1. Bali, Indonesia

Kuta has long been a go-to destination for go-hard surfers and partiers, but beyond the pounding surf and pumping bass is a quieter side. For divers, the appeal of this beach town on Bali’s southern tip is day trips to offshore islands, such as Nusa Penida, to meet mola mola. Operators such as PADI Five Star Resort AquaMarine Diving also organize overnight trips and custom safaris where guides stay in the same accommodations as guests, joining them for Bintang beers at happy hour, followed by supper. Highlights of the most popular tour, Bali’s Most Wanted, include Tulamben Bay, Nusa Penida and Padangbai. Because the trips are customized, you can narrow the focus to anything from muck diving to keeping up with the big animals. aquamarinediving.com

Mike Veitch

2. Cozumel, Mexico

“We get divers all the time who come by themselves, and by the middle of the week, they’ve already made friends and are asking, ‘Can you swap me to this other boat?’” says Henry Zapata, Scuba Club Cozumel dive instructor of six years. Moreover, the resort’s offering of tanks for shore diving is further incentive to make friends: They’re unlimited — you just can’t dive alone.

“Every five minutes, people are grabbing tanks to shore-dive, so if someone solo comes up, I tell them, ‘Give me a minute,’ then ask the next group, ‘Do you mind if he tags along?’” says Zapata.

The resort is all-inclusive, so meals become a time to meet, greet and eat. Given there are only two restaurants, you’ll likely run into familiar faces from the morning’s boat dives, and with the high-drama diving — drifts, walls and endless animals, like turtles and sharks — you’ve plenty of fodder to kick-start a conversation. scubaclubcozumel.com

Brandon Cole

3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

“It’s intense, the number of options you have,” says Tyler Cole of the night life in Fort Lauderdale, home of Sea Experience, where he clocks in as an instructor. “We have options from a salty dive bar to a suit-and-tie fancy place to a brewery to a club.” Most, he says, are within walking distance of the waterfront’s main drag, A1A. Or, for an only-in-Fort Lauderdale experience, buy a day pass for the city’s water taxi and cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway, stopping at the spots with lively crowds. seaxp.com

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4. Puerto Galera, Philippines

The night you arrive at Marco Vincent Dive Resort in Puerto Galera, a northern beach town on the Philippine island Mindoro, you’re the guest of honor at a surprise party. After dinner on your first night, the dive staff invites you to the second floor of the Aqua restaurant for cocktails and dancing. Spend the week drift diving sites such as the Canyons, where chasms in lush coral reefs are the cruising grounds of sweetlips, jacks and sharks. On your last night, whether traveling solo or with an entire dive group, the send-off entertainment is all about the local culture, featuring traditional Philippine dancing. marcovincent.com

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5. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, operator of the M/V Spoilsport, not only condones solo diving, it was the first to promote it. So much so, the company’s instructors teach a course in it — they want to make sure those with this preference stay safe. “People who want to become solo divers are 95 percent there already,” says company owner Mike Ball. He compares it to extended solo hiking treks. “Your friends who ask you to come pick them up 150 miles over a mountain range already have the right gear and know what they’re doing.” mikeball.com

Courtesy Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

6. Nassau, Bahamas

It’s easy to think Nassau’s night life is dominated by casinos and clubs, but stick with your shark-feed guide for that after-dive drink, and she won’t steer you to a mega hotel. Rather, it’s typical for instructors punching out at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas to hit a different watering hole nightly, each with a laid-back, local vibe. On Sundays, it’s the Captain’s Table at Lyford Cay Marina. Come Wednesday, it’s Arawak Cay’s fish fry.

“For younger travelers, that’s a big party place to get conch and cheap drinks, and dance,” says Stuart Cove, owner of the eponymous dive center. “It goes until the wee hours, but if you’re diving, we don’t recommend you stay up late — and if you do, keep in mind we have afternoon two-tank dives.” stuartcove.com

Kadu Pinheiro

7. Playas Del Coco, Costa Rica

In Playas del Coco, a beach town on Costa Rica’s Pacific side, you might be the only diver on Rich Coast Diving’s boat — yes, they will go out for just one diver eager to swim with bull sharks or mantas — but you won’t spend downtime alone. The shop is also a PADI career development center with an intern program running all year, drawing candidates from as far away as Sweden and the Netherlands, and the United States and Canada. Regardless of where they’re from, Brenda Van Gestel says, “They’re all pretty social.” She adds, “There’s always a happy hour somewhere and somebody going.” Recently, she says, she had a 50-year-old guest from New York. “He went out to dinner and drinks three times with the interns, and came back saying, ‘You already feel like part of my family.’”richcoastdiving.com

Barbara Pomaro

8. Oahu, Hawaii

The walkable downtown area of Waikiki, affordable bus system, and the state’s aloha spirit combine to make Oahu well suited for active solo travelers willing to chat up locals. Divers will want to book a morning tour with an operator such as Dive Oahu. “We take a max of six people, so it feels like a private charter,” says Brandi Castillo, general manager for Dive Oahu. Boat rides to 100-foot-deep wrecks, like the YO-257 and Sea Tiger, take no more than 20 minutes, freeing up afternoons for other pursuits, such as hiking. “Hawaii people are so friendly, if you meet someone on the trail, you can be having dinner with them that night,” says Castillo. If you don’t, just wander around Chinatown or Waikiki where you’ll find hole-in-the-wall shops and eateries dishing up heaping plates of Korean barbecue and other Asian fare. If you still have energy to burn, it won’t be hard to find a nightcap; Waikiki is famous for many things — night life chiefly among them. diveoahu.com

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9. Utila, Bay Islands

Those looking to take advantage of Utila’s reputation as the Caribbean’s hottest spot for backpackers, as well as those who prefer the low-key side of this largely undeveloped island off Honduras, all have one thing in common. “Ninety-nine percent of the people are here to dive. Nearly everyone has something in common, so you soon have a dive buddy, and a drinking or socializing buddy too,” says Steve Fox, owner of the resort Deep Blue Utila. Solo travelers who wish to bypass the town’s younger, more raucous crowds — but avoid long dinners in silence — might prefer meals at Deep Blue Utila. They’re served family style, with all guests seated together. Says Fox, “We want everyone to feel like part of the group that’s there that week.” deepblueutila.com

Greg Lecoeur

10. St Thomas, USVI

“The dive day here starts at 8:30 a.m. and can go until 9 at night,” says Doug Sprotte, manager at St. Thomas Diving Club, a PADI Five Star IDC on the island’s south side, 15 minutes from the capital city, Charlotte Amalie. The shop shares real estate with Bolongo Bay Beach Resort — which is why the day often stretches late. “We have Iggie’s [Beach Bar] next door, so most of the divers and instructors go over there together for a drink and a snack after the day,” says Sprotte. “Everyone’s welcome to join us for a beer, and beer transitions into dinner, and then there’s usually a band or karaoke — we go out of our way to make that happen as much as we can.” stthomasdivingclub.com

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