For divers, all archipelagos are not created equal. Follow our lead to nine of the most awe-inspiring of the bunch.

Looking for your next big-animal encounter? Check out the winners from around the globe of Scuba Diving's Top 100 Readers Choice Awards for Best Big Animals.

Are you ready to be challenged as a diver? Here are 15 experiences that are guaranteed to take you to the next level. All you have to do is commit.

Many of the world's hottest shark scuba diving spots also offer can't-miss topside thrills to keep your heart rate up between dives.

These freshwater experiences — from Iceland and the Great Lakes to China and the Florida springs — offer an exhilarating change of pace.

From the Andaman Sea to the Coral Sea, this region offers unspoiled reefs, big animals, thrilling drifts, World War II wrecks and unparalleled macro life.

The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the world's highest concentration of endemic species, and nearly 20 percent of the islands' marine species aren't found anywhere else in the world! Come watch Darek Sepiolo's video of the marine life found in the archipelago.

Hard to spot and even harder to look away from, creatures like the tasseled anglerfish, stargazer, red-lipped batfish and reef stonefish are among the most unsightly species in the underwater world.

Peter Hughes knows a thing or two about live-aboards, and he has a spot in the DEMA Hall of Fame to prove it. In 2011, Hughes received the DEMA Reaching Out Award for helping to evolve the live-aboard diving industry over the past three decades. That same year, after spending more than 25 years building his former live-aboard company, Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., the 40-year scuba diving veteran threw all of his expertise and energy into a new live-aboard venture, the DivEncounters Alliance