Top Ten Family Friendly Dive Resorts

1. Soneva Fushi, Maldives

Have a Captain Jack Sparrow in your brood? Perhaps a wannabe Willy Wonka? No matter the age or interest, Soneva Fushi covers all bases, be it the pirate ship and in the Den, Soneva's sprawling kid's club, the chocolate room and ice cream bar (one for the adults too) and even an outdoor cinema for evenings under the stars. Dreaded school exams on the horizon? Soneva even hosts Carfax Private Tutors for stressed out teens.

2. The Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh, Egypt

Boasting one of the best house reefs we've come across, The Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh is the perfect choice for families looking to introduce their children into the world of diving. Children and adults alike can dive straight from the jetty on the Oberoi's house reef, which boasts colourful corals alongside a plethora of tropical reef fish, turtles and rays. Aside from diving, the resort offers a wealth of activities to keep the most restless entertained, be it cooking lessons or learning the secrets of hieroglyphics through cartouche writing.

3. Mount Cinnamon, Grenada, Caribbean

A quintessentially Caribbean bolthole, Mount Cinnamon hotel is the perfect choice for families; from spacious family-friendly villas to an action-packed Montessori Kids' Club and even its very own five-star PADI dive centre. Not to forget a croquet lawn, volleyball, tennis and yoga platform, as well as a whole heap of water sports guaranteed to tire out the most restless family members.

4. Azura Benguerra, Mozambique

For families looking to peel the kids away from their iPhones, Azura Benguerra is just the ticket. Rather than plonking children at a kids' club, make memories on epic eco adventures, from swimming with dolphins to scaling sand dunes, not to forget the incredible diving (and snorkelling) in the surrounding Benguerra National Marine Park. For the ultimate family getaway, decamp to the three-bedroom presidential villa, which enjoys its own secluded spot on the island replete with an infinity pool, lofty treehouse deck, private chef and butler.

5. Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, Oman

The Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah has everything a child (and parents, for that matter) could ever want; meander down the resort's own lazy river on a floatable, scale the climbing wall, get the whole family involved in a round of mini golf or leave the tots to it in the kids' club. Spacious interconnecting family rooms are the perfect choice for families with little ones while those learning to dive can do so straight from the beach - there's even a turtle sanctuary for families to get involved in the protection of green and hawksbill turtles.

6. Kempinski San Lawrenz, Gozo

If you're looking for a short haul family holiday, Gozo is just the ticket (for us Brits, anyway). And when it comes to family friendly hotels, Kempinski San Lawrenz has by far the most facilities out of any hotel on the island, boasting a sprawling kids' club, three outdoor pools, two floodlit tennis courts, squash courts and even babysitting so that adults can enjoy a well-earned break. There are interconnecting family rooms available while the hotel is just down the road from Ta' Dbeigi craft village, perfect for souvenirs, as well as Dwejra marine conservation area, ensuring there is never a dull day.

7. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji

While the long journey to Fiji might deter families with younger children, for families with teens, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is worth the pilgrimage. The resort is surrounded by incredible adventures for the whole family, from waterfall treks through the rainforest to snorkelling and diving trips led by a resident marine biologist and even the opportunity to connect with children from the local primary school. For those with a younger brood, the award-winning Bula Kids' Club offers a range of educational activities to immerse children into the local Fijian culture, as well as their own private nanny.

8. Six Senses Laamu, The Maldives

There are simply too many incredible family activities to list, so we'll dwell on one of our favourites: the Junior Marine Biologist programme. Kids from six to 16 can become certified conservationists, with one-to-one mentoring with one of the ten resident marine biologists, gaining in-depth experience in one of the ongoing conservation projects for the duration of their stay.

9. Alphonse Island, Seychelles

For families looking to switch-off, relax and reconnect, Alphonse is just the ticket. This remote private island paradise is a naturalist's dream where jungle spills onto the beach and giant ancient tortoises roam freely. There is a wealth of conservation activities families can get stuck into, from guided walks with the Island Conservation Society to tagging baby turtles and snorkelling with manta rays; phones will be forgotten in no time.

10. Small Hope Bay, Bahamas

Small Hope Bay feels akin to staying in a friend's house. From hosting communal meals to regaling each day's diving over videos captured by the divemasters, the resort's ethos is all about family (it is run by a family, after all). For budding divers, the resort runs complimentary Discover Scuba lessons while children under ten can take the plunge on a bubblemaker course. For certified scuba divers, the diving is some of the best in the Bahamas, with sites for every level along the Caribbean's third largest barrier reef, as well as epic shark diving and blue holes to explore. Above water, families can go on nature walks and swim in secret blue holes dotted around the island.