Not because she looks like Cindy Crawford.  Neither because she rolls around in cash.  But I guess above all else, we share the same common interests in sports and she likes me, for me.  I hope my previous experiences with the others will help me not lose this one.  I've made too many mistakes already.

Citizens..... we complain, shoot complain letters, ask for the best, but can only afford to pay the worst.  Current hot topics: English ( a running topic that boils over every time someone like Ris Low commits a faux pas), rising costs, colonization by foreigners, poor service standards.  Perhaps it's a good thing I work in public service.  I get to see from the eyes of those who have to take the insults and endless complaints standing up.  Without so much as a thank you.  It's quite depressing sometimes.  And while citizens can get personal and nasty, we have to swallow our pride, smile and be nice.  If foreigners laugh at our kindness campaigns and efforts to train people to have service with a smile, they don't know how bad it really is.

But I suppose it's a culture thing.  We can try to shorten the learning curves and speed up processes, but at the end of the day, the important thing is time and acceptance.  We have a tendency of being impatient, but such things take time to implement.  And we need to accept our shortcomings and be willing to change.  Perhaps the most important fact of all.

           Here’s a list of places I would like to dive.  Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to have started on some sites but they aren’t complete yet or I would like to re-visit some of them in the future.  I shall look at this list and dream that far away dream….

Thailand

The Andaman Sea

            With its warm clear waters crammed with colourful, tropical fish-life and corals, set around stunningly beautiful tropical islands, the Andaman Sea boasts some of the best diving around and offers the best diving in Thailand by far. Read on for details of the dive sites you can explore from our Thai resorts and Thailand liveaboards or daytrips.

A firm favourite with divers over the past decade or so, Thailand is blessed with gorgeous weather, fantastic beaches, and handy diving a few kilometres from a fun-packed shoreline. Phuket, Khao Lak, Phi Phi Islands and Ao Nang Beach - Krabi are the best resort areas for a Thailand diving holiday. Phuket is best placed to serve the whole region, and is popular with party-goers, whilst Khao Lak is ideally placed to focus on the northern Thai Andaman Sea. Ao Nang is set on the peaceful and spectacularly beautiful Krabi coastline across Phang Nga Bay, and Phi Phi's magic draws sunseekers and travellers for the beaches and a slice of island-life.

            The biggest draw-card here though, is the professionally run dive outfits that have a fantastic range of value-for-money liveaboards cruising around world class dive sites in the Similans, Burma and Hin Daeng.

            The picturesque Similan Islands are the most popular destination, with superb underwater scenery and excellent visibility in its aquamarine waters. Huge deep water boulder formations create daring swim-throughs as well as providing dramatic back-drops to its vibrant coral gardens and reef slopes. You can dive here by liveaboard or diving day tours.

            The world famous Richelieu Rock is perhaps the Thailand's most famous site, and it rates as one of the best places in the world for diving with whale sharks. Koh Bon and Koh Tachai are great for manta rays and white tip reef shark encounters.

            Hin Daeng - Hin Muang is your best chance to see grey reef sharks, patrolling the walls. Besides that, it's also the second home in the Andaman Sea for whale sharks and mantas. Dive Hin Daeng and you'll experience the excitement of diving Thailand's highest vertical wall. Nearby caves and caverns add to the thrill of adventure.

Koh Samui is the ideal base for exploring the dive sites on the Gulf of Thailand. The diving may not be quite as varied Phuket and the Similan Islands, but there are some very good dive sites around Samui and Koh Tao which can be combined with a stay at one of Samui's excellent resorts.

The Diving Season

            You can dive Thailand all year round. The best conditions exist from November to April, with whale sharks visiting from February to May, and manta rays all year round.

Late May to October brings monsoon winds and surface swells to the Andaman Sea, making some remote sites, such as Richelieu Rock and Hin Daeng, inaccessible and reducing visibility in general by about 30% at the open dive sites. October can also see heavy rains in the Andaman Sea.

            The Phuket liveaboard season runs from early October to mid May, but there are a limited number of liveaboards to Similan Islands and Phi Phi Islands all year round.

