Curaçao, Ocean Encounters, and LionsDive Beach Resort have collectively clinched an impressive 23 awards at the 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards, reinforcing their position as a premier Dive Destination and top-notch dive operator.

The results of the 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards are in, and the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curaçao, Ocean Encounters, and LionsDive Beach Resort have emerged as the indisputable winners in the world of scuba diving. These prestigious awards, celebrating excellence in the industry, mark yet another year of inclusion for Curaçao, Ocean Encounters, and LionsDive Beach Resort.

The 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards is a highly regarded annual event that allows the global scuba diving community to recognize and honor the best in the business. Divers, enthusiasts, and industry experts from around the world cast their votes to determine the winners, making it a true testament to the excellence of the recipients.

What Makes the 2024 Reader’s Choice Awards Significant?

The 2024 Reader’s Choice Awards hold great significance in the scuba diving community for several reasons. Firstly, it represents the collective voice of divers and enthusiasts, making it a true reflection of the industry’s preferences. 

Secondly, these awards are a hallmark of quality and service, and securing a top position is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the awardees. 

Finally, the awards set the standard for excellence in the scuba diving industry and guide divers and travelers in choosing their next adventure.

Curaçao: A Jewel in the Caribbean

Once again, Curaçao has demonstrated its standing as one of the world’s premier scuba diving destinations. Nestled between Aruba and Bonaire, this Dutch Caribbean Island has been awarded the #2 spot for Best Shore Diving Destination and the #3 spot for Best Snorkeling Destination. Moreover, Curaçao secured top positions in several other categories, including a Top 5 spot for Best Overall Dive Destination, Best Beginner Dive Destination, Best Macro Life, Underwater Photography, Health of Marine Environment, Wall Diving, and Best Value.

Ocean Encounters: Pinnacle of Dive Operation Excellence

Ocean Encounters, a Premier PADI and SSI Dive Shop located in Curaçao, has soared to the top of the Caribbean’s dive operators. The dive shop was honored with several awards, including #2 Dive Shop for Attention to Safety, #3 for Quality of Facilities, and #3 for Quality of Staff. Ocean Encounters also secured spots in the Top 5 for Best Overall Dive Center in the Caribbean, Quality of Boats, Rental Gear, and a Top 10 spot for Quality of Training and Courses.

Jeremiah Peek, Managing Director of Ocean Encounters, expressed his delight in this achievement, saying, “We are thrilled to be a part of Curaçao’s success story. The 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards highlight our commitment to providing the ultimate dive experience. We are deeply grateful to our team for their hard work and dedication and all the divers who recognized their efforts.”

LionsDive Beach Resort: A Paradise for Divers

LionsDive Beach Resort, a serene haven in Curaçao, proudly walked away with awards for Quality of Dive Resort (#3), Best Overall Dive Resort in the Caribbean (Top 5), Quality of Rooms (Top 5), and Quality of Staff (Top 10). Additionally, the resort achieved recognition in the Top 10 categories for Dive Resort Value and Quality of Restaurants.

Mimi Luttge, General Manager of LionsDive Beach Resort, expressed her gratitude for the accolades, stating, “We are truly honored to have our resort acknowledged by the scuba diving community. These awards underscore our commitment to providing an exceptional experience for all our guests.”

A Heartfelt Thank You

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the divers, enthusiasts, and industry experts who participated in the 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards voting process. Your support and recognition motivate us to continue striving for excellence in the world of scuba diving.

A World-Class Scuba Diving Destination

The accolades received by Curaçao, Ocean Encounters, and LionsDive Beach Resort firmly establish Curaçao as one of the world’s best overall scuba diving destinations. With its crystal-clear waters, abundant marine life, and a commitment to safety and quality, Curaçao offers an unparalleled scuba diving experience for dive groups, families, and individuals.

Plan Your Scuba Diving Adventure Today!

For those seeking the ultimate scuba diving experience, look no further. Visit Curaçao, explore the underwater wonders with Ocean Encounters, and unwind at LionsDive Beach Resort. The 2024 Scuba Diving Reader’s Choice Awards have spoken – Curaçao, Ocean Encounters, and LionsDive Beach Resort are your go-to destination for a memorable and world-class scuba diving vacation.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to dive into the enchanting waters of Curaçao and experience the award-winning services of Ocean Encounters and LionsDive Beach Resort. Your next adventure awaits!

For more information, bookings, and inquiries, please visit www.curacao.com, www.oceanencounters.com, and www.lionsdive.com.

Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa now welcomes guests of all ages, making it the perfect destination for families looking for a wholesome and unforgettable tropical getaway. 

The island is located on the secluded tip of North Male Atoll, accessible by a 15-minute picturesque seaplane transfer from Velana International Airport. The island features 50 all-pool villas on land and over water just steps away from a dip in the ocean. 

Uncrowded dive sites, an excellent house reef for snorkeling, fun activities for the little ones, great wellness and spa facilities, you might think it’s too much to ask but at Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa you can have everything on your wish list and more!

Due to its out-of-the-way location, divers at Kagi often enjoy having the dive sites to themselves with just the Euro-Divers Kagi expert guides, their buddy and their bubbles for company – this gives a private charter-like experience without specifically booking one. 

You may start worrying that there won’t be enough to do to keep your family occupied but if you introduce them to scuba diving, they will be active, learn something new and get to see the beautiful underwater world.  

Kids as young as 8 can experience diving with the PADI Bubblemaker program and from the age of 10 can participate in the Discover Scuba Diving program. This isn’t a certification course so it is a great option if your family wants to experience diving but don’t want to study on their holiday.

Book your festive getaway with a choice of offers of up to 30% savings on villa bookings and a family dive package that can be shared with your family and friends. 

We look forward to showing you the marine delights of Kagi soon and creating a memorable festive season.

Contact us for more information about diving activities, or to book your families onto a course. 

We are thrilled to introduce you to the exquisite NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort, a haven of natural sustainability and indulgence.

Whether celebrating your sweet honeymoon or planning a memorable family vacation, NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort is a five-star resort offering an enhanced experience that will mesmerize you.

The island is located in the deep south of the Maldives, in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, accessible by a 55-minute flight from Velana International Airport to Kaadhedhoo Domestic Airport, followed by a 10-minute scenic speedboat transfer to the resort.

The resort features 60 beach villas and 60 overwater villas, each designed to provide the utmost comfort. Experience pure bliss as you wake up to stunning ocean views and explore the pristine house reef at your own pace.

Euro-Divers Havodda offers scuba diving courses and dive trips tailored to all levels. The team of experienced instructors will guide you every step of the way, ensuring a safe and enjoyable learning experience from mastering the basics in beginner courses to advancing your skills.

Whether you’d like to glide along the surface on a paddleboard, travel at speed on a jet ski, snorkelling or scuba diving, you will find an option that matches your needs.

Don’t miss out on experiencing this slice of paradise!

Learn more about Euro-Divers Havodda at: https://www.euro-divers.com/havodda-maldives/

Book your stay now at NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort at: https://world.nh-hotels.com/en/nh-collection-maldives-havodda

Be the first to participate in the Ultimate Week of Adventures

Ocean Quest has created the Consummate Explorer Package in collaboration with Canadian Geographic Adventures. The week is packed with planned activities and flex days to explore the best of Newfoundland.

Details

Ocean Quest in collaboration with Canadian Geographic 

May 13-20, 2023

40 O’leary Ave, St. John’s, Newfoundland

709-722-7234
frontdesk@oceanquestadventures.com

Ocean Quest Adventures is based in Newfoundland, Canada, and “dives” into a variety of aspects of our great Canadian tourism industry. There are branches in St. John’s, Petty Harbour, and Conception Bay South. We have something for everyone, whether you’re looking for adventure on your Newfoundland vacation or enjoying a Staycation in our beautiful province.

To reduce the pressures on coral reefs and increase the value of sustainable marine tourism

The Reef-World Foundation, the Onna Village Diving Association, the local government, and Oceana are delighted to announce that Japan is now the 14th country globally to implement the Green Fins initiative – a UN Environment Programme initiative. Onna Village in Okinawa is the first Japanese tourist destination to adopt Green Fins environmental standards to reduce the threats associated with diving and snorkelling on the marine environment.

Green Fins is piloted in Onna Village, Okinawa prefecture, an area renowned for its marine sports and has been working to protect its reefs for many years. Green Fins is implemented as part of the national Sustainable Development Goals project, which aims to manage and illustrate to the local industry how sustainable tourism can play a role in reef conservation. The economic benefits of the reefs benefit not only the fisheries industry but also the tourism industry as it has rocketed in recent decades. 

If the project is successful – proving the value of sustainable tourism – the model has the potential to be escalated to a national level. A wide rollout would allow Reef-World to focus on uptake and expansion into other marine tourism and biodiversity hotspots across Japan. Green Fins implementation in Japan would provide practical solutions to many of the common problems faced in the area. It would also help to promote high standards for diving in the country. Improving the quality of the diving industry through Green Fins would demonstrate the added value of Onna Village’s tourism product. This, in turn, will encourage tourists to spend more time and money diving in the region.

Following a week of training by Reef-World (23 to 28 May 2022), Japan now has a national Green Fins team comprised of four fully certified Green Fins Assessors and two Green Fins Coordinators from Oceana and the local government. They will be responsible for recruiting, assessing, training and certifying dive and snorkel operators to become Green Fins members in the country. This involves providing training about the ecology and threats to coral reefs, simple and local everyday solutions to these threats and Green Fins’ environmental standards to dive and snorkel operators. Green Fins membership will help marine tourism operators improve their sustainability and prove they are working hard to follow environmental best practices as a way of attracting eco-minded tourists.

James Harvey, Director at The Reef-World Foundation, said: “We are really excited to finally introduce Green Fins in Japan. We have been planning this for almost three years, but the travel restrictions related to the pandemic hindered progress. The diving industry in Okinawa and the marine life upon which it has been built is so unique, it must be preserved for generations to come. The Okinawa diving community is very passionate about protecting their marine environment, and Green Fins has given them an opportunity to collectively work to reduce their environmental impact and pursue exemplary environmental standards.”

Diving and snorkelling related damage to sensitive marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, is becoming an increasingly significant issue. This damage makes them less likely to survive other local and wider stressors, such as overfishing or plastic debris and the effects of climate change. Based on robust individual assessments, the Green Fins initiative helps identify and mitigate these risks by providing environmental consultation and support to dive and snorkel operators. Through Green Fins implementation in Japan, Reef-World aims to reduce negative environmental impacts in the region by reaching 10 marine tourism operators, training 50 dive guides and raising awareness of sustainability best practices among 10,000 tourists in the first year.

