, with additional sites reached by jeep or boat to the north and south. The area is characterised by clear water, healthy reefs and varied underwater topography.

Circle Divers offers small-group diving and a full range of PADI courses, from beginner through to advanced levels. With experienced instructors and simple logistics, it suits divers looking for a relaxed, well-run operation in a quieter alternative to Sharm El Sheikh.

CW Azores

CW Azores is a top choice for divers travelling to the Azores with one clear goal in mind - pelagic encounters. The centre is particularly well known for its blue shark diving, with a strong track record during the summer months, and is closely involved in local shark research, which plays a big part in its continued success.

From July to September, offshore dives target blue sharks and mobula rays, with weather-dependent trips to iconic sites such as Princess Alice Bank and the waters around São Jorge. These dives appeal to experienced divers looking for open-ocean encounters rather than reef-based diving.

Closer to shore, coastal dives offer a very different experience, with volcanic rock formations, abundant macro life and a remarkable diversity of nudibranchs, which peak from late spring. This mix of offshore pelagic diving and detailed coastal exploration is what keeps CW Azores appearing regularly among our most booked dive centres, particularly for divers seeking something genuinely different from classic reef destinations.

Aquanauts Dive Centre Grenada

Grenada is often referred to as the shipwreck capital of the Caribbean, and for good reason. Scattered along the island’s coastline are more than a dozen wrecks, ranging from shallow, coral-covered sites to deeper historical dives, all sitting alongside healthy reefs and warm, clear water.

Aquanauts Grenada is a family-owned dive centre based at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, well-placed for exploring this mix of wreck and reef diving. Run by a friendly local team, the focus here is on small groups and a relaxed, supportive approach both above and below the water.

Diving includes access to Grenada’s varied reef systems and the island’s well-known Underwater Sculpture Park, where art and marine life blend in a uniquely Caribbean setting. With purpose-built dive boats, strong safety standards and experience catering to divers of all levels, Aquanauts Grenada is a solid choice for those looking to explore one of the Caribbean’s most characterful dive destinations.

Maltaqua Dive Centre

Image by Pete Bullen

Maltaqua is one of Malta’s longest-established dive centres, offering guided diving and a full range of training across Malta, Gozo and Comino. Just a short flight from the UK, it’s a convenient option for divers looking to dive somewhere close to home.

Clear water, straightforward travel and dive logistics alongside a high concentration of wrecks, caves, reefs, and daily excursions around all three islands, making it a flexible destination for both training and recreational diving. Maltaqua offers courses from entry level through to technical diving, with all instruction led by fully qualified instructors.

Accommodation is available just steps from the dive centre at Sands Apartments, designed with divers in mind. With on-site gas blending for air, Nitrox and trimix, and support for technical and rebreather diving, Maltaqua suits divers looking for reliable training, varied diving and a well-run base in the central Mediterranean.

To book your 2026 diving holiday, contact our expert dive team, browse our full range of resort and liveaboard holidays, or for more ideas, check out our experiences.