Diving Holidays Worldwide Blog

Maldives - Luxury Birthday Celebrations

2012-01-31T18:29:00.002Z

Just wanted to let you know - another fantastic holiday! The Maldives was warm and very relaxing, much more a holiday with diving than a diving holiday. Diving was typical Maldivian, relaxing easy, quite shallow nice chance to take pictures and the dive school was great. We had been diving with Werner Lau before and a nice reminder of how good they are, very professional outfit with good kit and very helpful (lovely boat too). The villa was excellent and thanks to your hard work we were upgraded to the water villa with pool, it was mega! In all honesty it was hard to leave the room and the sun deck to go and be sociable. We did take advantage of the champagne night on my birthday for drinks with the GM. Anyway a great holiday, time to start thinking about the next one!!! Thanks for all the help again.

Sarah M, Jan 2012

Anniversary? Special birthday? Honeymoon? Whatever the occasion the Dive Worldwide Team can help tailormake your perfect itinerary, combining just the right mix of comfort, activity and adventure, to make it truly memorable. Talk to an expert now.

Indonesia - Bali and Lombok Honeymoon

2012-01-31T18:21:00.003Z

Just a note to say thank you for arranging our honeymoon in Bali and Lombok. We had a fantastic time, and I am pleased to say that Ashley loved diving so hopefully we will booking more diving holidays soon! We also got a couple of "honeymoon cakes" from the first two hotels, so thanks for telling them we were honeymooning! Gili Trawangan was great - the diving was brilliant with so many turtles and gorgeous reefs! Thanks for all your help.

Sam D, Jan 2012

Looking for a similar experience or would you prefer to create your own unforgetable journey? Talk to an expert about options throughout Indonesia.

Belize - Best of Both. Reefs and Rainforest.

2012-01-31T18:16:00.004Z

Just wanted to let you know we had a great holiday in Belize and saw a pod of whale sharks - a key reason for choosing the destination. Both Hamanasi and Turneffe were excellent resorts. I would definitely recommend the latter over the former for the diving as it is close to the reef and the dive operation is fantastic. The current English managers Nick and Vanda are very welcoming to all. The bar and the meal arrangements where everyone mixed in were extremely friendly and we met people we are likely to dive with again. I did a Nitrox course with Nick, given the long dive times we were doing. This having been said, there are no whale sharks near Turneffe and you cannot see the Mayan ruins, which are spectacular. So the two site option for Brits travelling that far is a great recommendation. Thanks for all your help in making the holiday so memorable.

Steve P, Apr 2011

Belize is a fantastic destination for a twin centre holiday with opportunities for divers and non-divers alike to enjoy plenty of adventure and history aswell as the chance of a whale shark encounter in season.

Maldives - Theia Liveaboard

2012-01-31T17:22:00.004Z

Just a quick note to say that we returned safely home last night after a really great week on the Theia. It surpassed our expectations. The diving was wonderful - sharks, mantas, whale sharks, shoals of snappers and fusiliers to name some of the highlights. The diving set up was excellent - diving from the dhoni was the best set up we've ever experienced on a liveaboard plus we were able to take up the option of a 15 litre tank at a cost of an extra USD10 per day. Every member of the crew was great - they looked after us incredibly well.

John & Hazel B, Oct 2011

Dive Worldwide's Maldives portofolio has been hand-picked to ensure that divers experience the best that this world-class destination has to offer.

January 2012 Ultimate Dive Spots

2012-01-18T14:18:00.003Z

Dive Worldwide continue to work hard to bring you the Ultimate Diving Collection. Working closely with our suppliers, we have created collections of Ultimate Diving Spots. These highlight some of the most popular places to dive throughout the world. We've made it personal by asking the dive staff to tell us about themselves and provide you with their top local dive sites. We trust you'll enjoy the variety and inspiration from the professionals when deciding on your next holiday destination.

January 2012 Ultimate Dive Spots

LUX* Maldives - Luxury in the South Ari Atoll
The Perfect Combination for Diving in Papua New Guinea
Philippines - World Class Dive Sites
Indonesia - Tambora Liveaboard
Coiba Dive Expeditions - MV Yemaya
Mexico - Cenotes with Dive Aventuras
Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet
Indonesia - Eco Divers in Manado
Malta - Gozo & Comino

Click here to view our online version.

Win a a trip for two to one of the Caribbean’s best diving destinations, Dominica, the Nature Island worth £3000!

2011-12-01T07:50:00.003Z

The annual DIVER Awards recognise top performers in the leisure scuba industry. When divers see that any organisation has won a DIVER, they know they're dealing with the best - and, of course, they can expect to be treated accordingly in return.

The prestigious awards are voted for by you, the readers, and it’s that time of year again, time to help reward the diving people who made 2011 that bit special for you!

If enough of you give the nod to any one contender, DIVER will award them with one of the handsome bronze DIVER trophies that, over 14 years, have established themselves as the highest accolade in the UK diving world.

As in the past, the 2011 awards cover products, manufacturers, retailers, dive centres, tour operators, holiday destinations, liveaboards and publications and the awards are presented at the London International Dive Show (LIDS) in March.

In addition, voters automatically enter a prize draw for a valuable diving holiday. This year’s prize is a trip for two to one of the Caribbean’s best diving destinations, Dominica, the Nature Island worth £3000! The prize draw is on 18 January 2012.

You have until the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve to submit your votes, but why not do it now, before you get all caught up in the Christmas rush?

Vote now!
http://www.divernetxtra.com/xtra/awards11.html

For diving holidays to the Caribbean click here

New for 2012 - More great diving holiday inspiration!

2011-10-20T15:10:00.005+01:00

BIG in Japan

Working closely with our suppliers, we’ve created a 12 night diving holiday to Japan that allows you to travel independently to the southern parts of the country. Explore Tokyo, relax on tropical beaches, encounter manta rays, observe hammerhead sharks and discover an underwater city!

Prices from £3995pp

Timor Leste

A young nation with plenty of dive sites to explore and discover, Dive Worldwide recommends the luxurious SY Oriental Siren operating ten night trips in peak diving season from Aug – Nov, starting in 2012. Pristine corals, sandy muck diving slopes and offshore pinnacles await the adventurous diver.

Prices from £2450pp (Boat Only)

Malaysia

We’ve added a unique dive resort to our portfolio for divers looking for something different in the world class diving area of Sipadan and Mabul. Seaventures Dive Resort is a converted oil rig with 25 rooms offering panoramic views of tropical islands and a lift down to the spectacular house reef.

Prices from £1995pp

Galapagos

Darwin's Diving Triangle package is a seven night island hopping adventure visiting Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristobal islands. Discovering the islands of the Galapagos with Red Mangrove allows for plenty of land-based and diving opportunities, maximising wildlife encounters and creating plenty of memories.

Prices from £3695pp

Australia

Dive Voluntourism (DiVo) is an Australian non-profit organisation, working with marine conservation and research groups to introduce recreational divers to hands-on participation in marine conservation. Make 2012, the year you give back to the oceans. Get involved on Lord Howe Island in the inaugural marine monitoring programme, working closely with the rangers by completing surveys of endangered and rare species unique to the local ecosystem.

Prices from £1495pp (Land Only)

Maldives

Due to popular demand, we have introduced more resort and liveaboard options for 2012. Some old favourites are back, such as Kuredu and Bathala resorts and the Atoll Explorer liveaboard. The luxurious Diva Maldives in the south Ari Atoll has a year round population of whale sharks and a dedicated marine biology centre offering interactive learning opportunities, no matter what your age!

Diving in Tobago - Staff Review - Phil North

2011-08-24T14:12:00.009+01:00

Nestled at the southern end of the Caribbean island chain, Tobago considers itself to be the ‘real Caribbean’. Relatively untouched by tourism, the island has both a rich history, a vibrant culture and impressive biodiversity, not to mention the diving.

The first part of my week in Tobago was spent in the more remote north-eastern part of the island, at the Blue Waters Inn just outside Speyside. With its own private beach and stunning views over to Little Tobago - a mecca for bird lovers - the Blue Waters Inn makes for a fantastic base to explore the many dive sites of northern Tobago.

The corals here, fed by the nutrient-rich waters of the Orinocho, are in great shape and marine life is plentiful. Early encounters were a rare juvenile Drumfish, a Hawksbill Turtle cruising along in the gentle current and unusual Giraffe Garden Eels. Day two in Tobago was also a good day’s diving, although I missed the day’s best sighting - a majestic Manta Ray at Coral Garden, home of the world’s largest brain coral.

The second part of the week was spent in the south of the island, diving with R&Sea divers, run by a lovely English couple, Wendy and John. The south of Tobago is the lively end of the island, with a truly Caribbean coastline of white powder sand beaches – a trip to Pigeon Point is a must, the island’s main town and a regular schedule of festivals throughout the year.

The highlight of the week was an encounter with a beautiful Loggerhead turtle laying her eggs. While soaking up the truly tropical atmosphere one evening, I noticed a commotion on the beach. Right in front of my eyes, a young female Loggerhead turtle was hauling her massive frame up the beach to lay her eggs. She picked her spot and started to dig, before entering a trance like state while she layed her eggs. The many turtles who visit Tobago’s shores to lay eggs are monitored and protected by an excellent network of local volunteers. They are so in tune with the turtles movements that they knew to expect eight turtles to visit that beach during the night. The magical encounter with one of nature's ancient giants lasted for a few hours before she made her way back to the water, leaving the next generation to their own fragile fate.

Underwater, the wreck of the MV Maverick proved another excellent dive, attracting large amounts of marine life. Other good dives were the Cove and Cove Crack, a site well known for Nurse Sharks. At the end of the week, I reluctantly said goodbye to my many new friends and acquaintances and headed back to the UK with fond memories of Tobago, the ‘real Caribbean’.

For Diving holidays in Tobago - click here

Diving in Panama and the Yemaya II Liveaboard - Client Testimonial

2011-08-24T11:49:00.002+01:00

Frog Fish (by Mark Owen)

"All of the following was superbly arranged by Dive Worldwide.

