With more and more families looking to dive and travel together this open up many destinations for your next vacation, scuba diving holidays have never been more accessible. We understand that each family’s requirements are different and whether you’re all divers, or you’re the only one with gills, or it will be your children's first time, and they're begging to learn, this helpful guide we’ll talk through our top destinations for family diving holidays, so you can spend time with your family and exploring the underwater world!

Malta

Short haul is often preferred, especially when travelling with younger children. Many are looking for a family friendly holiday that's good value for money, has a swimming pool and ideally a Kids' Club. Hotels with either family rooms or adjoining rooms and plenty of meal choices are key.

Doubletree by Hilton in Malta ticks these boxes for many families. It's also near Maltaqua Dive Centre who pick up from the hotel each day, if there are a handful of divers in your family then this allows you to be in a prime location night and day while having family friendly facilities.

Flights to Malta are daily from Heathrow and Gatwick and options from regional airports too, with a flight time of just three hours and short transfers on arrival, it's much easier to keep the children entertained! Perfect for a summer holiday.

Red Sea

Another family favourite if you can't wait until summer is the Red Sea, five hours flight from the UK this mid-haul destination is a popular choice for getting your first taste of the underwater world. Providing guaranteed sunshine almost all year round in Egypt, both the Sheraton Resort Soma Bay and the Jaz Fayrouz Sharm El Sheikh Resort tick all the boxes for a great family holiday. Both are facilitated by excellent dive centres who have experience teaching kids, ensuring each student is given the time to practice and to learn to scuba dive safely while in a fun environment.

Image by Mohamed Abdei Hady

Sheraton Resort Soma Bay is an excellent destination for some winter sun (February half-term or the Easter Holidays) with first class facilities at the dive centre just a few steps away. The stunning beach extends out to a spit, providing a shelter area ideal for the kids to take their first breaths underwater. This luxury resort also caters for the non-divers in your family, with an onsite spa and kids club, in addition to a kite surfing facility nearby. In the great scuba diving destination Sharm, there are daily pick up for the scuba divers staying at Jaz Fayrouz, and the rest of the family can play at the kids' clubs, in the many swimming pools all while staying in rooms that accommodate the whole family. Combine that with short transfer times and weekend flights, so no need for days off school, and all of our ideals on the family wish list have been ticked!

The Red Sea also have a number of liveaboards (a dive boat you stay on for the duration of your holiday) that are able to cater to scuba diving families. Once qualified, grab the kids and set sail for the open sea, discovering some of the best dive sites the Red Sea has to offer. Generally, liveaboards have an age limit of 15 (due to the depth limit restrictions of Junior Open Water). It's possible to conduct courses while on board, including progressing to Advanced Open Water or learning to dive with Nitrox. Contact us to find out more about a Red Sea liveaboard holiday for your family.

Thailand

A families holiday with added exploration, Thailand offers great diving and affordable accommodation in a beautiful area of the world! The warm seasonal waters make for an excellent winter get away with guaranteed sun and fun over the Christmas holidays, February half-term or even Easter.

Although classed as long haul, the total travel time from the UK to Phuket is from 17 hours, tolerable for older children. Transfer time to hotels are between 30 minutes and two hours, it's definitely in reach for adventurous families. Accommodation ranges from simple, ideal for full scuba diving families where the focus is the water, to luxury for those looking for a mixture of activities over their holiday. In Khao Lak the X10 Resort has a dedicated family wing, kid’s club, multiple swimming pools, direct beach access and a baby sitting service, keeping everyone happy throughout your visit. The scuba diving is suitable for all skill levels, and with a variety of marine life including turtles, mantas, and colourful corals even the experienced diver in the family will have an amazing time.  

Maldives

The Maldives is a well-known destination in the Indian Ocean for experienced divers, but it's actually a wonderful place for beginners and all the family to explore.

Maldivian Resorts are fully geared up to keep your family entertained, both in and out of the water. Many hotels offer a kid’s club, baby sitting service, tennis courts, spas, alongside both motorised and non-motorised water activities. Larger resorts such as Vilamendhoo have multiple dining options and activities planned throughout the day. The island resorts have shallow, sheltered lagoons where the family can learn to scuba dive in a stress-free environment. These protected waters also provide a safe area to play and snorkel with the marine life on the vibrant house reef.

Dedicated Maldives liveaboard departures specially for families provide an extra special holiday for travellers of all ages. These visit suitable sites for children and adults looking to take their first breath underwater, and for junior open water divers who have restricted depth limits. Instructors are available to teach a variety of courses during the sailing. Other activities such as snorkelling and kayaking are also available. Discovering the Maldivian atolls in a safe environment opens up a myriad of marine creatures including manta rays, nurse sharks, turtles and more!

