Skip to main content
x

2015 Readers Choice Awards: Top 100 Gold List

By Scuba Diving Partner | Published On February 26, 2015
Share This Article :

2015 Readers Choice Awards: Top 100 Gold List

For the Top 100 Gold List, our readers voted on their favorite dive resorts, operators, liveaboards, dive bars, cheeseburgers in paradise and more, regardless of location. Results were determined by popular vote and ranked based on category.

WALL DIVES

1. Santa Rosa Wall: Cozumel, Mexico

2. Bloody Bay Wall: Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

3. Half Moon Caye Wall: Lighthouse Reef, Belize

4. North Wall: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

5. Molokini Crater Back Wall: Maui, Hawaii

6. Blue Corner Wall: Palau

7. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

8. G Spot: French Cay, Turks
 and Caicos

9. Great White Wall: Taveuni, Fiji

10. Tongue of the Ocean: Nassau, Bahamas

DIVE SITES

11. Palancar Reef: Cozumel, Mexico

12. Something Special: Bonaire

13. Devil’s Grotto: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

14. Devil’s Throat: Cozumel, Mexico

15. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

16. Cathedrals: Lanai, Hawaii

17. Blue Corner: Palau

18. Dos Ojos: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

19. Steve’s Bommie: Great Barrier Reef, Australia

20. Darwin’s Arch: Galapagos, Ecuador

WRECK DIVES

21. Spiegel Grove: Key Largo, Florida

22. Vandenberg: Key West, Florida

23. Capt. Keith Tibbetts: Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

24. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia

25. Oriskany: Pensacola, Florida

26. U-352: Morehead City, North Carolina

27. Hermes: Bermuda

SHORE DIVES

28. Coco View Wall: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

29. Three Tables: Oahu, Hawaii

30. Bari Reef: Bonaire

31. Blue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida

32. Liberty Wreck: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

UNUSUAL DIVE SITES

33. Gran Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico

34. Temple of Doom Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico

35. Bonne Terre Mine: Bonne Terre, Missouri

36. Black Hole: Andros, Bahamas

37. Cancun Underwater Museum: Cancun, Mexico

38. Neptune Memorial Reef: Miami, Florida

NIGHT DIVES

39. Manta Ray Night Dive: Hawaii Island

40. Davis Reef: Key Largo, Florida

41. Coral spawning dives: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

42. Pelagic Magic: Kona, Hawaii

43. Sugar Wreck: Grand Bahama, Bahamas

44. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia

45. Fluorescent night dive: Koh Tao, Thailand

46. Lembeh Strait: Indonesia

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

47. Whale sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

48. Caribbean reef sharks: Shark Arena, Nassau, Bahamas

49. West Indian manatees: Crystal River, Florida

50. Spinner dolphins and humpback whales: Maui, Hawaii

51. Hammerhead sharks: Wolf and Darwin islands, Galapagos, Ecuador

52. Pacific manta rays: Ulong Channel, Palau

53. Sand tiger sharks: North Carolina

54. Whitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji

55. Sea lions: Los Islotes,
 La Paz, Mexico

BEACHES

56. Seven Mile Beach: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

57. Tulum: Riviera Maya, Mexico

58. Grace Bay Beach: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

59. The Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

60. Kauna’oa Bay: Hawaii Island

61. Emerald Coast: Florida

62. Monterey State Beach: California

63. Matira Beach: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

64. Lanikai Beach: Oahu, Hawaii

LIVEABOARDS

65. Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

66. Belize Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet

67. Galapagos Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet

68. Aqua Cat, Aqua Cat Cruises, Bahamas

69. Palau Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

70. Sun Dancer II, Aggressor Fleet, Belize

71. Spoilsport, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Australia

72. Kona Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

73. Arenui, Arenui, the Boutique Liveaboard, Indonesia

74. Maldives Four Seasons Explorer, Four Seasons Hotel and Resort, Maldives

DIVE OPERATIONS

75. Buddy Dive: Bonaire

76. Anthony’s Key Resort Dive Shop: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

77. Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: Nassau, Bahamas

78. Jack’s Diving Locker: Hawaii Island

79. Maui Dive Shop: Maui, Hawaii

80. Divetech: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

81. Sam’s Tours: Palau

DIVE RESORTS

82. Buddy Dive Resort: Bonaire

83. Sunset House: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

84. Anthony’s Key Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

85. Scuba Club Cozumel: Cozumel, Mexico

86. Wakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia

87. Little Cayman Beach Resort: Litle Cayman, Cayman Islands

88. CoCo View Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

89. Hotel Cozumel & Resort: Cozumel, Mexico

90. Turneffe Island Resort: Turnefe Island, Belize

DIVE BARS

91. Karel’s Beach Bar: Bonaire

92. Don’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii

93. Foxy’s Tamarind Bar: Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

94. Hog’s Breath Saloon: Key West, Florida

95. My Bar: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

CHEESEBURGERS IN PARADISE

96. No Name Pub: Big Pine Key, Florida

97. Lone Star Bar & Grill: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

98. Cactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire

99. Hodad’s: Ocean Beach, California

100. Cool Cat Cafe: Maui, Hawaii

For the Top 100 Gold List, our readers voted on their favorite dive resorts, operators, liveaboards, dive bars, cheeseburgers in paradise and more, regardless of location. Results were determined by popular vote and ranked based on category.

