8 Best Places to Travel in 2019
Where will you go diving in 2019?
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The end of one year can only mean one thing for divers: it’s time to plan where you’ll dive in the year ahead. For 2019, we’ve identified eight locations worthy of your next dive trip. These destinations can be classified as trending for many reasons, but one thing they all have in common is great diving. Some destinations were chosen because they were named among the top 2019 travel lists recently released by American Express, Lonely Planet and Islands.com. Others were selected based on new flight routes and increased bookings reported by Airbnb and TripAdvisor. After things considered, these are the best places to travel and dive in 2019.
Bahamas
Specifically, Nassau was called out in the American Express report with card member travel up 63 percent year over year. As divers, we already know and love the Bahamas for its wide variety of scuba diving sites. From the shipwrecks and shark dives of Nassau off New Providence Island to big animal diving in Bimini, this is a destination that consistently ranks high among the dive community. Recently, the Bahamas was also named among the top five dive destinations in the Caribbean and Atlantic region in Scuba Diving’s Readers Choice survey.
Island of Hawaii
View of Keahou Bay from the Sheraton Kona Resort.
Becca Hurley
In May 2018, the Kilauea Volcano eruption caused the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to shut down for more than four months. Diving hot spots such as Kona were not affected, but the overall media coverage of other island closures affected tourism across the Island of Hawaii. Now that the park is open and deemed safe for visitors, there is no better time to visit Hawaii’s largest island. This island is home to arguably two of the best night dives out there. Travel by April to be on island for the annual migration of humpback whales. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll even see one on a dive.
St. Vincent and Grenadines
Argyle International Airport is the first international airport to open on the island, and it only opened in February 2017. Even more exciting, American Airlines announced this year that it will operate nonstop flights year-round on Saturdays out of Miami International Airport. The first flight is set to depart Dec. 22. St. Vincent is often referred to as the " muck-diving capital of the Caribbean" but on its leeward shore, you can also experience visibility up to 100 feet.
New Zealand
This dream destination is on travelers minds according to data released by American Express, card member travel to New Zealand was up 24 percent year over year. As a diver, you can explore the world's largest sea cave, a handful of shipwrecks and tour the film set from Lord of the Rings. Learn more about this unique destination and ten reasons to dive New Zealand in our article here.
Cuba
Caribbean reef sharks swimming over the coral reef, Gardens of the Queens marine reserve, Cuba.
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Visitors have been on the rise ever since Cuba reopened tourism for U.S. travelers in 2015. You are still required to travel on People-to-People cultural exchange visas, but companies such as the Oceans for Youth Foundation and Aggressor Liveaboards make this process simple for divers. This partnership allows for direct interactions between Americans and Cubans, their local marine officials and marine professionals to understand how Cubans experience their own marine environment. Cuba offers several unique dive experiences like coming face-to-face with saltwater crocodiles and sharks. Islands.com also named Cuba a trending destination based on several new cruise ship itineraries adding Cuba to their ports of call list in 2019 and 2020.
Japan
It’s possible that Japan has been buzzworthy ever since the announcement that the 2020 Summer Olympic Games would be held in Tokyo. If you’re not a fan of crowds, we’d suggest traveling before the Olympic Games, which is why Japan has been included on this must-travel list for 2019. Travel & Leisure recently named Japan as their 2018 destination of the year for being one of the world’s fastest-growing travel destinations. For scuba divers, the Land of the Rising Sun delivers on multiple fronts, from amazing cultural experiences and delicious cuisine to the abundant marine life in Okinawa. This is one destination to add to your list now.
Maldives
The Four Seasons Explorer liveaboard is a great option for luxury at sea.
Becca Hurley
Believe it or not, the Maldives ranked in the top five for Best Value in 2019 by Lonely Planet. Value is not always what comes to mind when you think of this exotic chain of islands in the middle of the Indian ocean. Especially when it seems riddled with ultra-luxurious properties such as the Four Season Maldives. But even the Four Seasons brand has a more affordable alternative, its liveaboard. The Four Seasons Explorer offers incomparable value to the land-based resorts and is among more than 40 liveaboards operating in the Maldives. Travel during the shoulder season to find even better airfare prices and make a dive vacation to the Maldives comparable to high-season destinations in the Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda
Barbuda was among the many islands affected during the 2017 hurricane season, but in the fall of 2018 one of its most noteworthy properties reopened. Guests can once again book a stay at Barbuda Belle and thanks to Delta’s new nonstop flight from New York, it’s even easier to get there. Historically, the twin islands of Antigua and Barbuda have been known as a sailing hub, but with warm waters and shallow reefs, this is a great spot for beginner divers.