The 11 Strangest Underwater Attractions Around the World

The 11 Strangest Underwater Attractions Around the World

11. Underwater Military Museum

Underwater Military Museum
Image Credit: Image by BBC

Underwater Military Museum Jordan’s Underwater Military Museum off the Red Sea coast is the first underwater military museum on the planet, and if you’re a history buff who doesn’t mind getting your feet wet, it’s well worth a visit.

The Underwater Military Museum is right off the coast of Aqaba and was made on purpose to simulate the look of a battle- just 50-90 feet below the surface.

Although you can technically snorkel around the museum, it is fairly deep down, so you might be better off strapping on your scuba gear to head down.

Like many other features on our list, the Underwater Military Museum has already taken on a life of its own in the form of coral and sea creatures, despite the fact that the tanks, helicopters, and troop carriers were only submerged back in July 2019.

Of course, special care was taken to ensure that no hazardous materials were sunk along with the military relics, as to make the Underwater Military Museum a fun place for sea creatures and curious humans alike.

10. Vanuatu Post Office

Vanuatu Post Office
Image Credit: Image by flickr

The Vanuatu Post Office proves that sending mail doesn’t need to be boring it can be an immersive, unique underwater experience that will honestly give you something to write home about.

This submerged post office is the only one in the world, can always take a glass-bottomed boat tour instead.

it’s easily accessible by snorkelers and scuba divers. This tiny island chain in the Pacific Ocean has some of the most remarkable marine life in the world, so you might just catch a glimpse of some dazzling creatures on the way to Vanuatu’s watery post.

Given the wet conditions, only special waterproof postcards can be sent from the Vanuatu Post Office, but they can be shipped anywhere in the world!

9. Rummu prison

Rummu prison
Image Credit: Image by flickr

Rummu prison is an old Soviet-era prison in Estonia that was never intended to be underwater. Back in the 1940s, it was a prison and limestone quarry complex, where inmates would be forced to toil away in the quarry for hours a day.

In the 1990s, after the Berlin Wall fell, Russia abandoned the Rummu prison, and the limestone quarry started rapidly filling with water.

No inmates were on hand to pump the liquid out, so the situation got really out of control quickly, flooding the prison and quarry.

You can snorkel and swim your heart out at Rummu Prison and even get up to dry land to see the remains of non-submerged buildings.

8. Christ of the Abyss

Christ of the Abyss
Image Credit: Image by Wikimedia Commons

Christ of the Abyss Christ of the Abyss sits right off the coast of San Fruttuoso, Italy. Delve 25 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, and you’ll find it; a ghostly rendition of Jesus that stands a full 8 feet tall.

The statue was built by Guido Galletti in 1954 at the request of Duilio Marcante, an Italian diver and art enthusiast. The bronze Christ of the Abyss is a memorial, a tribute to Marcante’s friend who died diving in the same spot just a few years earlier.

He’s been submerged there ever since. Today, the Christ of the Abyss is a popular destination site for courageous divers in the Mediterrane

7. Museum of Underwater Art

Museum of Underwater Art
Image Credit: Image by smithsonianmag

 Museum of Underwater Art The Museum of Underwater Art fuses the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, with new art designed to help the reef flourish.

Its out-of-the-box design is the brainchild of Jason deCaires Taylor, who crafted his work out of special steel and metal- a great way to attract new coral formations.

This unique museum is about two hours away from the coast of Queensland, Australia, and is a surreal and one-of-a-kind experience for divers in the Land Down Under.

The statues themselves tell the fantastic story of the reef and the First Nations people. Part ecological adventure, part fine art swim, this submerged gallery of art is not to be missed.

 6. USAT Liberty

USAT Liberty
Image Credit: Image by flickr

USAT Liberty This 393-foot US Army cargo ship was the victim of Japanese torpedo fire in the Second World War, and a huge underwater attraction in Bali today.

