The protected ocean
AI-generated illustration
The best diving on Earth is disproportionately inside protected areas — that is not a coincidence. Each entry covers what the park protects, the rules that bind divers, and the sites inside.
| Protected area | Country | Since | Area | Dive destinations inside |
|---|
| Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area |
South Africa |
2004 |
— |
Aliwal Shoal |
| Apo Reef Natural Park |
Philippines |
1996 |
— |
Coron |
| Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park |
Mexico |
1996 |
119 km² |
Cozumel |
| Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve |
Maldives |
2011 |
— |
Baa Atoll |
| Bazaruto Archipelago National Park |
Mozambique |
1971 |
1,430 km² |
Tofo |
| Blue Hole Natural Monument |
Belize |
1996 |
— |
Belize Barrier Reef |
| Bonaire National Marine Park |
Bonaire |
1979 |
— |
Bonaire |
| Bunaken National Park |
Indonesia |
1991 |
890 km² |
Bunaken |
| Cabo Pulmo National Park |
Mexico |
1995 |
71 km² |
Sea Of Cortez |
| Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary |
United States |
1980 |
3,800 km² |
Channel Islands |
| Cocos Island National Park |
Costa Rica |
1978 |
— |
Cocos Island |
| Coiba National Park |
Panama |
1991 |
2,701 km² |
Coiba |
| Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve |
Oman |
1996 |
— |
Daymaniyat Islands |
| Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park |
The Bahamas |
1958 |
456 km² |
Nassau |
| Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park |
Brazil |
1988 |
— |
Fernando De Noronha |
| Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary |
United States |
1990 |
9,900 km² |
Florida Keys |
| Galápagos Marine Reserve |
Ecuador |
1998 |
133,000 km² |
Galapagos |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park |
Australia |
1975 |
344,400 km² |
Cairns Ribbon Reefs, Townsville Yongala |
| Hol Chan Marine Reserve |
Belize |
1987 |
— |
Belize Barrier Reef |
| Komodo National Park |
Indonesia |
1980 |
1,733 km² |
Komodo |
| Mafia Island Marine Park |
Tanzania |
1995 |
822 km² |
Mafia Island |
| Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary |
Colombia |
1995 |
27,000 km² |
Malpelo |
| Medes Islands Marine Reserve |
Spain |
1990 |
— |
Medes Islands |
| Mnemba Island Conservation Area |
Tanzania |
— |
— |
Zanzibar |
| Mu Ko Similan National Park |
Thailand |
1982 |
140 km² |
Similan Islands |
| Ningaloo Marine Park |
Australia |
1987 |
— |
Ningaloo |
| Palau National Marine Sanctuary |
Palau |
— |
— |
Palau |
| Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve |
New Zealand |
1981 |
— |
Poor Knights |
| Raja Ampat MPA Network |
Indonesia |
— |
— |
Raja Ampat |
| Ras Mohammed National Park |
Egypt |
1983 |
— |
Sharm El Sheikh |
| Revillagigedo National Park |
Mexico |
2017 |
148,000 km² |
Socorro |
| Sanganeb Marine National Park |
Sudan |
1990 |
— |
Port Sudan |
| Sipadan Island Park |
Malaysia |
— |
— |
Sipadan |
| Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park |
Philippines |
1988 |
970 km² |
Tubbataha |
| Wakatobi National Park |
Indonesia |
1996 |
13,900 km² |
Wakatobi |
| iSimangaliso Wetland Park |
South Africa |
1999 |
3,320 km² |
Sodwana Bay |
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