Words: Sophy Grimshaw. Photography: Corbis

From exploring reefs and wrecks to diving under ice, there are plenty of novel ways to get wet

ANTIGUA, WEST INDIES

Reef diving is one of the best ways to glimpse a huge variety of underwater flora and fauna in their natural habitat, and at Cades Reef, a seven-mile stretch of colourful coral on the southwest coast of Antigua, there’s a choice of dive sites at different depths, making it suitable for divers of all levels. Among the reef inhabitants you might meet are stingrays, parrotfish, sea turtles, lobster and intimidating-looking nurse sharks (don’t worry, they eat only molluscs). Local dive operator Jolly Dive, qualified instructors based at Antigua’s Jolly Beach, offers a variety of packages;  www.jollydive.com

TIGNES, FRANCE

If Tignes, near Lyon, seems an unlikely dive location, that’s because the ski resort is also the scene for diving of an unusual sort – beneath the ice. Organised by extreme sports centre Evolution 2, this faintly surreal experience takes place in a frozen lake. If you’re a relatively experienced diver and you’re up for braving the chill, you can drop down through an ice hole and dive the still waters below. Available from December to April, the adventure costs about £50; www.evolution2.com

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

The Eastern Red Sea at Jeddah has a fantastic selection of diveable shipwrecks at varying depths and degrees of visibility. These include the popular coral-encrusted, 100-year-old “boiler wreck” and the 1970s Staphonos wreck, now regularly inhabited by endangered guitar sharks and blue snapper. Another option is the Ann-Ann wreck, one of the few that stands upright on the seabed, and where, conditions permitting, divers can actually step inside the galley; www.desertseadivers.com

LONDON, UK

Avoid spending the first few days of your holiday stuck taking classes in a swimming pool by learning how to dive before you go. The London School of Diving offers a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) weekend training course for £249 at its on-site three-metre deep pool (pictured right) to would-be divers aged 10 and up. A variety of other diving courses are on offer, costing from £25; www.londonschoolofdiving.com