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20 of the Most Incredible Underwater Photos Ever Taken

These mesmerizing underwater photos are truly the stuff of dreams.

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Deep Blue Vibes
Mitchell Pettigrew/Getty Images

A majestic turtle swimming away

The sunlight coming in from the above makes it look almost like a portrait.

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Octopus Dive
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A majestic octopus in the peaceful water

Imagine witnessing this in real life—it would be mesmerizing yet intimidating.

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Clownfish
RAZVAN CIUCA/Getty Images

Beautiful clownfish hiding in the blue sea anemone

The colors and textures are so beautiful that it’s hard to remember it’s a picture and not a painting. Don’t miss these 20 arrestingly beautiful photos that stand the test of time. 

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Cuttlefish
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A majestic cuttlefish swimming in deep ocean water

Did you know that cuttlefish is one of the most intelligent invertebrates?

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Predatory Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Stephen Frink/Getty Images

A couple of striped fish swimming with a whitetip shark

Did you know that whitetip sharks exhibit dog-like behaviors? That’s why they’re sometimes called “sea dogs”, according to Shark Insider.

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Fish underwater illuminated by sunlight, Costa Brava, Spain
David Antoja/Getty Images

Underwater fish illuminated by sunlight

It’s hard not to be mesmerized by this natural wonder.

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Mediterranean Tompot blenny fish - (Parablennius gattorugine)
vojce/Getty Images

A purple Mediterranean Tompot blenny

Tompot blennies sometimes leave their homes to come and investigate divers, according to Britishseafishing.co.uk.

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Clown fish-Amphiprion bicinctus
Vincent Pommeyrol/Getty Images

A colorful portrait of underwater life

All the colors and different kinds of fish make a truly wonderful sight.

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Scuba Divers and Light Rays in Eden Cenote
Brent Durand/Getty Images

Two divers exploring an underwater cave

This could easily be a picture from a fairytale. Check out these 20 stunning wave photos you won’t believe are real.

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A diver explores sea fans growing on Lesleen M freighter wreck off Castries, St. Lucia.
James + Courtney Forte/Getty Images

A diver exploring sea fans

Be honest, you definitely wish you could explore this too.

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Caribbean reef sharks and sun rays
Todd Bretl Photography/Getty Images

Two Caribbean reef sharks swimming

Can you tell you’re looking at some of the world’s most dangerous predators?

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many colorful jellyfish on the dark sea
hakule/Getty Images

Multi-colored jellyfish

If it wasn’t for the fear of being stung, we’d dive right in! It’s hard to believe this picture is real but it is.

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Coral reef scenery with butterflyfish
Georgette Douwma/Getty Images

Colorful fish swimming around the coral reef

Sadly, in some breathtaking places around the world, coral reef and other natural wonders started dying due to pollution.

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Beautiful fish,fish
krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images

These pink-striped Indian glassy fish

It’s hard to believe that this fish is real.

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Seagrass and fish in water, Santa Cruz Island, California, USA
Cameron D Smith/Getty Images

Seagrass and fish in the water

Who knew seagrass could look so pretty?

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A Baby Humpback Whale Plays Near the Surface in Blue Water
Craig Lambert/Getty Images

A baby humpback whale near the surface

Don’t be fooled by its mature look, it’s a baby whale. Some animals have confusing names, learn more about them here.

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Front on Goldfish with black background
Alastair Pollock Photography/Getty Images

A captivating goldfish

Whoa, those eyes are mesmerizing! Also, this question definitely needs an answer: Is the ocean really running out of fish?

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Luminous blue whale diving in calm, blue ocean
xia yuan/Getty Images

This luminous blue whale

Just like this whale, here are other animals that look so strange you won’t believe they’re real.

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Close-Up Of Starfish In Sea
Marta Szopiak / EyeEm/Getty Images

A colorful starfish

The colors could not contrast any better.

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Underwater Scene With Reef And Tropical Fish
hudiemm/Getty Images

Tropical fish swimming near the coral reef

Next, have a laugh at these hilarious animal jokes.

Marissa Laliberte
Marissa Laliberte-Simonian is a London-based associate editor with the global promotions team at WebMD’s Medscape.com and was previously a staff writer for Reader's Digest. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Parents magazine, CreakyJoints, and the Baltimore Sun. You can find her on Instagram @marissasimonian.