The best yachting destinations for dive enthusiasts

71% of the world’s surface is water and we often dwell on its surface and edges yet what lies beneath is often more breathtaking and mesmerising. Here are some spectacular superyacht destinations for the divers among us.

Coral Diving

There are some obvious locations which lend themselves to coral diving and some which are less known. The Great Barrier Reef (opens in a new tab) on Australia’s east coast doesn’t disappoint but there is also the Caledonian Barrier Reef which 1,500 kilometres of vibrant coral. The Caledonia Reef is easily accessible from Noumea on M/Y MASTEKA II (opens in a new tab), the first foreign flagged superyacht to be granted a charter licence in New Caledonia (opens in a new tab). Or perhaps Raja Ampat (opens in a new tab) in Indonesia (opens in a new tab) inspires you? The Raja Ampat (opens in a new tab) archipelago is in the centre of the Coral Triangle with boasts 600 species of coral and over 2,000 marine species. S/Y CLAN VI is a luxurious Perini Navi superyacht which charters in the region guiding guests to the best and most remote dive sites.

New Caledonia

Raja Ampat

MASTEKA 2

CLAN VI

Wreck Diving

For those more interested in wreck diving, two of the most visited and extensive wreck sites in the world are the S/S THISTLEDORM (opens in a new tab) in the Red Sea and the S/S YONGALA in North Queensland. The S/S THISTLEDORM (opens in a new tab) which wrecked just 18 months after her launch in 1940. She was laden with a cargo of tanks, aircraft, armoured vehicles and motorbikes all of which are preserved 33 metres below the water’s surface. She was rediscovered by Jacques Cousteau and is now a revered recreational dive site.

In 1911, the 107-metre-long steamship YONGALA sunk 12 nautical miles south-east of Townsville on Queensland (opens in a new tab)’s coast. She is the longest and most intact wreck in Australia (opens in a new tab) and over the ensuing 100 years 14 metres below, she has become a haven for the marine life of the surrounding Great Barrier Reef. (opens in a new tab) M/Y SILENTWORLD has ample dive equipment onboard and is available for charter for those wishing to discover S/S YONGALA.

S/S THISTLEGORM

S/S YONGALA

Marine Life

There are few experiences in life which compare to swimming with the world’s majestic marine creatures. Fortunately, there are some amazing yachting destinations which provide such the opportunity. M/Y AKIKO (opens in a new tab) cruises the west coast of Australia (opens in a new tab) and its surrounding islands. From March to August each year, you can charter AKIKO (opens in a new tab) to swim with the Whale Sharks at Ningaloo reef as well as dive on the world’s longest uninterrupted coral reef. Palau’s Blue Corner is the must-see dive site for shark enthusiasts promising up to 13 different species of the fish. M/Y PRINCESS IOLANTHE calls South East Asia home and regularly takes charter guests to Palau for such an experience.

PRINCESS IOLANTHE

Palau

AKIKO

Ningaloo Reef

Let the team at Ocean Alliance (opens in a new tab) devise your personalised dive experience.

Ocean Alliance is a Sydney-based full-service superyacht brokerage house. The company represents a large portion of the superyacht charter fleet operating in Australia and the South Pacific, and source international charter yachts and destinations for clients looking abroad. Their services also include yacht brokerage, charter marketing, commercial structures and yacht management.