It is far more fun than snorkeling and (in my opinion) anything less than 10/12 meters is very safe, if something goes wrong you just slowly kick up and don't n

It is far more fun than snorkeling and (in my opinion) anything less than 10/12 meters is very safe, if something goes wrong you just slowly kick up and don't need a safety stop. A couple of caveats: you should get certified with an instructor who takes the time to teach you safety techniques (like how to recover if your mask gets pulled off); the certification will involve at least one deep dive. I recommend proceeding directly to 'advanced' certification (the next level after open water diver) right away, because the basic open water course is targeted at minting as many new scuba divers as possible, and is not enough to adequately practice what you learned. As far as shallow water diving goes, the best places are coral reefs (like Hawaii), you can spend all day in 30 feet of water and never get bored. The great advantage over snorkeling is that you can get very close to things (like tiny fish that look like designer handbags defending their little patch of coral) and see things in 3D, sea turtles slowly drifting past you, small sharks warming themselves on sunlit patches of sand like cats. For maximum safety, avoid diving sites that have currents or boat traffic, and shore dives with strong surf, those are probably the biggest risks to a beginner in shallow water. It's also a good idea if diving with your family for the most proficient one or two of you to eventually take a rescue diver course, which will teach you how to help a panicked or incapacitated diver. Good luck and have fun—good safety habits go a long way in this activity, and you are in for years of enjoyment diving together.