Yuta Kawamoto, CEO of Oceana, said: “Green Fins will help to unify all the conservation efforts in Okinawa by applying the guidelines in many areas and raising tourists awareness. We hope this will increase the sustainable value in the diving industry and in turn increase the diving standards in the country.”

Green Fins is a UN Environment Programme initiative, internationally coordinated by The Reef-World Foundation, which aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines to promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. Green Fins provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance. 

To date, four dive operators in Onna Village have joined the global network of 600+ trained and assessed Green Fins members. These are: Benthos Divers, Okinawa Diving Center, Arch Angel and Pink Marlin Club. There has also been significant interest from other operators, even those that are not located in Onna Village, for Green Fins training and assessment.

Suika Tsumita from Oceana said: “Green Fins serve as an important tool for local diving communities to move towards a more sustainable use of their dive sites; so that they can maintain their scenic beauty and biological richness to provide livelihoods for many generations to come.”

For more information, please visit www.reef-world.org or  www.greenfins.net/countries/japan.

Dive and snorkel operators interested in signing up for Green Fins can find the membership application form at: www.greenfins.net/how-to-join.

Dive and snorkel operators in Japan interested in signing up to be Green Fins members can contact the Green Fins Japan team at japan@greenfins.net.

Adding to its list of growing merits, Six Senses Laamu has been named the best hotel in Asia and, better yet, ranked as No.7 on the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Hotels in the World awards.

In this year’s top 25 listings, Six Senses Laamu also features as No.2 within Top Hotels on the Water in the World and No.4 for Best Luxury Hotels in the World.

There can be no better endorsement of success than to be voted top by guests and customers, and that is how the TripAdvisor awards are defined. Award winners are selected based on feedback from millions of real travelers so that the annual Best of the Best awards are not just popular choices but truly exceptional ones that keep travelers returning. The Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards are TripAdvisor’s highest honor and the winners are among the top one percent of listings on their platform.

“There are more than 500 resorts listed on TripAdvisor in the Maldives, so to be ranked by travelers as the best resort in the country and also the best in Asia, and the seventh in the world is an incredible achievement,” explains Marteyne van Well, the Regional General Manager for SixSenses in the Maldives.

A quick browse through Six Senses Laamu’s TripAdvisor page shows the glowing comments such as “Six Senses Laamu is the most beautiful place on the planet”, “coming back to the island felt like coming home” and compliments the resort’s hosts kindness being what “truly what make this resort a gem in the middle of the Indian Ocean.”

“When I read the reviews our guests leave, I am always filled with pride,” adds van Well. “Each and every review mentions our incredible team whose hard work and kind nature are the reason behind the resort’s achievements.”

Six Senses Laamu is the only luxury resort in the Laamu Atoll, one of the planet’s Hope Spots located deep in the Indian Ocean. It is a sustainable eutopia where dolphins swim along the seashell-dappled shoreline and Yin Yang, the Maldives’ most famous surfing wave, breaks just offshore. Chefs prepare dishes created from produce grown in the island’s organic gardens, enhanced by tropical vistas. Highly skilled therapists and Visiting Practitioners provide a comprehensive range of award-winning signature treatments, rejuvenation and wellness specialties.

The resort is a combination of on-land and over-water villas constructed of sustainable materials and set around the palm-fringed paradise. A returning TripAdvisor guest commented for their review, “I’ve never seen something so beautiful”.

Learn more at: https://www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/laamu

Meliá Phuket Mai Khao, a wellness-inspired resort that fronts Phuket’s longest stretch of sand with a chilled-out beach club and private pool villas has opened on Thailand’s largest island. 

The resort is the second five-star property to be launched in Thailand under Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International as part of a brand roll-out in key destinations across the Kingdom. 

Situated on secluded Mai Khao beach, commanding eight acres of Phuket’s northwestern coastline on the Andaman Sea, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao opened its doors for business on December 1.

The 30-suite and 70-villa resort, owned by residential real estate developer Phuket Villa Group, is a 15-minute drive to Phuket International Airport and near an array of attractions including Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, Sirinat National Park, and Wat Phra Thong temple. 

The resort’s design melds traditional and contemporary Thai aesthetics with a smattering of Mediterranean accents and uses a neutral palette of colours to complement Mai Khao’s sandy shoreline. High ceilings and decorative metal screens make the most of the natural surrounds and sunny, tropical weather.

Guest Suites and Villas

Meliá Phuket Mai Khao’s contemporary, light-filled and spacious Mediterranean-inspired accommodations – with a focus on simple, clean lines and indoor-outdoor living – comprise 30 one-bedroom suites and 70 one-bedroom villas. 

The resort has three accommodation categories. Each features a single bedroom and is differentiated by an anchoring amenity — be it an outdoor bathtub, a private plunge pool or a wellness arrangement.

All of the suites and villas feature outdoor bathtubs, open-air showers and outdoor terraces to take advantage of Phuket’s tropical climate, which averages 28 degrees Celsius year round. Exquisite gardens and fixtures such as white stucco exterior walls also ensure secluded enclaves and the utmost privacy.

The 78sqm suites are complemented by cabanas and the 85sqm one-bedroom villas have private plunge pools. 

At the top of the accommodation scale, the 15 wellness villas each feature an open-air Vitamin C shower, ultrasonic essential oil diffuser, GermGuardian air purifier, Tempur-Pedic pillows, aromatic salts for the outdoor bathtub, a fit ball and yoga mat. A highlight of staying at a wellness villa is a daily 60-minute massage. 

Mod-cons in all of the accommodations include individually controlled air-conditioning, 43-inch LCD TV with satellite channels, Bluetooth speaker, Nespresso coffee maker and gourmet capsules and more. 

The minibar has healthy snacks such as energy bars on request. Trays and tissue boxes made from banana leaves are among sustainable items in the suites and villas. 

Dining

The resort’s diverse dining landscape comprises four outlets under the stewardship of culinary director Luca Mancini and adds a dash of Mediterranean flavor to Phuket’s culinary scene. 

Adjacent to a beach pool framed with cabanas and sun lounges, the Gaia Beach Club celebrates Spain’s famed gastronomy by serving Mediterranean and fusion cuisine from an open kitchen and a creative cocktail selection from a long bar. 

A warm and intimate setting adorned with timber finishes, SASA is an elegant all-day dining restaurant that specialises in international and Thai cuisine. SASA offers a healthy, freshly made breakfast and delectable Thai set lunches and dinners. 

The Elyxr Café features a spacious lounge area with comfortable sofas and a selection of books and serves coffee and tea. 

The Pool Bar is a swim-up affair at the centre of the resort that serves a range of refreshments including fresh juices, smoothies and cocktails.

Spa, Wellness and Recreation

Privately tucked away behind the lobby and Elyxr Café, Meliá’s signature YHI Spa is 300sqm and home to five treatment rooms. In addition to its extensive menu of massages, facials, body scrubs and wraps, spa therapists also provide poolside and in-villa treatments. 

The resort will offer wellness packages that include healthy menus and freshly squeezed juices as well as activities such as meditation, yoga, and walks and cycling amid stunning natural scenery.

The fitness center is equipped with treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and weights machines. 

The kids club Kidsdom has workshops to keep youngsters entertained and the resort also provides a babysitting service. 

Recreational pursuits on offer range from horse riding on the beach, to scuba diving at Racha Yai, Koh Dok Mai, Phi Phi Island and Shark Point, to golf at the nearby Blue Canyon Country Club. 

Facilities

The resort’s conference facilities include a grand ballroom and two additional multi-function rooms at 231sqm. The Grand Ballroom totals 131sqm and caters to up to 100 guests for a standing cocktail reception or 88 guests for a sit-down dinner. The two adjacent multipurpose rooms are each 47sqm that seat up to 16 guests for a boardroom meeting. 

The resort’s event planners provide customized catering to suit any occasion. Mini mindfulness sessions also enhance the wellbeing of attendees. 

“Meliá Phuket Mai Khao’s debut marks such an exciting time for Phuket, signaling our genuine optimism for the future of tourism on Thailand’s largest island,” said Mr Maetapong Upatising, Phuket Villa Group’s Managing Director.

“The team and I are thrilled we could bring such a significant hotel debut to fruition during these unprecedented times and we’re delighted with the interest in our resort so far despite the difficulties stemming from the global pandemic,” said Ms Magdalena Martorell, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao’s General Manager. 

“With its distinct focus on guest wellbeing, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao brings Meliá’s sunny Spanish hospitality and passion for service to Phuket, as well as stringent health and safety measures to combat COVID-19,” said Mr Ignacio Martin, Area Managing Director South East Asia of Meliá Hotels International. 

Elsewhere in Thailand, Meliá Koh Samui debuted in January 2020 with a nautical theme underscored by boat suites made from refurbished merchant vessels. Meliá Chiang Mai is slated to open in April 2022 with a rooftop bar featuring two bars connected by a glass bridge. INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, the first property of its brand in Thailand, with 176 guestrooms, is due to open 2023.

For more information about Meliá Phuket Mai Khao, visit www.melia.com

Meliá Phuket Mai Khao has launched a seven-night sandbox package priced from THB 38,500 (USD 1155) for direct bookings before March 24, 2022 for stays before March 31, 2022. The offer includes daily breakfast for two, a one-way airport transfer and 20% off food and beverage as well as laundry.

The Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) was recently recognized as a global leader in marine conservation during the 20th Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards. Shortly after, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his administration designated six naturally unique and eco-rich areas in Laamu Atoll as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This announcement comes just two months after the atoll was declared as a Hope Spot by Mission Blue.

Recognition for Conservation Progress

MUI, the marine biology team at Six Senses Laamu, consisting of hosts from the resort and its three partner NGOs: The Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation and The Olive Ridley Project, has been named Marine and Coastal category winner at the 2021 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards. This is the second Skål trophy on display at Six Senses Laamu after the resort was crowned winners of the same category in 2018. Three independent sustainability experts judged 50 entrees from 26 countries, placing MUI top in its category ahead of five other projects.

“To receive this award twice is an incredible achievement,” explains Marteyne van Well, Six Senses Laamu General Manager, “and it is testament to the progress MUI has made in the realms of marine conservation since we won our first Skål Award three years ago.”

This award celebrates the team’s dedication to marine conservation through their research, education and community outreach work. Their research has been presented at both science symposiums and governmental meetings to drive policy change. They have provided 199 children in Laamu with marine conservation and environmental education and brought 566 students from local schools on snorkeling excursions. Since 2019, they have had 26,000 moments of education with guests and certified 165 children through their Junior Marine Biology Program.

Six Designated Marine Protected Areas

Just one day after the award was announced, MUI’s celebrations continued when the President of the Maldives, Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, announced six MPAs were coming to Laamu. The team has been working towards this milestone for many years.

