Indonesia voted most popular dive destination

DIVE Magazine, world’s most prominent Scuba digital magazine, recently voted #Indonesia as The Most Popular #Dive #Destination 2017.

Here is their Top Ten Most Popular Dive Destinations 2017

1. Indonesia

2. Papua New Guinea

3. The Philippines

4. Mexico

5. Maldives

6. Australia

7. The Red Sea

8. Thailand

9. The Bahamas

10. Palau

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Scuba St. Lucia wins PADI Green Star Award

ST. LUCIA'S longest-running dive operation, Scuba St. Lucia, has received the PADI Green Star Award for its dedication to conservation.

Founded in 1981, Scuba #StLucia is located at the water's edge of the 600-acre Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain resorts. Consistently voted among the top hotels in the Caribbean by leading travel authorities, both hotels were designed with a commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation.

Now, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is recognizing the resorts' efforts to keep its scuba diving operation clean and green. The region around Anse Chastanet is part of an award-winning marine reserve run by the Soufrière Marine Management Association. Scuba St. Lucia strictly follows the marine reserve policy of "look but don't touch," to ensure protection of the area's coral reef and other marine life.

www.scubastlucia.com

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Picture Credit: Mark Edley flickr.com/photos/34980062@N08/10249879286 stlucia2013195  via photopin.

Under the Sea in Latin America

CENTRAL and #SouthAmerica offer some of the best dive spots in the world with the crystal clear waters rich with wildlife and coral reefs perfect for snorkelling or scuba diving. According to LATA these are the best eight places to #snorkel or #scuba dive in Latin America

Great Blue Hole, Belize - The hole was made popular by French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau who declared it “one of the top ten dive sites in the world.” Meet nurse sharks, reef sharks and bull sharks.

Isle Holbox, Mexico - As part of the Yum Balam Nature Reserve which is separated from the mainland by the Yalahau Lagoon, home to flamingos and pelicans and waters teeming with sea turtles and whale sharks.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - With unique wildlife, much of which is endemic to the archipelago you can enjoy close encounters with playful sea lion pups, turtles, sharks, rays and exotic fish.

Fernando do Noronha, Brazil - A volcanic archipelago found off Brazil's northeast coast here you can snorkel and scuba with sea turtles, rays, dolphins and reef sharks. Its largest island is a a protected national marine park and ecological sanctuary.

Little Corn, Nicaragua - Found off the eastern Caribbean coast of Nicaragua Little Corn is only 1.5 sq miles in size. There are about 20 dive sites around the island including the most popular 'Blowing Rock' commonly seen are huge reef sharks, turtles, curious eagle rays, barracuda, dog-tailed snapper.

Sea of Cortez, Mexico - A world heritage site the reason most people go here is to see the gigantic gray whales and their calves. Alternatively snorkel amongst sea lions, blue damselfish, and schools of king angelfish.

Ambergris Caye, Belize - Belize's largest island dive off the eastern shore and enjoy the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the 124m deep Great Blue Hole.

Los Roques, Venezuela - From shallow reefs to high coral walls and deep caves Los Roques has something for everybody especially its rich marine life.

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Picture Credit: Cwrgenec flickr.com/photos/25969987@N06/29821519711 Sea Turtle via photopin.com", ahisgett flickr.com/photos/37804979@N00/4386587491 Fish 4 via photopin.com, wstera2 flickr.com/photos/13836188@N04/4642337100 The Great Blue Hole via photopin.com

Red Sea diving tips

THE EGYPTIAN TOURISM AUTHORITY has tips to help divers discover the country’s #RedSea treasures:

Ras Mohamed National Park: The most prized spots in this location include Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef which offer divers the chance to see every single species of fish in the Red Sea in one location.

Straits of Tiran – Jackson Reef: Thanks to its strong currents and abundance of nutrients, the coral here is magnificent and attracts a wide range of larger fish including hammerhead, gray, and guitar sharks.

Thistlegorm (Sharm el Sheikh): Many consider this to be the most popular wreck dive in the world. SS Thistlegorm sank in 1941 after being attacked on its way from Glasgow to Alexandria. The ship’s contents which included motorbikes, trucks, and armored cars sit on the bottom of the ocean alongside the wreck itself, complete with the hole from German bomb. Divers can use torches to look inside the wreck and might be lucky enough to spot a rare crocodile fish.

