Living the luxury lifestyle is all about gaining access to places the rest of us can’t reach; elite parties, exclusive hotels, premieres and openings. But what could be more luxurious, unique and exclusive than exploring the ocean floor, and experiencing the absolute serenity that you can only get from spending your time beneath crystal waters, with the colourful denizens of the deep?

 

Over the past ten years or so, more and more luxury diving resorts have opened around the world, each attempting to offer the absolute utmost in decadence, while also providing their guests with some of the finest diving sites to be found anywhere on earth. Let’s take a look at the creme de la creme of the diving world, and see what sets them apart from the rest.

 

Kia Ora Resort, Tahiti

Image: rangiroalagoon.com

When it comes to luxury and beauty, there are few places quite like the waters of Tahiti. Hundreds of kilometres from the mainland, the Kia Ora Resort has proven itself to be one of the absolute finest diving resorts in the world. The reason for its popularity with the luxury diving community is mainly because the pristine blue waters of this resort are packed with mind-blowingly beautiful coral reefs, bringing a riot of colour and delight to any dive. On top of this, sharks and friendly dolphins are never far away, making even beginners’ dives a truly wild and wonderful adventure. There is also access to private, uninhabited islands for guests to lose themselves on, while sampling the incredible food and hospitality of this stunning archipelago.

 

Crusoe Island Lodge, Chile

Want to truly get away from it all, and live your own castaway adventure? This island resort in Chile takes its name from its most famous resident: a certain Alexander Selkirk, who was marooned here from 1704-1708 and who provided the inspiration for the novel, Robinson Crusoe. It’s about as far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life as you can get, being over 400 miles off the Chilean coast, but that doesn’t mean its guests can’t stay in style. The resort features a diving site populated by curious and fun-loving fur seals, as well as 400 species of fish, and its own five star restaurant, firewood-heated hot tubs, spas and much, much more.

 

Lizard Island, Australia

Image: lizardisland.com.au

It’s easily argued that the best diving on earth happens in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and when it comes to luxury diving resorts in this special part of the Antipodes, there are few sites able to compete with Lizard Island. Nestled in a 2,500 acre national park, and featuring a white crescent beach and glorious blue waters, the Lizard Island resort pulls out all the stops to ensure its guests know they are part of the elite. The entire resort has just forty rooms and suites, each stocked with everything the guest could desire… but the real draw is the underwater action, with some of the most amazing coral seascapes to see, and a chance to swim among the giant, friendly fish who lazily swim among them.

 

Jade Mountain, St Lucia

Amazing views of the sparkling Caribbean Sea, stunning contemporary architecture, world class diving and some of the finest hospitality to be found anywhere are all features of Jade Mountain, a luxury scuba resort in St. Lucia. One of the key features of the suites at Jade Mountain is that they all have three walls; the fourth in each has been replaced by an infinity pool, and the sort of expansive view that would remind you of your elite status each time you wake up. The diving is said to be superb, too, and divers of all levels are likely to get the chance to swim among a cornucopia of sea life, fish and corals.