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 Philippines diving, Tubbataha Reef, sits in the middle of the Sulu Sea in the Coral…
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…
Apo Island is often cited as the jewel in the Philippines' diving crown. Thanks largely to its community-led protected marine sanctuary, established almost forty years ago, this volcanic island is surrounded by some of the healthiest reefs in the Philippines, boasting over 400 coral species…
If you've been dreaming of diving with manta rays and whale sharks but are less enthused by long flights to megafauna hotspots like Fiji, Bali or the Maldives, then cast your eyes to the offshore sites in the Azores. This chain of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…