Country Guide

Best Scuba Diving in Australia

8 dive sites in Australia, ranked by our data-driven Score across 12 categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Average score: 67.7/100.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral structure on the planet — nearly 3,000 individual reefs stretching 2,300 km that are best explored by liveaboard from Cairns or Port Douglas. Beyond the reef, Ningaloo on the remote Western Australian coast offers the world's best land-based whale shark snorkeling and manta encounters, while the Coral Sea adds pelagic action and pristine offshore reefs. Australia also boasts world-class temperate diving in the southern states, including leafy sea dragons and weedy sea dragons unique to these waters.

Best For
Coral ReefsWhale SharksLiveaboard ExpeditionsMacro PhotographyMarine Reserves
Best Months
June to October (Great Barrier Reef); March to August (Ningaloo)
US Visa
US passport holders must obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa before departure. Available online for AUD $20 and takes minutes to process.
  1. #1 · Oceania
    Great Barrier Reef
    Score 79.4 · Queensland
  2. #2 · Indian Ocean
    Christmas Island
    Score 70.3 · Christmas Island Territory
  3. #3 · Indian Ocean
    Rowley Shoals
    Score 69.8 · Western Australia
  4. #4 · Pacific Ocean
    Julian Rocks
    Score 69.3 · Byron Bay, New South Wales
  5. #5 · Pacific Ocean
    Lord Howe Island
    Score 68.8 · New South Wales
  6. #6 · Indian Ocean
    Navy Pier
    Score 67.6 · Exmouth, Western Australia
  7. #7 · Asia-Pacific
    SS Yongala
    Score 58.5 · Queensland
  8. #8 · Asia-Pacific
    Ningaloo Reef
    Score 57.9 · Western Australia