Friday, December 14, 2007

Client Testimonials: Micronesia - December 2007

'I had an absolutely amazing time - the diving in Palau was absolutely out of this world (masses of sharks, loads of reef fish and the most amazing vis!), Rose Garden Cottage was lovely and the staff couldn't have been more helpful and Neco Marine were probably one of the best dive operators I have ever come across. Similarly I loved Yap - I loved the "intimacy" of such a small island - the dive operator was brilliant, I basically had them to myself for most of the time I was there and they took me to some fantastic sites - I even managed to get some amazing pictures of Mandarin Fish! O'Keefe's was stunning as a place to stay - I really couldn't have asked for more, so all in all it was fantastic! You should definitely go to Micronesia although I am slightly worried that I will be disappointed with everywhere else in the future! Should also mention the Mantas in Yap.......wow! Thank you so much for all your hardwork planning and organising it for me.'
Helen Salvini (Manchester)

Click here for Diving Holiday at O'Keefe's, Yap, Micronesia

Client Testimonials: Grenada - December 2007:

"Diving - this was excellent and I was thoroughly impressed with Aquanauts! Great dive sites (dived the Bianca C twice), lots of Nurse sharks, turtles, lobsters etc and the dive briefings were the most thorough I've experienced. Great boat, crew and dive instructors. "
Charlotte Luxford

Click here for Diving Holidays to Grenada in the Caribbean

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Staff Report: Diving in Papua New Guinea by Katrina Dixon

With too much going on before our trip we had little time to do much research into exactly what Papua New Guinea had too offer. What we did know was that there was rumoured to be some spectacular diving. We love the liveaboard option and we had a number to choose from in Papua New Guinea. We settled on the Star Dancer that leaves from the Walindi Plantation Resort, near Rabaul on the island of New Britain.

The flights to Papua New Guinea from UK are not daily, so we arrived early and had the opportunity to stay in and dive from Walindi Resort before boarding our liveaboard. The diving from Walindi takes place in Kimbe Bay. This large bay had a large number of dive sites of differing topologies, from sea mounts to shallow reefs. The inhabitants ranged from pygmy seahorses to orcas, and nothing was more than about an hours boat ride away. It was the variety of marine life that made the diving so good. There were excellent corals, lots of fish life and even a plane wreck. The resort is very attractive and well thought out, and also has fabulous chocolate ice-cream!

Click here for the full report: Diving in Papua New Guinea


Client Testimonials: Saba, Caribbean - November 2007

Juliana's in Saba is a lovely hotel and we were lucky enough to be upgraded us to a self catering cottage in the heart of the village whilst still being able to have breakfast at the hotel each morning. The staff are lovely, good hosts and very friendly.

The diving was superb. We had booked ten dives but we ended up doing fifteen. The reefs are unspoiled and we saw lots of marine life - much too much to list here - with a good mix of both the large stuff (sharks, rays, turtles etc) and small stuff (seahorses, angle fish etc). Good corals and fantastic sponges. All of the dive sites have their own charm and none of them are far from the shore, certainly not more than 15 minutes in the boat. Sea Saba are very good and the boat that we used was well equipped. They really look after you and their dive guides are excellent - very knowledgeable about the local reefs and very watchful of the group when underwater etc. The shop staff provide lots of nice little extra touches such as offering to book taxis and restaurants if you need them to. There was no hard sell like you get in some places and everything is very relaxed whilst being controlled.

The hiking trails are well marked but quite tough. We did a couple of the trails and walked everywhere. Just walking around the island is fantastic exercise as it is all uphill - great coming back down though. If we decide to go back I would like to climb to the top of Mount Scenery. If you like hiking and walking, this is a must go destination.

S Hill (West Sussex)

Click here for Diving Holiday at Juliana's Hotel, Saba, Caribbean

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Dive Worldwide and the Good Web Guide


"Dive Worldwide has a highly skilled team who have dived around the world; owned and managed dive centres; they have been guides and tour leaders. In other words, their diving experience is second to none. The team continually researches new dive destinations for year round holidays and most importantly Dive Worldwide is committed to offering a safe, enjoyable and educational experience."

Click here to read the full article at http://www.goodwebguide.co.uk/index.php?rid=674

Anthony - Swimming with Whalesharks in Kenya

All dressed up and ready to go... but your partner has not turned up yet? An all too familiar feeling for whaleshark spotters all around the world, suited up, mask and fins ready, but not a fin in sight!

Well, my trip to Kenya had an entirely different feel to it, courtesy of some very well spent surface intervals between dives. Cruising up and down the reef off Chale Island in southern Kenya resulted in as many whale shark encounters as a dedicated whale shark trip to Ningaloo!
We spent a week diving the reefs off southern Kenya just before Christmas time, and every day spent our surface interval cruising just off shore, and every day saw at least one shark, and usually several in less than an hour. To this day I'm not sure how the boat driver saw them as they were cruising along with their fins just underwater, so quite tricky to see. Once in the water with our snorkel gear they were more easily viewed, cruising along the reef without a care in the world.

