Changing the game with Eco-innovation

RAJA AMPAT in Indonesia is a dream destination for all divers thanks to its the rich marine life and Eco system. Raja Ampat is a marine protected area, however, like anywhere else in the world, dive operations and trips are using fuel powered speed boats, polluting and damaging the environment, one dive after another.

MahaRaja Eco Dive Lodge wants to change the game with Eco-innovation and is introducing electric dive boats, equipped with Torqeedo engines, for #diving and #snorkeling trips. Launched in March 2018, MahaRaja Eco Dive Lodge is the newest kid on the block in #RajaAmpat, with the vision of pioneering a new era of eco-tourism.

It offers an exclusive tropical holiday experience to their guests, all with appreciation, respect and care for the ocean, nature, people and life. Created by a group of friends, passionate about the ocean, nature, traveling and people. After falling in love with Raja Ampat, they changed their lives to create a place where they could share their passion with their guests and immerse them in a full eco-lifestyle on a private island.



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Dive, dive, dive

FEATURING dive destinations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and the Maldives ZuBlu provides an easy-to-use platform allowing guests to discover new and exciting #dive destinations in #Asia. The website marries a powerful search tool with an exciting range of dive destinations, eco-friendly resorts and conservation experiences, putting the power of discovery and choice into the hands of ZuBlu’s guests.

ZuBlu ensures conservation and sustainability are at the heart of its business. Each resort listing displays an ‘at-a-glance’ summary of sustainable practices, as well as information about conservation activities. And as part of its commitment to the environment, ZuBlu donates a percentage of revenue to local conservation organisations.


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Ishigaki: Destination on the Rise

JAPAN'S Ishigaki is today revealed as the top trending #destination in the world for 2018 in the sixth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations on the Rise announced by TripAdvisor, the site that helps you find the latest reviews and lowest prices. #Ishigaki, an island in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture is home to a varied landscape including sandy beaches, rare coral, mountains and mangrove forests.

Ishigaki in Japanese, means “stone wall”. Contrary to its name, Ishigaki is an island in Okinawa and is therefore surrounded by water. Home to sandy beaches and coral reefs, the destination is a popular diving spot. Also great for food lovers, Ishigaki is known for its soba noodles - called Yaeyama soba - made of flour instead of the more traditional buckwheat.

Average annual Ishigaki hotel price, £114 per night and the most highly-rated value hotel ART Hotel Ishigaki – Low TripAdvisor pricing from £87 per night in June.

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Still smiling . . .

THE Smiling Seahorse, a French run scuba diving company operating dive cruises in #Thailand and #Myanmar announced that it has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award.

The Smiling Seahorse operates liveaboard #dive cruises for the last 6 years out of Ranong. Running trips in the best spots of Thailand (namely Surin and Similans Islands) and of Myanmar, also known as Burma, Mergui Archipelago is a new destination offering wonderful dives to the adventurous divers.

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Try the lesser known . . .

TRINITY Caves, Orange Canyon, Big Tunnel and Tarpon Alley - dramatic wall dives on Cayman’s West side that have attained legendary status among visiting divers and helped cement Cayman’s reputation as a world-class #dive #destination. Other sites such as Devil’s Grotto, Eden Rock and Sunset Reef are also on Cayman’s “hit list” of must-do dives on any vacation. But with 365 moored sites on all three islands, local dive leaders want to spotlight other sites worthy of being on Cayman’s Hit List.

The Dive 365 initiative, launched in 2008 continues to highlight the #Cayman Islands' dedication to divers by offering them many choices for diving while preserving the marine environment. The U.S. Kittiwake is one of the newest dive sites created through the initiative. Cayman’s creative dive remain committed to opening-up lesser-known areas for divers,while alleviating the environmental impact of recreational diving at more popular sites.

Jack McKenny’s Canyon, East End - Named for dive pioneer and videographer, Jack McKenny whose works have inspired viewers to visit Cayman, this site features giant narrow canyons leading to the East End drop off.

Princess Penny’s Pinnacle, Northside - Named for well-known free diver Penny Ventura who loved this site, this deep wall site has the pin in about 50 feet of water.

Randy’s Gazebo, Bloody Bay Marine Park in Little Cayman - The wall in Bloody Bay is shallowest at 25 feet under the boat. Swimming down the mooring line divers are greeted by a myriad of fish fluttering about the top of the wall before coming to the drop-off plunging into darkness below.

Hepp’s Pipeline, North Wall, Grand Cayman - This north side dive in Grand Cayman features a mini wall that starts at 70 feet and goes up to approximately 40 feet. The mini wall curves over itself as it gets near the top, looking like a large wave about to break, but frozen in time, thus the surfing reference in its name, Pipeline.

Grouper Grotto – This is a system of caverns, archways and swim-throughs in the reef at East End. The top of the reef starts at 20 feet and drops down to the bottom of the canyon at 60 feet.

Snapper Hole – This is a shallow dive with open tunnels and swim-throughs. A large Spanish anchor is located under one of the overhangs, offering a great photo opportunity. The site has stunning corals and marine life, and during the summer months, silversides fill the area, so it’s another great site to experience Cayman’s Silver Rush.

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Dive Fest in Barbados

WHETHER you can swim, float, dive, or prefer to soak up some sun on the beach, this festival will have something for everyone! Dive Fest Barbados is being held July 5 - 9th in St Michael. 

Featuring water awareness programs, scuba and freediving demonstrations, beach clean ups, conservation tips, lionfish hunting and tasting, as well as scuba dives all over the island - including the exhilarating east coast!. Discover what lies beneath the beautiful #Barbados seas.

www.divefestbarbados.com/

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Underwater in the Palm Beaches

BEST known for its 47 miles of pristine beaches, The Palm Beaches is also home to an abundance of marine life, which creates world-class #diving and #snorkeling experiences unique to #Florida. A collection of 39 cities and towns stretching from Boca Raton to Jupiter and Tequesta, The Palm Beaches is the closest place in North America to the Gulf Stream current, an oceanic conveyor belt of warm, clear water that attracts sea turtles, tropical fish, sailfish, goliath grouper, dolphins and even gentle whale sharks.

The destination is also home to 151 artificial reefs, including 45 scuttled ships. One of the newest is the storied cargo ship Ana Cecilia, which was sunk off the Lake Worth Inlet in 2016. Snorkelers can also enjoy easy access to an Underwater Snorkel Trail, a free shore dive location teeming with reef dwellers and colorful tropical fish.

www.thepalmbeaches.com

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