We arrived at Panama airport and were met. Unfortunately we then had to wait 2 hours for our transfer to the hotel as our driver had got stuck in traffic and had a flat tyre. Be aware, in Panama everything will be here/ takes 5 minutes! Our hotel in Panama was great, what we would class as 4 star they class as 3 star. We spent our first evening sitting on a terrace looking out over a wonderful view of Panama city. Our guide was Bianca. She was fantastic, made us aware of our itinerary, and even rang the hotel later to check all was ok. As a guide we couldn't fault her, she was brilliant.

Spiny Anemone (by Mark Owen)

The next day we travelled to Coiba National Park. This was a 4 hour trip, but Bianca had told us about this and our driver made various stops for food, etc. we picked up our travel companions on the way, and arrived at the dock for the Yemaya II late afternoon. The crew and skiff awaited us and immediately took our luggage and made us feel welcome. We then had a short trip to the boat and here we got our first view of the rainforest. The scenery is absolutely breath taking. Arriving at the Yemaya II we were enthusiastically greeted by the crew. A lovely welcome.

Hermit Crab (by Mark Owen)

The Yemaya II is a lovely, comfortable boat with a fantastic, friendly crew. The chef is superb - his food really is outstanding. His cakes are to die for! All the food is freshly cooked, locally sourced and organic. In fact, most is freshly caught and bought from the local fishing boats.
You won't be disappointed or ever, whatever time of the day or night, go hungry. The atmosphere is relaxed, and your every need will be catered for. The crew, especially the captain, dive master and chef, couldn't do enough to make sure we were all happy.

Coiba 'Desert Island' (by Mark Owen)

We woke up the next day to be greeted with views of islands, rainforest and a blue, blue sea. Words cannot describe how beautiful this area is, or how unspoilt it is both above and below the water. From then on every morning we saw devil rays basking around the boat
and every evening we had sail fish (flying fish) and that's before we had even entered the water!

Guineafowl Puffer (by Mark Owen)

We had the opportunity to dive 3 or more often 4 times a day. The diver master and crew are really knowledgeable and point out all the best 'stuff'. The dive sites are varied and pristine and visibility is really good. Don't worry about crowding - apart from the sea life we never saw any other divers. We had the ocean to ourselves! If you want true variety in everything you won't be disappointed. We saw lots of black tip sharks, turtles, whale shark (wow), morays, dolphins, and if you like the smaller 'stuff' you won't be disappointed. Loads of frog fish, black coral, starfish, anemones, sea urchins and much much more?

In addition to all this, regularly, dolphins swam with the boat. The crew always alert you when they are around. We also saw whale blow holes, but they were too fast for us, but the sight was enough. The boat is also equipped with kayaks, so most afternoons we explored
'paradise', desert islands. It felt we were Robinson Crusoes, exploring new lands. Great fun!

Starfish (by Mark Owen)

We finished our trip with a couple of nights by the Panama canal. Don't miss this, or a visit to the Miraflores locks (but avoid the restaurant there). We also went kayaking in the rainforest, again organised by Bianca. Our guide was really knowledgeable and found lots of animals we'd have missed. We also had lunch in our own private waterfall - really fantastic.

All in all, would I recommend a trip to Panama and to the Yemaya II?

Well, in a way I don't want to - I want to keep this fantastic place and boat a secret just for us. However, on a serious note. Of course I'd recommend both, without hesitation. You won't be disappointed. It's the holiday of a lifetime!"

Jo W. August 2011.

For Diving holidays and liveaboards in Panama - Click here

Ocean Giants, Giant Lives - Diving with Whales & Dolphins tonight on the BBC

2011-08-14T08:45:00.000+01:00

Tune in today at 21:00.

Ground-breaking documentary granting a unique and privileged access into the magical world of whales and dolphins, uncovering the secrets of their intimate lives as never before.

This episode explores the intimate details of the largest animals that have ever lived on our planet- the great whales. From the balmy waters of the Indian Ocean to the freezing seas of the Arctic, two daring underwater cameramen - Doug Allan, Planet Earth's polar specialist, and Didier Noirot, Cousteau's front-line cameraman - come face-to-face with fighting humpback whales and two-hundred-ton feeding blue whales.

Teaming up with top whale scientists, Giant Lives discovers why southern right whales possess a pair of one-ton testicles, why the arctic bowhead can live to over two hundred years old, and why size truly matters in the world of whales.

For your chance to see some of these Oceans Giants in their natural environment , see our selection of diving holidays.

Galapagos Sky Part 2

2011-08-10T15:24:00.000+01:00

Galapagos Sky Part 1

2011-08-10T15:19:00.001+01:00

Seychelles - The MCSS and Whale Sharks

2011-08-04T16:29:00.006+01:00

Image courtesy of MCSS/Justin Spray

The Indian Ocean has long been one of the primary sources of whale shark sightings and some of the earliest scientific records came from the Seychelles.

Since 1996, the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) incorporating the Shark Research Institute Seychelles, has been monitoring and tagging whale sharks in Seychelles waters. As a result of their efforts, they are a protected species in these waters.

In recent years, funding has allowed the expansion of the programme with advanced satellite tracking technology to enable far more data to be collected on this species.

You can help the MCSS researchers with their monitoring activities. The best time to visit is Sep-Oct and when they are found in an accessible area the team collects data, including photographic identies of individual fish. All activies are run in accordance to the Seychelles Whale Shark Encounter Code of Conduct.

Trips are run daily when conditions allow. In the morning, the microlight locates the whale sharks and in the afternoon, enthusiasts head out on boats to the most promising areas to snorkel with these gentle giants.

You can follow their progress on the MCSS Blog

Dive Worldwide work together with the Seychelles Underwater Centre to bring you fantastic packages so you can discover the Seychelles, dive and help with research. Book your holiday now!

Sea-Explorer Dive Centre - Reethi Beach, Maldives

2011-08-04T15:46:00.002+01:00

Bite-Back at Cancer. Win a holiday to Fiji!

2011-08-04T15:38:00.001+01:00

A dive holiday to Fiji, including flights, accommodation and diving, is up for grabs in a charity lottery. Bite-Back at Cancer, which raises money for shark charity Bite-Back and Marie Curie Cancer Care, is offering the trip of a lifetime to the remote island of Kadavu.

1,000 tickets have gone on sale for £10 each. The prize, offered in association with Dive Worldwide, is worth more than £4,000 and includes seven nights at Fiji's premier eco adventure resort Matava, and ten guided dives.

'We hope to raise £10,000 for these two remarkable charities and we thing the lure of Fiji will be too hard to ignore for hundreds of divers,' said Stuart Keasley of Bite-Back at Cancer. 'Considering that two people will experience this breath-taking holiday for £5 each we hope the diving community can get behind this stunning prize and share the excitement of experiencing Fiji for just 71p per person per day! How amazing is that?'

Famous as the soft coral capital of the world, Fiji is also known for encounters with manta rays and sharks including hammerhead, grey reef and silvertip sharks.

The winning ticket will be drawn at the Bite-Back at Cancer Ball on 24 Sep 2011.

Buy your tickets now!

Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll - Maldives

2011-08-04T15:32:00.001+01:00

The protected waters of Hanifaru Bay, in the Baa Atoll, are a popular destination for liveboards, especially during the month of August. During the southwest monsoon, scores of manta rays and whale sharks congregate in the small channel to consume zooplankton that is trapped in huge densities. A spectacular natural phenomenon, not to be missed!

The Baa Atoll has recently been designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, a significant achievement for the Maldives. This has prompted a surge of tourism interest in the area, requiring local bodies to balance the impact and sustainability objectives of the biosphere with the new income. Government organisations and environmental bodies have highlighted the need for proper management of the area in order that the programme is successful.

The listing recognises “where local communities are actively involved in governance and management, research, education, training and monitoring at the service of both socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation,” UNESCO said in a statement.

Baa Atoll, Maldives, harbours globally significant biodiversity in its numerous reefs and demonstrates a long history of human interaction with the environment. Covering approximately 139,700 ha of coastal/marine areas, the site is representative of the Maldives’ high diversity of reef animals, with stony and soft corals, reef associated fish species, marine turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. In addition to its 12,170 inhabitants, some 350,000 tourists visit the biosphere reserve annually. As part of a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, the site has great potential for demonstrating sustainable development throughout the Maldives and the region, while relying on a green economy. (UNESCO)

As of 01 July 2011, the local resort islands only offer snorkelling in Hanifaru Bay and the liveaboards with permits will continue to offer diving until the end of the season. Regulations on number of visitors are already in place and from January 2012, no one will be allowed to dive in the bay.

April 2011 Ultimate Dive Spots

2011-04-25T15:28:00.001+01:00

Malta & Gozo - Escorted Wreck trip and Top Dive Sites
Ecuador & Galapagos Islands - Island Hopping with Red Mangrove
Indonesia - Wakatobi's Top Dive Sites
Bali Diving Academy - Dive Safari
Maldives - AAA Hotels & Zitahli Resorts & Spa and Werner Lau
Philippines - Atlantis Resorts and Liveaboard
Fujairah, UAE - Le Meridien Al Aqah and Al Boom Diving
Zanzibar's Top Dive Sites

Click here to view our online version.

February 2011 Ultimate Dive Spots

2011-02-25T15:35:00.001Z

Sea Bees - Pak Meng, Thailand
Worldwide Dive & Sail - Asia
Extra Divers - Explore Indonesia
Extra Divers - Oman
Pom Pom Island Resort - Borneo
Selkies Dive Centre - Malta
Euro Divers - Maldives

Click here to view our online version.

Information in Regard to Closure of Dive Sites in Thailand

2011-02-02T16:10:00.000Z

As reported recently in the media, due to higher than normal sea water temperatures in 2010, some of the hard corals around the Similan and Surin Islands have been damaged by coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is a well-known phenomenon and has occurred several times in various parts of the world over the past century. The term covers an event where the symbiotic coloured algae living inside the coral are released due to stress (high temperature, for example). When the algae have been released, the coral appears white, hence the term “coral bleaching”.

