Most people learn to dive when they are young, free and single. For couples, the experience of braving the deep together is a wonderful bond, but soon broken if they decide to have children. It’s a big problem for the diving industry: women with young children stop diving, and very soon afterwards their male partners often do, too.

My wife is an experienced diver, but when our children were small she couldn’t relax enough to go on a dive unless she knew they were completely content in our absence — unfortunately, reliable childcare isn’t available everywhere. And, like most women divers, having babies interrupted her diving career and she found the prospect of going back under water intimidating. Another problem for parents who want to dive after a long break is that they want good diving but fairly gentle conditions — no more commando diving when you have small children and don’t take the same risks in life as you once did. Also, much of the world’s best diving is in malarial zones, involves long-haul flights and multiple air connections — all off-putting for a family trip.

These are my suggestions for good diving in family-friendly conditions, where you can leave the children in reliable hands above the water, allowing you to focus on getting below it. Expect to pay between £18 and £25 a dive.

Maldives

The Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa has a large children’s club and caters for teenagers at the surf club. Offshore diving is excellent, with big fish such as manta rays a common sight. The resort operates a complimentary Kids for All Seasons programme for 4 to 12-year-olds that includes cultural studies of Maldivian customs, creative crafts, games, snorkelling with a marine biologist, and everything from kite flying to kids’ yoga. Childminding for under4s is also available.

Details: Seven nights at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa costs from £2,091pp (£1,963 for under12s) including flights, transfers and B&B. Available from Abercrombie & Kent (0845 0700611, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk).

Phuket, Thailand

The waters of the Andaman Sea offer some of the best diving in SouthEast Asia, and there is still excellent — and fairly gentle — diving close to Phuket. The Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa offers a Just Kids! club catering to 5 to 12-year-olds and arranges sleepovers for parents who want a night alone. A full morning of activities costs approximately £10 a child.

Details: Seven nights for a family of four at the Evason Phuket cost from £3,509 during August 2007 with Kuoni Travel (01306 747008, www.kuoni.co.uk), including international flights with Thai Airways and transfers.

Bonaire, Dutch Antilles

Bonaire has done more than anywhere in the Caribbean to protect its reefs. With dozens of dive sites accessible from the shore, certified divers can dive at will — though organised boat dives are available. The island is surrounded by the Bonaire National Marine Park. For families the easiest option is to stay at the Sand Dollar Condo Resort, where there are free supervised activities for three to six-year-olds; if your children are aged 6-12, and can swim and snorkel, there is also a half-day Ocean’s Classroom that costs £13. Children aged 13 to 18 can join an afternoon club where they can get to know local teenagers. Babysitting costs £4 an hour in the resort.

Details: Seven nights for a family of four cost £3,659, including international flights via Amsterdam available from Dive Worldwide (0845 1306980, www.diveworldwide.com). Six boat dives and unlimited shore diving costs £290pp.

Egypt

The Red Sea offers the closest and most reliable warm-water diving for divers in the UK, and at the cheapest prices. Although the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh has been arguably overdeveloped, hotel quality has risen dramatically in the past five years. There is good, if busy, day-boat diving from Sharm and families will do best at the Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort in Na’ama Bay, where there is a Kids Club and babysitting services.

Details: Seven nights at the Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort cost from £1,856 for a family of four, including flights, transfers and B&B, through Regal Dive (0870 2201777, www.regaldive.co.uk).

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