“Since MUI was formed, our ultimate goal has been to protect Laamu’s marine habitats and keystone megafauna species through legislation,” says Philippa Roe, MUI’s Head Marine Biologist. “For years, the partners within MUI – Six Senses Laamu, the Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation, and the Olive Ridley Project – have been gathering research on Laamu’s marine ecosystems and species, much of which was used as evidence to support marine protection.”

The areas which have been designated for marine protection include the turtle nesting beach, mangrove and seagrass area of L. Gaadhoo (a neighboring uninhabited island of Six Senses Laamu), the channel between Six Senses Laamu and L. Gaadhoo, the mangrove of L. Hithadhoo (an inhabited island on the other side of Six Senses Laamu), as well as two channels, a mangrove, a wetland and an island in other areas of the atoll.

“The new MPAs, consisting of interconnected coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass meadows, will support Laamu’s community by safeguarding fish populations and livelihoods while maintaining climate-resilient reefs,” explains Shaha Hashim, the Maldives Project Manager for Blue Marine Foundation and a driving force behind the designation of the MPAs.

Home to Regenerative Travel Activism

The Skål award was not the only award received in Laamu last month. On December 15, 2021, the winners of the Regenerative Travel 2021 Impact Awards were announced, and Shaha was recognized as the Regenerative Activist of the Year. The award recognizes her dedication to these MPA designations by describing her as, “a voice for many who do not have the capacity or platform to speak, working towards fair and well-managed resources based upon scientific evidence.”

Now that these MPAs have been designated, the Environment Ministry will work with stakeholders, including Atoll and Island Councils, to develop management plans for each area. MUI and Blue Marine Foundation will continue to engage with local community members and leaders in the atoll, providing advice and assistance wherever needed.

Mission Blue Hope Spot

This welcome news comes just two months after the Laamu Atoll was declared as a Hope Spot by the international marine conservation non-profit Mission Blue. The Hope Spot announcement highlighted the importance of marine ecosystems in the atoll and the need for further protection.

Learn more about Six Senses Laamu at: https://www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/laamu

Once ravaged by poachers, Ilha do Fogo is now the centre of conservation on the north-east coast of Mozambique. Soon, it will be opened up as an exclusive, luxury retreat, focused on scuba diving and eco-tourism. 

Since the discovery of poaching activity upon the new owner’s first visit to the island, Fire Island Conservation has set up a small anti-poaching unit, and this human presence has prevented further plundering. Now, the team is busy developing the island for exclusive eco-tourism, to subsidise the conservation and anti-poaching projects. By July 2022, the scuba diving resort will be receiving tourists.

Forming part of the Primeiras e Segundas Environmental Protection Area, it is essential that the environmental integrity of the island’s habitat remains intact. The team has enlisted the help of BOXA, a construction tech company, that has designed the buildings on the island to ensure minimal impact on the environment. The BOXA units are constructed to ‘float’ above the ground, leaving existing ecosystems and vegetation intact. 

With conservation at the forefront of the development, each unit will have solar panels on the roofs and all amenities on the island will be entirely powered by solar energy. Currently, there is no fresh water on the island, but a rainwater harvesting system will be constructed, using sundomes and a small desalination plant.

Fire Island Conservation has been in talks with some renowned biologists about launching a marine research facility on the island, with the purpose of collecting data on the marine life to feed into international projects. The critically endangered hawksbill turtle and endangered green turtle were once victims on the island, and will instead be protected by the conservation and research projects.

Scuba divers can expect a unique opportunity to explore the incredible fauna and flora around the island’s 150km of flawless reef, boasting over 450 corals, turtles and countless other marine life. Ilha do Fogo is also situated on the historical passage of De Gama’s trade route, with exciting shipwrecks having been discovered nearby, that are perfect for wreck dives. 

“Tourists will have the opportunity to help us to identify the fauna around the island’s unexplored reef. It is a highly unique, exclusive, bucket-list dive trip, for any marine life enthusiast. Of course, our sustainability ethos is carved into everything we do, and our goal is to connect our guests to nature, while protecting our environment.”

Jan van Deventer, COO, Fire Island Conservation

Fire Island Conservation was born when Robert Koski purchased Ilha do Fogo almost a decade ago. Bob and Jan van Deventer discovered that it was ravaged by poachers during their first visit to the island, and sadly, hawksbill and green turtles were the main victims of the poaching. Bob’s dream of a resort-style development on the island was put on hold for almost a decade, while a marine conservation action plan was put in place to protect these imperilled species. 

Ilha do Fogo is an essential turtle nesting site, and a turtle monitoring program was created to help ensure their nesting process is unimpeded. This is one of many projects established to empower local communities, providing an alternative income opportunity to poaching. These community and conservation projects are supported by our eco-tourism efforts, which include eco-luxury lodges across Africa. The retreat currently being developed on Ilha do Fogo has been carefully considered and planned in such a way that it will not impact the environment in any way, and will incorporate the conservation efforts.

A summary of all you need to know about scuba diving in Thailand. Where & when to learn to dive, how much to pay and info on Similan Islands liveaboards.

Thailand is among the best places in the world to go on vacation. Great weather, logistics, shopping, food, nightlife, and more. Scuba diving in Thailand is hugely popular due to the clear warm waters and colourful tropical reefs. You can learn to dive in Thailand, advance your certification level, or just go on fun dives on day trips or liveaboard cruises. Between dive trips, there’s plenty to see and do and the prices of getting around and staying in Thailand are very reasonable.

Before Covid-19 Thailand was among the most-visited countries in the world. And we hope that this continues when things return to normal. The country is especially attractive for those looking for some sea, sun, & fun at all budget levels. The country’s geographical location enables it to offer a great year-round climate. There are mountains, rainforests, shopping, nightlife and the famous islands & beaches in the south. Scuba diving in Thailand is incredibly popular. It’s ideal for learning to dive, day trips and liveaboard cruises. While some commercial diving is possible, this article focusses on recreational scuba diving.

• The Islands of Thailand
• Thailand’s best diving areas
• Types of dive boats
• Dive sites
• Learn to dive on a budget
• Prices
• Local guidelines, equipment & safety
• Booking a Thailand liveaboard

The Geography of Thailand

To get started, it’s important to understand the layout of southern Thailand, which is part of a peninsula that includes Malaysia on its southern border. On the east coast is The Gulf of Thailand, which leads out to The South China Sea. And on the west coast is The Andaman Sea that soon becomes The Indian Ocean. It is possible to sail from one coast to the other, but it’s a very long journey which requires sailing around Singapore and would take at least a week. At its narrowest point, the country is just 11 kilometres wide, and the peninsula’s narrowest section is just 50 kilometres wide. Travellers normally get from one side to the other by road or on domestic flights.

Islands in Thailand that you’ve probably heard of may include Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and The Similan Islands on the west/Andaman coast, and Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan on the east coast. Phuket and Samui have international airports, but all the others are only reachable by private boat or public ferry.

Much of the marine life and sea conditions are very similar on one side of Thailand to the other, but the seasons are slightly different due to the monsoons. For most of us who want to escape winter, both sides of Thailand have great weather from December to March.

The Best Diving in Thailand

It’s generally considered that the best diving in Thailand is found off the west coast at what many refer to as The Similan Islands. Actually, the country’s best dive site is Richelieu Rock that’s technically in a national park just north of The Similans but is included in nearly all Similan Islands Liveaboard cruises anyway.

Why are The Similans & Richelieu Rock so good? Well, it’s mainly due to their location, far out at sea away from pollution and on the cusp of The Indian Ocean. The reefs are healthy, and large pelagic species come to visit on a regular basis. Everyone gets excited when a Whale Shark or Manta Ray joins the dive, and this is quite common at The Similans & Richelieu Rock.

It’s also possible to see these gentle giants at Chumpon Pinnacle and Sail Rock in The Gulf of Thailand, but these dive sites don’t usually have as good visibility, and they get crowded during high season. Phuket’s & Koh Phi Phi’s dive sites are also nice, but not as good as The Similans. And Phuket & Phi Phi dive sites get very busy during high season as well, normally with large groups of inexperienced divers.

Hin Daeng & Koh Haa are south of Phuket & Koh Lanta, and completely uninhabited. Diving here can be great for the healthy corals, marine life and lack of other dive boats.

Keep reading to learn about the type of boats & dive sites you can expect when diving in Thailand.

Dive Boats in Thailand

The type of boat you will dive from really all depends on how far away the dive site is. If not too many divers are going out for a one-dive trip, you can do this on a longtail boat with a back-roll entry. Two-dive day trips are done on larger dive boats if the destination is reachable within 90 minutes. But for travelling further, a speedboat or a catamaran fitted with outboard motors is necessary.

To enjoy the best Thailand diving experience, you should join a liveaboard cruise that goes out for three days or more. These large boats are smooth & very comfortable. Very few liveaboards operate on the east coast, mainly because there isn’t the choice of multiple & quality dive sites far from land but near one another. Most of the liveaboards operate on Thailand’s west coast.

Liveaboard cruises in Thailand usually start near or in Phuket, which means you can fly in on an international or domestic flight and be on the boat within a couple of hours. When considering the cost of a liveaboard trip, it’s important to remember that accommodation and meals are included. You get to dive up to four times each day, and this is really nice at dive sites which get busy. On a liveaboard you can dive before the day-trip boats arrive, and after they have gone back to shore.

Our next section discusses what types of dive sites you can expect to visit in Thailand.

Thailand Dive Sites

For recreational divers, the dive sites in Thailand are mostly coral reefs, with a few wrecks. In general, conditions are suitable for all levels of certified scuba diver. Around the islands and pinnacles, the sea usually bottoms out at approximately 25-35 metres. Some dive sites don’t get that deep, and a few go deeper.

In general, the boat operators can offer Open Water Divers plenty to see down to 18 metres, and Advanced Divers more life down to 30 metres, all while doing so on the same dive. In some cases, learning to dive or doing a discover/intro dive is possible at the same time & place as the experienced divers. But normally the shallow training dives take place at slightly different locations to ensure maximum safety, enjoyment & value.

The east and west sides of Thailand offer very similar experiences, but the visibility and marine life is usually better on the west (Andaman Sea) side. This is mainly due to the shape of The Gulf of Thailand, where water flow has a limited entry/exit. Plus, there are more container ships, tankers, international ports and oil fields in The Gulf. On the west side there’s almost no land all the way to India, and even Africa. This enables the sea currents to constantly provide new water and therefore maximise visibility. The East Coast of Thailand does have some wonderful and exciting dive sites, but the West Coast is consistently better.

Water temperatures vary very little. Expect 26-30°C pretty much all year round. Occasionally, there are periods when it can drop to 23-24°C, but not often. 3mm shorty wetsuits are the norm for rental gear. Some divers don’t bother with a wetsuit at all, while others claim to need a long wetsuit and hoody. It all depends on the diver’s personal preference, and what they have available to them.

