Learning to Scuba Dive? Try It in Hong Kong

You wouldn’t think of Hong Kong as a dream destination for diving. Visually, it’s just not that appealing, and visibility is often not the best. Locals, however, insist that it’s a great place to begin learning, and here’s why.


Image: flickr.com/photos/100925175@N02

Hong Kong, first of all, is an island so you won’t lack for dive sites. Rob Christie of the South China Diving Club says conditions are easy enough for rookies. Average visibility is at five to ten meters, with a greenish, murky tinge. This isn’t caused by pollution, but by the seabed’s topography, which is silty and sandy. Particles are too easily stirred up by tides and have a hard time settling at the bottom.