Which location would be best fitted for underwater photography?

  • Cape Verde Islands

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • the Azores

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jamaica

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dominican Republic

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Thailand

    Votes: 2 50.0%
  • Canary Islands

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mexico

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Absolutely none of the above, what are you thinking?!

    Votes: 2 50.0%

  • Total voters
    4

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sand beaches + waves = murky water
But the sample photo? Looks like vision is clear and seems to be sand on the bottom...
 
You can find sandy beaches with little or no waves. Look on the western (lee) side of tropical islands.
 
But the sample photo? Looks like vision is clear and seems to be sand on the bottom...
now you are getting picky! the conditions in the sample photo are not everyday stuff.

- no cloud cover - it was a very bright sunny day
- 15 foot approx (my guess) flat sandy bottom with no coral or rock formations
- no current (this means both wind and wave protected)

i would be asking for ideas about small protected coves that were fringed by a barrier reef.

as you have already discovered sand and good visibility are not good friends

during my last week long dive trip to bonaire, we got about 3 hours of good sunlight conditions that would have provided light like the sample photo. unfortunately i was eating lunch...
 
Hello all!

I am searching for a destination that has crystal clear water beaches. I'm planning to do a set of underwater photoshoots, and need some beautiful scenery, but most importantly, very clear water with a good vertical and horizontal visibility (sample photo).

I've tried in Bali, but the beaches there disappointed. Due to the high activity the water churned up stuff from below so the water was murky, pretty much all the time. It was impossible to get some good shots.

I've been looking at
  • Cape Verde (n/a)
  • the Azores (n/a)
  • Jamaica (Negril)
  • Dominican Republic (n/a)
  • Thailand (Krabi)
  • Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Gran Canaria)
  • Mexico (Cancun)
  • Any other suggestions are much welcomed!
Do you have any recommendations for me based on these criteria?


No.
 
IDK if you're aware of it but your sample image was shot in the Bahamas by Elena Kalis.
Portfolio I'm pretty sure it's her daughter Sacha. Hello

I've seen very similar conditions off Freeport, Grand Bahama - the Out Islands are probably even better.
Exuma advertises it has the clearest water in the world, Eleuthera is often mentioned also.

Other places you'll find water that clear in the Caribbean:

Grand Cayman - the northern part of Seven Mile Beach possibly where there's not as much beach traffic. Visibility on the North Wall is exceptional but you won't find much in sandy flat areas there
Little Cayman or Cayman Brac also - IDK much about them.

Turks & Caicos - Grace Bay Beach would have the same bottom conditions also. And excellent visibility. It's a stunning area if you plan to do any surface shots also. Much of the "Caicos" are pretty pristine also - not a lot of visitors to many of them.

Molokini Crater, Maui, HI. Visibility there on a good day can exceed 200' horizontally. Easy access via snorkel boats also - just swim away from the tourists. Currents flowing past the crater continuously keep it clear.

I think, but do not know that a lot of the Maldives is clear like that. At least they advertise it is.

I have friends that dove Thailand and were disappointed in the clarity of the water. Not Krabi though.

You'll find that sort of visibility in Cozumel Mexico also - it's mostly drift diving since the currents along the island move pretty fast so it keeps everything clear most of the time. You may find it hard to maintain a fixed position there. If you can get to Cancun affordably, Cozumel is an easy same day ferry ride over.

giffenk is right, Bonaire is like that at times. No natural rivers and very little run-off - there's little to no farming and the whole island has been a marine preserve for decades catering to divers. You won't find a lot of flat sandy areas off Bonaire though - the reef is pretty close to shore in most areas. Possibly the beach off Harbour Village - it sucks as a dive site since it is a nice beach extending into the water.

Curacao can be similar also on the West End - maybe not so much near the port/cruise port/town.
Might be a little easier/cheaper to get to. Either is very low current and good for snorkeling also.

You might price it, there's direct flights from the Netherlands since both islands are affiliated. Similarly the Caymans or Turks/Caicos from the U.K.

Do a lot of googling for dive videos, snorkel trips etc. - HD video that most people shoot can give you a good idea of water clarity.
 
