Holy Grail of Diving?

[Jim Lapenta]

Truk, Scapa Flow, Thunder Bay, Wreck Valley.

[Scott]

TIM: Yes, I can help you find the Holy Grail.
KNIGHTS: Oh, thank you.
TIM: To the north there lies a cave -- the cave of Kyre Banorg --
wherein, carved in mystic runes upon the very living rock, the last
words of Ulfin Bedweer of Regett [boom] proclaim the last resting
place of the most Holy Grail.

[fire_diver]

Why did I just read that in the characters voices? I don't know..

<AAAAaaaaahhhhh>

[Jim Lapenta]

Perhaps in a previous life you were a Knight who says Nit?

[drbill]

For biodiversity you need to look towards the Pacific as others have said... the Philippines, Indonesia.

[helengomez]

Holy Grail for Big and Small... Small for sure places in Indonesia has some of the best macro diving in the world - Ambon, Lembeh, Komodo. Great biodiversity and also interesting things to do topside.

Cocos for sharks and big things is out of this world for what I have heard (it is on my wish list)

[ozzydamo]

This site shows a lot of good options- agree with the doc about the pacific ocean for diversity.
Solomons and the islands off new guinea would be my pick.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines have had big problems with Coral bleaching, dynamite fishing and overfishing so no large fish are abundant- over populated basically.
GBR has had some good management changes to it and is starting to come back from overfishing(30% odd now is green zones, with many species now no-take everywhere)
Underwater Australia - Yonge Reef - Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh : Neville Coleman

But please don't come here, I don't like crowds on my dive site!!!!!
:mooner:
I don't think you can really have a single holy grail dive site, because tides, currents and moon phases play a big part in any given dive being extraordinary at a particular time. When life goes off when your down there it's a great experience, like so many things.....timing is everything.

[Magrone]

For biodiversity and healthy reefs, and overall CRAZY amount of fish in the water, hands down Indonesia. Raja Ampat is the best place i have been for stunning seascapes and fish life. You can do Lembeh or Ambon, both world class destinations, on the way there.

Unless you really love diving with sharks Raja Ampat is much better than Palau. Palau is still great but if you want biodiversity it has to be Indonesia. I have been to Tubbataha, supposedly the crown jewel in Philippines diving, and was not nearly as impressed as I was with the diving in Indonesia.

Komodo is also tops and easier to reach than Raja Ampat + has more sharks. But Raja Ampat is my favorite "holy grail" destination. I have not been to PNG yet.

[JB]

I have to add my vote for the Maldives, warm, viz 50+ meters, Pelagics, never ending pristine coral fields, walls to 1000+meters, but have never dived pacific Islands, will go to Celebes Sea next month, and see how it compares.