For the Gulf of Thailand, the best months are May to August, when the Andaman Sea has it's low season.

Reef Basics

Great for: Small animals, underwater photography, diving value-for-money, advanced divers, beginner divers, snorkelling, non-diving activities

• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 5 - 40m
• Currents: Can be strong
• Surface Conditions: Can be rough
• Water Temperature: 26 - 31°C
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >250
• Access: Liveaboards, resorts and diving day tours
• Recommended length of stay: 1 - 3 weeks

Philippines

Mindoro Island

            Mindoro is the seventh largest island in the country and teams with natural attractions. Its jagged coastline offers diverse diving  possibilities. Its pink beaches, isolated coves, shallow reefs, steep walls and great coral garden make it a haven for scuba diving enthusiasts.

Diving:

            Diving season is year round but the major tourist influx is from Nov- Apr, however some of the best diving conditions to be found in summer and spring months Climate is tropical year round. Rainy season from Jun-Aug bring rain in early mornings or thunderstorms at night, but days are usually sunny.

            Apo Reef National Marine Park is an atoll-like reef divided by a narrow channel into a 2 lagoon systems. The channel has a fine white sand bottom with numerous mounds and patches of colourful marine fish living in the area include families of sharks, stingrays, mantas, schools of jacks and snappers, swarms of tropical aquarium fish and crevice-dwelling morays, blennies and gobies. About 400-500 species of coral include soft and branching hard coral.

Diving Rates

• 1 Dive all equip, boat and guide R240
• 1 Dive, tank, weights, boat, guide R185
• Night dives R70
• Diving courses, speciality courses, sea kayaking, nitrox courses also available.

Palawan Island

            Considered one of Philippines' last frontiers, Palawan is a sanctuary for several endangered underwater species - manta rays, giant sea turtles, sea cow (dugong).

Diving:

            Midwest Palawan is studded with coral patches up to 18m across, interspersed with sand patches. Depths vary from submerged reefs close to the surface down to 24m. There are plenty of small reef fish, parrot fish, snappers, groupers and sometimes crayfish Gray reef sharks visit the area. 

            Pandan Island is a cluster of submerged reefs offering hard and soft corals, red groupers and snappers and small drop offs. Panglima reef lies about 6m below the surface where viz is 24m at its best. Schools of surgeon fish, fusiliers and small barracuda. Gray reef sharks visit the area.

            Northwest of Palawan offers sites such as Nangalao Island/Kabulauan Island with good corals abounding and plenty of small reef fish in the shallows. Deeper big jacks, groupers and clouds of fusiliers.

            Hart Reef slopes approx 30m and ends in sand. Jacks, groupies, wrasses and small white tip sharks swim across the top of the reef at night.

            Cadlao Island/Tapiutan Island/ Matinloc Island are similar to Norway's northern fjord style land masses and sheer walls. Underwater the islands are undercut by wave action. Green turtles make snorkelling excellent. Big groupers, wrasses, parrot fish and white tip sharks.

Diving Rates:

• Single day dive $20
• Single Night dive $35
• No limit diving 6 days   $220
• Rental charges from $4-$10 per day
• Transport charges $9 half day boat
• $30 Coron Bay trip
• $30 Apo Reef trip
• $45 overnight expedition

Indonesia

Dive Sites of the Archipelago

            Forming one corner of the 'Coral Triangle', the epicentre of world marine biodiversity, and containing 20% of the world's coral reefs, it will come as no surprise that it boasts the most diverse waters in the world. What may surprise you is that Indonesia is the least known of the world's best scuba destinations. Read on for details of the dive sites you can explore from our Indonesia dive resorts and live aboards.

            Over 3,000 fish species and 600 species of coral, steep walls, deep water trenches, underwater volcanic mountains, World War II wrecks, and an endless variety of macro life, scuba diving Indonesia is truly excellent and inexpensive.