scuba diving in florida

Oriskany: Pensacola, Florida

Andy Morrison

WALL DIVES

1. Santa Rosa Wall: Cozumel, Mexico

2. Bloody Bay Wall: Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

3. Half Moon Caye Wall: Lighthouse Reef, Belize

4. North Wall: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

5. Molokini Crater Back Wall: Maui, Hawaii

6. Blue Corner Wall: Palau

7. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

8. G Spot: French Cay, Turks
 and Caicos

9. Great White Wall: Taveuni, Fiji

10. Tongue of the Ocean: Nassau, Bahamas

DIVE SITES

11. Palancar Reef: Cozumel, Mexico

12. Something Special: Bonaire

13. Devil’s Grotto: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

14. Devil’s Throat: Cozumel, Mexico

15. Mary’s Place: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

16. Cathedrals: Lanai, Hawaii

17. Blue Corner: Palau

18. Dos Ojos: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

19. Steve’s Bommie: Great Barrier Reef, Australia

20. Darwin’s Arch: Galapagos, Ecuador

scuba diving in florida

Blue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida

Tanya G. Burnett

WRECK DIVES

21. Spiegel Grove: Key Largo, Florida

22. Vandenberg: Key West, Florida

23. Capt. Keith Tibbetts: Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

24. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia

25. Oriskany: Pensacola, Florida

26. U-352: Morehead City, North Carolina

27. Hermes: Bermuda

SHORE DIVES

28. Coco View Wall: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

29. Three Tables: Oahu, Hawaii

30. Bari Reef: Bonaire

31. Blue Heron Bridge: Riviera Beach, Florida

32. Liberty Wreck: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

scuba diving in fiji

Whitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji

Rodger Klein

UNUSUAL DIVE SITES

33. Gran Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico

34. Temple of Doom Cenote: Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico

35. Bonne Terre Mine: Bonne Terre, Missouri

36. Black Hole: Andros, Bahamas

37. Cancun Underwater Museum: Cancun, Mexico

38. Neptune Memorial Reef: Miami, Florida

NIGHT DIVES

39. Manta Ray Night Dive: Hawaii Island

40. Davis Reef: Key Largo, Florida

41. Coral spawning dives: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

42. Pelagic Magic: Kona, Hawaii

43. Sugar Wreck: Grand Bahama, Bahamas

44. Fujikawa Maru: Chuuk, Micronesia

45. Fluorescent night dive: Koh Tao, Thailand

46. Lembeh Strait: Indonesia

scuba diving in the caribbean

The Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Marc Muench/Tandem Stock

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

47. Whale sharks: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

48. Caribbean reef sharks: Shark Arena, Nassau, Bahamas

49. West Indian manatees: Crystal River, Florida

50. Spinner dolphins and humpback whales: Maui, Hawaii

51. Hammerhead sharks: Wolf and Darwin islands, Galapagos, Ecuador

52. Pacific manta rays: Ulong Channel, Palau

53. Sand tiger sharks: North Carolina

54. Whitetip and blacktip sharks: Beqa, Fiji

55. Sea lions: Los Islotes,
 La Paz, Mexico

BEACHES

56. Seven Mile Beach: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

57. Tulum: Riviera Maya, Mexico

58. Grace Bay Beach: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

59. The Baths: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

60. Kauna’oa Bay: Hawaii Island

61. Emerald Coast: Florida

62. Monterey State Beach: California

63. Matira Beach: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

64. Lanikai Beach: Oahu, Hawaii

scuba diving in australia

Spoilsport: Australia

Courtesy Walt Sterns/Aggressor Fleet

LIVEABOARDS

65. Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

66. Belize Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet

67. Galapagos Aggressor III, Aggressor Fleet

68. Aqua Cat, Aqua Cat Cruises, Bahamas

69. Palau Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

70. Sun Dancer II, Aggressor Fleet, Belize

71. Spoilsport, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Australia

72. Kona Aggressor II, Aggressor Fleet

73. Arenui, Arenui, the Boutique Liveaboard, Indonesia

74. Maldives Four Seasons Explorer, Four Seasons Hotel and Resort, Maldives

DIVE OPERATIONS

75. Buddy Dive: Bonaire

76. Anthony’s Key Resort Dive Shop: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

77. Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: Nassau, Bahamas

78. Jack’s Diving Locker: Hawaii Island

79. Maui Dive Shop: Maui, Hawaii

80. Divetech: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

81. Sam’s Tours: Palau

scuba diving in indonesia

Wakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia

Courtesy Wakatobi Dive Resort

DIVE RESORTS

82. Buddy Dive Resort: Bonaire

83. Sunset House: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

84. Anthony’s Key Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

85. Scuba Club Cozumel: Cozumel, Mexico

86. Wakatobi Dive Resort: Sulawesi, Indonesia

87. Little Cayman Beach Resort: Litle Cayman, Cayman Islands

88. CoCo View Resort: Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

89. Hotel Cozumel & Resort: Cozumel, Mexico

90. Turneffe Island Resort: Turnefe Island, Belize

scuba diving in hawaii

Don’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii

Shutterstock

DIVE BARS

91. Karel’s Beach Bar: Bonaire

92. Don’s Mai Tai Bar: Kona, Hawaii

93. Foxy’s Tamarind Bar: Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

94. Hog’s Breath Saloon: Key West, Florida

95. My Bar: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

scuba diving in bonaire

Cactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire

Shutterstock

CHEESEBURGERS IN PARADISE

96. No Name Pub: Big Pine Key, Florida

97. Lone Star Bar & Grill: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

98. Cactus Blue on the Beach: Bonaire

99. Hodad’s: Ocean Beach, California

100. Cool Cat Cafe: Maui, Hawaii