June 19, 2024|Author: JennyH|Reading time: 6 minute
Discover our top recommended destinations for scuba diving in July. Explore the diversity of diving in Dumaguete, snorkel with whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, and dive into the unique underwater world of Mozambique. Whatever your preferences, we'll build your dream dive trip in July!
Visit some of the destinations with the best scuba diving in July, as handpicked by the team at Bluewater Travel. There are plenty of incredible places to travel during the peak holiday season and experience excellent scuba diving, so we recommend you contact our travel experts to determine the "best" place for you to travel in July based on what you want to experience, your preferred type of diving, and what marine life you want to see. To give you some inspiration, we've summarized three of the top dive destinations to visit in July:
Best Liveaboard Destinations for Beginner Scuba Divers
Thailand
Liveaboards can seem daunting if you've never been on one, and even more so to newer divers. We've rounded up the best liveaboard destinations suitable for beginner scuba divers, with options ranging from the nearby Caribbean to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Read on to find the best liveaboard destination for you!
Join us as we explore unique destinations around the world. Each video showcases a recent dive adventure with a Bluewater team member, customer, or a Travel with Bluewater group in an exotic location!
Beginner’s Guide to Swimming with Whales & Whale Sharks
Worldwide
Swimming with whales or whale sharks is a breathtaking, bucket-list experience—and yes, it's accessible even to beginners! This guide will prepare you with everything you need to know before jumping in.
Ask Bluewater founder Scott Gietler about diving in Dumaguete, and he'll tell you all about one of his favorite places for a family dive trip. Dumaguete and Dauin are home to excellent muck diving along the coast of Negros Oriental. We love to explore Dumaguete in July as the region is less crowded than other destinations, and a wide range of dive resorts cater to all budgets. In the summer months, the waters around Dumaguete and Dauin are warm and generally calm, making them suitable for all levels of divers.
Explore the coastline's shallow sandy bottoms scattered with seagrass covered in Shaun the Sheep nudibranchs and head deeper to look for coral reefs, schools of fish, and other exciting macro life. Search for a bounty of bucket list critters, including flamboyant cuttlefish, bobtail squid, seahorses, harlequin shrimp, and pipefish. Don't miss a day trip to nearby Apo Island, home to stunning coral walls and sloping reefs where you can encounter turtles, moray eels, anemone fish, and schools of jackfish.
Dive resorts are plentiful throughout Dumaguete and Dauin and offer plenty of opportunities to dive the sites on both the mainland and around Apo Island. Some liveaboards also include dive sites around Dumaguete and Dauin on their Visayas Itineraries, but the sites are the same as those dived from land-based resorts. Hone your underwater photography skills with your macro lens to capture the unique critters along the coast, and pack your wide-angle lens to shoot the stunning reefs at Apo Island.
Join our Underwater Photography Workshops in Dumaguete:
Encounter exciting marine life in Isla Mujeres, an island in the Gulf of Mexico within easy reach of the United States. It's a great destination to visit in July for both divers and snorkelers, making it perfect for family travel during the summer holidays. July is also one of the months when you can see whale sharks during popular snorkeling tours.
Experience the awe of snorkeling alongside massive, majestic whale sharks around Isla Holbox either from Isla Mujeres or on a day trip from Playa del Carmen. Explore the reefs surrounding Isla Mujeres from land-based dive resorts or dive operators. If you stay in Playa del Carmen, dive the Yucatan Peeninsula's best reefs and embark on exciting trips to dive or snorkel in Mexico's renowned cenotes - another unique experience for the whole family. If you have extra time, add some nights at a dive resort on Cozumel to visit dive sites covered in vibrant coral sponges where you can encounter turtles, rays, and even sharks.
Contact us to discuss your ultimate dive trip to Mexico! Tell us what you want to see and experience, what kind of accommodation you prefer, and who you'll travel with and we will customize the perfect trip just for you!
Journey to Africa's east coast in July to explore Mozambique's underwater majesty. In the heart of the drier winter months, July produces calmer weather and the best visibility in this region of the Indian Ocean. June through October also marks the incredible humpback whale migration along Mozambique's coast, offering visitors opportunities to witness it firsthand.
Experience various dive sites and a combination of large marine life and macro critter encounters, depending on where you spend your time in Mozambique. Visit the Bazaruto Archipelago for pristine reefs boasting many marine species, including rays and sharks. Travel to the Quirimbas Archipelago to explore unique coral formations, a wreck, and encounter barracuda, rays, and reef sharks. It's also an excellent spot for seeing humpback whales. Tofo and Ponta do Ouro are two other popular dive areas in Mozambique, but they are best visited in the summer months to encounter Tofo's whale sharks and experience the best shark diving at Ponta do Ouro.
Dive Mozambique with one of the many standalone or resort-based dive operators. Expect sometimes sporty beach launches as the diving is done from Zodiacs. Traveling to Mozambique, especially from the United States, is a lengthy combination of flights, so consider making the most of your trip by combining it with some other exciting destinations. Take in breathtaking wildlife during a land safari in Tanzania, explore the shark-filled waters around South Africa, and immerse yourself in the culture, food, and history of each region.
While we recommend Dumaguete, Isla Mujeres, and Mozambique, there are abundant other incredible destinations to dive in July, including Cocos Island, Sipadan, Azores, and many more. We understand that "best" is subjective and divers have different preferences.Contact our travel advisors to discuss what the "best" means to you so we can customize your best dive trip.
Bluewater Travel can book you on a liveaboard or resort in the Galapagos, Cozumel, Komodo, and 40+ other destinations in the world for the same cost or less than booking any other way. We know the diving, seasons, resorts, boats, and cabins and when to go better than anyone else!
Looking to start your scuba diving journey in the Caribbean? This guide highlights the region’s best beginner-friendly dive sites—calm waters, vibrant marine life, and easy access make them perfect for first-time divers.
Exploring the underwater world doesn't always require scuba certification or bulky gear as snorkeling provides a simple and equally stunning way to experience marine life in its natural environment. Snorkeling travel is booming in 2025, with high demand for liveaboard snorkel options in the Maldives and Raja Ampat. We've added more itinerary flexibility to help travellers access remote reefs with shallow, clear-water drop-offs.
Best Places to Swim or Dive with Whale Sharks: Our Top 6
Socorro Islands
Swimming with whale sharks is one of the ocean’s most remarkable experiences. These gentle giants—reaching up to 12 m in length—are filter feeders and pose no threat to snorkellers. Whether you’re seeking a classic liveaboard expedition or a day-trip snorkel, this guide helps you choose the right destination, season, and operator for a safe and awe-inspiring encounter.