Brother Islands: Divers will need to join a safari boat to experience these spectacular islands and follow in the footsteps of Jacques Costeau. Both Big Brother and Little Brother have a splendid coral and the crystal clear waters, ideal for underwater photography. Highlights are two shipwrecks, the Aida and the Numidia.

Elphinstone (Marsa Alam): Tis drift dive offers the chance to swim with hammerhead and oceanic white tip reef sharks. Tiger sharks and dolphins can also be spotted here making for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Abu Dabbab (Marsa Alam): You are more likely to spot a Sea Turtle and the lesser-known Dugong here than at any of the other dive sites. There are two Dugongs living in Abu Dabbab that receive special protection as they are in danger of extinction.

Dolphins house, Marsa Alam: Just off the coast of Marsa Alam, a pod of spinner dolphin live on this offshore reef. Visitors can dive or even snorkel with these inquisitive creatives.

Carnatic Wreck: One of the oldest wrecks in the Red Sea, it carried crates of wine, some of which are still intact at the bottom of the ocean.

Blue Hole (Dahab): One of the most famous diving locations on the shores of the Red Sea, also known as a hot spot for free diving due to the sea depth and the lack of current.

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Don't dive in head first

WATER sport enthusiasts will be planning on travelling abroad in the coming months in search of warmer climates, so Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) has created a guide comparing airline policies on the kit divers and anglers take with them. 

The research reviews the policies of 15 airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Virgin Atlantic for travelling with water sports equipment abroad and compares checked baggage allowances, additional costs for equipment, and which sports equipment is allowed on flights.

The checked baggage allocation differs between airlines, but starts at 20kg, as offered by six of the airlines, including bmi regional, Jet2, and easyJet. Of the 15 airlines researched, booking First Class flights with Emirates provides the highest maximum weight allowance of 50kg.

Diving equipment is permitted on 13 of the airlines researched, including KLM, Qantas Group, and Virgin Atlantic. Icelandair does not include diving equipment in its standard baggage allowance, while Aer Lingus and British Airways state that diving equipment must be packed in recognized kit bags, and Monarch and Air France specify that scuba diving tanks must be empty.

Fishing equipment is permitted on 10 of the airlines surveyed, including Jet2, Air France, and bmi Regional. Policies for carrying the equipment differ between airlines, with Norwegian Air specifying that fishing rods must be packed in suitable hard casing and Aer Lingus accepting equipment no longer than 2.05m/6.7ft.

Board sporting baggage is welcomed on all 15 airlines and includes surfboards, windsurfboards, kiteboards, bodyboards, longboards, sailboards, kneeboards, wakeboards, boogie boards, and skim boards. Virgin Atlantic enables passengers to carry either windsurfing or kitesurfing equipment, but will not permit both, and that the carriage of windsurfing equipment, surfboards, and wakeboards on Flybe flights is on a stand-by basis only. Water skis are permitted on four airlines, such as bmi regional and Qantas Group, while Delta bans canoes and kayaks.

The research can be found in the Know Before You Go section of the APH website at http://www.aph.com/water-sports-equipment.


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Glamping resort to open on Bali’s north coast

#INDONESIA’S Prime Plaza Hotels & Resorts is to open a glamping resort on #Bali’s north coast this summer.

Scheduled to launch in August 2016, Menjangan Dynasty Resort, Beach Camp & Dive Centre will be on an isolated peninsula stretching down to a sandy beach. It will have 24 beach tents plus four cliff tent villas which have either one or two bedrooms and private pools.

The tents have fitted flatscreen TVs, DVD players, minibars, and bathrooms with showers.

Resort facilities include a large infinity-edged swimming pool, a beach club and bar, a dive centre, spa, exercise room, and an area for weddings.

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New in Nevis

THE newly-opened Paradise Beach Nevis is the only beachfront villa resort on the #Caribbean island of #Nevis. 

Stays start from just US$850 (£547) per night plus taxes and service charge for a family of four, including concierge and on-call butler services.

The concierge can organize activities including mountain biking, rainforest hikes with a local guide, kayaking, horse riding, scuba diving, tennis, and day trips to the neighbouring islands of St Kitts, St Barts, Anguilla, and St Martin.