            With over 13,500 tropical and often deserted islands straddling the equator, and with the Indian Ocean to the east and Pacific Ocean to the west, Indonesia has the longest coastline of any country in the world and is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

The Banda Sea, Sulawesi (Celebes) Sea, Bali Sea and Flores Sea hold some of the best diving opportunities in this expansive underwater wonderland. Land-based or liveaboard, the Indonesia dive sites offer just about everything - Komodo, Raja Ampat in Irian Jaya, the Banda Islands, Sulawesi and Bali are all excellent destinations for a scuba adventure holiday.

            Indonesian liveaboard cruises can take you further afield to such magical places as Komodo and the Banda Sea. Komodo is an island famed throughout the world for its legendary dragons, and all liveaboard trips include going ashore to see these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. But it's not all about monitor lizards. Diving around Komodo means world-class reefs full of colour and life with pinnacles and walls, manta rays and maybe even dolphins and dugongs!

            The Banda Islands are fast becoming known as one the world finest diving destinations since a trip here means you can expect, not only huge variety and numbers of pelagics and reef fish, but also vibrant healthy reefs with immense hard corals, sea fans and sponges. Diving in Banda also means experiencing the critter havens of Ambon, so you can have it all in this one area. Discover another of Indonesia's best kept diving secrets.

            But if you really want to get off the beaten track then you will want to check out the awesome dive sites around Raja Ampat, where the combination of topside beauty and underwater delights make it pioneer diving at its best. Scientists are falling over themselves to proclaim Indonesia's Raja Ampat as the centre of it all, and with such vast numbers of fish and coral species being recorded and discovered all the time, it is clear to see why.

            Sulawesi scuba normally means combining the unparalleled bio-diversity of Bunaken Marine Park in Manado and the breathtaking Lembeh Strait - a spot that lays a strong claim to offering the best muck diving in the world. And Bali has a great range of varied shore-based diving, the world-famous Tulamben wreck, Mola-mola and reef sharks as well as a wealth of topside entertainment.

Indonesia Diving Season

            The season for scuba diving in Indonesia runs all year round. Overall, the best dive conditions exist from April to December, as many provinces have a rainy season from January to March.

            The liveaboard season cruises all year round.

Reef Basics

• Great for: Small animals, underwater photography, wall dives, wreck diving, drift dives, reef life and health and advanced divers
• Not so great for: Beginner divers
• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 10 - 80m
• Currents: Can be very strong
• Surface Conditions: Calm
• Water Temperature: 19 - 30°C
• Experience Level: Intermediate – advanced
• Number of dive sites: ~500
• Access: Dive resorts and liveaboard charters
• Recommended length of stay: 2 - 4 weeks

The Maldives

            Although the Maldives are known the world over for the stunning beaches and azure waters that typify the tropical idyll, its life beneath the water's surface is becoming ever more respected by divers in the know. The Maldives have some excellent coral reefs, but it's the abundance of fish life throughout the country that sets it apart from other dive destinations.

            Most diving in the Maldives is drift dives from live aboards where you allow the current to move you along. Due to the myriad channels and passages between the atolls, the current sweep and play throughout the island chain so that nutrients are always on the move. This accounts for the vast numbers of fish enjoying the passing feast and you can expect to see Napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, snappers, barracudas, jacks and sweetlips in every site where the water flows.

            In the channels, you can explore the caves, caverns and overhangs where soft corals proliferate, and there is a riot of colourful sponges, invertebrates and gorgonian fans all profiting from the nutrient-rich water. There are also plenty of cleaning stations where cleaning wrasses and shrimps service the larger marine species.

            Inside the atoll lagoons you often find pinnacles of rock vaulting up almost to the surface. These are known locally as 'Thilas' and are often bejewelled with sessile life forms. These formations bring water up from the ocean floor against their walls, feeding the sponges and soft corals that cling to its sides as well as creating an environment that supports a plethora of crustaceans and schools of resident fish.

            Slightly removed from the reefs you are likely to spot the pelagics that frequent the Maldives, including manta rays and eagle rays and a variety of sharks including the mighty whale shark. Wherever you look there is likely to be something of interest going on and for many it is in the shallows where the best of the action takes place. Here the clear water, brightly illuminated by the sun's rays and playing host to great numbers of fish, provides an ideal environment both for photographers and divers alike.

