Safest locales for diving around the world?

[arew+4]

Pretty much anywhere several major US airlines fly to more than once or twice a week is going to be reasonably safe. That being said, any where you go that the median income is orders of magnitude below that of the US is going to have some property crime. Generally petty, and without threat of violence, unless provoked by tourist ingnorance. Case in point, while in St Thomas nearly 30yrs ago i wandered out of the tourist shopping area in Charlotte Amalie carrying $1k video camera. A local figured he wanted it more than me and tried to snatch it I should have just let it go, but we went to ground and wrestled over it. He went to jail, and all I got were some scrapes, bruises and a broken video camera.

Not doing stupid things greatly reduces your odds of experiening bad things.

 

[Johnoly]

EPCOT - The Happiest Place on Earth (and safest to dive)

 

[Searcaigh]

United Arab Emirates or Oman

 

[Storker]

Just to toot my own horn like everybody else here do: Norway. One of the safest countries in the world (heck, people living in the countryside often don't bother locking their car or their front door), and no bears - in fact no large, human-unfriendly predators - at the coast. And some of the sites are world class. We probably won't even charge you if you need an airlift and a chamber ride, since we have single-payer healthcare.

Only downside is that pesky cold water requiring a drysuit. And the insane prices for beer.

 

[Wingy]

French Polynesia, Reunion Island (although the diving is average at best the island is stunning) And Vanuatu all have very low crime against tourist levels.

Ni Vans are such delightful happy people they even wrote a letter of apology to the last missionary they ate before they decided it was giving them a bad wrap. Some of the happiest people in the world, again not stellar diving overall but if you like wrecks, the Coolidge should be on all rust heads list.

 

[edwants2dive]

Panama City Fl......lol grew up there and dove there once.
Oh wait that's where you live

Seriously though Bayahibe DR. was just there last month safe town decent diving and the operation I dove with (Coral Point diving) is top notch

 

[In2theabyss]

United Arab Emirates or Oman

I dove Khor Fakkan in the UAE and had a great time. Super resort area with some of the best diving...totally agree

 

[AlmightyApkallu]

Thanks for the replies everyone, looking for even more and personal experiences as well. I'm not saying the place has to be perfect, I just know in certain places some weird things can happen. I wish certain locales were safer, I know anywhere you go the average person tends to be good people.

I was reading recently about how even in the Bahamas you have to be careful, I've not yet been there even though some of my family has and they said it was great. I will still probably go there but know to be cautious. I was mainly just curious what places you really feel safe and don't have to worry about some gang of not so good people doing not so good things to tourists.

I have not done dry suit diving although I have done cold water diving down to 50 degrees. I definitely want a dry suit for water below about 65. Anything 65 or above I've got a good Henderson 7mm for. If I do get into drysuit diving some day I would definitely try places like Norway, BC, places like Scapa Flow look really interesting. For now I'm concentrating on warm water destinations.

We've dived the keys a good number of times and dived off the coast of Miami. Love it down there, plan on moving down there at some point. Never felt unsafe. Just gotta be smart. I think I would feel okay enough going to a lot of the places listed here. I would love to go to Raja Ampat and have heard differing opinions on how safe it is, but from what I understand it's fairly safe.

One area I'm on the fence about is the Yucatan. Would LOVE to dive the cenotes but I've heard the further in you go off the beaten path the greater the risk. Any opinions or personal experiences would be totally welcomed.

 

[Storker]

Ni Vans are such delightful happy people they even wrote a letter of apology to the last missionary they ate before they decided it was giving them a bad wrap.

I love that story. Link, please?

 

[Snoweman]

Pretty much anywhere several major US airlines fly to more than once or twice a week is going to be reasonably safe. That being said, any where you go that the median income is orders of magnitude below that of the US is going to have some property crime. Generally petty, and without threat of violence, unless provoked by tourist ingnorance. Case in point, while in St Thomas nearly 30yrs ago i wandered out of the tourist shopping area in Charlotte Amalie carrying $1k video camera. A local figured he wanted it more than me and tried to snatch it I should have just let it go, but we went to ground and wrestled over it. He went to jail, and all I got were some scrapes, bruises and a broken video camera.

Not doing stupid things greatly reduces your odds of experiening bad things.

There are lots of places that major airlines fly that I wouldn't consider "safe". Jamaica and Haiti are two that quickly come to mind.