Scuba diving, and its associated equipment, has revolutionized the way humans have explored the underwater world - that's why we have created a Tripbase Award category dedicated to the activity. Our researchers and panel of experts have given the blogs on this page the prestigious award for this category after a rigorous selection process involving nearly three hundred nominees.

The fact that we can now breathe quite easily underwater means that previously inaccessible places are now within quite easy reach of any tourist or enthusiast over a reasonable age limit. Before scuba gear came along, divers were restricted by air hoses from the surface. This had obvious limitations which the scuba (meaning self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) user is not subject to. There's no central scuba authority, but wherever you are in the world you'll probably need to get a certificate before you can dive - the activity is obviously quite dangerous to the inexperienced. The British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) is the governing body for scuba diving in the United Kingdom, offering five levels of diving qualification and eight levels of teaching qualification. The structure of training varies around the world, always including the famous hand signals.

The blogs we've given awards in this section are the products of enthusiasts' knowledge of scuba diving and their passion for exploring underwater. Whether you want to visit a wrecked boat, swim with dolphins or film a coral reef, there'll be a relevant blog out of the list we've selected below.