The top 10 places to go diving this winter

Scuba diving is now one of the most popular holiday activities in the world, with millions of people qualified to drift weightlessly beneath the waves and experience the delights of the marine environment at first hand. It's an exciting activity that is guaranteed to add a fun dimension to any holiday, taking devotees to some of the most beautiful places in the world. Here are the top 10 places to dive this winter.

1 Northern Red Sea

Where am I?

The Sinai peninsula in Egypt. The Red Sea is our nearest world-class diving, only five hours' flying time away. At the tip of the peninsula, the Ras Mohammed National Park is one of the wonders of the underwater world.

What's the diving like?

This area boasts the most northerly coral reefs in the world which are renowned for spectacular reef walls, vibrant fish life and excellent underwater visibility.

Where shall I stay?

The heart of the Sinai diving and tourism industry is Sharm-el-Sheikh. It's a fun and lively resort, but you're better off away from the centre. The new Four Seasons Sharm-el-Sheikh fits the bill perfectly: with the domes and arches of its ultra-luxurious rooms and suites (27 of which have their own plunge pools) cascading down the hillside to the sea, it's the ideal retreat from the heat and crowds. The Four Seasons has a full-service spa, a fabulous pool and - best of all, for divers - its own jetty, so there is none of the huggermugger on the public jetties which everybody else has to suffer. Seven nights' b&b at the Four Seasons costs from £642 in December through Mosaic Holidays (020-8574 4000; www.mosaic holidays.co.uk), including flights, with a five-day dive package costing £139. A cheaper option would be the long-established Oonas Dive Club, with basic but comfortable rooms right on the beach - and in the heart of the action - in Na'ama Bay. Seven nights' b&b costs from £530 in December through Oonasdivers (01323 648924; www.oonasdivers.com), including flights and six days' boat diving. A quieter alternative to Sharm, with first-rate shore diving, is the village of Dahab, further up the coast. Seven nights' b&b at the spacious Hilton Dahab costs £464 in December through Goldenjoy (0870 241 5187; www.libraholidays.co.uk), including flights, with a five-day dive package (10 dives) at £165.

2 Southern Red Sea

Where am I?

Off the southern Egyptian coastline, Egypt's "deep south", which offers a completely different experience to the north. The opening of a new airport at Marsa Alam earlier this year means that there are now direct flights from the UK, saving a tedious four-hour transfer.

What's the diving like?

The diving is as good, if not better, with far fewer boats - so there is none of the jostling for position at the dive sites which you get in the north. The coastline has some really excellent fringing reefs, terrific for unlimited dives on the "house reefs" and superb for snorkelling. In fact, I doubt you'll find better snorkelling right on your doorstep (as it is here) anywhere else in the world. Day trips encompass famous offshore reefs such as Elphinstone, Abu Dabab and Samadai (where you can dive with dolphins).

Where shall I stay?

The only down side to Marsa Alam is that there is nothing outside of the hotels except desert, so be prepared. If you want nightlife and shops, plus a choice of restaurants and bars, stick to the north. Seven nights' b&b at the very comfortable Kharamana Hotel costs from £469 in December with Hayes & Jarvis (0870 903 7737), including flights, with five days' shore diving from £129. Two-tank trips to off-shore reefs cost £25 extra per day. Among the new hotels springing up here is the Iberotal Coraya, which offers one week's half board from £690 in December through Goldenjoy (0870 442 3747; www.libraholidays.co.uk), including flights, with a five-day shore-diving package costing £165.

3 The Maldives

Where am I?

In the Indian Ocean, south-west of India.

What's the diving like?

The Maldivian islands have long been one of the world's top diving destinations, although their reputation took a bashing a few years ago when a sudden rise in sea temperatures killed off a vast proportion of their shallow corals. It will take years for the slow-growing corals to recuperate, but below a certain depth they were barely affected, and the abundant reef life continues to thrive. There is plenty of big fish action: manta rays, hammerheads, whitetips, eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse. Snorkellers may find it disappointing.

Where shall I stay?

Standards have risen dramatically in recent years and there is no shortage of great hotels to choose from, including the Taj Exotica, The Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, the Banyan Tree, Soneva Gili, Soneva Fushi and Cocoa Island (expect to pay from around £1,500 per person for one week's b&b). The Maldives also has the world's first five-star live-aboard, the Four Seasons Explorer, from around £2,500 for a seven-night fully inclusive package. For the best diving, go as far from the central atolls as you can. The pretty little island of Velidhu, for example, is close to great dive sites in Ari atoll and seven nights' half-board costs from £1,155 in December through Kuoni (01306 747008; www.kuoni.co.uk), with a five-day, 10-dive package costing £291.

4 The Similans, Thailand

Where am I?

In the Andaman sea, north of Phuket.

What's the diving like?

Everything from massive barrel sponges to mighty whale sharks can be found on Thailand's reefs. There are dramatic granite boulders, sheltering vast shoals of schooling fish, as well as fragile fringing reefs, home to spectacular soft corals and polychromatic reef dwellers. The topography encompasses habitats as diverse as caves and tunnels to deep-water seamounts. The best diving is in the Similan and Surin islands, in the Andaman Sea to the north of Phuket.

Where shall I stay?

The Similans and Surins can only be visited on a live-aboard dive boat. There are dozens operating here but one of the most picturesque is The Junk, a lovingly restored Chinese-Malay junk which provides a spacious platform for exhilarating diving around the islands. Six nights' b&b through Kuoni (01306 747008; www.kuoni.co.uk) costs from £1,198, including flights, a night in Phuket, five nights on board, with all meals, and six days' diving.