The shark viewing was relaxed and easy - no other boats, and few people on our boat made for prolonged encounters snorkeling along with this spotty giant of the sea. They were a mixed bunch, one big shark, and a couple small, but mostly 6-8m long sharks all going south, continuing on their traditional migration routes. We even saw one giant whilst diving which made our day!
We combined this week seeing the giant of the sea with a short safari. A close encounter with a massive bull elephant certainly ensures that this trip will live long in our memory.

See our Diving Holidays in Kenya Itineraries

Client Testimonials: Kenya & Tanzania - October 2007:

"What a fantastic trip we had to Mara Intrepids and Ras Nungwi. I would recommend both of these hotels to anyone in the future, service, accommodation, food and staff excellent. "
Dawn Clark

Click here for Diving Holidays in Kenya

Client Testimonials: Fiesta Liveaboard and Club Cantamar, Mexico October 2007:

"Mexico was amazing (though I lost half my camera overboard on the first dive). Viz was not brilliant, but saw 4 hammerheads on the first day, two blue whales from the surface, Black Marlin from underwater, got nibbled by baby sea lions, spent a dive inside a bait ball of sardines which stretched forever and then discovered what real current was on some of the toughest dives ever.
The Fiesta was really nice - not luxurious and could use a lick of paint or two, but the guides (Aki and Miguel) were superb, as was the service and food. Everyone was so hospitable; it was a lovely atmosphere on board. "

Robert

Click here for Diving Holidays in Mexico

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Borneo's Fragile Underwater World: The Telegraph: 29th September 2007


Borneo's Fragile Underwater World
Tim Ecott recently travelled to Sipidan in Borneo - Malaysia with Dive Worldwide.
He spent 7 nights at the Sipdan Water Village, Mabul and benefitted from our specialist planning to get the permits to see this largely undiscovered underwater paradise.

To read the full article in the Telgraph Online, please click here.

For details of our tailored trips to Sipidan, please click here.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Staff Report: Juliet Dives in Tobago

Arriving in Tobago 5 years after my first visit to the island, I was pleasantly surprised by how little had changed. Tobago still had the rustic charm I remembered. Trinidad & Tobago form the southern most islands of the lesser Antilles chain in the Eastern Caribbean and are geologically an extension of the South American continent. Lying just 7 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago are less commercial compared with many other Caribbean Islands. Tobago really is one of the last of the "unspoilt Caribbean" This strip of elongated land, approximately 25 miles by 8 miles, is blessed with natural beauty: palm-lined beaches, lush rain forests and pristine coral reefs. The south coast is washed by the Atlantic and is lined with vibrant fishing villages while the north coast provides Tobago with some of its finest beaches. And for the nature lover, the eastern landscape of the interior rises steeply into tall peaks, providing shelter for one of the oldest protected rainforest reserves in the western hemisphere.

Click here for Juliet's full report: Diving in Tobago

Client Testimonials: Fiji, September 2007:

"Lesley and I wanted to let you and your team know that we had the holiday of a lifetime. Your choice was right on the money. The people made us feel at home. You did an excellent job, the diving was amazing we saw sharks on most of the dives and saw just about everything all bar whales. Any way thanks again we will use you again that's for sure. "
David Dodd & Lesley Bateman

Click here for Diving Holidays in Fiji

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

DIVER Magazine: August 2007

"So, where is the best place in the world to dive?"
As a regular contributor to DIVER magazine I'm often asked this question. The answer? Well, it all depends on what you're looking for. If your search is for a remote island in the Caribbean, with stunning pinnacles, plenty of marine life and bags of character, then you'll be looking for the island of Saba.
"Isn't that in Malaysia somewhere?"
No it isn't, that's Sabah - for reasons I cannot fathom, Saba still remains relatively unheard of. Bizarre as it offers some of the best dive sites in this region and one of my top five dive sites, 'The Pinnacle'. Rising at an angle from 60 metres to its peak at 30; this tower of coral and barrel sponges is only a few metres in diameter. As you spiral round the summit, take a look below, there's almost certainly going to be a shark patrolling the base.
Saba's signature dives are its pinnacles and seamounts - peaking at about 28 to 30 metres they always provide something of interest, shoals of jacks, collections of brightly coloured sponges, frogfish, sharks, turtles. And then there are the drop offs - stunning.
On dry land, the red roofs of the gingerbread style cottages and the people who occupy them take you back to the Caribbean of yesteryear. It's an overused cliche, but the people of this island really are the friendliest I have ever met (try standing on one of the roads for more than 5 minutes without being offered a lift). They also care passionately about their environment, the marine park is well run and where else would you find workers who built one of their roads around a tree, they just couldn't bear the idea of chopping it down.
And for the non-diver, or a diving day off, there is Mount Scenery. Like the underwater pinnacles around it, this island's peak is veiled in year round mist, its rainforest making for a challenging day of exploration.
So, back to the question, where is the best place in the world to dive? If it's the Caribbean you're thinking of, Saba, with its handful of quirky hotels, restaurants, rain forests, remote villages and of course, great diving, is your destination.
Brendan O'Brien
For further information on our trips to Saba, please click here

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Client Testimonials: Truk - June 2007

"Our holiday was fantastic. Blue Lagoon is set in a paradise location with great diving and dive people. Hope to go again some day."