In the Similan and Surin Islands, the highest impact has been on hard corals in shallow water, where the sea temperature is generally higher than in deeper water. Corals located deeper than 12 meters have suffered no or very little damage.

Local authorities have decided to close certain reefs for protection. We as a responsible operator welcome this decision and are eager to do everything within our control to protect and conserve the wonderful underwater world.

Only two out of 17 of the temporary closed reefs are located in the Similan Islands Marine National Park and many can be found in areas where diving is not permitted. Local dive spots around Phuket and Pak Meng are not affected.

With some excellent Manta Ray sightings guests on the liveaboards as well as on the day trip boats have been enjoying some exciting dives.

Snippet: Deep Trouble - A book to take on your next diving holiday?

2010-11-16T09:54:00.001Z

We are excited to recommend a new book by previous Dive Worldwide client Sue Rawle. It comes with great reviews from Dive Magazine, SAA, DDRC and is available to buy now from the Troubador Online book store.

"A wreck dive near Plymouth results in a death. It’s a tragic accident. Or is it? When you’re under 30 metres of water, you need to trust your buddy. Your life might depend on it. But what if your buddy is an irascible drinker or a manipulative philanderer? Was the fatality due to diver recklessness or was it intended to be the ‘perfect murder’?

The Forest Divers club is awash with undercurrents of mistrust as each club member falls under suspicion and the new trainee soon finds himself out of his depth."

Sue's website will be coming soon, but in the meantime you can also email her for further details: suerawle@yahoo.co.uk

Snippet: 2010 Dive Worldwide Photo Competition Winners

2010-10-20T16:00:00.003+01:00

We've received some excellent images which were judged by photojournalist Shaun Tierney. Thanks to everyone who entered! The winning images will be appearing in the new brochure. 1st prize is a Power Gorilla, with 2nd and 3rd place receiving their own copy of Beth & Shaun Tierney's comprehensive book on diving in Southeast Asia published by Footprint.

1^st place - Sean Keen with his fab image of a Longnose Hawkfish

2^nd place - John Belchamber with his turtle portrait

3^rd place - Carole Bellars with her striking Lionfish image

Client Testimonial: Ron M in Malaysia

2010-09-16T13:06:00.002+01:00

"Just to let you know that I’ve returned from my holiday in Malaysia, organised by you
had a fantastic time and all the arrangements went smoothly.

Sorry I’ve not contacted you earlier but have been re-acclimatising to being home
after a fantastic break.

I’ve received your questionnaire and will complete and return it as soon as possible.

Once again, many thanks for arranging such a great holiday"

Ron M. September 2010

Dive holidays in Malaysia - Click here

Micronesia - diving Truk Lagoon wrecks, San Francisco Maru

2010-07-28T13:54:00.010+01:00

Great footage of the San Francisco Maru by Nick Poole, Overseasmedia.

Our Top 5: Dive Resorts - Let us WOW you with a selection of our favourite places to stay...

2010-07-21T13:04:00.016+01:00

HAMANASI: Belize, Central America
A small plantation-style hotel on a 12-mile stretch of beach, Hamanasi has a PADI 5-star Gold Palm centre with ready access to superb sites including Gladden Spit famous for its whale sharks. Choose a treehouse for a real rainforest experience.

BUDDY DIVE RESORT: Bonaire, Caribbean
Ideal for families, this relaxed and friendly resort has snorkelling and diving courses for children and accommodation is in spacious one, two and three bedroom apartments. A “Diver’s Paradise” with over 60 dive sites mostly accessed from the shore.

PARADISE TAVEUNI: Fiji, South Pacific
Anywhere called ‘paradise’ has a lot to live up to, but this luxury property is indeed heavenly. Ten thatched cabins face the ocean or tropical gardens, and tropical waters drop off steeply from an extinct volcano’s lava edge.

WAKATOBI: Indonesia, Asia
With an abundantly healthy house reef just 20 metres from the dive centre, Wakatobi makes diving easy. This eco-resort is true to its strong conservation principles without compromising on real luxury; there are three staff members per guest.

EXTRA DIVERS LODGE: Oman, Middle East
A short distance along the coast from the capital Muscat, the Extra Divers Lodge is superbly equipped for dive holidays, with four custom-built boats and a huge choice of day and night dives. Accommodation is in charming traditional Barasti beach huts.

For more information about our Top 5 Dive Resorts - Click here

Digital Underwater Photography Competition

2010-07-21T11:21:00.031+01:00

Calling all photographers....

Have you got a fantastic underwater image that you thing should be published? Well here is your chance to get your images in print and online. The winning photograph will be published in our 2011 Dive Worldwide brochure and on the web site. Up for grabs is a Powergorilla laptop charger. This portable gadget will work with devices up to 24volts and will give you an extra 2 to 5 hours of power depending on your laptop specification and over 20 hours on various other electronic devices from your mobile to your iPod. Perfect for travellers like yourselves!

The competition closes on 3 September 2010

All entries should be emailed to sarah@diveworldwide.com

Here are a few that Sarah would like to share with you and she admits that she probably should go on a course and definitely needs more time out of the office and underwater in order to practice. We're sure you can do better!

Please note:

No images supplied in hard copy will be accepted, only high resolution digital files will be accepted.
All entries must be correctly labelled with your name, contact details and the location each image was taken.
Entries will not be returned. While we endeavour to publish as many photo competition entries as possible in our brochure we cannot guarantee that all will make the pages.
While the photographer retains the copyright of all images submitted as competition entries, Dive Worldwide reserve the right to unlimited use of the photos for company brochures, promotion and advertising.

Experience the Tropical Eastern Pacific onboard MY Yemaya diving Coiba National Park, Cocos and Malpelo Islands.

2010-07-21T11:15:00.003+01:00

Aggressor Liveaboards

2010-07-21T10:18:00.012+01:00

Last minute getaways!

There is limited space available on selected trips in August and September 2010.

Turks & Caicos Aggressor II, Aug 14-21

Palau Aggressor II, Aug 15-22, Aug 29-Sept 5

Belize Aggressor III, Sept 11-18

Kona Aggressor II, Sept 11-18

Maldives Aggressor, Sept 23-Oct 3 (10 day charter)

Utila Aggressor, Sept 4-11

Okeanos Aggressor, Sept 9-17

Book now!

Call Us: 0845 130 6980

Email Us: sales@diveworldwide.com

From 02 Sep 2010 Utila Aggressor is easier to get to with the charter flight now originating from Roatan so it all fits in nicely with your international flights!

September is a busy month with the maiden voyage of the Baja Aggressor sailing the waters of the Revillagigedo Archipelago which include Socorro for the manta rays, Magdelena Bay for gray whales and Guadeloupe for the Great White sharks (July - November).

For an in-depth view of what's new with the Aggressor Fleet, here's their latest Cruise News.

Galapagos - onboard the Aggressor

2010-07-19T10:14:00.006+01:00

Josh Jenson won the inaugrual Capture the World, Underwater Video Challenge
with this fantastic footage in October 2009
about life on the Aggressor liveaboard in the Galapagos.

Trip Report: Kirsteen in the Cayman Islands

2010-07-19T09:47:00.023+01:00

In May 2010 I visited the Cayman Islands on a trip organised by the Cayman Islands Tourist Office. We flew from London Heathrow (T5) with British Airways and after a short transit in Nassau (Bahamas) we arrived in Grand Cayman on a hot and sunny Saturday evening. Upon leaving the airport we stopped at the wharf in George Town for a look at the Cayman Aggressor. Whilst the crew were briefing the new passengers before they set off for their 7 night itinerary, I had a quick nosey around the boat.

The Cayman Aggressor is a 33m dive yacht, built and powered for comfort, safety and stability. Sleeping up to 18 guests, the accommodation on board includes one master stateroom with queen bed and en suite shower room; six deluxe staterooms with double and single beds and en suite shower rooms and two twin staterooms with single beds and shared shower room. All have individual climate control and TV/DVD. The Cayman Aggressor IV has a beautiful lounge; spacious partially shaded sun deck with chaise lounges and deck chairs; a bar, hot tub and grill; a complete photo centre and video editing room.

Next we headed to the East End, to Compass Point Dive Resort. Due to its remote location car hire is recommended if you are staying on this side of the island. Driving on Grand Cayman is not a stressful experience as the roads are fairly quiet and most roads have a 30kmh speed limit. Compass Point Dive Resort offers well-equipped, spacious, 1 or 2 bedroom self-catering apartments. The resort also has a small swimming pool and plans are afoot to build a bar. The resort has bikes available for rental.

Compass Point Dive Resort is located on a small sandy beach. The diving is operated by Ocean Frontiers who offer morning and afternoon boat dives from the resort. On our first morning we dived at Lighthouse Wall and Ironshore Gardens on Ocean Frontiers boat, Eastern Skies. The water was calm, clear and teeming with marine life.

In the evening we drove to Rum Point where we joined Cayman Kayaks for a spectacular ‘bioluminescence’ kayaking trip. Bioluminescence, or light created by plants and creatures, occurs all over the world but rarely in such spectacular concentration. We plunged our hands and feet into the sea and watched tiny spangles of light illuminate our skin. It was a fascinating experience and something I would recommend to any visitor to Grand Cayman.

The following day was all about the diving. Our first stop was Babylon Reef. Here the hanging gardens are made up of dangling soft corals, massive sponges and thick forests of black coral. It's breathtaking drifting down through deep dark canyons and to then reach the top of the reef on the wall, gazing into the big blue. Here, visibility is incredible, pelagic fish abound with hardly any other divers in sight. Next up was Chub Hole, a site known for schools of Bermuda Chub and also full of Canyons, archways and tunnels.

We enjoyed lunch at the Reef Resort and we had the opportunity to have a nosey at the apartments within this resort. Like Compass Point Dive Resort, the apartments are well-equipped and spacious. Guests can choose whether they wish to stay on an all-inclusive, bed & breakfast or self-catering basis. If you choose self-catering you’ll find a supermarket conveniently located just opposite to the resort. This resort is much bigger than Compass Point and is more of a resort which offers diving rather than a ‘dive resort’ which makes it a great choice if you have a non-diving partner or for families.

