From the opulent desert-island retreats of the South Pacific to the chic beachfront cottages of the Caribbean, some of the world's most opulent dive resorts are a giant stride from the world's most celebrated reefs and dive sites. If a comprehensive pre-dive briefing is as important as the…
If you haven't yet taken the giant stride into the underwater world but are looking to take the plunge on your next dream holiday, you may be wondering which are the world's best places to get scuba certified. When it comes to taking your first underwater breaths, there are a few factors to…
Dive professionals are often asked how they found the boat at the end of the dive. Underwater navigation, though mystifying to some, shares the same principles as land-based orientation. Similar to finding your way around an unfamiliar town, recognizing landmarks and your surroundings is…
If you're the type of person who struggles to zip up your suitcase without a friend's help, packing for a dive trip may seem daunting. Diving, as an equipment-intensive hobby, can be tricky to pack for. However, before you start randomly throwing snorkels, dive torches and that bulky old…
For some, the dream holiday means basking in the sun and sipping cocktails. But for those less inclined to lie stock-still under the sweltering sun, few activities are as relaxing and exhilarating as diving. Earning your dive certification opens up a whole new world, and while studying on…
Free divers will know the buddy system and its 'one up, one down' philosophy. But do they also know that it has been borrowed and modified for travelling parents who don't want to miss out on deep sea action. With one parent diving down into the peaceful deep blue, the other stays on land on…
Palau and Micronesia have history. Once part of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, now an independent island country in the western Pacific, left Micronesia with just four 'federated states' - Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. But when it comes to their diving, their history can be…
The rectangular Sulu Sea is surrounded on three sides by the Philippine islands of Palawan, Mindanao, Panay and Negros, and at its southern boundary, the northern shore of Borneo. The 'jewel in the crown' of Philippine dive sites, Tubbataha Reef, sits in the middle of the Sulu Sea in the…
Between the months of June and November, the sun and moon conspire with the Indian Ocean tides and the southwest monsoon to create a magical manta ray experience at Hanifaru Island in the Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve of the Maldives. This elongated inlet, known to Maldivians as Vandhumaafaru…
While the celebrated German philosopher Friendrich Nietsche theorised that "if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into thee," Jacques Cousteau seemed more inclined to just dive straight on in, with a film crew in tow to boot. Back in the early 70s, the much-celebrated French…