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Viz in Krabi was terrible 5 weeks ago. Thai waters are not crystal clear...clearest water ive ever seen has been in French Polynesia.
 
diversteve - First of all, thanks for the incredibly informative post! It was very helpful! As for Turks & Caicos, I am trying to find a way to get to Turks & Caicos from the Dominican Republic. I've found a direct flight to Dominican Republic, so now I'm searching for possible routes that could take me to Turks & Caicos. I'm very happy you mentioned surface shots as I'm planning to take loads of them as well! I'm totally hooked on Turks & Caicos after having read all your feedback! Thanks for the tip on Grace Bay Beach, I saw it's on Providenciales which has an airport, so hopefully I will find a way to fly there from Puerto Plata. Do you have any additional spots on Turks & Caicos to recommend?

Where in Thailand did they dive? Sorry to hear that. I was looking at Phuket and Krabi mostly.

Also thanks for the tip on Cozumel! I spotted direct flights to Cancun so I will be able to take a ferry over to Cozumel just like you said.

Lastly, thanks for the tip on direct flights from the Netherlands and the U.K. Mabye I should be looking at booking a flight to London and then flying from there instead.

You have been very helpful! Thanks a ton for adjusting your tips to fit my criteria :)

Wingy - That's a shame, I've always heard such good things about Thailand, but on my wast trip to SEA I was really disappointed with both beaches and waters. I don't think people from the arctic have high expectations when it comes to beaches (because we have none ourselves haha) so they always say every beach is amazing. Then it turns out, it's not. Most people around here travel to SEA though, it's not very common to hear people talk about their trips to the Caribbean. I don't know why, maybe because it's cheaper in SEA, but I think the Carribean seem to have more pristine waters than those in SEA.
 
It is according to the travel agency. There are also flights with Lufthansa that "only" take 23hrs but they are 70.000 NOK. But not sure why we are debating the costs of the airfare when the thread did not inquiry on that but on destinations that are ideal for underwater photography.
I brought it up because the Bahamas would be a great destination and probably better then all of your other suggestions.
You can fly to and back from the Bahmanas from any European hub for less than 800 bucks. I've even seen flights from Hamburg for under 700 Euro with only one stop-over.
2600 is nuts.
 
. . .
Lorenzoid: yes yes. I saw you were from Atlanta. Explains everything! Flying to the Bbahamas from Atlanta is like flying to Germany from here, which I can do for like 20 bucks. Well Atlanta is not the centre of the universe :D A few of us have to fly from half way around the world.

No, Atlanta is not the center (American spelling!) of the universe, but Atlanta has a great international airport, and I travel a lot. I have been all over the world, and if you had bothered to look at my profile you could see where I have been diving. I'm also in Europe about twice a year. So I have a reasonable understanding of the cost of a flight from Europe to the Caribbean. The problem with the Bahamas is that the best diving is on the out-islands, not New Providence (where Nassau is), where I suspect flights from Europe might arrive, or Grand Bahama. You would have to take a small plane from there to the out-islands. So, I get it. Anyway, I did not question your $2600 figure--Benno did. As others have mentioned, there are many places in the Caribbean with clear water that can be reached by nonstops from Amsterdam or London, for example. I do think that since underwater photography is not known as an inexpensive endeavor, given the required waterproof housings, etc., that the cost of a flight is the deciding factor to you for what sounds like a professional or semi-professional "photo shoot" (with a "model") does seem curious. But you seem to know more than anyone else here, so I don't know why you bothered asking for assistance.
 
NoahNoah don't get me wrong I love Thailand...Im old enough to have been a hippy living on those beaches you see in postcards :wink: I was quite shocked after not having dived Thailand for 5 years to see the deterioration in overall ocean health when I went back for a quick visit. I was referring to the visibility - so far, i havent seen much but FP did have the clearest water. All water has days when its not at its clearest, maybe I just got lucky in FP and unlucky in Thailand? ...comparatively speaking. Some pretty pristine waters elsewhere in many asian countries. You can get cold green water some days in raja ampat not just brilliant clear blue too. Not a photographer though so no idea on anything but my personal experience with water viz
 
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