After 2 nights at the Compass Point Dive Resort we moved closer to George Town. Sunset House is a hotel for divers by divers, with 55 rooms, a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. The on-site dive centre, Sunset Divers, offer 2-tank morning boat dives from the slipway on the property and you can also take an unlimited shore diving package. We dived with Sunset Divers on Sun Ray, and visited Blackies Hole & Devils Grotto.

The next day we headed off to Lighthouse Point on the North West point of Grand Cayman, just north of Seven Mile Beach. Lighthouse Point is Cayman's first eco-development with solar and wind power and an environmentally friendly water management system. Lighthouse Point offers nine 2-bedroom oceanfront apartments each with its own large private balcony. The diving is operated by Divetech, who have been providing quality dive services to divers visiting Grand Cayman since 1994. Lighthouse Point offers shore diving. The reef system is abundant with marine life, sponges and coral reefs and is well marked for divers navigation.

Perhaps the most famous attraction in the Cayman Islands is Stingray City. Today we had the opportunity to dive the nearby shallows known as ‘The Sandbar’ in the North Sound which provide the only natural area in the world to swim with more than to dozen Atlantic Southern stingrays that enjoy the company of humans. Our 45 minute dive with these amazing creatures was a truly unforgettable experience.

During our time on Grand Cayman we also visited Pedro St James and Mission House to get an understanding of the history of the Cayman Islands. Our visit to these historic houses was followed by a walk around Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park where we had the opportunity to see the Blue Iguana breeding program.

After 5 days on Grand Cayman we took a short flight to Little Cayman. Bloody Bay Wall is the main attraction here but unfortunately due to flight schedules and the BA strike we were unable to dive at Bloody Bay Wall. We visited Little Cayman Beach Resort which is located on a white-sandy beach, bordered by the reef of South Hole Sound.

Then we returned to Grand Cayman for our return flight to the UK. I thoroughly enjoyed my week in the Cayman Islands and I would recommend it as a perfect destination for divers of all levels who want to dive in calm, clear and warm waters which are teeming with marine life and colourful corals.

If you are thinking of planning a holiday to the Cayman Islands

I will be more than happy to share my experiences with you.

Drop me a line sales@diveworldwide.com or call me 0845 130 6980

Thank you for taking the time to read my trip report, I look forward to helping you with your holiday planning!

Client Testimonial: Penny B in Cuba

2010-07-14T12:03:00.004+01:00

We are just back from our Cuban holiday, and thought you would appreciate some feedback. Firstly, I should say that we had a fabulous holiday, and the local agents were a good team to be with – very helpful and responsive (to a few minor glitches!) with a good standard of guides. However, they were surprised by the amount of baggage divers carry, and we had to keep reminding them of the size of vehicle required to cope with dive bags! Overall everything was well organised and the guides were very thorough and informative.

Our favourite diving was in Maria La Gorda which is a fantastic peninsula set in a beautiful nature reserve. The whole resort is geared for diving. The reef they dive on is one of the most pristine, intact reefs we have ever dived in the world – the corals and sponges are amazing, and the drop offs, tunnels and caves are spectacular. If the locals are to be believed, the reef goes from 10 metres to approx 2,000m deep – it does look impressive. The dive operation is very professional. If you would like some photos, we will be happy to supply some. We did lose a day of diving due to high winds, but it gave us a chance to explore a bit more around the area on foot. We also did a night dive which was fantastic. The accommodation has been improved on, and we stayed in a lovely wooden cabin surrounded by woodland and exotic wildlife.

Away from the diving, the Hotel Florida in Havana was excellent and very well placed in the old part of the city. It is a lovely old building with lots of character.

La Moka in the Vinales region, is a lovely biosphere communal village, in a spectacular setting in the hills. The hotel sits above the community, with a large tree running through its’ centre, and you can sit in your bath looking over the hills. Stunning!

Overall we had a great time, and like the majority of people we met, fell a bit in love with the country – it is definitely a place we would go back to!

Client Testimonial: Ken on Odyssey in Truk Lagoon

2010-07-14T11:50:00.003+01:00

I just wanted to say a very BIG thank you to you for your hard work in making our holiday one to remember for all the right reasons. It was fantastic!! All the questions you answered, the recommendations you made and advice you gave meant everything went extremely smoothly and made me look great!

The flights were fine, no issues (although it was a long old slog out there). We were met at the airport in Chuuk and transported to the Blue Lagoon who were expecting us. Transfer to the Odyssey and back was easy. Transfer to the hotel in Manila was fine as well (good recommendation – everyone was very happy staying in a nice hotel for the night). Bearing in mind the number of transfers and time zone changes it was great that there were no surprises.

The guys at Blue Lagoon were great but the Odyssey was streets ahead. Amazing service, really geared towards maximising your diving, really switched on. I’ve stayed on liveaboards in the Red Sea but this was far superior. Very very impressed with how they ran things.

Thank you once again. The group are already asking when we are going back!!

Jordan Feature - July 2010 by Beth and Shaun Tierney, Seafocus

2010-07-14T11:06:00.012+01:00

We’re heading back to Jordan... talk about stepping back in time! When we first learned to dive over 20 years ago, we were just coming out of traveller mode. Diving took over our lives and we did two trips to Aqaba two years in row before heading off to get waterlogged all over the world. Now that we have a bit more time to travel again, we’re starting to include a bit more land-based sightseeing in our trips along with exploring the marine world.

Jordan is a fascinating country, absolutely riddled with ancient sites, medieval sites and almost everything in-between. We spent four days gazing at amazing Roman ruins, Biblical landmarks, Crusader castles and then the highlight, the breathtaking city of Petra. Without doubt, it was one of the best few days we have had in a very long time. Our guide, Majdi, was incredible and entertaining so we learned masses. We ate well (don’t go to Jordan thinking you will get thinner) and the entire experience left us wishing for more.

However, we were itching to get to the coast and although Jordan only has a tiny sliver of the Red Sea, we were as always, delighted to see the deep blue ocean shimmering under the blazing Aqaba sun. A couple of thousand dives and 21 years later, we did wonder how we would react to the sites. Seastar Watersports grabbed us from the hotel and straight round to their Club Murjan for an afternoon check out dive.

Tha’er, the manager, led us straight in for a shore dive that turned out to be very different to what we expected and far more exciting - it was a critter dive.
Within minutes we had spotted four different types of pipefish, a stonefish, two devilled scorpionfish, untold lionfish, puffers and morays and an enormous long-tail nudibranch, the likes of which we have only seen in Asia.

We suddenly realised there was a different angle to Aqaba compared to Egypt. Many of the reefs are rimmed by seagrass beds so seeing bottom dwelling critters is far more likely. We even spotted a mating pair of Pegasus seamoths on one dive. Tha’er was disappointed with that first dive – he couldn’t find the frogfish - but we saw one on almost every dive after that. We also saw a turtle on most dives and all the usual suspects when it came to Red Sea fish – anthias, damsels, clowns and butterflies. Critters aren’t for everyone but Aqaba also has some great open sites with tall pinnacles and swathes of hard coral. A few reefs run close to shore where the corals have formed a maze of tunnels and caverns.

There are three dives based around artificial reefs - the Wreck of the Cedar Pride is dramatic with the hull lying on her side across two mounds so you can swim all the way beneath. A short distance away is the wreck of an M42 tank. Sitting in shallow water, the tank plays host to a huge number of lionfish sheltering under and inside. However, our favourite dive was a site called Cables, where communications cables stretching across to Egypt have been laid beneath rocks on the seafloor and are now forming a whole new set of reef structures. Sounds weird, I know but the section where a row of huge structural supports bridge part of the reef are like something out of a James Bond movie.

For more details and images on our trip, please click here.

If you have a bit more time have a look at the video.

Beth and Shaun Tierney/seafocus.com

Beth and Shaun are a successful photo-journalist team. They both learnt to dive within months of their return from a round the world trek in the '80s and eventually took a career break in order to dive their way around the world. Shaun's first career was as a studio photographer but his first love is now shooting underwater. Beth worked in advertising and marketing, most recently as a consultant in the dive industry. They are both PADI Master Scuba Divers and are still working on diving around the world whilst concentrating on writing dive travel books.

Duck Dive Photographic Competition

2010-04-29T09:17:00.019+01:00

Congratulations to Lisa Collins!

This beautiful image of Kevin the Duck cage diving with great white sharks in Isla Guadalope, Mexico has won Lisa (and Kevin) the star prize, a holiday to Riding Rock Resort & Marina in the Bahamas. We wish you both a safe and fantastic holiday!

The Duck Dive Photographic Competition has given a number of ducks a new home and at the same time has helped raise money for Bite Back, the Shark and Marine Conservation Group in the UK. The adopted ducks have been photographed throughout the world from Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef, some of which you can see here.

The prize, in association with the Bahamas Tourist Office UK and Dive Worldwide gives Lisa the opportunity to visit the Out Island of San Salvador, which is just twelve miles long by five miles wide and home to approximately 950 residents. Quiet, friendly and unspoiled it offers miles of deserted beaches and lush underwater reefs that were "discovered" by scuba divers as early as the 1960's.

Shark lovers will be pleased to hear that San Salvador is home to many shark species, the Scalloped Hammerheads being a favourite with visiting divers. With shallow reefs rich with tame and friendly marine life, stunning water clarity and more than 20 miles of dramatic vertical walls beginning in as little as 40 feet, San Salvador offers a wealth of attractions to the visiting diver. A full service SSI and PADI dive centre is located in the marina complex, complete with air compressors, guest gear storage, training facilities and conference room.

What are you waiting for?!

Call our specialist dive sales team on 0845 130 6980

to also experience the Bahamas.

Fiji - Matava and Mad Fish Clean Up Day

2010-04-27T15:09:00.007+01:00

A very successful "rubbish filled" day was had by all on Vesi Beach in aid of Project AWARE's Dive For Earth Day 2010.

