But what happens when you?ve explored every cove and greet the local fishies on a first name basis? It?s time to check out some of the world?s top scuba diving spots?

Ras Mohammed

Covering the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt?s Ras Mohammed National Park contains 20 dive sites and over 1000 species of fish. It has clear, warm waters and a range of diving opportunities, however strong currents gear it more towards the experienced diver.

Check out Yolanda and Shark Reef ? two twin mounts below the surface of the water that are joined at the base and extend over hundreds of metres. At Shark Reef you may encounter hammerheads, barracudas and even the rare scorpion fish. At Yolanda you can explore the wreckage of the cargo ship Yolanda, which contains countless toilet bowls and, strangely enough, a BMW.

Best time: March ? August

Phuket

Nicknamed the ?Pearl of the South?, Phuket offers colourful coral fields, shipwrecks and vibrant reef fish. However, it?s a popular destination and can become overcrowded, so if you abhor the crowds arrange a live-abroad trip where you can spend five days on a boat diving to your heart?s content. Be sure to visit Similan Island where you can drift along beautiful hard coral gardens.

Best time: October ? May

Galapagos Islands

Home of Darwin?s famous evolutionary theory, the Galapagos Islands offer extraordinary diversity, from swimming iguanas to equator dwelling penguins. The islands are home to 50 endemic species, sea lions, sting rays, hammerheads, whale sharks and pelagic fish. Regarded as ?one of the seven underwater wonders of the world?, the Galapagos Islands consist of a chain of 19 islands which are completely free of commercial fishing.

Geared towards the mid-level to advanced diver, the islands also offer night diving where you might catch a glimpse of nocturnal crabs and starfish.

Best time: December ? May

Chuuk Lagoon

Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia is made up of 15 tiny islands, the remains of a once massive volcano, but the main attraction of this 70 kilometre-wide lagoon is the fleet of 48 wrecks.

The area was used as a naval base by the Japanese in World War II and the collection of wrecks is the result of an American onslaught called Operation Hailstorm, which sank the ships and planes. The entire fleet has been declared an underwater museum.

Check out Fujikawa Maru, a 450-foot long ship with fighter planes intact in its hold. Explore the Nippo Maru, with its defence guns, artillery shells, beer bottles and radio equipment.

Best time: December ? March

Grand Cayman

Nicknamed the ?king of all Caribbean diving sites?, Grand Cayman has a range of diving experiences ? shore, wreck and live-abroad. At Stingray City you?ll encounter?yip, you guessed it?stingrays. The spot is home to a gathering of Southern Stingrays, some as wide as four feet. Victoria House Reef, which is covered in orange tube sponges, has an abundance of parrotfish and angelfish.

Best times: December ? April

Pulau Sipadan

Pulau Sipadan, regarded as the hottest dive spot in Malaysia, was first brought to the attention of the scuba diving world when diving celebrity Jacques Cousteau enthused about its diversity. With more than 3000 species of fish, Pulau Sipadan is definitely diverse.

One of the main attractions of the diving paradise is the proliferation of turtles. Green and hawksbill turtles gather here to mate and nest. Approximately 22 metres underwater is a turtle ?graveyard? ? a limestone cave made up of tunnels and chambers that are full of turtle skeletons.

Be swept away at Barracuda Point by a swirling mass of barracudas or indulge your photographic fantasies at Coral Garden, where you?ll find healthy and diverse coral, turtle and triggerfish.

Belize

Belize boasts three of the four atolls in the Caribbean. The southernmost of these is Glover?s Reef, which provides diving opportunities for everyone from beginners to pros. The reef sits on top of a submerged mountain which is surrounded by drop-offs. Swim with spotted eagle rays, turtles, moray eels, large groupers and tropical reef fish.

The Great Blue Hole is a Unesco World Heritage-listed ocean sinkhole. With its sponge and coral-covered walls this 400-metre wide and 145-metre deep sinkhole has a notable absence of marine life. The reason for this is the proliferation of marine stalactites, some of which are 15 metres long.

Best times: November ? May

Bonaire

Bonaire in the Antilles is home to the oldest marine park in the world. More than 25-years-old, this protected ecosystem offers over 100 diving opportunities. The perfect destination for underwater photographers, the healthy reefs are close to the shore, offer great visibility (30m ? 50m) and very little current.

Best time: September ? December

Ningaloo Reef

Fringing Australia?s western coast from Shark Bay to the Cape Ridge peninsula, Ningaloo Reef is approximately 260 kilometres long. Not as famous (or crowded) as the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo is regarded by many as more spectacular.

Never more than about four kilometres from shore, the reef provides exciting diving opportunities. From March to June the whale sharks migrate up the western coast of Australia, right past Ningaloo. This is followed, from June to November, by the migration of the humpback whales. From October to November green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles make the reef their home for the mating and nesting period.

Best time: March ? November

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, offers a unique ecosystem where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. The latter, which is regarded as one of the most fertile bodies of water in the world, has an abundance of reefs, caves and shipwrecks.

At Anegada Rock you?ll find large groupers, moray eels, turtles and octopi. Gorda Banks is home to scalloped hammerheads and black coral.

Best time: August ? April

Hooked? With so many fish, wrecks and beautiful coral gardens to choose from, only the most serious of aquaphobes could resist. Now, if you could just get past those neon flippers and that absurd pair of goggles?