M.G. West Midlands

Click here for Diving Holidays to Blue Lagoon Dive Resort, Truk, Micronesia

Monday, May 14, 2007

Staff Report: Bridget - The Turks & Caicos and Bahamas Trip Report

Having often been asked about the Turks and Caicos islands by clients I was delighted when the opportunity came up for me to visit the islands myself so I could really get some first hand knowledge of the hotels and dive sites. The Turks and Caicos Islands are virtually undiscovered. Providenciales is one of the 49 islands that comprise the British Crown Colony of Turks and Caicos.

Seven of us set off on the weekly British Airways flight from Heathrow to Providenciales (Provo) which touches down in Nassau Bahamas. The great thing about this flight is that you are allowed a massive baggage allowance, 2 bags each weighing up to 23kg PLUS a dive bag weighing up to 23kg, which meant for once I could go mad and take my full dive kit plus all the clothes and toiletries I normally have to leave behind. One word of advice, make sure you take either an international fitting regulator or a DIN adaptor as these seem to be fairly scarce at the dive centres I visited...

Click here for Bridget's full report: Diving in The Turks & Caicos and Bahamas


Client Testimonials: Chuuk - May 2007

I would like to thank you for your efforts in organising the Chuuk trip I have just returned from. The diving was truly outstanding and all else proceeded very well. It was an excellent trip that we both thoroughly enjoyed - I have the "I dove the San Francisco Maru" T-shirt to prove it. (M.B from Cumbria).

Click here for Diving Holidays in Micronesia

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Client Testimonials: Tanzania: Selous & Kinasi - April 2007

"We had a fantastic time in Selous and Kinasi. My friend and I now have extra hobby of safari visits in addition to diving!! It totally was an eye-opening experience. Thank you for all the arrangements and advices on luggage etc. Which were most helpful."
Yoko Morimoto, London

Click here for Tanzania Diving Holidays

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Client Testimonials: Bikini - March 2007

"The most memorable diving holiday I have ever had. From the wrecks to the beachfront accommodation and organisation everything exceeded my expectations. Its remoteness is its secret weapon - you cannot fail to relax and enjoy every minute of your time here. Well worth the long flights - get here while you still can!"
Martin McCarrick

Click here for Bikini Diving Holidays - Micronesia

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Client Testimonial: Costa Rica - February 2007

"Just a quick note to say thank you very much for all your help with booking our Costa Rica trip and helping with all the ensuing travel chaos! We had an absolutely amazing time, it really was a fabulous holiday. My only regret is that we didn't stay for longer.

We saw so much wildlife on land and the diving was good too. There were toucans feeding outside our room, we saw a python and on the way out to the island for diving we saw dolphins, false killer whales and a pod of 5 humpbacks! We were also really impressed with your Agents and the lodge that we stayed at was perfect.
"

Clare Slightham from Alton, Hampshire.

Click here for Costa Rica Diving Holidays

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Staff Report: Anthony - Palau (Micronesia)


Many divers have heard of Palau in the context of the stingless Jellyfish, but few UK divers have actually ventured into the Palau waters, so I had few pre-conceptions when the opportunity to visit the islands came up late in 2006.

I was expecting a far more difficult trip over, but the new route through Manila using brand new BAe146 planes (the same as used by the Queen) was a breeze, so I was well rested on arrival in Koror, the capital of Palau.

Wanting to pack in as much as possible, we'd arranged flying visits to many of the islands attractions before doing the diving - else I would have been too tempted by just the diving! For a tiny country I was amazed not just by the number of attractions, but the quality of them...

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Staff Reports: Simon - Fantastic Freebees in Fiji

When the boss asked if I had been to Fiji, I was half expecting to be asked to talk to a customer about it - not offered a fabulous familiarisation trip to Fiji's Northern Islands.

As the only European delegate on the trip, I took the opportunity to relax on the Heathrow - Los Angeles leg; before meeting and greeting the rest of the group, all fourteen of them. Word of warning, when asking directions from Terminal 2 to Terminal B, I duly followed instructions to catch a bus - waiting twenty minutes for a bus to take me on a two minute journey! Our overnight, Air Pacific, flight got us into Fiji nice and early and we were able to use a dayroom at the Courtyard Marriott Resort, to shower and have breakfast, before our transfer to Wananavu Resort...

Click here for the full report: Diving in Fiji