This planet we call home is a weird and wonderful place. Every time we think we’ve seen it all, something come’s a long and blows our mind. You can take a tour of the Pyramids in Egypt and be amazed by what our ancient friends created. You can hear the secret songs of birds in the Khao Sok National Park and find yourself in a fairytale. You can visit Area 51 in Las Vegas, and potentially meet an Aliens(!).
Let’s however, cast our mind below the surface, and dive into the weirdest places the oceans and seas have to offer.
1- Fireflies of the deep: Bio-Luminescents
Black water diving in Hawaii is as scary as it sounds. As night falls on Kona island, holiday makers head to their favourite restaurants to relax with a delicious meal. Not all holiday makers it seems. A crazy few are on a boat waiting for it to get dark enough, before they DIVE INTO THE ABYSS!
Tethered to the boat, divers head to a depth of fifteen meters and wait a few minutes for the most amazing light show known to man, to begin. Thousands of tiny bio-luminescent animals rise from the deep to welcome and perform for their guests.
2- Human aquarium: Underwater Hotel
If you ever find yourself in Florida, USA, why not pop in at the Jules’ Undersea Lodge? An old underwater research facility, turned into the world’s first, and only, completely submerged hotel. How do we access this two-bedroom apartment you ask? With a 30ft SCUBA dive, of course. The ‘over-night stay’ option comes with free pizza delivery. Yes. Pizza delivery.
So, if you have ever wanted to know what fish in an aquarium feel like, you know where to go.
3- Deep bass: Underwater Nightclub
Okay, perhaps staying underwater over-night isn’t your idea of fun. How about partying the night away, while watching shoals of fish swim (dance?) past? The private island of Niyama, in the Maldives, has bragging rights as being the first underwater night club in the world. Leave your SCUBA gear at home for this one, as an impressive staircase leads you to this sub-surface haven.
4- Go on a date with Jaws: Great White Shark Cage Diving
All that stands between you and the most ferocious hunter without legs, is a few steel bars, and the lack of desire of the Great White Shark to come and hang out inside the cage as well. Okay, it’s actually extremely safe, but that doesn’t stop cage diving being more of an activity for the thrill seekers out there. Gansbaai, South Africa, is the number one spot for you adrenalin junkies itching to get up-close and personal with this gentle giant (not so gentle; definitely a giant).
5- Creepy Cenotes of Mexico
Our trip takes a darker turn, as we head to Mexico, and the unknown. A cenote is a hole in the earth, caused by crumbling limestone, usually revealing an underwater cavern. These Mexican cenotes have become a complex system of underwater caves, and tombs. How, or why, the many human skeletons lie in the walls of these underwater caves is unknown, but the Mayans believed the cenotes are entrances to the underworld and therefore made sacrifices to gain favour with the Gods.
Best cenote name? Temple of Doom!
Bonus: Lost City of Atlantis
Lost to the sea thousands of years ago, Atlantis still captures the imagination of anyone who knows the story. Once a naval powerhouse, the city of Atlantis, as described by Plato, “in a single day and night of misfortune” sank into the ocean. Though experts believe the stories to be works of fiction, many believe Plato based them on a real civilization.
So, what better way to spend a diving trip, than exploring the lost city of Atlantis?
If you can find it, that is.
Did you experience any other weird underwater worlds? Let us know in the comments below, tweet us, or tell us on Facebook