The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is being celebrated worldwide throughout April 2010. Project AWARE divers have been taking action to improve their local environment on Dive for Earth Day which celebrates its 10th Anniversary of being on the Earth Day map.

Globally the oceans cover seventy per cent of the planet's surface and contain ninety per cent of the mass of life on earth. Underwater environments are under numerous threats including pollution, debris, climate change, overfishing, and coral bleaching. Project AWARE supported over 300 grassroots events throughout April, to take action and help address these distressing underwater issues. Thousands of dive volunteers in more than 115 countries have helped protect underwater environments and educate local communities for Project AWARE's Dive for Earth Day.

10 school children from local Vacalea Primary School joined together with all 13 members of our dive group from Poland joined with all the staff from the resort and dive centre at Matava to clean up the beautiful Vesi Beach on Saturday 21st April 2010.

Over 10 sacks of marine debris were collected including shoes, fishing nets, plastic bags and even a plastic chair!

Then the sun shone for us as everyone enjoyed a BBQ, lolling around in the sea and plenty of rugby.

"At Matava, and Mad Fish Dive Centre we are of course both happy and proud to be involved in this global event and in the South Pacific and indeed the World" said Matava Director, Richard Akhtar.

"The educational value to the local scholl children should not be underestimated and they thoroughly enjoyed their day!"

Mr Akhtar finished by saying "We would like to thank all friends and clients of Matava especially the dive group of Poles who were in-house and participated. They have all contributed to the success of our ecotourism principles and the resort and we look forward to exciting times ahead."

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands.

With more than 14 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian 'bures' with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

Mad Fish Dive Centre is Matava's on site PADI 5 Star Dive Centre. We dive the The Great Astrolabe Reef extensively and cater for all levels of diver from beginner to experienced. Mad Fish Dive Centre will take you to sites varying in depths, currents and visibility ranging from 20 - 50m where you can expect a kaleidoscope of colourful corals and wonderful marine life - we can assure you that you won't be disappointed.

UK - Dive Fest 2010

2010-04-13T13:27:00.002+01:00

After a successful turn out in 2009, Dive Fest returns to Pentewan Sands from Friday 30th April until Monday 3rd May 2010. That's your Bank Holiday plans sorted! Tickets start from £15 for a day pass.

Indonesia - Wall diving in Bunaken

2010-04-13T13:16:00.003+01:00

Something to consider when visiting Manado...the walls around Bunaken are large!

Bahamas - Tigers on Tap

2010-04-13T12:58:00.010+01:00

As featured in our latest Newsletter there are limited spaces on the Tiger Shark liveaboard trips in November 2010.

Here's a preview, call us on 0845 130 6980 to sign up!

Client Testimonial: Tracey T, Thailand & Malaysia

2010-03-28T10:45:00.005+01:00

"We've now returned from our trip on the Marco Polo, Palm Garden Resort (Thailand) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Absolutely worn out but had the best holiday ever.
I'll never go further than Dive Worldwide for my diving holiday requirements, your service and advice is first class. I'd recommend you to anyone."

Tracey T, March 2010

Client Testimonial: M.K. in the Galapagos Islands

2009-09-28T10:44:00.000+01:00

"Just had a wonderful time in the Galapagos and would like to thank you. The four of us had a fantastic time with no problems at all!!
The little hotel we were booked into in San Cristobal was wonderful, it was a small family run hotel and nothing was to much trouble, they were just so friendly.
The Galapagos Aggressor Liveaboard was wonderful, just have nothing but praise for the whole trip."

M.K. September 2009.

Client Testimonial: Andy W in the Galapagos Islands

2009-09-27T10:49:00.002+01:00

"Your arrangements were faultless and everyone we met was outstanding. The San Cristobel hotel, Casa Opuntia seemed fairly basic at first sight, but the family who ran it treated us absolutely like their closest friends and after three days we all agreed that it was the best hotel ever! You should tell your other clients that if "Dad" offers to cook dinner one night that they are there, they should accept. We had one of the best dinners ever.

On the boat bit of the trip, I've been diving 46 years and I have to say that Galapagos Aggressor 1 was the best run boat I have ever been on. Nothing was too much for the crew and every detail was taken care of. Added to that, the diving was exceptional, particularly at Darwin."

Andy W. September 2009
Aggressor Galapagos Liveboard Diving Holidays - Click here

Client Testimonial: Ann C, June 2009, Nabucco Extra Divers Resort

2009-07-27T12:33:00.001+01:00

"We visited Nabucco Extra Divers resort in June 2009, it was extremely hot. The Hotel was very nice, had everything and more that was needed, huts were great and good air conditioning (thank goodness). Excellent food and plenty of it. Lovely location, it is as the photos on the website. Excellent dive boats and crews, plenty of water, tea, fruit and snacks on the boat. Great diving, especially the Daymaniyat Islands, well worth the long boat ride, I would go back there just to dive them again. The hotel and dive centre gets very busy at the Omani weekend, so we took a day off and went on the half day tour of the city, which we can highly recommend. The city is lovely, so clean and the people so friendly. All in all we loved Oman, the people and the diving and will definitely visit again."

Ann C. June 2009

Diving holidays in Oman - Click here

Trip Report: Teresa in 'Laid Back Carriacou'

2009-04-21T07:56:00.005+01:00

I had heard that the island of Carriacou was how Grenada used to be 50 years ago. So liking nothing better than to explore a small island and try and get to know something of the culture, we jumped on the local ferry. With a few days spare we hoped to get a flavour of what Carriacou had to offer.

It was late and dark but on the wharf was Claudia from Silver Diving to meet us. A quick supper, compliments of Max, and off we went to stay at Ade’s Dream. Ade’s Dream is a simple, small hotel. Our room was perfectly acceptable with air-conditioning, ensuite bathroom with a hot water shower and everything spotlessly clean. We didn’t need anything more. Breakfast was to be served across the road in a small café. When we woke up we realised we were in the centre of town with views across the roof tops to the sea.

I say the centre of town but this is only a couple of streets stretching a few hundred metres along the waterfront. There was time later to explore as we were to meet Silver Diving at their dive centre a few steps from our hotel. Set in a garden atmosphere next to their house the PADI 5-star Gold Palm IDC centre has everything you need. Claudia and Max have been on Carriacou for an age and told us that the diving was as pristine as it was 20 years ago.

We crossed the deserted road, on to the beach and there was the boat ready and waiting. Carriacou being ringed by reefs means that most of the dive sites are only a short 10 to 20 minute ride away. There are advanced wall dives for the more experienced diver but plenty of sheltered reefs for the novice. The soft coral reefs were healthy and full life. Carrriacou's twin tugs of Boris and WestSider, sunk in 2004 and 2007 respectively, provide new options for experienced divers and are already attracting strong coral growth and marine life.

Back for lunch and a choice of cafes with views of the harbour were easy to find. Offering basic local food we settled on fish and chips with a beach front seat. It was then time to explore the island. We headed up the hillside to take in the beautiful views across to Petite Martinique, which lies just east of Carriacou. Then back to the beach to relax and unwind or as the locals say “to lyme”.

Unfortunately already Carriacou had seeped under our skin and it was with regret we boarded the ferry back to Grenada. For those wanting to explore pristine Caribbean diving and a slow pace of life then Carriacou is the perfect gateway and makes an easy addition to a stay on Grenada.

Now that Claudia and Max have opened their new café we will have to return and sample once more the delights of Max’s kitchen.

Diving Holiday in Carriacou, Caribbean - Click here

Trip Report: Helen in Fiji - March 2009

2009-03-18T13:32:00.010Z

My trip to Fiji had been long awaited and I’d had plenty of time to think about my previous visit and if it was still how I remembered it. I visited Fiji, the Soft Coral Capital of the World, nearly 8 years ago, taking parting in marine conservation project, counting fish and learning to dive. Since then, I have dived all over the world and still Fiji has always been one of the best, if not the best destinations. Admittedly the area I dived was un-dived as no tourist could visit, but I did also experience shark diving in Beqa.

Whilst the flight was long, via Los Angeles the lack of jet lag on arrival is ideal, just tiredness from a poor night’s sleep. I headed over to Castaway Island Resort which was an ideal spot to catch up on some sleep. Just 2 hours boat ride from the mainland, its ideal for those travelling with families or couples who would like a bit more to do. The food was good and the staff were so friendly, something that resonates throughout Fiji. The diving was easy with little current but great visibility and plenty of fish and corals.

I headed back to Nadi and spent the night at the Tanoa International Hotel, a good, clean hotel, ideal for stopovers in Nadi, located just 5 minutes from the airport (domestic and international).

Flying over Viti Levu and Vanua Levu to Labasa was an enjoyable experience. I was reminded how hilly the mainland is and very green!I arrived at Nukubati Island after a one hour transfer by road in a huge rainstorm, soaked right through! The welcome was warm and I was immediately handed coconut juice, something I came to love! This island is one of the most remote I have ever visited! Its located off the north of Vanua Levu, right off the tourist track. If you can’t relax here, you can’t relax anywhere! It was very peaceful and with only 7 bures (4 beachside Bures and 3 deluxe honeymoon bures), you can almost have the place to yourself! The food was delicious and you can even visit your own private sand bank with picnic and champagne!

Nukubati Island is located just 30 minutes from the Great Sea Reef, the third largest reef in the world. There was a great variety from turtles, white tip reef sharks and rays to napoleon wrasses and moray eels. Many of the sites have rarely been dived and some have ten year protection zones in place.

We were then invited on the Tui Tai for the day, a beautiful yacht which sails between Vanua Levu and Taveuni. Whilst we took an unusual route, the normal itinerary is ideally suited so those who would like a balance of diving and other activities or those divers who are travelling with non diving partners. The wall diving in this area was fabulous, although as is often the case, there proved to be no moray eels on the dive site of the same name!

