Owen’s Reef, Tranquillity Island

Owen’s Reef is the last place on the list of the best places for scuba diving in Vanuatu. This figure-of-eight-shaped coral is one of the most popular places on Moso Island, which is only a short boat trip from Tranquility Island Eco Resort. A variety of marine species can be seen here, including groupers and sweetlips, as well as white-tip reef sharks relaxing on the sandy region.

"Fields of staghorn coral, towering pinnacles, giant brain corals, and colorful soft corals and fans; I honestly lost count of the number of different varieties of coral I saw on a single dive on Owen's Reef," Dickson-Smith recounts. "Owen [the owner of Tranquillity Island Eco Resort and the reef's namesake] informed me that a visiting marine biologist once remarked he had never seen so many distinct species of coral on a single dive." The site has a maximum depth of 25m (82ft) and is appropriate for divers of all skill levels.

Location: Tranquillity Island, Vanuatu