            During the El Niño of 1998 some shallower areas of the coral reefs have been adversely affected by bleaching. However the accepted view is that while the reefs are returning to their former colourful glory, the marine life has never dwindled and indeed many believe it has increased in numbers over the past few decades.

Highlights

            Ari Atoll - Although there are many sites in the Maldivian islands where you can encounter pelagics and big schools of fish, Ari Atoll is the place with the greatest reliability. Passing big fish, such as whale sharks, hammerheads and eagle rays are frequently seen, as well as large residents like the Napoleon wrasse, grey reef and white tip sharks, and large schools of blacktail barracuda and batfish.

How to Dive The Maldives

            Since the islands are scattered over a large area, and some of the best diving is found inside and outside the atolls' lagoons and in the channels in between, the best way to see the region is by liveaboard.

            Some resorts have good diving nearby, but if you wish for the greatest diversity and a variety of sites in the Maldives, the liveaboard is King.  Note that Maldives liveaboards are very popular and you need to plan ahead to make sure you get the trip you want. We recommend that you book at least 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment. Many boats become fully booked many months prior to the departure date and last minute availability is almost unheard of.

Diving Season

            The Maldives can be dived all year round, but the recommended months for confirmed liveaboard departures is from November to May. If you wish to come outside of these months then it may be more difficult to find a departure date that suits you.

April, May and June are the hottest months of the year and, due to plankton blooming, see manta rays and whale sharks. These months are popular with divers seeking the large pelagics. December to March normally enjoys the best visibility.

            The Maldives has a wet season between May and August, which reduces visibility and may restrict the number of accessible dive sites. This is less of a concern for liveaboards that can vary their itineraries to cover only those sites enjoying the best dive conditions.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Large animals, underwater photography, value-for-money, drift dives, beginner and advanced divers
• Not so great for: Non-diving activities
• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 15 - 40m
• Currents: Can be strong
• Surface Conditions: Generally calm but can be choppy
• Water Temperature: 24°C in February and July, to 27°C in April, May and September
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >200
• Access: Maldives liveaboards
• Recommended length of stay: 1 - 3 weeks

Fiji

The Fijian Islands

            Fiji is a holiday destination with so much to offer: hiking, nature, fabulous beaches and wonderful local people, that sometimes the quality of its diving can be overlooked. Anyone who has been on a diving holiday here, however, will tell quite a different story.

            Conditions and underwater sights vary greatly here and while some places are tranquil and great for learning, most sites will enjoy some current, ranging from barely perceptible to very strong. It is this presence of current that makes the scuba diving in Fiji so rich.

            Currents are the lifeblood of Fiji's reefs, kick-starting the food chain by sweeping nutrients to both corals and fish alike. Fiji is known as "The Soft Coral Capital of the World" and when the current flows the corals bloom into fabulous displays of colourful splendour. The currents also affect the water's visibility which can be the best around, with incoming currents bringing clear sea water into the lagoons and outgoing currents removing any cloudy lagoon water.

            Lagoons are a feature of the islands and often the water remains shallow until some distance from shore. This means most Fiji diving is conducted from boat and also that the shorelines are great for adults and children alike to go snorkelling and swimming.

Highlights

            Whether you are based in a single place or go for a combination booking or liveaboard, you would be well advised to ensure any trip here includes these excellent areas:

            Taveuni and the Koro Sea: The Garden Island past which runs the Somosomo Strait whose soft coral splendour allows Fiji to lay claim to being 'The soft coral capital of the world'. The waters around Taveuni and south into the Koro Sea are rich and nutrient-filled, supporting large marine ecosystems which means lots of great dive sites.

            Kadavu - The real Fiji, away from the big resorts where life can go at the pace you want and where the diving feels like the last frontier. Eco-friendly resorts, local culture and plenty of breathtaking dive sites in and around the well-known Great Astrolabe Reef.

            Viti Levu - Special mention must go the shark feeding dives conducted in the waters off Pacific Harbour. You can have heart-stopping moments with the bosses of the ocean and just off Fiji's main island.