After she was bombed, the allies tried to drag her to the Balinese capital for repair, but she was losing water too fast. They had to beach and ditch her… but that was just the beginning of this spectacular wreck’s story.

The USAT Liberty lay on the shore for 20 years, getting picked to the bone by scavengers, until something absolutely incredible happened. In 1963, nearby Mount Agung erupted, rocking the coast and sending the USAT Liberty back full circle to the sea, which is where she sits today.

The USAT Liberty is only 13 feet underwater, so you don’t need to be a full-fledged diver to access her. Snorkelers are welcome! The remains of the wreck are teeming with tons of sea creatures, including manta rays and tropical fish.

5. Silfra Fissure

Silfra Fissure
Image Credit: Image by flickr

Silfra Fissure This epic Icelandic divide actually allows visitors to swim between two continental plates, an experience that you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

The Silfra Fissure is the slim crack between the North American and Eurasian plates, where you can peek deep into the heart of the planet.

The Silfra Fissure was created in 1789, when a massive earthquake split the tightly fused plates and gave us a glimpse of the ocean inside. The water is generally cold but crystal-clear so that you can explore the cavernous depths of the fissure with 20/20 vision.

4. Sweepstakes Shipwreck

The Sweepstakes shipwreck is the most accessible wreck in all of the Great Lakes. Although the massive lake chain has more than 6,000 shipwrecks, most of them are entirely inaccessible to people.

Not so with the Sweepstakes shipwreck. You barely need to dip a toe in the water to marvel at this behemoth.

Located in Lake Huron, the Sweepstakes sank in 1885, and it’s only through a stroke of luck that it’s so close to the shore. The Sweepstakes was meant to be repaired in Big Tub Harbour, but it sank instead. At only 20 feet below the surface, you don’t need scuba gear to explore the perimeter of the wreck. Snorkelers can easily check it out. If you don’t want to get wet at all, you

3. Sea of Galilee Mound

Sea of Galilee Mound
Image Credit: Image by inhabitat

The Sea of Galilee Mound was discovered by accident when researchers did a sonar survey of the lake.

This ancient sea, located in Israel, is steeped in Christian folklore, and it’s the place where Jesus was said to walk on water.

The basalt rock Sea of Galilee Mound proves that miracles, or at least mysteries, happen below the waves as well.

It’s about 100 feet below the surface and cone-shaped. It’s also gigantic, stretching 229 feet in diameter and rising up a full 30 feet.

It’s twice as big as Stonehenge, and it’s anywhere from 2,000 to 12,000 years old. The Sea of Galilee Mound is a huge mystery.

Was it a burial ground? A sacred site? A gift from ancient aliens? It’s unlikely that we’ll know anytime soon.  

2. Shipwreck Trail

Shipwreck Trail
Image Credit: Image by flickr

Shipwreck Trail stretches far across the Florida Keys, spanning the area from Key West to Key Largo and stretching a full 120-miles-long and every last part of it is jam-packed with shipwrecks.

Many of the wrecks are doomed Spanish galleons, but you can also check out military ships or even smaller crafts during your adventure below the waves.

With coral reefs and plenty of marine life to check out, Florida’s Shipwreck Trail is a full on lesson in ecology and history.

The oldest wreck of the bunch is San Pedro, a 1733 Spanish treasure hunting craft that carries with it the promise of uncovering some of the rich stuff while on the trail. Some spots of the trail are perfect for novice divers, but other ones require a lot more technical skill. There are currents, dangerous marine animals, and other challenges along the trail, so if you want to play it safe, stick to the shallows instead.

The Adelaide Baker is a popular trail destination off Duck Key, and you only need to go down 20 feet to visit her. The San Pedro, the trail’s oldest wreck, is only 18 feet below the surface off Indian Key.

1. Lake Michigan Stonehenge

Lake Michigan Stonehenge

Lake Michigan’s Stonehenge is nearly as impressive as the original, and the whole thing is submerged far beneath the surface of the lake.

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