Philippines

Ready to suit up and jet set to the Coral Triangle? The Philippines is a world-class diving destination that your scuba family will talk about for years. Although the longest travel time of the choices previously listed, this year round destination will reward you for your efforts. Accessible from Manila, without any additional domestic flights, is Puerto Galera where the fantastic Atlantis Resort hosts family weeks. This includes discounts when you travel with children, including them stay and dive completing free! These weeks not only allow you to save money but also means there are guaranteed for other families to be there too, what’s better than making global scuba friends to plan the next adventure with?!

Our team are on hand to discuss your family’s requirements. Browse our junior diving courses, or for more information about family holidays, please call the Regaldive Team on 01353 659 999, or pop us an email, and we will be happy to help you choose the right destination for you.

Thailand, known affectionately as the 'Land of Smiles', has long been a favourite destination for those looking for a truly tropical adventure. Beauty abounds at every turn, with stunning nature and wildlife, incredible culinary pleasures and of course the wonderful, welcoming people that give the country its epithet.

With ideal diving conditions from November through to April, Thailand’s Andaman coast makes for a perfect winter diving break. To whet your appetite, we explore some of the best dive sites of this stunning region; dive sites that are sure to put a smile on your face once again. 

Koh Bon

Thailand is renowned for many diving delights, from colourful reefs to a superb diversity of marine life. One of the stars of the show are the manta rays however, and Koh Bon might just be the best place to see them. This unassuming island lies to the north of the Similan Islands. On its western flank a ridge drops down towards a pinnacle that acts as a manta cleaning station.  

Sightings tend to be best from January through to April, but manta rays are not the only exciting encounter at Koh Bon. Eagle rays, tuna, wahoo and other larger predators are a common sight, while whale sharks make an occasional visit. 

West of Eden & Deep Six

These twin iconic dive sites are found at the northwestern tip of Similan Island no.7 - part of the famed Similan Island group that are widely considered to be Thailand’s finest dive destination. An assault for the senses, these dive sites arguably offer the very best of Thailand in one small area.  

West of Eden is characterised by large boulders adorned in sea fans, feather stars and soft corals, offering a wonderful playground for divers. This gives way to a sloping reef known as Deep Six with coral covered pinnacles and more magical marine life.  

The diversity of these sites is exceptional, with the chance to happen upon both smaller characters such as ghost pipefish or mantis shrimp, and larger marine life - including moray eels, turtles or maybe something larger. 

King Cruiser Wreck

Thailand is not only about wonderful reefs and marine life. In May 1997, the King Cruiser hit a nearby reef and sunk in the waters between Phuket & Koh Phi Phi. Now residing in 32 metres of water, this impressive wreck makes a great dive for the more experienced diver. The wreck is covered in life, from nudibranch and moray eels to turtles, batfish and barracuda. Definitely one for the logbook. 

Shark Point

Also between Phuket and Ko Phi Phi – and accessible from both – is Shark Point. The graceful leopard shark gives its name to the dive site and is regularly seen resting on the sand or swimming effortlessly through the water.  

Shark Point comprises a series of underwater pinnacles adorned in soft corals and teeming with fascinating marine life. Lovers of smaller marine life with delight in searching for tigertail seahorse, ghost pipefish or rare, miniature moray eels while snapper, trevally and grouper call this vibrant reef home as well. 

Elephant Head Rock

The east side of the world-famous Similan Islands are known for their fringing coral reefs and pinnacles. The west side is very different, but no less fascinating. Here, large granite boulders create a wonderful playground for divers creating canyons and swim-throughs galore to enjoy. The most iconic dive site of this type in the Similan Islands is the aptly named Elephant Head Rock. As if the dive site itself weren't enjoyable enough, this is also a good site for shark encounters. 

Christmas Point

Another dive site on the west coast of the Similan Islands, Christmas Point is a real favourite. Wind your way through a maze of boulders and swim-throughs often awash with glassfish, all the while marvelling at soft corals radiating pinks, purples and oranges. Keep your eyes peeled for ribbon eels, nudibranch and pipefish, but don’t forget to look to the blue on occasion to look for passing a eagle ray or leopard shark! A dive site not to be missed. 

Richelieu Rock

Lying far to the north of the Similan Islands group and southeast of the Surin Islands is Richelieu Rock, possibly Thailand’s most renowned dive site. This horseshoe-shaped limestone pinnacle is an absolute treasure. Corals cling to every crack and crevice while a staggering diversity of marine life is seen here.  

The star of the show for lucky divers however is the mighty whale shark. These gentle giants can be seen almost anywhere on the Andaman coast, particularly between February and May, but the best chance to encounter one is, without doubt at the mighty Richelieu Rock dive site.

Both resort-based diving and liveaboard diving are available in Thailand. Day boat trips explore the dive sites around Phuket and Ko Phi Phi, while it is possible to visit the Similan Islands on a fast and comfortable catamaran from Khao Lak with Sea Bees Dive Centre.  

To see the very best of the Similan & Surin Islands, we recommend a liveaboard, with options available to suit a range of budgets, and between three and seven days in duration.  

To discuss your Thailand adventure, get in touch with our friendly team today!