For most people, the ultimate diving destinations are those located at the coral reefs of tropical climates. The Caribbean or the Great Barrier Reef are often at the top of their list of must-visit dive spots, famed for their colorful and varied marine life. However, diving in cold water is nothing to be sneered at. It offers a completely different yet thrilling experience. If you want to try your hand at something new, be sure to explore the many adventures that New England scuba diving can offer you.

Tourists usually visit New England for the beautiful colors of the foliage in fall. However, the region has a huge variety of dive sites where you can explore the worlds under water. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine are obvious choices since they have a long stretch of Atlantic coastline and many islands offshore. However, Vermont is a great scuba destination too because of its many lakes.

The great thing about diving in the north-eastern part of the United States is that there are so many different types of diving you can do. There are caves and wrecks to explore and you can also try and get some lobster for the pot. In winter there is ice diving for the more adventurous and if you want to try diving at higher altitudes, you'll find plenty of mountain lakes to suit your needs.

All the New England states except Vermont offer opportunities for saltwater diving. Here you'll get the chance to spot seals, whales, sharks and huge shoals of fish. About 150 wrecks along the coastline means that this is a wreck diver's paradise too. Some of the more interesting wrecks to explore are those of the submarine U-853 off the Rhode Island coast and the Coimbra off the coast of Connecticut. Both these wrecks date from the Second World War.

The inland parts has plenty of dive sites too. With about 2,500 lakes and smaller ponds and several quarries, you can take your pick of freshwater dive sites. One spot that you shouldn't miss out on is Lake Champlain in Vermont. Here, centuries of boat traffic across the lake has meant that there are age-old wrecks to explore.

Another option is to go aquarium diving. The New England Aquarium has a large and very active dive club. If this sounds too tame for you and you want to get out there during winter, you may want to try ice diving. This is challenging but there is a very special thrill to watching your air bubbles float up to the thick frozen ceiling above you.

In terms of equipment, you'll need the usual safety gear for scuba diving. You'll also need a wetsuit in summer or a drysuit in winter, since the water is cold even when the weather is warm. Another thing to keep in mind is that visibility isn't great and a dive light will come in very handy.

If you want to dive in the region, it's a good idea to search diving websites and online forums first to find out what your options are. New England scuba shops and clubs are located near most of the main dive sites and will be happy to help you with tips and advice. They may even arrange trips for you so all you need to do is bring your camera.