Currents are not often too strong, like you may find in The Maldives or Komodo. Boat operators want happy divers, and strong currents don’t usually help this. Luckily, nearly all of Thailand’s recreational dive sites are generally easy regarding currents. One exception is Koh Tachai, in the Similan Islands. Here the currents are unreliable and range from nothing at all to very strong.

An important difference for some people when making comparisons is how much you will pay. Keep reading to find out why it’s so much cheaper to learn to dive on Koh Tao, compared to the rest of the country.

Learning to dive on a budget

The backpacker scene has been alive and well in Thailand for 30 years. Travellers on a budget want to get as much bang for their Buck as possible. Scuba diving centres on Koh Tao have been competing for business and growing in numbers ever since budget travellers started wanting to learn to dive in Thailand. The result of this is that prices for the Open Water Diver course have plummeted on Koh Tao. This has been exacerbated by SSI and RAID competing with PADI, who once had a bit of a monopoly.

It’s easy to get certified on Koh Tao for less than $300US, but at what real cost? Instructors get paid very little and they teach large groups. The reefs are overcrowded in high season, which has a negative effect on the ecosystem and the general enjoyment of everyone involved.

How good a diver can you become if you learn to dive on Koh Tao? That’s impossible to answer, but due to the sheer number of divers & dive centres, plus limited staff & time to complete courses, the chances are that you can get better training elsewhere.

Similar Pricing Around the Rest of Thailand

Completing scuba diving courses pretty much anywhere else in Thailand other than Koh Tao doesn’t vary too much in price. $400 is about the average price you can expect to pay for the Open Water course, and usually a bit less for the Advanced. Some islands, such as Koh Phi Phi, have a form of price fixing. This is done to ensure the Koh Tao model isn’t copied, and it encourages dive centres to focus on attracting business on their merits, not on their price. The result of this is maintaining quality, and the dive centres working together for the greater good.

Local Regulations, General Safety, Equipment & Logistics

Getting to Thailand and diving there is pretty simple for most people. There are very few regulations or things to worry about as long as you’re a healthy & conscientious diver. If you need to rent gear, most operators offer it, and getting around is quite easy.

Every scuba diver should know how to act in the water, for example not touching the reef or marine life. Use of things like gloves, strobes, & reef hooks shouldn’t have to be regulated because we should all behave responsibly. Quite rightly, Thailand’s national marine parks prohibit fishing, touching marine life, or even learning to dive in some areas. Each marine park makes its own policies clear, and responsible dive centres make sure that their staff and guests abide by the rules.

Although the roads and drivers in Thailand are infamously dangerous, the boats & dive operations have a pretty-good safety record. Nearly all dive centres are run by westerners. Like in most countries, the boat captains are responsible for everyone on board, and therefore they tend to have a lot to lose if something goes wrong. Accidents can happen in any country, but scuba diving in Thailand has a very good safety record.

Many thousands of people enjoy scuba diving in Thailand, and at least half of them use the rental equipment provided by the dive centres. BCDs, regs, wetsuits, fins and masks are all available to hire, and in most cases are in good condition due to regular servicing and replacements. Nitrox is available at 70% or more of the dive centres, and in many cases it’s free of charge. Tanks are always supplied and included in the price. Depending on the dive centre, these are INT or DIN tanks, with adaptors available if your regs don’t match what they have.

Getting around Thailand is easy and inexpensive. The rail network is limited and trains are slow, but roads are in good condition, ferries tend to be reliable, and the low-cost domestic airlines are great. As a South-East Asian country, punctuality in Thailand has a slightly different meaning when compared to westerners’ ideas, but in general things work fine. Many dive centres offer a free or cheap transfer service from local hotels.

When, and exactly where, you plan to go scuba diving in Thailand probably depends on many things. For example, Covid travel restrictions, your annual vacation, your budget, or your family.

Do you need to prebook your scuba diving liveaboard, fun dives or course? Yes and no. For courses and day trip fun dives you can normally book a few days in advance, and therefore when you have already arrived in Thailand. But for a Thailand liveaboard, it’s better to book in advance. Yes, there are some last-minute special offers, but there are also plenty of early-bird deals. Also, the nicest cabins on better boats during peak season usually fill up months before departure.

In Summary

Thailand is a wonderful country for many reasons, and its great scuba diving options are an extra reason to travel there. Learning to dive is cheap, and the day trips and courses can usually be booked a day or two before you start. For the best diving in Thailand, a liveaboard cruise on the west coast is the way to go, but you should always book this in advance. To do this, a local agent normally gives you the best service and information. Worldwide agents are not specialized enough. And booking directly will never enable you to get independent advice and neutral information. Similan Diving Tours is a trusted online agent based in Thailand with years of experience, a wide range of options, and a great deal.

Article Submitted by Jamie Dodson

Jamie is associated with Similan Islands Diving Liveaboards and

No Troubles, Just Bubbles

No Troubles Just Bubbles is a small British and Thai team consisting of experienced divers, travellers & booking agents, working together with our webmaster to provide unparalleled services. The experiences we provide begin here, on the pages of the website, enabling you to browse our pages on any device and through any server. Schedules and prices are constantly and automatically updated, and all the information is thoroughly researched and provided honestly.

Those of you who choose to contact us to make an enquiry about a scuba diving trip in Thailand, Indonesia or anywhere else in Asia will receive a prompt and truthful response. The team member who replies to your initial enquiry will remain your only contact throughout the process, from initial enquiry, through booking, logistical support, and even after your liveaboard diving trip. In fact, we feel that this personal service which we provide enables us to stand out among the competition. Many of our customers come back to book again and recommend us to friends and family. Our initial booking feedback on Trip Advisor is actually in the name of our division specifically for the west coast of Thailand – Similan Diving Tours. 

Our team are knowledgeable and experienced in the dive centres, their boats, the scuba diving itself and local transfer logistics, including providing advice and warnings on all kinds of local topics. Normally this is done immediately and accurately. However, occasionally questions which we aren’t absolutely sure about will be answered honestly, sometimes after the necessary little research on your behalf.

No Troubles Just Bubbles is a company based in Bangkok, Thailand & the UK While Bangkok is certainly not known for scuba diving, it is among the most visited cities in the world. From our main office, we are central to many diving and holiday locations, and able to advise (and often meet) our guests. We also have a sub-office is located on a remote island in Indonesia, known to many as Gili Trawangan. We are online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The experience of our team comes from nearly twenty years in recreational scuba diving, and the travel industry. Our webmaster department works hard to ensure that your browsing experience is fast, reliable and accurate at all times and from anywhere.

We appreciate that some visitors to our website will use the information we provide to select the scuba diving trip which best suits them, then contact the dive centre directly. There is nothing we can do about this, and we wish anyone who does so the best of luck. The information provided on our pages is as accurate and comprehensive as possible and constantly updated. However, the quality of service that we offer, along with our unbeatable prices and special offers, makes dealing through us your best option. In addition to the price promise, we offer free t-shirts to liveaboard guests and don’t charge booking fees. We are an official agent for all of the dive centres and boats which you see on our pages. In fact, booking through NTJB is actually safer and better for you, the customer.

The two most obvious reasons to support this are as follows:

Firstly, the advice and information which we provide are impartial, meaning that we will recommend the boat, trip or dive centre which best suits each customer’s needs and preferences. We guarantee that the independent advice and information which we provide to every enquiry is based only on the customer’s requirements, and never on which is better for us. If you contact two or three dive centres directly and ask them to compare their product or service with that of another, it is likely that you will not get such an unbiased answer.

Secondly, it is quite common for our customers to change their minds for one reason or another. This includes changing their holiday schedule or plans and needing to change their booking from one boat or dive centre to another. Because No Troubles Just Bubbles normally keep your booking deposit secure until you have boarded the boat or arrived at the dive centre, it is sometimes possible to move you to another option, such as a different boat that is run by a completely different company.

Please feel free to contact us about anything that you have seen or read on this page or another other on No Troubles Just Bubbles.

Learn more at: https://www.notroublesjustbubbles.com/

Sharks Bay Umbi is the ideal diving holiday choice for visitors who want a mixture of authentic and beautiful architecture mixed with a relaxed setting and a great location. Located on the shores of the Red Sea, in Sharm el Sheikh, the hotel combines traditional Bedouin style and hospitality in a unique and peaceful atmosphere.

With us you know you are in Sinai, with its people, its customs and its hospitality. If you are looking for an authentic feel of the Sinai, then look no further.

Our village is self-contained sanctuary away from the crowds. We have everything is on site including our own jetty, dive centre and seafood restaurant for the perfect diving holiday. Additionally, our private beach and house reef are perfect for divers and non-divers to enjoy the wonders of the Red Sea.

Dive and Stay Packages Include:

7 Night & 5-Day Diving Package – From € 300

7 Night & PADI Openwater Package – From € 360

7 Night & PADI Advanced Openwater Package PLUS 3 Days Fun Diving – From € 395 

7 Nights & PADI Advanced & Nitrox Package – From € 378

1 Week Shore Diving South Sinai – From € 560 per person (group bookings only)

1 Week Non-Diving Super Safari – From € 695 per person (group bookings only)

Learn more about Sharks Bay Umbi at: http://sharksbay.com

Discover the Deep Dwellers with Deep Blue Divers

For many guests, diving at Six Senses Laamu is a special experience because of guaranteed encounters with megafauna including manta rays, sharks and turtles; common finds in the abundant dive sites of Laamu Atoll, which guests enjoy all to themselves. Now the resort’s dive center, Deep Blue Divers, is ready to present the atoll’s uniqueness in a different light. It has become the first premium resort to introduce blackwater diving in the Maldives, which is gaining popularity across the globe among many dive enthusiasts. 

The blackwater diving experience is different from a typical day or night dive. It takes place in the open ocean, with divers drifting with the current in mid-water. Divers are guided by a string of LED lights attached to a vertical rope tethered to a surface-floating buoy. The lights also attract the deep dwelling, often alien-looking micro creatures, emerging vertically every night from the abyss of the ocean in search of food, in one of the greatest migrations happening on the planet. 

“We are very lucky to be some of the first divers to witness this in the Maldives. There is no specific area or special time of the night to do this dive. Ocean creatures we would never normally encounter are drawn from the depths and darkness to feed on zooplankton that are attracted to the lights,” explained Philippa Roe, one of the senior marine biologists working with the resort’s Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI). 

Many of these critters, usually smaller than a human thumb, are ethereal reef fish in their juvenile phase, or invertebrates such as pygmy squids, fluorescent bristle worms and rainbow-pulsating comb jellies. “Expect the unexpected, because most, if not all, of the discoveries you make on a blackwater dive will be new to you. If you are lucky, they may be new to science as well,” exclaimed Marteyne van Well, general manager of Six Senses Laamu and an avid diver, who is also among the first people to experience the blackwater dive in Laamu Atoll. 