After a fabulous day on board, we arrived to Taveuni in the dark and we were driven to Paradise Island Resort, along an extremely bumpy road which only a 4WD vehicle can manage. How our Japanese friends fell asleep on this ride I will never now! We were given a warm welcome, a foot massage and a delicious dinner but I didn’t have any appreciation for my surroundings in the dark. What a view when I woke up! Taveuni newest boutique resort was only finished in the summer and it was stunning! Located in the south of the island, its ocean front location is breathtaking. The dive centre is a Pro Dive outfit which speaks for itself. Whilst they do offer diving at the well known Rainbow Reef, they tend to focus their diving at their local reefs, namely Vanu Reef. Its one of the only hotels located on Taveuni which has a house reef and we whiled away an hour easily here before realising that our transfer to the next hotel would be waiting for us!

We made our way north to Garden Island Resort, a great budget choice with a lively atmosphere. The resort is located on the ocean and all rooms have ocean views. The onsite dive is AquaTrek and they took us to some excellent dive sites. The slopping walls and visibility were excellent. I had a long encounter with a napoleon wrasse and saw many blue ribbons eels & lion fish.

We were then taken to Maravu Plantation Resort, a lovely property located in well kept and extensive gardens. They have many room types to choose from depending on your budget. All of the rooms have outdoor showers but not all of them have indoor showers! It’s not a beachfront property but the beach is just a stone’s throw across the road. The dive centre, Jewel Divers is located off site, just 5 minutes from the resort. The airport is just 5 minutes drive away

We made a short visit to the Qamea which is a luxurious resort, located an island to the northeast side of Taveuni. This resort is ideal for those celebrating a special occasion. The rooms are beautiful with attention to details throughout. Whilst it takes a little longer to get here (30 minutes by road and then 10 minutes by boat) it is well worth the journey. Our visit here was brief and I wish we’d stayed longer as it is truly a stunning location on its own island with a beautiful house reef surrounding it.

We flew onwards to Kadavu, another of Fiji’s hidden gems, an island located 45 minutes (by air) south of Viti Levu. As we travelled by road (10 minutes) and by boat (45 minutes) I felt I was moving farther and farther away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Matava Eco Resort has been built with the environment in mind. There is no air conditioning or fans. There are solar panels for lighting and hot water in your bure. There is only electricity in the office so if you have cameras to be charged you ask the staff to do this for you. Eating is a communal affair, sharing stories about your day and oil lamps to light your walk back to your room.

It’s an eco adventure with hiking, kayaking, fishing trips, village visits, waterfalls all on offer. I was there for the diving though! Matava Eco Resort is ideally located to access the Great Astrolabe Reef and it has the best location of all the properties on the island. The diving here can be challenging with plenty of current. But this is what draws in bull rays, grey reef sharks, barracuda and eagle rays. And Manta Rays! They have an 85% hit rate for Manta Rays at Manta Reef and they didn’t disappoint on our two dives! Their beauty and elegance never ceases to amaze me!

From Kadavu we flew back to Nadi. This is now not possible and to access Kadavu you have to fly via Suva. The final part of my trip was spent on the south coast of Viti Levu (the main island) in an area called Pacific Harbour/Beqa Lagoon. I stayed at the Pearl South Pacific Resort, a five star beachfront/oceanview hotel with great facilities, centrally located within Pacific Harbour and the dive centre, Aqua Trek is onsite. The main attraction here is the shark diving. Brendan O’Brian was instigator of this concept. They established a marine reserve in waters surrounding this area. For each diver who takes part in this dive, they pay F$10 to the dive centre which is passed directly to the fisherman who used to fish these waters. This provides them with an alternative to fishing and helps to sustain the waters for diving. And what a dive is was! We did a two-tank dive. On the first dive they chum the waters, emptying green wheelie bins full of dead fish. First to arrive are the travellies, humphead wrasses, black and white tip sharks. Then as surgeon fish, triggerfish, cod and groupers arrive the frenzy begins. Before you know it, your bottom time is up and its time to head for the surface. The surface interval conversation is full of mentions as to whether that elusive tiger shark will make an appearance! So we head down again and by this time, bulls sharks, lemon sharks and silvertips have smelt the food. Nurse sharks arrive too and it’s hard to know which direct to look and then finally the tiger sharks cruises by me, just a few foot away! What a fabulous way to end my adventure in Fiji. My last dive – my first ever tiger shark!

Fiji lived up to my expectations is so many ways and exceed them! The people are still so friendly and warm. The country is very beautiful, both topside and underwater. It is a country that has something for everyone and the same applies to the diving, whether you are looking for relaxing sites or adrenaline pumping action or something in between. And is it worth travelling all that way? Absolutely!

Click here for our diving holidays in Fiji

Client Testimonial: Philippines - Mr Baker

2009-02-25T13:26:00.002Z

"Sangat Island Reserve - we did indeed have an excellent time. The Reserve itself is exceptional - benefitting from a truly outstanding location, it is eco-friendly, provides excellent food, very helpful and friendly staff, and is the nearest and by far the most convenient resort in terms of diving the wrecks of Coron Bay, something not really emphasised in your catalogue (that you might consider revising). A troup of large monkeys visit most mornings which is a bonus if you have a camera handy. Surprisingly (to us) most visitors are probably either French or German speaking with a smattering of Scandinavian countries represented. I really could not fault the reserve in any way, although it would not suit those seeking pure luxury.

From a diving point of view - the wrecks are very impressive despite having being salvaged many years ago, and provided you are a competent diver the dive centre offers guided deep penetrations of the wrecks, or allows you the freedom to plan and execute your own external dives of the wrecks. Alternatively they cater for the less experienced appropriately with shallower reef and smaller wreck dives. The viz is not good however, and there are strong currents, whilst these do not present major problems, it does make a 40m penetration dive (to the kitchens would you believe!) on the Irako Maru far more daunting than a similar 50+m dive on the San Francisco Maru in Chuuk. I would say the diving we did was challenging and very enjoyable as a result, but not suited to pure holiday divers or those lacking reasonable experience of similar conditions."

Mr Baker, February 2009

Click here for diving holidays in the Philippines

Client Testimonial: Paul Jarrett, Truk, January 2009:

2009-01-30T07:40:00.000Z

"Just a line to say thanks for the great trip to Truk you organized at short notice for us in January. Flights and transfers were all perfect, The Blue Lagoon resort on Chuuk and the dive boat Odyssey both were fantastic. I have dived all over the world on liveaboards’ and can say without a doubt that the crew and dive guides on Odyssey are the best I have ever dived with. Once again many thanks."

Paul Jarrett, Truk, January 2009

Click here for diving holidays in Micronesia

Staff Report – Teresa in Thailand

2009-01-15T14:41:00.006Z

I was already in Asia on holiday when Bangkok Airport was closed by a peaceful demonstration, my main decision was do I fly into Thailand at this particular point in time. My mind was buzzing with the options open to me, but what I really wanted to do was to continue with my trip as planned. In my many years of travelling I have always enjoyed Thailand and its friendly people and the worst I could see happening was that I might get delayed in Thailand.

So on the 03rd December I flew into the military airport at Pattaya and was quickly whisked through to my connecting flight to Phuket. I had seen the TV reports, but although crowded the airport was working and there were many planes scheduled to depart. Far from the chaos I had seen expecting.

We were met at Phuket Airport by the staff of Sea Bees Diving and whisked by air-conditioned mini-bus to their centre at Chalong Bay. A PADI 5 Star Dive Centre and a PADI Gold Palm Resort, Sea Bees Diving Academy provides professional dive services, including all levels of PADI Courses, daily dive charters on its own boats and a friendly and experienced staff. With a mixture of flexible snorkelling and dive charters and dive course schedules, we made plans for the next few days of activities. We wanted to see as much as possible but only had a few days to explore.

Staying at the Palm Garden Resort, Phuket was a delight, where nothing was too much trouble. It was easy to see that the Resort had been designed with the diver in mind; there was plenty of space to dry your gear and a pool perfect for learning to dive. Everything we needed for a relaxing stay was to be found right on hand. After a hard day out and about it was far too easy to just take a relaxing swim and enjoy our evening meal by the pool. For a change of scenery it was only a short walk to a number of restaurants, shops and the pier.

All in all we found Phuket had something for everyone with beaches and plenty of shopping. From Chalong Bay there was easy access to the dive sites south of Phuket. For those looking for a quieter more relaxed option head up the coast to Khao Lak. Khao Lak was definitely quieter than Chalong Bay with some beautiful beaches and a more laid back relaxed holiday atmosphere. The Palm Gardens Resort at Khao Lak had the same relaxed atmosphere with pool and dive shop on site. From Khao Lak there is easy access to the stunning Similan Islands or alternatively head inland to the jungle covered mountains and one of three national parks in the area. Khao Lak is a relative newcomer to tourism but there is plenty to do in the way of jungle walks, elephant rides and white water rafting.

Although access to the good snorkelling and diving was a boat ride away, we found it all very relaxing and rewarding. We travelled on the Sea Bees boats, that never seemed crowded or rushed, with plenty of freshly prepared food and time to relax. There was a large kitting up area, fresh water showers and areas to chill out or sunbathe. Service on the boats is personalised by having a low ratio of clients to guide - whether you are diving or snorkelling.

A trip to Thailand is not complete without a few days in bustling Bangkok. Here we found the lack of tourists a bonus, with the normally crowed sites like the Grand Place and Wat Phra Kaeo nearly empty. Everywhere was peaceful and at no point did we see any disturbances. The only disappointment was that soon we had to leave but would I go back? Yes definitely and now is the time to go with Thailand offering especially good value for money.

Click here for our selection of diving holidays in Thailand

Staff Report - Bridget Seychelles

2008-12-17T08:35:00.007Z

The Seychelles archipelago consisting of 42 granite and 73 coral islands lies in the Indian Ocean just 4 degrees south of the equator and 1000’s of miles from anywhere. The islands are stunningly beautiful and have more nature reserves and marine national parks than any other country.

The granatic islands which tower to over 900m are covered in lush vegetation and where you will find 100’s of the finest and most beautifully picturesque beaches in the world. Even the busiest of these have few people on them and it is not difficult to find a rocky cove where you will be completely alone on pink tinged sand.

