Life is beautiful when it gets wet: underwater wonders of the world

You hear this for the first time here – life is better when it gets wet! Dive deep and enjoy 7 of the world’s best underwater attractions.

Dinner under the water

While the absurdly luxurious Conrad Maldives Rangali Island 5-star hotel offers its visitors 12 specialist restaurants, the most impressive of which is Ithaa Restaurant (meaning ‘pearl’ in the local language of Divehi), which lies beneath the Indian Ocean. With no access other than a 5 meter deep spiral staircase, the restaurant is housed in a carefully designed acrylic tube and offers a unique view of fish, coral gardens and sea urchins for dinner guests. Since the restaurant can only accommodate 14 people at a time, be sure to make a reservation in advance if you want to taste the delicacies that include fresh caviar, lobster and the Maldives’ widest wine menu.

Underwater museum

Mexico’s Caribbean Coast is littered with coral reefs and world-class diving sites, but none as artsy or artistic as the Cancun Underwater Museum MUSA. This nonprofit was created in 2009 through a collaboration with local artists by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, who wanted to create the world’s largest underwater museum. With over 470 weird and wonderful sculptures, divers have a chance to see exhibits such as “The Last Supper”, “Anthropocene” (a VW Beetle) and “Inertia” (the television addict above) up close, just like in a regular museum. exists. But MUSA isn’t just about bringing art underwater. The establishment emerged as an environmental project, and with the life support provided by the algae to these ever-evolving statues over the years, the museum space has become rock formations where fish can live and swim.

Underwater cave

When they get the chance, many people love to get their diving gear ready and explore the life that lies beneath the ocean’s surface. What about diving into a depth where there is nothing, where complete solitude reigns? That’s exactly what you’ll find in the Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize and you won’t find anywhere else in the world; stalactites and limestone formations that replace tropical fish landscapes. Seen from above, this iconic cave off Belize resembles a giant blue pupil that winks to summon divers and entice them to dive. At 300 meters in diameter and nearly 120 meters in depth, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is three times the size of a standard football field and is deep enough to please even the most seasoned sea explorer.

Our tip: You can take scuba diving boat tours from Ambergris Caye, an island near the Great Blue Hole that offers some of the most luxurious hotels in all of Belize.

Underwater aquarium

Some of the best aquariums in the world try to create the impression that they are exploring in their natural environment by taking their visitors to the depths of the ocean, but Shanghai Oceanarium, one of the largest aquariums in all of Asia, takes this one step further. One of the 9 main sections that the center offers is an impressive tunnel that is longer than 3 Olympic pools and offers its visitors magnificent coral reefs, a shark bay, algae cave and octopus garden.

Underwater post office

Want to send a holiday postcard to loved ones you left behind, but can’t find a post office? We’ve all experienced these. Have you ever thought of looking at the bottom of the ocean? You can do just that in Vanuatu, an island nation in Oceania. Located on the safe shores of Hideaway Island, the Post Office is 3 meters below the water and is easily accessible to experienced divers and amateur snorkelers alike. All you have to do is dive deep into the water after getting a special waterproof cover from the shore workers. There are also employees who regularly serve underwater at the post office. If you can see a flag hovering above the surface of the sea, then there is someone down below who can help you prepare your message as you wish. The best thing about the post office is that there are almost no queues!

Underwater bar

Located in Puerta Maya, Cozumel, one of the main touristic islands of Mexico, the Clear Lounge oxygen bar offers a breath of fresh air underwater. Using stylish hood diving technology, tourists get the chance to dive into the huge aquarium filled with entertainment such as underwater jenga game, balloon guns and even a photo booth. Even though you won’t be able to drink nice cocktails in this bar, the scented oxygen given to the hoods is sweet and refreshing, as well as therapeutic.

Underwater hotel

Over time, many crazy hotel owners chose the sea for their new hotel location, but the first hotel to let their guests sleep with the fish was Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida. Formerly a marine research laboratory, it was converted into the world’s first underwater hostel in the mid-1980s, long before the luxury tourism boom began. To reach the entrance hatch in the mangrove-covered Emerald Lagoon, you’ll have to dive 6.5 meters under the water, so you’d better not pack too many suitcases. The hotel features two rooms with all the standard hotel comforts, pizza service and one-metre windows that allow you to watch marine life and underwater divers. While underwater hotels are the epitome of water-related vulgarity, Jules’ is a lot more fun than other ostentatious beach hotels and doesn’t ask for huge booking fees like the others.