Dream dives • Completed adventures • Scuba Sam approved

Scuba Sam’s Dive Bucket List

A personal collection of dream dives, unforgettable places I’ve already ticked off, and dive destinations I’d recommend to other ocean lovers. Some are still on my list, some have already become memories, and some are places I think every diver should experience at least once.

Dive tracker

Choose a view

Filter the list by journey stage, trip style, or the places I’d happily recommend.

9

Dream dives and encounters waiting on the list.

13

Completed adventures already part of the story.

13

Scuba Sam Approved recommendations across places, boats, and dive centres.

Section 1

My Bucket List

Dream places, liveaboards, dive centres, and dive experiences still waiting for the right tide, team, and story.

Sea lions swimming over reef in the Galápagos Islands.
Destination / Sharks
01
Not Done Yet

Galápagos Islands

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Advanced pelagic diving, volcanic islands, sea lions, hammerheads, and strong-current Pacific adventure.

View Details
Raja Ampat limestone islands and turquoise reef water.
Destination / Reefs
02
Planned

Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Coral Triangle reefs, huge biodiversity, manta potential, remote islands, and conservation-minded diving.

View Details
Aerial view of Palau limestone islands and blue lagoons.
Destination / Drift Diving
03
Not Done Yet

Palau

Palau, Micronesia

Current-fed channels, reef sharks, walls, big schools, and the fast blue-water dives Palau is famous for.

View Details
Papua New Guinea island scenery and bright reef water.
Reefs / Family Story
04
Not Done Yet

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

A family connection paired with remote Coral Triangle reefs, walls, wrecks, culture, turtles, and macro diving.

View Details
Aircraft wreck dive in Chuuk Lagoon, also known as Truk Lagoon.
Destination / Wreck Diving
05
Not Done Yet

Chuuk Lagoon / Truk Lagoon

Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia

Legendary wreck diving, Operation Hailstone history, careful swim-throughs, and slow respectful exploration.

View Details
Black Pearl liveaboard in Palau.
Liveaboard / Palau
06
Planned

Pearl Fleet: M/Y Black Pearl

Palau, Micronesia

Pearl Fleet’s Palau boat for walls, drift dives, shark action, and fast Pacific reef days.

View Details
White Pearl liveaboard in the Maldives.
Liveaboard / Maldives
07
Planned

Pearl Fleet: M/Y White Pearl

Maldives

Pearl Fleet’s Maldives boat for channels, thilas, reef life, sharks, and liveaboard rhythm.

View Details
Blue Pearl liveaboard in Indonesia at sunset.
Liveaboard / Indonesia
08
Planned

Pearl Fleet: M/Y Blue Pearl

Indonesia

Pearl Fleet’s Indonesia boat for remote reefs, wide-angle diving, and colourful expedition-style routes.

View Details
Scubaspa ZEN Indonesia liveaboard under sail.
Liveaboard / Indonesia
09
Planned

Scubaspa ZEN Indonesia

Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda Sea, and more

Luxury Indonesia liveaboard pairing serious reef routes with spa downtime and strong onboard comfort.

View Details
Section 2

Ticked Off

Completed dives that already feel like chapters in the Scuba Sam journey, with the moments that made them stick.

Tiger shark and diver in the Bahamas.
Sharks / Bahamas
01
Ticked Off Want to Go Again

Tiger Beach, Bahamas

Tiger Beach, Bahamas

A completed bucket-list shark moment in clear Bahamian water, with tiger sharks moving over pale sand.

View Details
Sea turtle in clear water in the Philippines.
Turtles / Reefs
02
Ticked Off Want to Go Again

Philippines

Philippines

Turtles, coral gardens, warm water, reef colour, photography, and the kind of dive days Sam would happily repeat.

View Details
Turtle in shallow Maldives water beneath overwater villas.
Reefs / Clear Water
03
Ticked Off Want to Go Again

Maldives

Maldives

Atoll channels, reef sharks, mantas, whale shark potential, turtles, clear water, and classic ocean rhythm.

View Details
Blue Voyager liveaboard on calm Maldives water.
Liveaboard / Maldives
04
Ticked Off No Longer Operating Recommended by Scuba Sam

Blue Voyager

Maldives

Sam’s first Maldives liveaboard and a milestone trip built around blue water, briefings, and boat-life rhythm.

View Details
Philippine Siren liveaboard under sail in the Philippines.
Liveaboard / Philippines
05
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Philippine Siren

Philippines

Expedition-style Philippines liveaboard covering reef-rich itineraries across seasonal routes.

View Details
M/V Dolphin Dream liveaboard in the Bahamas.
Liveaboard / Bahamas
06
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

M/V Dolphin Dream

Bahamas

Bahamas liveaboard built for shark-focused itineraries and charged-up Tiger Beach entry moments.

View Details
Scubaspa Maldives liveaboard in the South Atolls.
Liveaboard / Maldives
07
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Scubaspa Maldives - South Atolls

South Atolls, Maldives

Luxury Maldives liveaboard blending South Atolls diving with spacious recovery time onboard.

View Details
Pullman Suvadiva Diving Center in the South Maldives.
Dive Centre / South Maldives
08
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Pullman Suvadiva Diving Center

Gaafu Alifu Atoll, South Maldives

PADI 5-Star centre with 26 dive sites, strong training options, and standout South Maldives shark potential.

View Details
Similan Scuba dive centre in Koh Yao Noi.
Dive Centre / Koh Yao Noi
09
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Similan Scuba - Koh Yao Noi

Koh Yao Noi, Thailand

Koh Yao Noi dive centre offering day trips, PADI courses, and private charters with a conservation edge.

View Details
Harlyn Dive School is shown with a branded operator placeholder because no dedicated photo is available in the project.
Harlyn Dive School
Dive Centre / Rock - Cornwall
10
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Harlyn Dive School

Rock, Cornwall

Cornwall training and charter centre with guided dives, wrecks, reefs, and mixed-agency training options.

View Details
Sea World Scuba Diving Centers at Ikos Dassia, Corfu.
Dive Centre / Ikos Dassia Corfu
11
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Sea World Scuba Diving Centers

Ikos Dassia, Corfu

Corfu dive centre with PADI courses, daily trips, and easy access to local dive sites and equipment support.

View Details
Dive Butler Finolhu in Baa Atoll, Maldives.
Dive Centre / Finolhu
12
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Dive Butler Finolhu

Finolhu, Baa Atoll, Maldives

Baa Atoll PADI 5-Star centre mixing regular dive excursions with marine biology and conservation learning.

View Details
Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah dive centre team outside the centre.
Dive Centre / Fuvahmulah
13
Ticked Off Recommended by Scuba Sam

Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah

Fuvahmulah, Maldives

Locally rooted Fuvahmulah centre specialising in small-group tiger shark and pelagic diving.

View Details