The thing that most surprised me about the Seychelles was the huge amount of activities there are to do there. While perfect for sunbathing, romance and watersports there are also miles of nature trails for walking and discovering. The forests are a haven for nature lovers and birders, being home to many of the world’s rarest bird species. You will also find the symbolic Coco de Mer palm. Extinct elsewhere, the palm is endemic to the islands of Praslin and Curieuse and has the largest leaves and nut in the world. The Seychelles are also home to the giant tortoise, once almost extinct. On Curieuse, a marine park island, there is a giant tortoise breeding scheme in place and home to around 300 of the animals.

As my trip was for only five days it just gave me a small taste of what the Seychelles is about. During the trip we did a three day cruise on the Sea Shell, visiting Praslin, Curieuse and La Digue islands and also stayed one night each on Praslin and Mahe.

Silhouette cruises run four sailing vessels. These cruises are perfect for those wanting a mix of diving and non-diving activities or for divers with non-diving partners as the itineraries cater equally for non divers and divers.

Sea Shell and Sea Pearl were built in the 1920s and are full of old world charm. They both have eight air conditioned cabins, three showers and four toilets. The water is solar heated so not always hot. These vessels are great if you don’t mind not having an ensuite cabin and want a sailing vessel with a bit of character. Our captain and crew were great and the food was simple but good, most meals were fresh fish caught daily. The menu is set but dietary requests will be catered for of course.

Sea Star and Sea Bird are modern sailing vessels with a higher standard of comfort and each has nine ensuite air conditioned cabins as well as two comfortable saloon areas. I viewed the newest of the vessels, Sea Bird and it is really a beautiful boat which I would recommend if you want to cruise in comfort. These modern vessels are much faster and therefore cover longer distances and are used for charters to the outer islands.

The four vessels offer regular seven night cruises through the inner islands with daily activities including beach BBQ’s or picnics, walking, exploring, kayaking and diving. With no dedicated dive liveaboard in the Seychelles this is your best option if you want to explore the islands and do some diving. Typically, on a seven night cruise eight dives will be offered but for groups of divers a customised full diving itinerary can be arranged with around three dives per day. Trips to the remote coral atolls of Aldabra are possible during March and April.

On my trip the first stop was Ans Possession off Praslin where we did a check dive - don’t expect fabulous visibility especially during the whale shark season when the plankton is rich. The visibility averaged 5-15 metres. The dive was pretty with plenty of surgeon fish, jacks, fusiliers, bat fish and loads of peppered morays.

The next day we did an early dive on a granite wall. Depths are all fairly shallow in this region, seldom deeper than 14 metres so good for inexperienced divers. We spotted two large stingrays and several octopus along with the usual array of reef fish such as sergeant majors, burrfish, surgeon and parrot fish.

After breakfast we went ashore on to Curieuse Island which until recent years was a leper colony and is now home to 300 giant tortoises which were almost extinct.

There are several walking trails on the island but beware it’s very hot and some of the terrain quite steep but manageable if you take it easy. It’s a lovely walk though and you will get to see the tortoise, some over 100 years old just grazing lazily on the grass. They are very docile and particularly like being stroked along their necks. The boat crew prepared a BBQ lunch and we had plenty of time for some swimming before heading back to the boat for another dive. This time it was a coral garden sloping from 11-14 metres. Here we saw many large tuna, several small reef sharks and numerous morays while the non divers got a lazy afternoon with beach activities or relaxing followed by afternoon tea.

The following morning the boat headed off early for a visit to La Digue Island where time stands still. There are only about 20 vehicles on the island and the mode of transport is either by bicycle which costs 10 euros per day or ox cart. We hired bikes and visited the L’Union estate, an old coconut and vanilla plantation where you can see how coconut oil is pressed in an ox-driven mill. The trail south lead us to one of the Seychelles most beautiful beaches famous for its amazing shaped granite rocks, powder white sand and azure sea - these coves feature in many brochures, movies and advertisements. If you cycle over the east coast which is slightly uphill there are spectacular beaches with huge waves but unsafe for swimming. The island is great for a half or full day trip or if you wish to stay on the island La Digue Island lodge has 69 air conditioned rooms built of wood and thatched with leaves, the lodge also has a pool and dive centre on site. There was an afternoon dive around La Digue which unfortunately I had to miss due to developing a rather nasty cold.

On day three we left the vessel after breakfast while the rest of the guests were heading over to Praslin for walking in the Valle De Mai with its famous Coco de Mer palms.
On Praslin we stayed at the beautiful Paradise Sun hotel which is a four star boutique hotel. Rooms are chalet style and very tastefully decorated. They have air conditioning although I preferred to have the air conditioning off. With the shuttered doors closed and the ceiling fan on it was plenty cool enough. While the group went off for an afternoon dive to Booby Island where they saw sharks, octopus and dolphins I took myself and my cold off to explore the main beach area which had hardly anyone on it. If the Paradise Sun hotel is out of budget there are numerous other accommodation options such as the rustic guesthouse Laurier or three star Acajou hotel. The food at Paradise Sun was as expected - excellent. I opted for the fresh fish of tuna and job fish.

On our last day we took the ferry back to Mahe. The trip takes around one hour and is a good option if you are going to be doing more diving. Alternatively you can take a 15 minute flight.
We stayed in the main Beau Vallon Bay area at the Berjaya hotel but there are many hotels and guest houses on the bay to suit all budgets. I recommend the four plus star Fisherman’s Cove boutique hotel or for more budget conscious the small hotel Augerine which has 15 simple but very tastefully decorated rooms and a small barefoot restaurant. Both are five to ten minutes walk from the Underwater Centre, or pick ups can also be arranged. The dive centre is British-run and well set up to cater for groups and individual divers of all abilities. They have four fully equipped custom-built dive boats and run a full daily diving programme to short and long distance sites. In addition to diving during the whale shark season of September and October the centre runs whale shark snorkelling encounters. The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) was set up in 1997 and is a local non profit organisation focusing purely on marine research and management. The society successfully lobbied the government to declare the whale shark a protected species in 2003.

The whale shark snorkelling trip costs $125 and all income goes into the project which is run by Dr David Sanders and a group of interns. They send up a microlite to spot the sharks and if there are positive sightings the boat leaves in the afternoon.

Unfortunately last year the sightings were very low and this year sees the same trend, although speaking to divers onboard they told me in previous years they have encountered up to 40 sharks in four days.

The day I went out followed my usual luck and we didn’t get to see any whale sharks which is not surprising as only 2 had been spotted earlier that morning by the microlite. However, despite my disappointment I had a really good afternoon snorkelling with a school of 17 Mobula or devil rays which are like small Mantas. I also saw a shark, a turtle and several dolphins so I certainly couldn’t say the afternoon wasn’t enjoyable.

In general the weather in the Seychelles is warm and humid, averaging 29°C throughout the year with more rain around November to end of January. As tropical islands close to the equator, the Seychelles experience quite a lot of rain at all times of the year, but this mostly occurs in brief showers followed again by tropical sunshine, hence the lush green vegetation.
The South East Trade Winds are prevalent from May to September when it will be drier, breezier, and slightly cooler than during the remainder of the year. The North West Trade Winds are prevalent from October to April. This is a much calmer breeze, which results in increased humidity and calmer seas. Higher rainfall occurs during this time of year.The transition periods of April and October tend to be the calmest and hence the best visibility for divers but diving is possible throughout the year.

Air Seychelles operate two direct flights from London each week; out on a Friday or Sunday and returning on Thursday or overnight on Saturday.

In a nut shell if you are looking for a tropical paradise holiday with more to do than just diving then the Seychelles won’t disappoint. There is good diving to be found with the possibility of encountering some large species, but the Seychelles is not just about the diving, the islands have so much more to offer.

Click here for Diving Holidays in the Seychelles

Client Testimonial: Belize - December 2008 - A.W.

2008-12-15T13:39:00.000Z

"The holiday was wonderful. It was everything I'd hoped it would be. The Radisson Fort George hotel at Belize was wonderful - a perfect introduction to the country. Lamanai Outpost is a most special place - lovely people, food, location, experiences. I can't recommend it highly enough. Mata Rocks was also wonderful - out of the town, small and friendly. What a good job Dive Worldwide did. From my first enquiry to the last minute questions everyone was very helpful. Thank you. We had the time of our lives!"

A.W - Belize: December 2008

Click here for diving holidays in Belize

Client Testimonial: South Africa - Mr & Mrs Myer

2008-10-15T13:37:00.001+01:00

"Aliwal Dive Centre is a very professional set up, the diving is well organised, the staff are very friendly, helpful & efficient. The accommodation and breakfast are very good.
Hluhluwe Game Reserve is a first class game lodge. The accommodation, staff, food and game drives are all excellent. This is well recommended.
Coral Divers, Sodwana has a professional diving set-up. The staff are friendly & efficient and the food is good. The accommodation is rustic but adequate, however the whole place seemed very tired & could well do with a revamp. A vehicle is recommended to do the trips available in the area. "

Mr & Mrs Myer, South Africa, October 2008

Click here for diving holidays in South Africa

Customer Testimonial: Maldives - Stingray liveaboard - September 2008

2008-09-27T13:17:00.000+01:00

"The staff and dive guides were excellent and the food was good and plentiful!" Steve Atkinson

Customer Testimonial: Philippines Dive Holiday

2008-09-10T13:47:00.001+01:00

"Just to let you know we are back from our holiday. The diving was exceptional - in fact we did 26 dives in total each. Out of all the hotels the Pura Vida Beach Resort – Dumaguete was outstanding in the accommodation and food. We will certainly be going back again."

Mrs M Voke, September 2008

Click here for Dive holidays in the Philippines

Client Testimonial - Curacao Dive Holiday

2008-08-28T05:12:00.001+01:00

"Just thought I would say we had an amazing holiday and everything went like clock work. I would recommend self catering at the all-west and Curacao as a whole. The freedom we enjoyed really made the holiday. We only dived 5 times as explored the island so much!

Thank you very much for your help and patience in setting it up for us."