Up-close and personal encounters with these wonders of the nocturnal pelagic sea life, against the striking black background, create perfect photo opportunities for underwater photographers and a fascinating experience for the adventurous divers to feed their sense of adventure. 

“No two blackwater dives are ever the same, even when going several nights in a row. And each dive yields unexpected new treasures for everyone from novices to the most experienced divers,” commented Sascha Janson, resident photo pro at Deep Blue Divers. There is no specific training required to do a blackwater dive but any diver with good buoyancy skills can participate in this experience. 

Deep Blue Divers is a PADI Five Star dive center, which is also Green Star awarded for its commitment to ocean conservation. 

To stay up to date with the latest news, learn more about experiences, visiting wellness experts and enticing offers please visit www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/laamu.

Green Destinations, unveils the winners of the top 100 Sustainable Top Destinations of the World Awards during ITB Berlin Leading Travel Trade Show

During ITB Berlin 2019, the island of Félicité was recognized as the second most sustainable destination in Africa in the Best of The Planet category by Green Destinations of the Sustainable Top 100 Destinations Award.

Green Destinations, a nonprofit foundation for sustainable tourism, organizes the award event to recognize innovation and sustainable operations in the industry, globally. For the second consecutive year, the winners were announced during ITB Berlin, the annual worldwide leading trade show.

Félicité Island is the fifth largest island in the Seychelles archipelago. Six Senses Zil Pasyon is run in close relation with the Seychelles National Park Authority, since Félicité Island is part of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and two-thirds of the island consists of Ramos National Park.

Anna Zora, sustainability manager of Six Senses Zil Pasyon, said, “We are very proud that our small island paradise has been recognized for the commitment to sustainable development and conservation initiatives. Our key projects include island reforestation, turtle monitoring and coral restoration in addition to our zero waste and a series of important plastic-free initiatives. One project we take a lot of pride in, is the rehabilitation of the island’s habitat through the reintroduction of endemic and indigenous species and the protection of the coco de mer site, which is only found in the Seychelles. Last year, the critically-endangered Wright’s gardenia endemic to Seychelles bloomed for the first time on Félicité. This is one of the species noted in the extensive reforestation effort of which 12 are considered Vulnerable, four Endangered, and three Critically Endangered according to IUCN’s Red List of Endangered Species. Guests not only enjoy a tropical island stay with us, but they also share the responsibility to offset their carbon footprint.”

An international jury, with representatives of the tourism, ecotourism and conservation industry, reviews the submissions of The Sustainable Top 100 Destinations Award and pinpoint the destinations which pioneer responsible tourism in different parts of the world. 

General Manager Hilton Hastings says, “It is an incredible honor to be recognized worldwide for our environmental efforts, making us one of the top sustainable destinations of the world. The fact that a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean can make such an impact is amazing and it also comes with a lot of hard work from our team. I’m delighted that more and more guests are seeking destinations like ours and want to learn more about how they can implement similar practices when home.”

With guided snorkeling tours on the surrounding reefs and educational hikes that not only offer stunning views of the island, but insights on the local fauna and flora, guests of the resort can connect with the unique nature and scenery of the Seychelles.

For more information about Six Senses Zil Pasyon and Six Senses Spa Zil Pasyon, please contact the reservations department at https://www.sixsenses.com/resorts/zilpasyon/destination or call +248 4671000. 

About Six Senses Zil Pasyon

Six Senses Zil Pasyon is located on the private island of Félicité, the fifth largest island in Seychelles, offering unsurpassed vistas of the ocean and surrounding islands. This 30-villa and two multi-bedroom residence resort occupies one third of the total land and has been brilliantly designed to embrace the picturesque landscape of untouched beauty. 

About Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is one of the world’s leading operators of luxury hotels, resorts and spas, managing 18 hotels and resorts across 14 countries, plus 37 spas under the brand names Six Senses, Evason, Six Senses Spas and Raison d’Etre. There are a further 18 hotels and resorts signed into its development pipeline. In February 2019, Six Senses became part of the IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) family of hotel brands. 

Six Senses properties share a leadership commitment to community, sustainability, wellness and design, infused with a touch of quirkiness. Whether an exquisite island resort, mountain retreat or urban hotel, the enduring purpose is to help people reconnect with themselves, others and the world around them.

Visit http://www.sixsenses.com to learn more

Pro Dive International, one of the Caribbean’s most established PADI 5 Star Dive Resorts and recognized Career Development Centers, today proudly announced the acquisition of their new dive center in Mexico – at the Westin Hotel, in Cozumel.

Located in the Mexican Caribbean coastal zone, Cozumel belongs to the world´s TOP 10 dive spots. Divers will enjoy this fascinating underwater world of marvels and spectacular reefs. The perfect visibility of turquoise water, stunning coral formations and stunning white beaches are only few reasons to explore this beautiful island.

Located in the Mexican Caribbean coastal zone, Cozumel belongs to the world´s TOP 10 dive spots. Divers will enjoy this fascinating underwater world of marvels and spectacular reefs. The perfect visibility of turquoise water, stunning coral formations and stunning white beaches are only few reasons to explore this beautiful island.

The Westin Cozumel, Marriot´s chic and  minimalistic brand occupies the ideal location. This luxurious hotel is situated in the most exclusive area of the island along the Caribbean coastline. It´s located only 4,8 km from Cozumel International Airport.

The Westin Cozumel presents elegant, modern and eco-friendly style décor. This contemporary oceanfront oasis is spacious, charming and cozy at the same time. It boasts high standards of comfort, exquisite state of the art and timeless chic interior. It´s perfect for families and honeymooners. The guests will find privacy and tranquility here. All rooms have spectacular ocean view. The pristine beach and coral reef create perfect environment for first-class aquatic activities such as diving and snorkeling.

Savor the lushness of a paradise in an idyllic atmosphere, fused with magnificent diving! Competitive stay & dive packages can be booked with Pro Dive International’s multilingual in-house reservation team directly, or with all known dive travel agencies world-wide, shortly.

INAUGURATION SPECIAL OFFER!

Learn more about Pro Dive International at: http://www.prodiveinternational.com

Scuba opportunities abound in one of the world’s last undiscovered paradises

Awei Pila, an exclusive resort set on a remote tropical island, has opened a SCUBA diving center in Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago, offering Open Water courses and certification to first-time divers.

The Awei Pila Dive Center will provide all levels of PADI diving courses from DSD (Discover Scuba Diving) to DM (Dive Master), which can either be tackled at home by Internet ahead of traveling to the Mergui Archipelago or learned over three to four days at the resort, which lies on a pristine beach just a stone’s throw from hundreds of meters of live coral reefs.

Courses can be conducted in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German or Italian.

Once certified, guests may join experienced divers at 12 different dive sites with depths ranging from 12 to 30 meters, including two places that are rapidly becoming world-famous dive sites –  Shark Cave, which is just 15 minutes by boat from the dive center, and Rocky Island. 

“We go out in the morning for two dives, stop for lunch, then take one dive in the afternoon,” said Awei Pila’s resident marine biologist and SCUBA instructor Marcelo Guimaraes. “We also have night dives upon demand, where you’ll see squid, lobsters, turtles and an array of open corals.”

The Mergui Archipelago is known for its diversity and quantity of marine life. Guimaraes said divers can expect to see schools of fish so massive and so tightly packed that they often can’t see their buddy just a few meters away. 

“Divers can swim among schools of barracudas, yellow snappers and fusiliers, and will be able to get up close and personal with nudibranches, sea horses and scorpion fish,” he said. “And at certain times of the year, we come across Manta rays and whale sharks.”

Awei Pila Dive Center employs a 27-foot RIB dive boat with capacity for six divers plus instructors. Brand new equipment at the facility includes Aqua Lung regulators & BCDs, and Bauer air compressors.

Guimaraes said his team aims to provide a “sustainable tourism experience” and will include a complimentary course in Coral Conservation to all advanced divers as part of their Green Fins initiative, a UN-backed program to encourage environmentally astute policies among divers and dive centers.

A DSD experience at Awei Pila costs US$120, while an Open Water Course costs $620, including four open water dives, training materials, equipment, and a globally recognized certification card.

Located some 50 miles from the mainland and nestled among an archipelago of 800 islands, atolls and reefs, travel to the island of Pila involves a 2.5-hour speedboat ride from the port of Kawthaung. The island boasts 40 mostly deserted beaches, three sources of freshwater, and one Moken “Sea Gypsy” settlement. 

Owned by Yangon-based Memories Group, Awei Pila is the only resort on the island, opening its doors to guests on December 15, 2018. It has 24 air-conditioned tented villas, a spa, and a restaurant with 24-hour service. All-inclusive stays, including three gourmet meals per day, start at $750 per night for two persons.  

New General Manager Steffen Kroehl describes the resort as “barefoot luxury”, while reiterating Memories’ goal of creating “minimum impact on a pristine environment.”

The Memories Group is an experience-driven company which owns and operates Memories Travel and several resorts and activities in Myanmar, including hotels, boutique lodges, hot-air balloon adventures, and sailing tours.

For bookings or inquiries visit: www.memoriesgroup.com

Your trip to Newfoundland is no doubt a bucket list item, and you want to experience it all.

Ocean Quest can help you check all those adventures off your list – our multiple days Adventure and Dive Combos lets you design the customized trip that is perfect for what you’re looking for!

Image credit: Ocean Quest

Feeling like having an enjoyable and relaxing few days of kayaking around the rustic Bell Island sea caves? Follow that up with some snorkeling that will give you a first-hand view of the vibrant marine life known to populate the areas around CBS and Petty Harbour.

Perhaps you are a diver and looking to spend some time exploring beneath the waves. We can show you some of our favourite dive locations; cold water flora and fauna, reefs, scallop diving, shipwrecks, icebergs, and abandoned mines.

The possibilities are up to you! To top it all off, you can end off each day of adventure staying in our cozy resort that will give you a chance to unwind, eat, and rest in the comfort and style that Newfoundland is known for.

Image credit: Ocean Quest

Vacation Options

We offer some superb hands-on adventures that will offer up enthralling scenery and wildlife. Your hardest decision may very well be which adventures you want to complete!

