You've mastered buoyancy, logged deep dives, and your SAC rate is under control. Maybe you've even dipped your fins into nitrox and started eyeing the advanced settings of your dive computer with more than casual curiosity. If you're an advanced diver feeling the pull toward deeper or longer, this is your sign.
Technical diving is more than just gear and gas—it's a mindset shift. It opens the door to new environments, greater self-reliance, and dive sites that most never get to see. But from extended range to CCR, the realm of technical diving is so vast that it would be natural to wonder where to start and where to go to help you grow. And let's be honest, if you can do it in places as unforgettable as the journey itself, the reward of complex theory and demanding skill practice feels even better.
That's where this guide comes in. We've picked five legendary destinations that don't just challenge your skills, they inspire your evolution. From deep natural wonders to historical wrecks, each location offers a unique window into the world of tech: sidemount, trimix, cave diving, CCR—you name it.
South Sinai, Egypt
Your Gateway to Extended Range
The shores of South Sinai, Northern Red Sea, are where many divers take their first real steps into the world of tech diving. In Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh, the transition from recreational to tech feels intuitive. Drop into The Canyon and you'll see what we mean: a dive site that starts at 12 meters and steps you gradually past 30, 40, and 50 meters, all the way to 130 if you're qualified.
South Sinai offers the full progression ladder: from your first decompression dives in sheltered bays to trimix expeditions on vertiginous deep walls. It's ideal for sidemount too, with extensive canyon systems and a few historical shipwrecks. But maybe the best part of tech diving in Egypt is knowing the logistics will be handled by plenty of knowledgeable staff ready to assist you and let you focus on developing your new diving skills.
Don't miss:
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The Canyon & Abu Talha for depth progression and sidemount fun
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The SS Thistlegorm is an iconic WWII shipwreck with plenty of exciting penetration routes
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The Blue Hole Arch for classic deep diving, it's almost a rite of passage, but requires the proper training and humility.
Why it works: A thriving tech culture since the 1990s, experienced instructors, and support infrastructure that's evolved to meet tech divers' needs, with at least a dozen dive centres catering for them in Dahab and Sharm-el-Sheikh. Most dive sites are shore dives or just a short boat ride away, making repetition and skill-building refreshingly accessible. Whether you're training or planning your next expedition, South Sinai gives you space and depth to grow without worrying about the sea conditions or the logistics.
Gozo, Malta, Photo by Jason Brown
Malta
Where History Meets Helium
Situated in the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is a playground offering a large collection of increasingly challenging deep wrecks, with some you can access from shore. With a focus on heritage wrecks, the island is home to some of the most well-preserved historical wrecks in the world.
The collection of intentionally sunken decommissioned wrecks allows safe penetration, most accessible from the shore with quite a bit of swimming. It's hence the perfect place to train on using DPVs. With numerous historical wrecks of ships, submarines and aircraft, Malta gives heritage a new dimension—measured in depth and runtime. It's the perfect place to train for normoxic to hypoxic trimix due to the extraordinary depth of some wrecks.
The Blue Hole in Dwejra, Photo by Jason Brown
Don't miss:
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The diverse shore diving options, such as the UM El Faroud, the P29 and the MV Karwela, for training and building confidence
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The SS Polynesien is a historical WWI shipwreck with deep penetration opportunities
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To change from ships, head to the HMS Stubborn or the HMS Urge to explore a submarine, and the Bristol Beaufighter or the Blenheim Bomber for a plane wreck.
Why it works: A compact island with one of Europe's most developed dive infrastructures, thanks to a local government that invested in diving tourism since the 1970s. Divers can train and explore without the need for boats, making it a cost-effective and accessible destination. However, the most iconic wrecks are a short boat ride away. With stronger currents and colder water, using a drysuit suit for extended dives adds an extra challenge. Malta is a great place to test and improve your tech diving skills when you already have the basics covered.
Cenote Photo by Natalie Gibb
Cenotes, Mexico
Into the Overhead World
The jungles of Yucatán hide a gateway to the underworld: Mexico's world-famous cenotes. These freshwater sinkholes offer crystal-clear conditions for developing overhead environment skills—from basic cavern procedures to full cave certification.
It's also one of the best places in the world to refine your sidemount and frog kick techniques and experience a truly different kind of diving. The geology alone is one reason to visit: shafts of light piercing through haloclines and dramatic stalactites. Even the bumpy ride through the jungle is part of the adventure.
Cenote Photo by Natalie Gibb
Don't miss: Famous cenotes such as the Pit, Angelita, and Zapote offer depth, full cave diving opportunities and geological wonders.
Why it works: The region has a thriving cave diving community of experienced guides with high standards and shared rules. Because this is inland diving, these cave systems can be dived all year long, with remarkably stable temperatures between 24 and 26°C (75- 79°F).
Rainbow Over Truk Lagoon, Photo by Dirty Dozen Expeditions
Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia
Silent Diving through the Ghost Fleet
Chuuk Lagoon (also called Truk) holds the wreckage of an entire WWII Japanese fleet, sunk during Operation Hailstone in 1944. With dozens of ships, this is one of the most impressive underwater museums in the world.
Many wrecks lie deep and intact, with engine rooms, holds, and even fighter planes still in place. Long bottom times and deep penetrations make CCR and trimix essential here, not just to reach the wrecks, but to truly experience them.
Fujikawa Maru - Photo by Dirty Dozen Expeditions
Don't miss: The San Francisco Maru, with its tanks and trucks still intact, or the Fujikawa Maru, famous for its photogenic engine room and aircraft remains.
Why it works: This is CCR diving at its most rewarding—silent, immersive, and haunting. It's remote, but liveaboards and land-based tech operators are well-versed in rebreather logistics and deco planning.
Off Scotland's Coast, Photo by Jason Brown
Scapa Flow, Scotland
Cold Water, Big Wrecks, Full Tech
If you're ready to add cold water and low visibility to test your tech diving skills, look no further than Scapa Flow. This natural harbor in the Orkney Islands, Northern Scotland, is home to the scuttled German WWI fleet—some of the oldest intact battleships accessible to divers today.
Kronprinz Wilhelm, Photo by Jason Brown
Don't miss: The Markgraf, Kronprinz Wilhelm, and Brummer are no casual dives. While not necessarily the deepest, the wrecks of Scapa Flow offer the perfect conditions to challenge your Trimix or CCR comfort zone while providing some exciting features in the murky green water.
Why it works: Diving in Scapa Flow teaches you to be thorough and prepared. Be aware that the diving season is relatively short (June to September). But the good news is there are plenty of liveaboards with full support to tech divers with trimix on board.
So which one speaks to you? Stay tuned for more in-depth guides for each destination coming soon.