The privately-owned resort has seven two-, three-, four-bedroom Indonesian- inspired thatched villas which have plunge pools and gourmet kitchens.

Nevis – at just 36 square miles – prides itself on being unmarred by modern trappings, with no fast food outlets, coffee shop chains, or casinos.

There are direct flights from the UK to St Kitts with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic via Antigua. Alternatively, guests can travel to St Maarten with KLM from Amsterdam or Air France from Paris and connect to St Kitts via Winair.

*Nevis has a population of approximately 12,000, English is the official language, and the currencies used are the US and East Caribbean dollars.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20722833@N00/3071722868">DSC01518a</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/62518311@N00/3586301726">Scuba</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Your own desert island – for $$$$s a day

WANT to rent on an exclusive basis an uninhabited island in the middle of the Tobago Cays Marine Park, and are happy to pay between US$2,000 to US$3,000 a day for the privilege? Then contact Erika’s Marine Services, a yacht agent and concierge in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Heather Grant, founder of Erika’s, said: ‘Here’s the deal … Nobody else will be there. Guests can have all their water toys, barbecue, sun shades, lounge chairs, local fish or lobster, and even live music, if they wish.

‘We can pretty much guarantee they will like it – what’s not to like about a beautiful natural environment, complete with white sand beach, warm azure sea and sunny skies? Go swimming with the turtles, scuba dive, snorkel, or enjoy kiteboarding lessons right there on the private beach.’
 
www.erikamarine.com

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Dive in Murcia

#SCUBA-DIVING enthusiasts are being invited to get in the swim this summer to discover the many underwater delights in the Murcia region.

The #Murcia coastline in south-east Spain has a wealth of marine life, underwater landscapes, and shipwrecks to explore in some of the country's most acclaimed dive sites, including Cabo de Palos – recognized as one of Europe’s best scuba areas.

Some of the region's best dive sites can be found by the port of Águilas, set amidst majestic cliffs and beautiful Sandy beaches, these sites are well protected from the weather which means there is always a sheltered spot for diving.

The region also has plenty for novice divers, with La Azohia a place for beginners to experience safe diving. It is also a renowned spot for whale watching.

Complementing the dive options are other sports and leisure activities, including watersports on shallow waters of the Mar Menor, Europe's largest salt-water lagoon.

www.murciaturistica.es

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Picture Credit: www.murciaturistica.es

Snowdonia highlights

A REGION in North Wales with a national park of 823 square miles, Snowdonia is known for its breathtaking views, rocky terrains, seascapes, and hidden valleys. 

These are some of the delights on offer: 

Explore an old quarry, try your hand at canoeing, or discover the magic of Coed Dinorwig at Padarn Country Park. This attraction offers everything from steam trains to scuba diving. www.visitsnowdonia.info/padarn_country_park-108.aspx

Running for more than seven miles from Cardigan Bay through the mountains of the Southern Snowdonia National Park, Talyllyn is the world's first preserved railway. 

Explore the steam heritage and the inspiration behind the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine while soaking up the classic rural landscape. www.talyllyn.co.uk

Ride the waves at the National White Water Centre. Take on the waves and try your hand at white water rafting at The National White Water Centre on the wild River Tryweryn. www.ukrafting.co.uk

At Llechwedd, Zip World will give you the chance to race down a series of three wires, totalling more than five miles of zip line and reaching up to 70mph. Unique to Llechwedd, the area combines adrenaline-inducing action with fascinating culture and Snowdonia mountain views. www.zipworld.co.uk

Ride a state-of-the-art RIB along the Menai Strait and across to Anglesey with pick-up points at Caernarfon, Menai Bridge, Beaumaris, and Holyhead. The boats are quiet but powerful … expect to hit speeds of 50mph. www.ribride.co.uk

Journey to the rooftop of Wales on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which winds 3,560 feet up to the mountain top. www.snowdonrailway.co.uk

www.visitsnowdonia.info

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Picture Credit: "Llyn Padarn sunrise" by RICHARD OUTRAM from Wales (Through the trees....  Uploaded by PDTillman) via Wikimedia Commons; "Edward Thomas at Tywyn Wharf - 2005-04-29 - (Talyllyn Railway)" by © Optimist on the run, 2005 / via Wikimedia Commons