• Daily Snorkelling with Humpback Whales
• Drink an Iceberg that has traveled from the far reaches of the arctic
• Explore the mystical Sea Caves of Bell Island
• Enjoy the serene Kayaking of Conception Bay 
• Ride the Ocean Waves and Picnic with Fossils
• Sample local cuisine with A Culinary Adventure on ‘da Bay
• Go Cod Fishing and catch your own meal for the night

Diving Options

Image credit: Ocean Quest

Choose any of four great wrecks for up to five days of diving (or all of them):

• The PLM 27 A french vessel sunk by German U-boats, the PLM 27 offers over 400′ of diving pleasure
• The SS Saganaga was another ship who fell victim to German U-boat attacks. This dive spot offers a mysterious twist… you’ll have to check it out yourself to find out what it is!
• The SS Lord Strathcona Resting deeper on the ocean floor then the other wrecks, this wreck has remained out of reach of passing icebergs and flowing currents. This has made it one of the best-preserved wrecks around Bell Island
• The SS Rosecastle is the crown jewel of the Bell Island wrecks. The largest, and deepest of all the wrecks, she has all her rigging intact and provides some stunning glimpses into the history of this vessel
• Our Wreck-reation page should tell you everything else that you need to know about the shipwrecks of Bell Island!

Looking for something different then wreck dives? Switch it up with some of our other dive destinations!

• Do some Shore Diving and immerse yourself in the spectacular ecosystem that characterizes Newfoundland. Now that we mention it, what a great opportunity to dive for scallops!
• Bell Island Mine Diving – Dive the abandoned mines of Bell Island and explore history that hasn’t been unearthed in over 50 years

Accommodations: 

Our lodge is a self-catering, very comfortable place with two (2) of you in each room, lots of room for lounging, a large kitchen and two beautiful patios with one overlooking the ocean and the other with BBQ/outdoor dining.   You can see some more pictures of our lodge at the bottom of the Wreck-Reation webpage.

This trip is scheduled on customer demand. Contact us for a schedule which meets your needs.

Learn more at: https://www.oceanquestadventures.com/en/adventure-and-dive-combo

As one of the Caribbean’s top dive destinations, Cayman is renowned for fantastic wall dives, spectacular shipwrecks and unforgettable Stingray City, but avid divers know that Cayman’s shore diving sets it apart.

In July 2016 the Resident Marine Biologists at Six Senses Laamu implemented a new code of conduct on how to sustainably snorkel and dive with turtles, ensuring that every encounter is a positive interaction and that it does not affect the natural behavior and movements of the turtle. With this in mind, they began compiling a database of turtle sightings from the dive and snorkel sites around the Laamu atoll, via a simple photographic identification process.

YTL Hotels is excited to announce that dive season returns once again to Tanjong Jara Resort, revealing one of Malaysia’s best kept secrets. With monsoon season coming to an end, the award-winning Tanjong Jara Resort invites guests to explore Tenggol Island and discover the curious and colourful realm residing just beneath its calm and serene surface.

From March to October, the waters of the Terengganu Marine Park burst to life, offering visitors a unique window into a vivid world of untouched coral gardens and rare aquatic species. For novice divers and snorkelers, the abundance of marine life provides an unforgettable introduction. Additionally, the park’s wealth of underwater adventures promises to mesmerise and dazzle even the most seasoned experts.

Situated within the Terengganu Marine Park, Tenggol Island is home to some of the country’s best dive sites. While small and compact, the temperate waters coupled with rocky outcrops provide a rich seabed resulting in a diverse ecosystem. Here, dense colonies of hard and soft coral carpet the seafloor, providing a spectacular and colourful home for Tenggol Island’s varied and exotic residents – from giant double-headed parrotfish, yellowtail fusiliers and sea turtles to eagle rays, barracudas and even the elusive whale shark.

The beauty of Tenggol Island lies 50 minutes from Tanjong Jara Resort by private speedboat. As a PADI Dive Resort, a full range of equipment as well as courses and programmes are offered to help guests get the most of their snorkelling and diving tours. What’s more, guests will be able to explore the best of Tenggol Island and uncover its hidden gems thanks to knowledgeable and experienced instructors.

Guests can enter the awaiting underwater haven by booking the Tenggol Diver’s Delight package; for a minimum three nights’ stay, the package includes two leisure dive sessions over two days, barbecue lunch for each excursion and daily breakfast and dinner. Additionally, bookings and reservations made directly via the Tanjong Jara Resort website or YTL Travel Centre will be applicable for exclusive benefits.

A diving holiday at Tanjong Jara Resort offers something for everyone, from a relaxed glimpse at Malaysia’s stunning marine life seen through a snorkel mask to an exciting and unforgettable diving adventure. A visit to Tenggol Island will surely be a colourful and memorable experience.

 The Tenggol Diver’s Delight Package starts from £228 per room per night for a minimum three nights’ stay. The package includes two leisure dive sessions over two days, barbecue lunch for each excursion and daily breakfast and dinner.

Learn more at: www.tanjongjararesort.com

Maldives Mathiveri’s renowned local boutique hotel, Casa Mia Maldives, has launched a brand new revamped website www.casamiamaldives.com

Designed to give visitors an easier and more enjoyable travel experience, the new website has a contemporary new design, user-friendly navigation and functionality, new features, rich local-knowledge content and responsive design across all platforms, so it is easy to use on all devices from PC to laptop to mobiles.

“Our mission is to make it as convenient and easy as possible for our guests to really get the feel for Casa Mia and to ‘virtually’ experience the ambience and relaxation that makes this hotel so appealing,” explains Managing Director, Alex Bryant. “With our new website our guests can now see first-hand the range of facilities, including our recently added guest rooms, our private beach, beachside pool and sundowner area, restaurant and many of the activities that can be enjoyed here. It doesn’t all have to be about relaxation, but it most certainly can be!”

Recent expansion saw Casa Mia Maldives go from 10 rooms to 24 with a choice of ground floor and first floor, some with stunning sea views and spacious balconies. Situated right on the beach front and surrounded by verdant gardens, Casa Mia is the perfect choice for simply escaping the humdrum of life.

Guests can enjoy a range of water sports including scuba diving at the on-site dive centre, which is both PADI and SSI certified and fully equipped. Stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling and water skiing are also available. Fishing excursions can be arranged and any catch will be freshly cooked by the hotel’s chef.

More information at www.casamiamaldives.com

5th Luxury Catamaran added to fleet to enhance Your Cayman Family Dive Vacation; Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ Snorkel Adventure Announced

The Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ adventure includes snorkeling at some of Grand Cayman’s spectacular shallow reefs.

Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman announces the addition of the Spirit of the Islands, a luxury 65-foot Catamaran equipped with an onboard grill and water slide that will add to its family fun tours on the water. As the on-site dive and watersports operator at most of Grand Cayman’s top hotels, Red Sail Sports aims to be family friendly. All company dive packages include a free sunset sail, so the luxury Catamaran experience is already a part of all customer vacations. The new Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin’ tour on the Spirit of the Islands is the perfect way for the whole family to enjoy Cayman’s crystal clear water and marine environment.

The new boat features an onboard grill for hot meals after topside watersports fun.

“Many of our guests spend the morning on the dive boat and they then want spend time with family members that don’t dive, and this is a brand new and exciting way to get them out on the water together to have fun,” said Dive Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “We expect it to be a big hit with guests who can now enjoy a fresh grilled lunch after working up a good appetite snorkeling, swimming and using the slide.”

The Catamaran’s waterslide offers a new way to enjoy Cayman’s waters even more! For for the whole family.

The Spirit of the Islands was built in St. Croix by Gold Coast Yachts, the same outfit that built the other four vessels for Red Sail Sports. It was designed with the same attention to detail − spacious, comfortable and stable – but the grill and water slide were added. A crew of five, including Red Sail Sports Captain Dan Bond, sailed the catamaran on a five-day journey from St. Croix to Grand Cayman, cruising by Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. While the catamaran was going through the licensing and inspection process in Grand Cayman, Red Sail Sports employees held a contest to name the new tour. There were over 30 entries from staff but Michael Lawday of the Sales Department came up with the winning entry and the new tour was named “Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin”.

A delicious lunch will be extra tasty after working up a good appetite snorkeling and playing in Cayman’s beautiful waters.

The Swimmin’, Chillin’ & Grillin adventure offers a new Catamaran experience for the whole family. Guests take in the sights of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches while sailing to snorkel sites on shallow reefs. While customers are snorkeling, swimming or sliding down the slide, the Chef is grillin’ a delicious late lunch. Grilled items include spare ribs, local fish tacos or beef burgers, accompanied by the usual sides, green salad, potato salad or pasta salad. A cookie or brownie tops off the meal.

After working up an appetite, the chef serves up a freshly grilled meal with traditional side dishes.

SWIMMIN’, CHILLIN, & GRILLIN

Trip Duration: 3 hours
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Schedule: Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The Spirit of the Islands departs from the beach at The Westin Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa and then The Grand Cayman Beach Suites, both located along Seven Mile Beach.  The new tour can booked online at www.redsailcayman.com.

After swimming, snorkeling and eating, the bar is open for some chillin’!

Red Sail Sports also offers a number of other adventures for the whole family―glass-bottom boat trips to the Stingray Sandbar, Catamaran snorkel trips, sunset sails and dinner sails, scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking and more.  At East End call the watersports shop at Morritt’s Tortuga Club at 947-2097 and it offers dive and catamaran services. To reach the Red Sail Sports shop at Rum Point Club on the North Side call 947-9203. For more information, call the Red Sail Sports main office at (345) 623-5965, e-mail: info@redsailcayman.com or visit www.redsailcayman.com.

The Spirit of the Islands is the 5th luxury catamaran in the Red Sail Sports fleet. It conveniently pulls up to Seven Mile Beach to load and unload customers.

About Red Sail Sports

Red Sail Sports, a member of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association is a leading resort based dive and watersports operator. Since 1987 it has been setting the standard on Grand Cayman by providing the highest level of guest services. On Seven Mile Beach Red Sail Sports operates locations at the Westin Resort, the Marriott Resort, the Grand Cayman Beach Suites and the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. At remote East End the company has a watersports shop at Morritt’s Tortuga Club, also offering dive and catamaran services to The Reef Resort. On North Side Red Sail Sports offers watersports activities at the Rum Point Club.  The company offers several dive packages through its affiliation with island hoteliers.

For more information
Call toll free: (877) 506-6368
On Grand Cayman: (345) 623-5965
Web: www.redsailcayman.com

Dive Website: www.diveredsailcayman.com
Facebook: www.facebook/redsailcayman
Twitter: @redsailcayman

In an exciting new venture, Emperor Maldives has merged with Constellation Fleet to become the largest liveaboard operator in the Maldives.

From 1 September 2016, Emperor Maldives will operate a fleet of six boats; the new high-end Emperor Serenity, the highly regarded Emperor Orion, the popular Emperor Leo, Emperor Virgo and Emperor Voyager and the favourite with so many divers, Emperor Atoll.

Alex Bryant, founder of Constellation Fleet, explained, “It made sense for Constellation Fleet to join forces with such a highly respected brand like Emperor Divers. I have been working with Emperor for some time now and look forward to offering the same excellent service and value that both Constellation and Emperor are known for.”

