The most diverse marine area in the world

If you can scuba dive only one place in the world, your top pick should be the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines. The Philippines, along with Borneo and New Guinuea, form the Coral Triangle, an area known to teem with the world's highest marine biodeiversity.

The country has highest number of nudibranch (sea slugs) species in the world, far higher than the entire Caribbean Sea! In fact, many new species continue to be discovered to this day. What's the big deal with sea slugs? Well, they're actually some of the most photogenic creatures, despite their unfortunate names. Wild, vibrant colors in translucent blob of a body grabs your attention the same way clown car crashes do.

Photo source: Line In Design

If scuba diving is not in the cards, you can get a small glimpse of a Philippine reef in the Academy of Science in San Francisco.