Scuba diving is so much more than swimming with the pretty fishes. If you're thinking about becoming a certified diver, here are the top 10 things you can look forward to doing one day with the right training and planning.

1. Explore a sunken shipwreck

Investigate sunken ships from World War II, fin through the hull of massive tankers or just soak in the beauty of a vessel covered in corals and teeming with marine life. Shipwrecks make for fantastic dive sites, whether you love them for the history or scenery.

2. Dive into the depths of a blue hole

Blue holes — massive sinkholes or caverns usually set in open water — are known for their unique appearance from the surface. These impressions can continue for hundreds of feet — with famous examples in the Bahamas, Belize and China — giving divers a feeling of escape as they descend into the blue darkness.

3. Glide with manta rays at night

There’s a certain thrill that comes with night diving — the black expanse of open water awaiting you is full of the unknown. But that tension turns into awe when you see manta rays doing spins and flips as they soar past dive lights.

4. Dive every continent

You can actually go scuba diving on all seven continents — that’s right, even Antarctica. And ice diving is a thrill. Once you get the appropriate gear and training, you’ll be treated to encounters with animals that rarely see humans, like whales, seals and penguins.

5. Go face to face with sharks

Whether you want to look toward the surface and see schooling hammerheads blotting out the sun near the Galapagos, stare into the open mouth of a whale shark off the coast of Mexico or peek under coral heads to find nurse sharks off the coast of Florida, seeing one of these amazing creatures will make your dive.

6. Blast by on the ocean’s currents

At some dive sites — like Palau’s Ulong Channel, Cozumel’s Santa Rosa Wall and the Bahamas’ Washing Machine, just to name a few — you can ride the current. In some locations, you won't be the only one flying by — some drift dives are known for big animals like sharks.

7. Join a school of fish

Just witnessing a massive school of fish is an experience divers crave, but if you’re careful — and tactful — you can enroll. Approach slowly and from the bottom to slip inside a fish tornado and see the phenomenon from a unique angle.

8. Witness a wild migration

One of the most thrilling sights in the wild can be seen off the coast of South Africa starting in May: millions of sardines spawn and head north for normal waters. A hunting frenzy ensues, with sharks, seals, whales and dolphins among the animals trying to get in on the movable feast.

9. Navigate a mystical Maya cenote

Mexico’s Yucatan is famous for its deep sinkholes — known as cenotes — that are perfect for diving. These freshwater sites are known for their otherworldly beauty and spiritual meaning for the ancient Maya people. If cenotes are a bit out of reach, cave and cavern diving provide a similar escape.

10. Go for a thrill ride

There are many benefits to going slow while scuba diving, but if you want to explore more underwater real estate or just have a fun ride, underwater scooters are a blast. Oh, and you’ll feel pretty cool while doing it.

Looking into a certification course? Here's a look at some of the skill you'll learn.