“This is a merger of two well-known and popular companies who hold similar business values and philosophies”, said Andy Telford, Emperor Divers’ Managing Director. “Guests will enjoy the same personal service that has made Constellation Fleet one of the first choices for liveaboard diving in the Maldives and I’m delighted to welcome Alex, who will be managing the Maldivian operation, to the Emperor team”

For more on Emperor Maldives, visit www.emperormaldives.com

This Small Resort on Little Cayman Measures Up to the Biggest Properties Across Caribbean When it Comes to Service.

On an island with the population of only 170 residents, the Southern Cross Club with only 14 beach bungalows, stands tall against some of the largest resorts in the Caribbean, according to the travel website TripAdvisor. The resort has been ranked 10th among the top 25 hotels in the Caribbean for “service” in TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2016, eclipsing big resorts in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and other popular destinations in the region.

A private view of paradise at the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

“With only 14 beach bungalows, the Southern Cross Club is a small resort − this is intentional and we like it like that,” said owner Peter Hillenbrand. “We do not get the recognition of the larger properties because we don’t have the advertising budget that buys these larger properties the recognition. So to be recognized as the best-of-the-best by Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice Award 2016 is a tremendous honor and a great recognition of the truly remarkable work of Southern Cross Club’s exemplary staff, and our outstanding product.”

For the past 14 years TripAdvisor has been naming winners based on guest reviews collected in a single year, recognizing properties for service, quality and value. The top ranking for service at the Southern Cross Club is a direct result of guests posting reviews following a great experience. Listed here are just a few.

Little Cayman is recognized widely as a world-class dive destination and the dive staff at the Southern Cross Club know the dive sites and their residents well. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

“One of the best Dive Properties! We just returned from our fifth visit in four years to Southern Cross Club. It is hard to find a way to say just how great a place SCC is.”

“SCC – best ever!”

“The food – absolutely glorious! Beef wellington and lobster dinner for Valentines Day.”

“Best ever getaway!”

“The best part of the Southern Cross Club is their amazing staff…starting with Laura, Jen, Chris, Mark, Shirley, and a cast of guest friendly all-stars.”

“This is validation of the hard work put in every day by our terrific staff to make our guest’s stay at the Southern Cross Club unforgettable,” said General Manager Jennifer Mills. “From Chef Anu and his culinary team, to our dive staff and other resort personnel, everyone puts in 100%, and that keeps our visitor’s coming back again and again.”

In a written statement TripAdvisor Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Messing said, “Travelers considering their next trip can book confidently selecting from these award-winners that have already delighted millions of members of the TripAdvisor community.”

Little Cayman is an island paradise and the Southern Cross Club is the play to be for that perfect vacation. Photo courtesy Southern Cross Club.

About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 12 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”. Guests can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year. Little Cayman is renowned for its breath-taking and pristine coral reefs and spectacular dive adventures. The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

Learn more at:
Website: www.southerncrossclub.com
Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

After 4 months diving the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Komodo National Park, the Indo Siren and her crew have now returned to Raja Ampat for a new exciting 7 month season of underwater action!

The archipelago of Raja Ampat lies right in the middle of the Coral Triangle, which is the most bio diverse marine ecosystem on the planet! It hides under its waters three quarters of the world’s coral varieties and more than 2000 species of fish – many of them species you won’t find anywhere else!

Diving Raja Ampat is a true representation of what the Coral Triangle has to offer! Dive a mix of drift dives, dark sand slopes, dramatic walls dotted with huge gorgonian fans, reefs covered with colourful soft corals as well as cleaning stations for manta rays. Expect to see large schools of bumphead parrotfish, snapper, barracuda and trevally. Groups of oriental sweetlips shelter under corals and batfish hang in the currents. Flasher wrasse and anthias add that extra touch of colour, as if it was needed! Manta rays are common at several sites in the north, mobula rays too! White tip, black tip and epaulette sharks are also regularly spotted, not to mention the wobbegong shark, so characteristic of Raja Ampat!

For critter lovers, there are several pygmy seahorse varieties, numerous species of nudibranch, pipefish, crocodile fish, blue ringed octopus, cuttlefish and toadfish.

How to get to Raja Ampat? All Siren Fleet Raja Ampat liveaboard cruises depart from Sorong, which can be reached via Jakarta, Bali or Manado.

The Indo Siren offers a 10 night itinerary diving all around Raja Ampat, from North to South, so you won’t miss anything of what Raja Ampat has to offer you! Each trip cruises between Misool, Batanta, the Fiabacet Chain, the Dampier Strait, Gam, Mansuar and Arborek Islands!

Contact Siren Fleet today, they have very few spaces left in the 2015 – 2016 season!

Learn more at:  www.sirenfleet.com

Free stay & dive packages for group leaders, best available rates on diving, up to 60% off hotel rates, combo-options Riviera Maya & Cozumel to experience the highlights of the Yucatan peninsula like Cenotes, diving with bull sharks and at Cozumel´s famous drop off´s, whale shark & sailfish safaris, free Nitrox at all our locations, and much more!

Let our specialists tailor hassle-free dive vacations for your FAMILY, GROUP or CLUB in our diver’s paradise Mexico!

GROUP SPECIALS

1. DIVING ONLY

• Every 6th DIVER gets a FREE DIVE PACKAGE in Sep/ Oct 2016 & 2017!!
• Every 11th diver gets a FREE dive package year-round, valid for pre-booking at all our hotels
• for dive packages only AND for combi packages with hotel booking
• Best available rates on dive package
• Unlimited FREE Nitrox at all our locations

TRAVEL WINDOW: 01 September – 31 October 2016 & 2017

BOOKING WINDOW: 30 June 2017

2. STAY & DIVE AT OUR OCCIDENTAL RESORTS

2.1 Every 8th diver gets FREE accommodation (based on double occupancy)

• FREE dive package for every 8th diver*

TRAVEL WINDOW: 17 August – 22 December 2016

2.2 Every 12th diver gets FREE accommodation (based on double occupancy)

• FREE dive package for every 11th diver*

TRAVEL WINDOW: 01 May – 16 August 2016

2.3 Every 16th diver gets FREE accommodation (based on double occupancy)

• FREE dive package for every 11th diver*

TRAVEL WINDOW: 03 January – 30 April 2016

1 CHILD (0-12) STAYS FREE in room with 1-2 adults: On request for selected hotels and at selected dates only. Please check details with us!

Additional discounts might be available! Request your proposal from our experienced group specialists today, who are excited to create some memorable dive vacations for your group!

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Terms & Conditions apply
• Rooms based on double occupancy and subject to availability
• Offer not combinable with other promotions
• Excluding flights, airport transfer, scuba gear

The team of Pro Dive International is looking forward to welcoming you!

Learn more at: https://prodiveinternational.com/group-specials/

Dive Operators Introduce new travel packages and services. Local dive industry optimistic about 2016 with more flights and rooms added to Cayman market.

As it does every year, the Cayman Islands had a good presence at the annual Dive Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) convention, this year held in Orlando, FL November 4 – 7, 2015. The recognized birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean is home to a progressive dive industry that prides itself in helping set the standard for the dive industry world-wide. The three islands, with crystal clear water, spectacular reefs and abundant marine life, feature some of best diving in the world − each island offering different experiences to divers of all skill levels. Cayman dive leaders aggressively work together to keep the Cayman dive product fresh, and their efforts pay off with numerous awards for Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean and Atlantic.

Scuba Diving legends gathered at the Cayman pavilion to greet the public at the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame booth.

DEMA is the place to introduce new products and book business for the new year, and the dive travel industry is set to scoop up deals and special offers from world-wide destinations.

“It was an exciting DEMA for Divetech, with our new dive and room package offerings, we were very interested to see how the trade received the options and were very pleasantly surprised!” said Joanna Mikutowicz, Divetech Managing Partner. “It was great to meet new dive shops, plus reconnect with manufactures training agencies, and connect with old friends. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead, the new sea pool at Lighthouse Point is already being discovered by many.”

The Ocean Frontiers team, including co-owner Steve Broadbelt, promoting a new breakfast service at the Compass Point Dive Resort in their bacon and eggs outfits.

Red Sail Sports introduced a new Kittiwake Wreck Anniversary Dive Package for 2016 that sparked a lot of interest and generated bookings on the spot.

“We had a great DEMA this year and even took bookings at the show with the help of our new reservation system,” said Sarah-Jane Harlan, Red Sail Sports Sales and Marketing Manager. “We are in the middle of completing the biggest upgrade of our reservations system we have ever undertaken and will be rolling out to our online booking engine in the next few weeks.”

Ocean Frontiers introduced an impressive new booth showcasing the stunning marine life and scenery Grand Cayman’s East End.  The company released a new 4K Ultra HD format video of marine life encounters in 2015 and offered a $500 airfare credit for groups that booked at the show.  But the promotion that drew the biggest attention was the “Egg & Bacon” hour when Broadbelt and team donned costumes and handed out “Egg & Bacon” sugar cookies to announce a new breakfast service at the Compass Point Dive Resort.

“Commencing in January, the restaurant at the resort is serving breakfast – until now they have only served lunch and dinner,” said co-owner Steve Broadbelt. “This is welcomed news for our visiting dive groups who have frequently asked us to offer breakfast even though the rooms all have full kitchens, or kitchenettes, and we are very happy to be rolling out this service for 2016.”

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) was also there during the four-day event to share special news and promotions, and release details of next year’s International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame inductees. The ISDHOF has been recognizing dive industry pioneers since its inception in Grand Cayman 2000 fifteen years ago.

The Cayman Islands Pavilion, located in a prime spot near the main entrance and registration area, was the site for a number of events. Also on display at the pavilion were historical dive artifacts from the Cayman Islands.

The Department of Tourism also marked the anniversaries of two famous Cayman dive sites and artificial reefs; the ex-USS Kittiwake in Grand Cayman and the MV Captain Keith Tibbetts in Cayman Brac. Kittiwake, a former submarine rescue ship will celebrate its fifth anniversary in January of 2016 and the MV Keith Captain Tibbetts, the only diveable Russian warship in the Western Hemisphere, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in September of 2016.

DEMA serves as a good launching point for the 2016 tourism season, and all indications point to a good year for Cayman’s dive industry.  Keith Sahm, General Manager of Sunset House says they booked good business for next year, though he faced a lot of questions about the cruise ship dock project that has been approved by the Cayman Islands Government.

“Our customers love Cayman, but they are concerned about the project and its potential impact on George Town Harbour. It was an overriding factor in our DEMA experience this year,” he said.