            Beqa Lagoon - Just south of Viti Levu lies Beqa Island, one of the most popular Fiji dive destinations for those seeking to avoid a domestic flight. There are a range good good dive sites around the lagoon and the islands that fringe it. You can expect pinnacles, plenty of soft corals and even wreck dives.

How to Dive Fiji

            Geographically there are so many islands that you have to decide whether you wish to travel to see the best diving Fiji has to offer or you want to stay put in one place and get a taste of that area alone.

If doing the former then there can surely be no substitute for a Fiji liveaboard trip which will cover more sites than any land-based experience and which will also give you the chance to dive the more remote and less-visited spots.

            If you want to stay in 1 place only and dive exclusively in 1 area then your best choice again depends on what exactly you are looking for. Stay on Taveuni to see the soft coral splendour of the Somosomo Strait, and Kadavu Island is the place to go to get away from it all and explore the Great Astrolabe Reef.

            Since international flights arrive in Viti Levu no-one should plan a diving holiday here without including the experience of the shark-feeding dives in Viti Levu as a great complement to your liveaboard trip or resort package elsewhere in the Fijian islands.

Diving Season

            The dive season is all year round. April to October is the main season for diving in Fiji in terms of diver numbers, although the visibility tends to peak between the months of July and December when the water is cooler (sometimes as cool as 22°C). November to April are in fact Fiji's summertime and when the seas are at their warmest - around 30°C.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Large animals, visibility and beginner divers
• Not so great for: Wreck dives
• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 15 - 40m
• Currents: None to very strong
• Surface Conditions: Mostly calm but can be choppy further from shore
• particularly during July to September
• Water Temperature: normally 28 - 30°C
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >150
• Access: Liveaboards and resorts
• Recommended length of stay: 2 - 3 weeks

Malaysia

            Blessed with some of the richest waters in the world, diving in Borneo Malaysia offers a variety of experiences depending on where you are: being surrounded by hammerheads at the pristine coral atoll of Layang Layang, cavorting with turtles and swirling tornadoes of barracudas in Sipadan Island, or discovering the weird and wonderful world of Malaysia's incredible macro dive sites.

            Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) is the basis of Malaysia's claim as home to world class scuba diving. Malaysia's best resorts are on the beautiful islands of Sabah which are fringed with white sand beaches and coconut trees - a beautiful setting to complement the excellent Malaysian diving.

            If you're looking for a memorable break on beautiful equatorial islands where English is very widely spoken and with white sand beaches coupled with outstanding underwater marine beauty and diversity, then scuba diving in Malaysia is bound to have something for you. Just budget plenty of spare time - there are so many outstanding opportunities on offer for diving in Borneo!

Highlights

            Sipadan, the little island off the east coast of Borneo is the number 1 reason why divers come to Malaysia. Deep water currents well up against the walls of this oceanic island bringing in the nutrients which support an incredible ecosystem where the sheer abundance of sea life can be astounding.

            Sipadan is the first word on everyone's lips when discussing diving in Borneo and it truly is one of the finest dive spots on the planet but there is much more, such as Layang Layang - a little speck of an island off the north coast of Sabah which is fringed by some of the best coral fields you are likely to see. However it is for the huge schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks that patrol around the island that Laying Layang has developed the reputation as a 'must see' diving destination.

How to Dive Malaysia

            Although there are some decent sites in Peninsular Malaysia we try to recommend the best to our customers and if you are coming here for diving then you simply must come to dive in Borneo for that is where it all happens.

            Borneo is surrounded by lots of tiny little islands which are home to dive resorts right in the heart of all the best dive destinations: Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Layang Layang and Lankayan.

            This means that liveaboards are not really suited to the geography of the place. As a result there are not any of sufficient quality for us to recommend and the resorts are without doubt the best way to dive here.

