8 Unforgettable Scuba Diving Vacations for Families
April 10, 2025
Scuba diving is an exciting way for families to bond and create unforgettable memories together. With the right destination, you can explore vibrant underwater worlds while enjoying safe, kid-friendly dive programs and plenty of activities for all ages. Choosing places with calm waters, colorful marine life, and accommodations that cater to families ensures a stress-free trip. Many dive resorts and training centers offer programs designed specifically for young divers, making it easy for families to share the wonder of the ocean. Here are the best scuba diving vacations for families, packed with fun, adventure, and SSI programs to help kids start their diving journey.
8 Destinations for Family Scuba Diving Vacations
1. Bonaire, Caribbean
Bonaire is a paradise for families who love diving or want to try scuba diving for the first time. Known for its shore diving, calm waters, and abundant marine life, diving in Bonaire is relaxed and ideal for young and beginner divers. The island’s marine park is home to vibrant coral reefs and gentle sea creatures like turtles and seahorses, making it a magical experience for kids.
Many dive resorts in Bonaire offer the SSI Explorers program, which introduces children as young as six to diving in a safe, controlled setting. Families can also enjoy kayaking in the mangroves, visiting the Donkey Sanctuary, and exploring the island’s nature trails.
2. The Florida Keys, USA
The Florida Keys are perfect for families looking for easy travel and world-class scuba diving vacations. With shallow reefs, warm waters, and the famous John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, diving in Florida is ideal for young divers to gain confidence.
SSI’s Junior Open Water Diver program is widely available at many training centers in the Keys, allowing kids as young as ten to get certified alongside their parents. Families can also visit the Turtle Hospital and enjoy fun water parks in Key Largo and Islamorada.
3. Maldives
The Maldives is a world-famous dive destination with crystal-clear waters, gentle currents, and an abundance of marine life, making it an excellent choice for family scuba diving vacations.
The Maldives is a world-famous dive destination offering more than just crystal-clear waters and gentle currents. Families can explore its stunning coral atolls, dive with graceful manta rays, and encounter whale sharks, making every dive unforgettable.
Many resorts offer kid-friendly accommodations, babysitting services, and SSI training centers that provide Try Scuba and SSI Explorers programs for younger children. Kids can swim with manta rays, go dolphin watching, or enjoy supervised activities while parents dive into the deeper sites. The Maldives’ luxurious overwater bungalows add an extra touch of adventure for kids and relaxation for parents.
4. Cozumel, Mexico
Diving in Cozumel is perfect for family scuba diving vacations thanks to its warm waters, colorful reefs, schools of eagle rays, and excellent visibility. The island’s drift diving is gentle in many areas, making it suitable for older kids and beginners.
Many SSI training centers in Cozumel offer junior certifications and snorkeling tours for younger children. When not diving, families can explore ancient Mayan ruins and swim in the stunning cenotes.
5. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is an iconic diving destination and an excellent choice for family scuba diving vacations. Many dive operators cater to kids, offering introductory dive experiences and snorkeling trips.
Did you know the Great Barrier Reef is so vast it can be seen from space?! It stretches over 2,900 reefs and 900 islands, is home to more than 1,500 fish species, and hosts incredible marine life like manta rays, sea turtles, and even migrating humpback whales.
SSI’s Junior Open Water Diver course is available at numerous training centers, allowing young divers to get certified at one of the world’s most famous reefs. Families can also enjoy island-hopping, glass-bottom boat tours, and visiting the nearby Daintree Rainforest – one of the oldest and most spectacular rainforests in the world.
6. Egypt, Red Sea
The Red Sea provides warm, clear waters, stunning reefs, and plenty of marine life, making it a top pick for families. It is also easily accessible for divers in Europe and has great year-round diving and sunshine.
Diving in Egypt, in particular, is famous for its aquarium-like coral reefs, with vibrant soft corals and multicolored fish of all shapes and sizes. It is a truly captivating place to dive and has everything from easy shore diving to day-boat diving and liveaboards.
Many resorts in Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada offer all-inclusive, family-friendly accommodations with childcare services. SSI training centers in the region provide programs like Try Scuba and Junior Open Water Diver to help kids get started. Families can also take desert safaris, visit water parks, and explore ancient Egyptian sites for a mix of adventure and education.
7. Philippines
The Philippines, located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, is a diver’s paradise with over 7,600 islands. It boasts some of the richest marine biodiversity in the world, from vibrant coral reefs teeming with macro life to megafauna like whale sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles.
Diving in the Philippines offers some of the best family-friendly dive sites, with warm, calm waters, rich marine biodiversity, and welcoming locals. Cebu and Bohol, in the Central Visayas, offer easy shore diving, shallow reefs, and opportunities to see whale sharks in Oslob.
SSI training centers in the region provide kid-friendly programs and certifications. Non-diving activities include Chocolate Hills tours, tarsier sanctuaries, and island-hopping adventures.
8. Maui, Hawaii
Maui is an excellent choice for family scuba diving vacations, offering unique underwater experiences like exploring volcanic reef formations, swimming with green sea turtles, and diving in the famous Molokini Crater. The calm, clear waters, and rich marine life make diving in Maui memorable for all ages.
SSI training centers on the island offer junior courses and guided family dive trips. Families can also explore Haleakalā National Park, visit the Maui Ocean Center, and go on whale-watching tours.
How to Find the Best Family-Friendly Dive Centers
Planning a family dive trip? Look for training centers with certified diving instructors experienced in teaching kids and families. Choose centers that offer junior programs, small group sizes, and kid-friendly gear.
Join SSI’s Underwater Explorers Worldwide Facebook group to ask other families and divers about destinations and dive centers with a welcoming environment. Many SSI-affiliated centers worldwide specialize in family scuba diving vacations, offering tailored courses that balance safety with fun, making it easier for young divers to build skills and confidence while enjoying the underwater world.
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