Rich Reardon - Original Diver

Richard Reardon

Original Travel Expert

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Aerial view of white sand beaches with a luxury resort and palm trees in the Maldives

The World's Best Luxury Dive Resorts

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…

Two women on a diving boat. one is wearing diving kit and tank the other is showing her the dive plan.

World's Best Places to get Scuba Certified

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…

How to Navigate Underwater

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…

How to Pack for a Dive Trip

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…

How to Get Scuba Certified

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…

Top Five Dive Destinations with Childcare

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…

Diving in Micronesia Vs. Palau

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…

Tubbataha Reef - A Coral Triangle Hot Spot

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…

Day Trips to Hanifaru Bay

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…

Day Trips to Dive the Blue Hole in Belize

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…

Day Trips to Dive Apo Island

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…

Day Trips to Dive the Offshore Sites in the Azores

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…

Top Five Destinations for Cave Diving

For many, cave diving may appear as dark and impenetrable as the philosophical writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. But one of the German philosopher's more famous quotes - 'And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into thee' - reveals one of many reasons why divers enjoy the…

Top Five Destinations to Get Your Divemaster

If you want to turn your passion into a profession, the Divemaster certification represents the first rung on the diving professional ladder. The course, which lasts from three weeks to six months, qualifies you to work as a dive guide and assist instructors. With unlimited access to local…

Top Five Destinations to Get Your Advanced Certification

The Advanced Open Water Diver certification gives divers more freedom on their dive holidays. Being certified to dive deeper opens up a whole world of new dive sites to explore across the planet and can allow you to enjoy underwater experiences that were previously off-limits. Aside from the…

Day Trips to Dive Nusa Penida

The narrow Badung Strait separates Bali's south-east coastline from a cluster of three islands: Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Between them, the three islands are home to some of Bali's most exhilarating dive sites. While the water can be cooler than Bali's northern shore and…

Top Ten Bumphead Wrasse Facts

There's no mistaking the hulking silhouette of a large bumphead wrasse bumbling in from the blue. This slow-moving and inquisitive fish, with its intricate facial markings and iridescent blue and green flanks, is a welcome sight on many dive sites. Known by many different names, this…

Top Ten Sawfish Facts

Ever seen a chainsaw strapped to a pancake? When it comes to the weird and the wonderful, few creatures can compete with the bizarre-looking sawfish. Their flattened noses - or rostrums - are lined with teeth, resembling a chainsaw, they're flat(ish) and can reach a whopping seven metres in…

Top Ten Bait Ball Facts

The disco balls of the sea, bait balls (or baitballs), are densely packed groups of small fish formed either voluntarily or as a means of survival. South Africa's annual Sardine Run - often featured in Attenborough-narrated nature documentaries - is perhaps the planet's most famous bait…

Top Ten Seaweed Facts

Seaweed is found throughout the world's coastal regions, but what exactly is it? The name is misleading as it's not a 'weed,' but a prolific form of sea vegetation that is vital to life. Collectively, seaweed supplies a large proportion of the world's oxygen and plays a vital role in…

Top Ten Mantis Shrimp Facts

Often spotted scurrying across the ocean floor or peering out from their carefully constructed burrows, alien-like mantis shrimp are always a joy to see. These intriguing, carnivorous crustaceans come in a wide range of sizes and colours, and although some live in temperate waters, most…

Top Ten Dugong and Manatee Facts

It's all about the fingernails . Don't worry, we're not talking about getting a pre-dive manicure, we're talking about how to differentiate a dugong from a manatee. While both are commonly referred to as 'sea cows,' dugongs and manatees are different species, and if you happen across one…

Top Ten Mako Shark Facts

The somewhat elusive mako shark is one of the ocean's top predators. These speed merchants have evolved to hunt some of the fastest fish in our oceans, live throughout the world's tropical and temperate oceans and have a very impressive family tree. Spending much of their time in the open…

Top Ten Jellyfish Facts

Just as a seahorse is not a horse, a jellyfish is not a fish. These misunderstood creatures play an important role in the aquatic ecosystem, and while there are a few species that can inflict a painful sting, the vast majority harmlessly float by on the ocean's currents. As one of the oldest…