Diving Season

            Malaysia scuba diving can mostly be done all year round although it does vary from destination to destination. The resorts in the Sipadan area are open year round.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Large animals, small animals, dive value-for-money, advanced divers and beginner divers
•  Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 5 - 50m
• Currents: Gentle
• Surface Conditions: Calm
• Water Temperature: 25 - 30°C
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >125
• Access: Borneo dive resorts
• Recommended length of stay: 1 - 3 weeks

 Australia

Great Barrier Reef Scuba Diving

            Australia is known for its unusual animals, rich marine life, fascinating culture, Crocodile Dundee, Vegemite and very distinctive accents.

            When it comes to below the ocean's surface, one particular part of Australia's marine heritage stands out above all others; the Great Barrier Reef and here is the best place to find your choice of Australian Liveaboards. Rated as Australia's, and one of the world's, top dive destinations, the Great Barrier Reef should be at the top of any true dive enthusiasts' must-do list of places to visit.

            Stretching over 2,000km from Lizard Island in the north down to Great Palm Island in the south, the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system and the only such structure, made up of living organisms, actually visible from space.

The main attractions being the dizzying array of marine life it supports, many of which are believed to be endemic to the Great Barrier Reef showcasing the best of Australia scuba diving.

            A more specific attraction of the reef is that it's the breeding ground for 6 species of turtle, attracted by varied menu of seagrass. The olive ridley, hawksbill, leather back, green, flatback and loggerhead turtle are all frequently spotted at various sites on the reef.

The reef is also a veritable playground for dolphins, whales and porpoises, including humpback whales, minke whales and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Around 30 species have been recorded on the Great Barrier Reef. Dugongs are also commonly spotted.

            Of sharks the reef has no shortage, with 125 recorded species of shark, stingray or chimera lurking about the reef or on the sandy bottoms, at home amongst the reefs endless offering of choice tidbits.

            More than 400 species of soft and hard coral smother the region. An annual mass spawning takes place when the corals of the inner reefs spawn in the week after the October full moon and the outer reefs do the same in November and December.

Molluscs, giant clams, nudibranchs, cone snails, pipefish and seahorses, all have multiple species hidden amongst the coral's nooks and crannies, providing colour and life to a reef too expansive for to ever explore in its entirety in a single lifetime.

The corals of the Great Barrier Reef harbour over 1,500 species of fish, including clown fish, red-throat emperor, red bass, several species of snapper and coral trout, lionfish, stonefish and many more.

            In a demonstration of marine diversity, even saltwater crocodiles have a connection to the reef. Luckily they are restricted to marshes and mangroves on the coast near the reef.

Highlights

            Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef will undoubtedly be the highlight of your Australia dive trip, each section of the reef brings something different. The Outer Barrier Reef, Ribbon Reefs and North Coral Sea offer the most amazing dives in quiet, pristine dive locations, which means your Australian diving trip will be truly unforgettable.

Famous dive sites like Cod Hole will provide you with the opportunity to come up close and personal with giant potato cod that are virtually tame, or wet your suit whilst perched on the sandy bottom at North Horn in the North Coral Sea as you come to within snapping distance from a shark feeding frenzy.

How to Dive Australia

            Great Barrier Reef liveaboards are the best way to make the most of your diving trip to Australia.

            Dive The World offers you access to the Outer Barrier Reef with day-trips, or more often short liveaboards to maximise your number of dives.

            Due to the distance to the Ribbon Reefs and the North Coral Sea, they are accessible through liveaboard cruises only, and is your key to the splendour that can only be found on these distant parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Inner Barrier Reef consists of shallow reefs accessible through shore dives from the islands or day trips. We do not offer this destination since the quality of the diving is not as high as elsewhere on the Great Barrier Reef.

Diving Season

            Australia as a whole is a year round dive destination but, for most part, late August to early December yields the best diving conditions.

The best time for an Australia liveaboard is July to November, although in the Coral Sea at Osprey Reef and North Horn, visibility peaks during June and September.