5 The Bahamas

Where am I?

Off the south-east coast of Florida.

What's the diving like?

As the hurricane season ends in October, overcast skies in the Bahamas give way to blue horizons and underwater visibility that can exceed 20 metres. With more than 700 islands, the Bahamas offer a huge range of dive sites, from the second-largest barrier reef in the world to spectacular "blue holes". The Bahamas are also great for shark-feeds: the routine is for divers to descend and settle down in a circle on the seabed while a dive guide drags down a frozen lump of fish remains - a couple of dozen sharks show up and tear the fish ball to pieces.

Where shall I stay?

One of the latest live-aboards to start operations here is the Aquacat, a 102ft catamaran which cruises weekly from Nassau down to the unspoiled Exumas chain. As well as up to five dives per day, the Aquacat also offers snorkelling, kayaking and island excursions. It's a very spacious boat with excellent facilities (including a slide-processing lab) for underwater snappers. Seven nights' fully inclusive costs from £1,594 in December through Harlequin Worldwide Travel (0845 450 3785; www.harlequin-holidays.co.uk), including flights.

6 British Virgin Islands

Where am I?

At the top of the Eastern Caribbean.

What's the diving like?

The British Virgin Islands are an excellent choice for beginners, with plenty of sheltered dive sites tucked away between the islands. Strong currents are rare and most dives are limited to around 20-25 metres. There are lots of colourful Caribbean reef fish and some nice wrecks, such as the Rhône, an iron-hulled steamer which sank in 1867.

Where shall I stay?

The Bitter End Yacht Club is an excellent base for island-hopping, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and diving. Seven nights' full board costs £1,837 until 20 December through Harlequin Worldwide Travel (0845 450 3785; www.harlequin-holidays.co.uk), with a 10-dive package costing £320.

7 Tobago, Caribbean

Where am I?

The bottom of the Eastern Caribbean.

What's the diving like?

Tobago lies close to the mouth of South America's Orinoco river, which dominates the marine life and the diving: it means, on the one hand, that most dives are drift dives, due to the strong currents, and on the other hand that visibility is rarely great, due to the vast amount of plankton in the water. However, the upside is that the nutrient-rich waters provide a feeding ground for a wide variety of marine life and nurture spectacular growths of sea fans, barrel sponges and brain corals (their biggest is more than six metres in diameter). Similarly, the Orinoco flow attracts filter feeders such as manta rays, schooling hammerheads and sometimes even whale sharks.

Where shall I stay?

Tobago is served by three UK carriers (British Airways, Virgin and Monarch) and the competition means that prices are incredibly reasonable for the region. Seven nights' b&b at the fairly basic Conrado Beach Resort, for example, costs as little as £567 during December (and from £634 during January) through Dive Sportif (01273 844914; www.sportif-uk.com), including flights, with a five-day dive package costing around £195.

8 Bonaire

Where am I?

In the Dutch Antilles, off the coast of Venezuela.

What's the diving like?

The waters around Bonaire have been protected since 1979, and most of the dive sites around the island feature healthy, thriving reefs with an abundance of elkhorn corals, brain corals, barrel sponges, azure vase sponges, large gorgonians, and staghorn corals. Groupers, tarpon, barracuda, angelfish, snappers, wrasse, and jacks are abundant, and turtles, stingrays, and mantas are sometimes spotted. One of Bonaire's strong points is the easily accessible shore diving. The fringing reef is never more than 70 metres off-shore and there are marked entry points all around the island - most divers rent a car for part of their stay so they can explore these dive sites.

Where shall I stay?

Seven nights' room-only at the Diver's Paradise costs £850 in December through Snooba Travel (0870 162 0767; www.snooba.com), including flights and six days' unlimited shore diving.

9 Truk Lagoon, Micronesia

Where am I?

In the western Pacific, east of the Philippines.

What's the diving like?

This really is a wreck-diver's paradise, thanks to an attack in 1944 by the US Navy which sank 60 Japanese ships in the lagoon. Many are too deep for Scuba divers, but at least 40 can be explored. Most have become thriving artificial reefs, encrusted in corals and sponges and populated by shoals of fabulous fish.

Where shall I stay?

Seven nights' room only at the Blue Lagoon resort costs from £1,610 in December through Scuba Safaris (01342 851196; www.scuba-safaris.com), including flights via Manila and Guam, with six days' diving costing £360 for two dives per day. Alternatively, 13 nights' room only at the same resort costs £2,799 through Regaldive (0870 220 1777; www.regaldive.co.uk), including flights and two dives a day for nine days.

10 Sulawesi, Indonesia

Where am I?

Central Indonesia.

What's the diving like?

Indonesia is at the heart of the Indo-Pacific biosphere and is home to an incredible variety of marine life, including some 3,000 species of fish. In the middle of the archipelago, the star-shaped island of Sulawesi is renowned for its fantastic diving, particularly in the Bunaken Marine Park off-shore from Manado. There, sheer coral walls drop 50 metres or more, populated by a profusion of reef fish as well as pelagic visitors such as sharks, rays, tuna, turtles and jacks.

Where shall I stay?

Seven nights' room-only at the Murex Dive Resort costs from £845 in December through Kuoni (01306 747008; www.kuoni.co.uk), with five days' diving (10 dives) for £430.

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