7 ways to see under the sea without getting wet

There is nothing better for us divers than putting our wetsuits and diving into the water to discover what lay underneath. This could cause our family members and friends who don't dive to experience severe FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). But because we don't believe that anyone should have to lose out on the enchantment of the water, we have put together a list of 7 ways to look beneath the sea without ever getting wet!

1. Eat at an underwater restaurant

One of the greatest ways to see an amazing variety of marine life is to go to an underwater restaurant. Imagine dining inside of a room with floor to ceiling windows and admiring the fish swimming by. While dining underwater might be a spectacular experience, be forewarned that they are typically expensive fine dining establishments and, appropriately, serve fish.

Restaurants that are located underwater are becoming more and more popular.  Some examples of these fantastic places that you can add to your bucket list are:

• Under – located 5.5 meters below the surface, in the frigid waters of Lindesnes, Norway. The restaurant Under provides customers a special opportunity to see the marine life of the North Atlantic Ocean while serving fresh cuisine from both the land and the sea.
• Ithaa – is described as the first underwater restaurant on the globe and is situated 5 meters under the water on Rangali Island in the Maldives. You can swing by Ithaa merely to sip some drinks or they offer special tasting meals for lunch and dinner. 

2. Take a ride in a semi-submersible or submarine

While a submarine can completely dive, a semi-submersible has a transparent observation platform about one meter below the ocean's surface and seems to be a regular boat from the surface. Both are excellent ways to study coral reefs and travel far in a short period of time.

To add to your list of incredible experiences, here are some examples:

• Atlantis submarines – One of the greatest ways to experience Hawaii's beautiful marine life and ocean floor is with an Atlantis submarine. These submarines can dive to depths of 30 meters and offer trips in Oahu, Kona, and Maui!
• Adventure Bay Charters – This location in South Australia offers a semi-submersible experience if you've always wanted to see Great White Sharks in the wild but are not ready for diving into the cool water. On one of their shark excursions, you may take a glass viewing platform underwater to see the Great White from every angle. You won't get wet, and you can even sip some wine as you do it!

3. Stay in an underwater hotel

Consider booking a room at an underwater hotel if you're seeking for a luxurious and distinctive place to rest. You won't want to leave your room with the floor to ceiling windows! These hotels are obviously pricey, but they are definitely worth it if you enjoy watching marine life pass by your windows in the morning and at night.

Here are some examples that you should add to your list of incredible experiences:

• The Manta Resort – The underwater suite is a special room at the Manta Resort in Zanzibar's Pemba Island. A serene and relaxing experience, this three-leveled structure is in the center of the water.
• The Reef Suites – is the world's first underwater hotel, and it is situated in Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef. The hotel rooms launched at the end of 2019 and are situated on the Reefworld pontoon at Hardy Reef. They offer a special and private opportunity to explore the Great Barrier Reef and its incredible marine life.

4. Visit an underwater spa

You should visit an underwater spa if you are stressed out and wish to unwind completely. Not only will you feel pampered after receiving a wonderful massage, facial, or body treatment, but looking out the window and watching the fish swim by while making rhythmic motions will undoubtedly be the ideal way to decompress and unwind.

There is only one underwater spa available in the world right now, and it is:

• Huvafenfusi Spa – is a component of the Huvafen Fushi Resort, is situated in the Maldives and offers opulent spa services.

5. Take a virtual tour of the ocean

If you can't go right now, you may still enjoy the majesty of the ocean from the comfort of your home by taking a virtual tour of the ocean.

Some virtual locations worth seeing are:

• David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef – is a fantastic way to travel to the Great Barrier Reef remotely. You can discover some interesting facts about the reef, the marine life, the current and projected state of the reef, and what you can do to help through a series of movies and interactive games.
• Natural Marine Sanctuaries – enables you to take 360-degree virtual dives from some of the top dive sites in the United States. You may even use a virtual reality headset to visit the website for an even more realistic experience!

6. Play with an underwater drone

Underwater drones, commonly referred to as underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROV), let you observe and photograph the ocean's splendor. Drones can be flown when submerged in water as well as from above the surface of the earth. 

They have the advantage of allowing you to rapidly and deeply explore a huge area of the ocean below, seeing more than you might on a dive and providing a fantastic experience for both divers and non-divers.

7. Check out an underwater observatory

An underwater observatory is similar to a huge aquarium, with the added benefit that since it is submerged in the ocean, you can observe marine life there in its natural setting. Underwater observatories are typically positioned approximately 10 meters beneath the surface and are reachable by land. They include floor to ceiling glass that allows for a wide-ranging view of the marine life.

If you are interested in spectacular underwater observatories, you should include the following on your bucket list:

• Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory – has nearly 300 different types of marine life, and it may be found at the end of Busselton Jetty in Western Australia, Australia. When you're finished the tour, you can have some seafood and then ride the train back along the 1.2 km jetty!
• The Underwater Observatory Marine Park Eliat – is situated at a depth of around 12 meters in Eliat, Israel. Through the enormous glass windows, visitors can glimpse the stunning natural coral reef and over 800 different types of aquatic life.

Your friends and family will undoubtedly share your love of the ocean and desire to obtain their diving license after having some of these incredible ocean experiences. To help them, check out our other articles!

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About the Author

Amanda and her husband Dean have been certified divers since 2009. Amanda has her advanced open water and Dean is a dive master. They have travelled the world and dived many sites in Australia, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean.

Amanda and Dean have a travel blog called Scatabout which details the fun and unique experiences they have had on their world travels. You can find them doing something adventurous like scuba diving, hiking or something strange like running down the side of a building.

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