Minke Whale season around the Great Barrier Reef is usually from June to August and is the ideal time to spot and interact with these gentle giants.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Large animals, underwater photography, reef life and health, beginner divers and snorkelling
• Not so great for: wreck diving
• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 10 - 40m
• Currents: Gentle to moderate
• Surface Conditions: Usually calm but can be choppy
• Water Temperature: 24 - 29°C
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >300
• Access: Australian liveaboards
• Recommended length of stay: 1 - 2 weeks

Myanmar

Mergui Archipelago and the Burma Banks

            In the Andaman Sea, to the north of the Thai border lie the largely undisturbed seas of Myanmar. Since the area was only opened up to tourism in 1997, divers who choose to liveaboard dive in Burma feel a great sense of privilege at witnessing the awesome sights above and below the surface of a region that has remained untouched for years.

            Many divers board Phuket liveaboards to explore the Similan Islands, but if you venture further north into Burma's Mergui Archipelago, what will you find? Firstly you will have the opportunity to dive and cruise far from the average tourist's beaten track. Picture yourself onboard a ship cutting through the silence on flat-calm crystal seas, past uninhabited, secluded islands without another vessel in site. Burma scuba diving offers rewards beyond its excellent dive spots.

            Fish sightings you can expect in the archipelago include armies of barracuda, dogtooth tuna, batfish, unicornfish and trevallies. Bigger pelagics such as manta rays and the awesome whale shark, and grey reef and white tip sharks may put in an appearance. Many of the sites are renowned for their big fish action and you hear people talk of sites such as Shark Cave and Black Rock in hushed, reverential tones.

            However it is the smaller stuff which is beginning to win recognition and make divers realise there is more to diving here than merely the big fish and seclusion. Lobsters, crabs and shrimps of seemingly every shape, colour and size scuttle over the sea floor whilst cuttlefish, ghost pipefish, frogfish and octopus all enjoying the relatively diver-free environment of the Mergui Archipelago.

Highlights

            To glimpse the best of Burma we recommend you look no further than these renowned places for Myanmar scuba diving:

            The Burma Banks flatten out at just over 20 metres with little in the way of shallow features so nitrox is a popular choice. Scuba diving at the Burma Banks means beautiful expansive sea fans and some of the most pristine hard coral formations you will ever see. There is a timeless beauty to diving here and you get the feeling the underwater scenery has changed little for years and years.

            Black Rock is an islet with steep walls past which swim a procession of exciting creatures including a variety of rays and sharks. Add to this excitement the wonder of an area of boulders featuring a profusion of soft corals and a shallow section of tube corals where all manner of crabs, urchins and other little creatures call home and you can see why many consider Black Rock to be the finest diving in Myanmar.

            Shark Cave plays home to a group of nurse sharks although the entrance is often crowded with grey reef sharks and sweetlips. Swimming through the cave you will notice the highly decorated floor (yellow sponges) and ceiling (marigold cup corals). Despite the sharks the devil is in the detail here with Durban dancing shrimps, moray eels, cowries, sea slugs and more all adding to the entertainment.

            Tower Rock features breathtaking topography with large submerged boulders and walls of rock vaulting high into the water column. The walls are studded with corals and fans providing shelter for spiny lobsters, banded shrimps, oysters and clams. However the manta rays are the stars of this particular show flying effortlessly past the impressive seascape.

How to Dive Myanmar

            The diving here is by liveaboard dive safari. There is no other way to take in enough of the sites, which are sometimes spread far and wide, than to board a cruise from Phuket, Khao Lak or Ranong in Thailand. You can browse our Burma liveaboards to find one that's right for you.

            There are a number of different options available here. Safaris that depart from Ranong and explore only the southern sections or northern sections of the Mergui Archipelago require at least 5 nights cruising. Boat charters that travel up the Thai coast through the Similan Islands before crossing over into Burmese waters, take at least 7 nights. If you really want to feel like you are on a complete Burma liveaboard safari then we recommend you take a dedicated Myanmar cruise to discover the whole Mergui region. These trips require a minimum of 10 days.