Mr Philip Ellard

Click here for Curacao Dive Holidays

Client Testimonials: Newfoundland, Canada – July 2008

2008-08-14T13:17:00.002+01:00

We had a wonderful time, the people at Ocean Quest were first class and the diving and accommodation were excellent, I can fully recommend this trip to anyone, we were really well looked after. Without a doubt this was one of the best diving holidays we have been on, the fact that we had personal one to one attention, the interest that the owners have in promoting Newfoundland from an environmental perspective and protecting the wildlife and wrecks and the history behind the dive sites was a real pleasure to see.

When we were delayed for 2 days by fog the owners picked us up from the airport at 10 o'clock at night, made us some food, cooked us breakfast the next morning and took us back to the airport 2 days later and did not charge us any extra.

The people were all very experienced and qualified in Diving, Boat management and such.
Phil Perchard

Click here for Dive Holidays in Canada

Staff Report - Curacao Diving Trip - by Anthony Dixon

2008-07-30T17:07:00.000+01:00

Looking for a relaxing place for a dive holiday? No hassles, cold beer, go any time of the year? Well try Curacao. Situated in the far south west of the Caribbean, it is less than 50 miles from the north coast of Venezuela, but can take only one change of 'plane to get there.

Arriving via Miami after our flight, the resort manager made it his business to greet his new arrivals in person to settle us in - as he did for just about everyone. Directed to the beach front BBQ, we were greeted by the friendly smiles of the resort staff, as well as that all important first cold beer!

Click here to read the full Curacao Dive Trip Report

Client Testimonials: Kungkungan Bay Resort, Indonesia - July 2008

2008-07-15T11:52:00.000+01:00

"All the staff at KBR were friendly, attentive and our smallest whim was catered for".
(Steve Atkinson).

Click here for Indonesia Diving Holidays

Staff Reports: Katrina - Andaman Islands - May 2008

2008-05-14T13:39:00.000+01:00

I was invited onto the brand new sailing vessel, the S/Y Siren to visit the remote Andaman Islands. Lying between India and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal, these mysterious islands are little visited and even less often dived. Although closer to Thailand that India, we flew via Chennai and boarded the boat in the islands capital, Port Blair.

The Siren has extremely comfortable, en-suite cabins - all enjoying individually controlled air-conditioning and offering a computer and flat screen, so the laptop can be left at home! Once on board we set up our kit just once - thereafter it stayed in situ for the whole trip, with free nitrox for those who were qualified to use it. All diving was from ribs and, with dive sites no more than 10 minutes ride, four dives a day, with sensible surface intervals, were easily managed...

Click here for the full report - Liveaboard Diving in the Andaman Islands

Client Testimonials: Belize - May 2008

2008-05-14T13:14:00.000+01:00

Hamanasi Resort was outstanding in every way.
Ms K. Winser

Click here for Diving Holidays at Hamanasi Resort in Belize

Oman Feature - March/April 2008 edition of Scottish Diver Magazine

2008-04-14T15:10:00.000+01:00

HEADING OFF to warmer waters has become an October event over recent years and several trips to the Red Sea have proved to be very successful with good diving but increasingly crowded dive sites. This year I decided to look for some less travelled destinations and see if I could get somewhere a bit different.

There were lots of ideas thrown around but I ended up going for the Musandam Peninsula of Oman. Why, I do not really know, I knew it would be warm but beyond that very little. I hadn't read much about diving in Oman and knew virtually nothing about Musandam itself.

Click here to read a pdf of the full article!

Client Testimonials: Mozambique - April 2008

2008-04-14T13:15:00.000+01:00

The whole Scuba Addicts team were outstanding. Every day they went the extra mile to ensure that we had the best trip. The local knowledge was first rate. Definitely the best dive operator I have dived with in 14 years!
Mr R. Gibbs

Click here for Mozambique Diving Holidays

Client Testimonials: Roatan - April 2008

2008-04-14T12:55:00.000+01:00

We spent a week staying and diving at Anthony's Key Resort. Diving was straight forward and would suit new as well as old divers. It was very different to the other parts of the Caribbean we had dived before, with a greater variety of soft corals, lots of crevices, canyons and swim throughs, two good purpose sunk big wrecks and great viz. We finally got to see seahorses in the wild and diving for 45 minutes with 3 dolphins from the Research Institute in open water was something special. A really well run and organised resort and dive operation, with local guides, comfortable accommodation, and everything, including the diving was included in the price. A really relaxing week of diving, chilling out in a very hassle free resort.

We then had the added bonus of spending 3 days exploring Honduras with a personal guide and driver. It meant that we really thought we had seen some of the country, both mountain forests, lakes and ancient ruins, but also got a good impression of what life was like for Hondurans. Everything, including the stop over in Miami, was very smoothly organised by Dive Worldwide. Just one thing to consider; postcards take 6 to 8 weeks to get from Honduras to the UK!
Mr Hill (Cambridge)

Click here for Diving Holidays at Anthony's Key Resort, Roatan, Honduras

Staff Report: Bridget Maldives March 2008

2008-03-14T14:23:00.000Z

It was the third day of spring and driving up the A3 towards Heathrow in heavy snow I couldn't help but feel excited, I was off to the Maldives for a much needed holiday with my husband. We were booked on the Black Pearl Liveaboard and really looking forward to some sun and getting into the warm water at one of our favourite dive destinations.

The flight with Emirates was uneventful taking seven hours to Dubai and a further five to Male, via Dubai as the direct flight was already full when we booked five months earlier.

Monday morning we stepped out into the glaring sunshine and heat at Male airport. Our guide was there to meet us and within ten minutes we were on the dive dhoni making our way across the harbour to where the Black Pearl was moored. A warm smile, cold drink and even colder towel provided by the Sri Lankan chef was very welcome. After the obligatory briefing and paperwork we were shown to our cabin where we slept for the next couple of hours...

Click here for full Report: Diving in the Maldives

Client Testimonials: Belize - February 2008

2008-02-14T12:52:00.000Z

Hamanasi Resort: A very friendly efficient hotel ideal for divers/non-divers+family, especially if you opt for full board with 5 days excursions. This includes diving or snorkelling out to the Keys (on separate boats) or a different land option each day; all well organised and catered for you personally. At week-ends the choice is yours, providing there are at least 2 people. If you opt for a relaxing day, there is a pool on site, and the sea/beach are on the doorstep! You can walk or cycle (bikes are free, allocated to your room) to Hopkins village, or stroll along the beach without seeing a soul! The staff will do all they can to make sure you have a relaxed, worry free vacation. Highly recommend.
Mr & Mrs Atkinson

Click here for Diving Holidays at Hamanasi Resort in Belize

Client Testimonials: Guatemala & Belize - February 2008

2008-02-14T12:48:00.000Z

'Thank you for organising a splendid holiday for my wife and myself. Your attention to detail ensured that the whole trip went very smoothly.'
'Many thanks for arranging such a super, trouble free holiday for us. Every part of it was memorable.'
(T.A, Worcester)

Click here for Diving Holiday to Guatemala & Belize

Diving Video Clips at Dive Worldwide TV

2008-01-14T15:25:00.000Z

We are proud to present our new site - http://www.diveworldwide.tv/

This new site showcases some of the diving destinations featured in our website and brochure. What better way to seek inspiration than by seeing recent footage of the kind of action you will see when choosing one of our holidays?

Our photographer, Andy Lange (Pictured below) has been putting together all his footage for our website. Please come back soon as the number of clips grow.

For more information about is work please visit: http://www.aquapix.tv/

Client Testimonials: Borneo - January 2008

2008-01-14T12:54:00.000Z

Juliet, We passed on our thanks to your colleague at the dive show, but could I say thank you very much for organising what was the best honeymoon that we could have possibly hoped for. Everything went particularly smoothly and we enjoyed every minute of it. We shall definately be using you again.
Mr & Mrs Green, from Hertfordshire.

Click here for Diving Holidays in Malaysia

Client Testimonials: Micronesia - December 2007

2007-12-14T12:46:00.000Z

'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:

2007-12-14T12:40:00.000Z

"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

Staff Report: Diving in Papua New Guinea by Katrina Dixon

2007-11-14T14:28:00.000Z

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

2007-11-14T12:44:00.000Z

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

Dive Worldwide and the Good Web Guide

2007-10-14T15:13:00.000+01:00

"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

2007-10-14T14:33:00.000+01:00

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:

2007-10-14T12:39:00.000+01:00

"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:

2007-10-14T12:37:00.000+01:00

"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

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

2007-09-30T15:16:00.000+01:00

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.

Staff Report: Juliet Dives in Tobago

2007-09-14T14:38:00.000+01:00

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:

2007-09-14T12:35:00.000+01:00

"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

DIVER Magazine: August 2007

2007-08-14T15:20:00.000+01:00

"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

Client Testimonials: Truk - June 2007

2007-06-14T12:32:00.000+01:00

"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

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

2007-05-14T14:41:00.000+01:00

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

2007-05-14T12:31:00.000+01:00

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

Client Testimonials: Tanzania: Selous & Kinasi - April 2007

2007-04-14T12:27:00.000+01:00

"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

Client Testimonials: Bikini - March 2007

2007-03-14T12:25:00.000Z

"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

Client Testimonial: Costa Rica - February 2007

2007-02-13T12:58:00.000Z

"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

Staff Report: Anthony - Palau (Micronesia)

2007-01-14T14:47:00.001Z

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...

Click here for Trip Report: Diving in Palau, Micronesia

Staff Reports: Simon - Fantastic Freebees in Fiji

2007-01-07T14:52:00.001Z

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

Staff Reports: Teresa - Cape Verde

2006-12-14T14:57:00.002Z

Until recently most people had never heard of the Cape Verde Islands and so it did not surprise me that when asked where I had just been on holiday, that further explanation was required. West of the African coast and south of the Canary Islands, only five and a half hours away it made an ideal choice to escape the British winter and head for guaranteed sun and sea, without the need for too long a flight.

I knew that the island of Sal was good for diving and surfing but was there more to keep us occupied. So after a short stay on Sal we ventured further a field and explored another three islands.

Click here for full report: Diving Holidays to Cape Verde