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.

Beautiful, accessible and packed with marine life — these are among the favorite things divers love about the sun-kissed islands in the Caribbean and Atlantic.

A dive vacation paradise located off the northern coast of Honduras, Utila and the other Bay Islands are home to pristine white-sand beaches, amazing lush tropical hills, a dazzlingly diverse reef system and unique cultures. Utila has perhaps the most diverse diving geography of the Bay Islands.

Troy Bodden is working to keep Utila a natural paradise by improving the lives of its residents.

Check out our top 5 tips on how to dive the Caribbean’s best-kept secret.

If you’re looking for a destination packed with adventure, history, superior diving and a vibrant natural heritage, then set your sights on Honduras and the Bay Islands.

From reefs that house every species of marine life in the Caribbean to one of the world's true whale shark hotspots, the Bay Islands of Honduras are a dive destination of a lifetime. Explore this Central American eco hotspot and dive Mecca with our all-new Honduras Dive + Travel Guide, which includes editors picks, travel tips, photo galleries and more.

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

You don't have to go deep to have outrageous encounters underwater — here are at least 10 great locations to explore the shallows in.