Diving Season:

            October to May sees the main Burma diving season. For optimum diving conditions in the Mergui Archipelago we recommend you visit between the months of December and April. February to May tend to witness the most frequent manta ray and whale shark sightings.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Large animals, small animals, underwater photography, dive value-for-money and advanced divers
• Not so great for: Wrecks, beginner divers, snorkelling and non-diving activities
• Depth: 5 - >40m
• Visibility: 5 - 50m
• Currents: Can be strong
• Surface Conditions: Can be rough
• Water Temperature: 25 - 28°C
• Experience Level: Intermediate – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >50
• Distance: ~280 km north of Phuket (14 hours), 60 km west of Kawthaung (3 hours)
• Access: Liveaboard from Phuket, Khao Lak or Ranong in Thailand
• Recommended length of stay: 5 - 10 days

Red Sea - Egypt

Dive Egypt's Wreck 'n Reef Rich Waters

            Few dive locations always crop up in conversation the way Egypt's Red Sea does. If it isn't the first destination to crop up in a wow dive conversation, it is typically among the first 3. Join a Red Sea liveaboard to experience the best diving that the region has to offer.

            The Red Sea takes its name from the red-tinted Egyptian mountain ranges that surround it. It's a diver's paradise, with the warmest of warm seas, very little wave action and unsurpassed visibility.

The Red Sea is considered to be 1 of the 7 Wonders of the underwater world, harbouring more than 1,000 species of invertebrates and over 200 species of soft and hard coral. This forms the basis of a marine eco-system which includes 1,100 species of fish, of which about 10% are endemic, the largest number of fish species in proportion to any other body of water in the world.

            The crystal clear waters of the Red Sea offers unobstructed opportunities to spot tropical marine life ranging from sharks and dolphins to gorgonian fans and feather-stars.

Variety is in no short supply either and depending on where you choose to dive the Red Sea, your Egypt dive holiday can include shallow patch reefs, drift dives and walls, or a collection of some of the most interesting wrecks you are likely to find. In other places vibrant reefs stretch far into the ocean and form intricate labyrinths of plateaus, lagoons, caves and gardens.

            One moment you could find yourself on a coral garden atop a summit and the next a sheer wall could plunge thousands of feet into dark ocean depths. The Red Sea's abundance of marine life and depths of the reef are a thrill that many divers will tell you is unbeatable.

Highlights

            The Red Sea as a whole is a pretty special attraction and like a box of Quality Street - everybody has their own favourite. However, Sharm El Sheik arguably has the best of what the Red Sea has to offer. The legendary dive location that is Ras Mohammed, wrecks the likes of the Dunraven and the Thistlegorm and the Straits of Tiran are all easily accessible from Sharm El Sheikh. Dotted with at least 10 other interesting wreck sites, the area is also alive with big fish such as barracuda, turtles, manta rays, eagle rays and even sharks.

            For jaded divers who have seen it all, the further south you go, the better the quality. Hurghada and Marsa Alam offer you a starting point from which to explore incredibly rich sites such as the Big Brothers and Elphinstone which satisfy even the most experienced divers.

How to Dive the Red Sea

There are 2 ways to experience the Red Sea:

            Resort stays in Egypt will allow you the opportunity to base yourself close to a selection of the finest dive sites. See our Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada resort information sections.

            Red Sea liveaboards on the other hand, are always a top choice for those who want to see more than any land-based stay can offer. These dive cruises can take you around the best of the Sinai Peninsula or the southern Red Sea. Breathtaking diving, fantastic boats and inspiring topside scenery all await you here.

Diving Season

            The Red Sea is a fine choice for diving any time of year but the water temperatures do vary significantly. From June to August the water can reach 28°C but it falls to a chilly 20°C in February. Do plan to bring an appropriate exposure suit to suit the time of year.

            Air temperatures in Egypt reach 40°C (104°F) in August and fall to 20°C (68°F) in the winter (December to February), which may also dictate when you travel.

Reef Summary

• Great for: Wreck diving, value-for-money, visibility, wall diving and large animals
• Not so great for: Small animals
• Depth: 5m - >40m
• Visibility: 20m - >40m
• Currents: Gentle – strong
• Surface conditions: Calm, can be choppy in some places
• Water Temperature: 20°C - 28°C
• Experience Level: Beginner – advanced
• Number of dive sites: >50
• Access: Daytrips and liveaboards
• Recommended length of stay: 1 - 2 weeks