Rosa Harris, Director, Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) says they are optimistic for 2016 because the number of stay-over visitors to the Cayman Islands is up from last year. With increased airlift from key US cities and 226 additional rooms because of the reopening of a Cayman Brac resort and the addition of a new resort on Grand Cayman, Cayman is poised for growth.

“The Department of Tourism continues to work with our on-island partners through various marketing and promotion efforts to aid in the increase of stay-over arrivals, which is the mandate for the department,” says Harris.  “Additionally, we launched new dive focused social media and digital media programs in 2015 to support traditional dive marketing channels.”

Leslie Leaney and DOT Director Rosa Harris introduced the 2016 Hall of Fame nominees at DEMA.

The Sister Islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, have their own booth in the Cayman pavilion. “DEMA was great this year – it provided an opportunity to reconnect with clients and past Sister Islands dive shop personnel. New business contacts were made and at least two business operators who had not been to DEMA in a few years participated this year,” says Chevala Burke, CIDOT Marketing and Promotions Manager for the Sister Islands. “The Sister Islands Tourism Association debuted its much-anticipated Cayman Brac Shore Diving Booklet, which is now available for sale on island.  I love sharing information on our islands with people who have never been to the Caribbean or Cayman Islands before. We look forward to seeing them when they arrive on island and making their vacation an unforgettable one.”

Diving the Galapagos is on every diver’s bucket list. The islands are famous for some of the most incredible underwater action in the world!

Find yourself surrounded by huge schools of barracudas, groupers, snappers, jacks or tunas. Dive with curious and playful sea lions, watch marine iguanas eat, be surprised by a big school of dolphins or mobula rays. Drift along with black and white tip sharks, bullhead sharks, Galapagos sharks and of course watch the famous big schools of hammerheads so characteristic of Galapagos waters!

Would you love to experience this but hate diving in cold water? Did you know that from January to June the waters in the Galapagos are milder than you realise, around 70°F (21°C) – 80°F (27°C)? These water temperatures are just perfect for diving with just a wet suit and still being able to get the most of what the Galapagos have to offer! But there’s another plus! These warmer waters bring along generally better visibility, calmer seas and a lot of mantas!

Mantas migrate at this time of the year to mate, so expect to see long mating trains with single females being followed by several males dancing above your head! Something truly beautiful!

Big schools of mobula rays are also seen at this time of the year, as well as a larger number of sea turtles and marine iguanas. Maybe these guys prefer the warmer water too!

This time of the year is also perfect to observe, on land, larger groups of iguanas, flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, albatross, masked and blue footed boobies that love to visit the different liveaboards around the area!

So if you are an avid diver who:

• loves to dive in warm waters
• loves to dive with good viz
• loves to enjoy flat and calm seas during your liveaboard vacations
• loves to dive with mantas
• wants to experience a thrilling underwater experience

Then, diving in the Galapagos from January to June is just for you!

Since the launch of the Galapagos Master last May 2015, she has been operating at full capacity, but due to last minute cancellations in February, there are now some spaces available! Don’t miss this opportunity, contact them today for a once in a lifetime experience!

Learn more at: www.masterliveaboards.com/galapagos

The National park of the Similan Islands is open again to the public, much to the delight of divers and snorkelers! Considered the jewel in the crown of Thailand diving, the Similan and Surin Islands won’t disappoint you! Thriving reefs with over 200 species of soft and hard corals and impressive sea fans abound, as well as an incredible variety of marine life including ghost pipe fish, napoleon wrasse, schools of barracuda, nudibranchs and even beautiful sea horses. There is also plenty of larger life to see with sea turtles, Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrot fish, leopard sharks, manta rays and of course the majestic whale shark!

Whale sharks wander the warmer seas around the world, either alone or in large numbers, in areas with abundant plankton, their main source of food. One of the main dive sites for seeing whale sharks is Richelieu Rock, some 50 miles or so north of the Similans and a mainstay on every Similan Itinerary.  This limestone pinnacle covered with soft corals slopes steeply to a sandy bottom at 35 meters (120 Ft). The surrounding deep waters of this pinnacle bring up nutrient-rich currents providing the whale sharks with a ready supply of plankton! Did you know the presence of plankton indicates healthy seas?

Known to be seen regularly from January to March, The Junk liveaboard has already been seeing whale sharks from her first trip in November, so expect a bumper season ahead!

The Junk is a 33 m restored teak wood Chinese merchant sailing vessel that can take up to 18 divers in 6 air conditioned cabins, with a choice of double cabins, triple cabins and quads. Each cabin has its own private bathroom with hot water. There is a choice of 4 and 6 night cruises departing from Taplamu Pier, near Khao Lak, or Patong, Phuket.

If you want to live this unforgettable experience, bear in mind that if your gear is serviced and ready to go then you can dive the Similan Islands right now!! Contact The Junk today to book your next diving vacation in Thailand! Limited spaces are available so don’t wait too long!!

Learn more at:  www.thejunk.com

During the month of September, divers will be able to book some of the best dive deals of the year in the Cayman Islands during its 2^nd annual Legend’s and Lions scuba celebration. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural weeklong event,Cayman’s dive industry is extending the celebration for a whole month. From September 5 – October 3 divers can take advantage of value-packed travel packages offered by dive operators and hotel partners using off-season rates during this traditionally slow time of year to offer the best possible prices.

2014 inductees to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame included: (L-R) Dan Orr, Neil Watson, Alese and Mort Pechter, Bill Acker and Chuck Nicklin. Photo courtesy CI Dept of Tourism

“It’s a great time of year to visit Grand Cayman because the island is quiet and less crowded. The bargains help fill hotel rooms and dive boats, and our guests get the best deal possible for fantastic diving. It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall.

In addition to terrific prices for diving, participants will also enjoy topside events that range from equipment demonstrations to photo clinics to special Lionfish seminars. Those who book their dive trip during the last week of September will also attend the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame(ISDHOF) induction ceremony, scheduled to cap off the month of activities. They’ll also have a chance to dive with the industry legends being inducted. The Hall of Fame was established by the Cayman Islands to honor men and women who have made significant contributions to the dive industry. The nominees this year include:

· Peter Hughes – who helped establish several big name dive resorts and whose name is synonymous with live-aboard diving.
· Dr. Jose Jones – who helped integrate diving and founded the National Association of Black Scuba Divers, which currently has 50 branches worldwide.
· Bill High – the author of the book recognized as the authority on high-pressure cylinder inspection and a major contributor to each edition of the NOAA Diving Manual.
· Captain Wally Muller – who explored unchartered reefs and atolls in remote areas of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. He also established the live-aboard industry in Australia and worked with diving’s most famous videographers.
· Dimitri Rebikoff (1921 -1997) – the man who developed the first portable electronic under water flash, constructed the first underwater scooters and the first remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

A tasty Lionfish dinner was the highlight of the celebration’s street party in 2014. Photo courtesy Courtney Platt.

2015 LEGENDS AND LIONS DIVE PACKAGES

Sept. 5-12, Sept. 12-19, Sept.19-26 packages will include the following:
· 7 nights accommodation
· 6 two-tank dives
· Photo Clinic with the option to submit photos for the final week competition
· Scuba social – e.g. catamaran to Rum Point Club for Beach BBQ
· Lionfish seminar with Lionfish dive
· Treasure hunt or similar activity
· Equipment manufacturer’s demo

The final week, Sept 26-Oct 3 will include the following:
· 7 nights accommodation
· 6 two-tank dives, with the option to dive with ISDHF members
· Photo Clinic
· Photo competition (winners announced at Scuba street party)
· Scuba street party
· Lionfish seminar with Lionfish dive
· Tickets to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Induction Dinner

“LEGIONS AND LIONS” PACKAGE PRICES

Divetech: $1,499 per diver; $925 per non-diver (double occupancy/oceanfront)

Sunset House:  $1,473.95 per diver; $921.95 per non-diver (double occupancy)

Red Sail Sports/Westin Seven Mile Beach Resort: $1099 per diver (double occupancy)

Cayman’s dive leaders plan to grow Legends and Lions into the destination’s signature annual dive event promoting Cayman’s spectacular diving, presented by the best dive operators in the business, and topped off with exceptional Caymanian hospitality.

A photo contest will also be a big part of the Legends and lions celebration. Here Guy Harvey presents one of the winners with a prize. Photo courtesy Courtney Platt

“We want our annual dive celebration to be on every diver’s calendar, so we will keep coming up with creative ways to showcase Cayman’s diving,” said Sunset House General Manager Keith Sahm. “We all know it’s hard to beat the Cayman Islands as a dive destination – fantastic reefs and dive sites, great accommodations and airline service, and a dive industry that utterly believes in the dive product.”

To book a Legends and Lions package visit www.divecayman.ky.

A team of industry leaders maintain the high standards set in Cayman diving decades ago and it takes vision and cooperation to keep Cayman on top

Heading into a busy summer, Cayman’s dive industry continues to receive recognition for excellence. Three dive resorts have been named to TripAdvisor’s 2015 Hall of Fame: Sunset House and Compass Point Dive Resort on Grand Cayman and the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman. This means they have won the travel website’s Certificate of Excellence five times as a result of positive reviews posted by TripAdvisor’s followers. Ocean Frontiers and Divetech received another Certificate of Excellence this year, bringing them closer to the Hall of Fame. Red Sail Sports is in the running for the Hall of Fame too with several nods from customers over the past few years.

Ron Kipp (L) bought Bob Soto’s Diving from pioneer Bob Soto (R), and became a founding member of the Cayman Islands Watersports Operators Association (CIWOA). Photo courtesy Ron Kipp

“There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one’s customers,” said Keith Sahm, Sunset House General Manager. “Because it is based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.”

“Nobody books a vacation without validating their choice with reviews from fellow travellers. TripAdvisor helps raise the game to a new level and given the consumer the power to make businesses accountable for not fulfilling their customer promise,” said Steve Broadbelt, co-owner of Ocean Frontiers.

“We are honored and thank our customers very much for their kind words and continuing support!” said Nancy Easterbrook owner of Divetech.

Teamwork means promoting Cayman’s diving and presenting a united front at trade shows across the country, including the Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association (DEMA). Neil van Niekerk (R) helps staff the Sister Islands booth.

The TripAdvisor awards add shine to an already stellar year for the Cayman Islands. Tourism numbers are up considerably from last year, and Cayman has also been voted 2015 Best Overall Dive Destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic Region by the readers of Scuba Diving Magazine in its annual survey. Divers gave high marks to Cayman’s dramatic walls, protected reefs, easy shore dives, Stingray City, the USS Kittiwake wreck and U/W photography. Topside fun also rated high.

Keith Sahm, (L) Sunset House General Manager receiving his “Diver of the Year” Award from Beneath the Sea, the largest consumer dive show in the U.S.

Cayman’s dive industry leaders are pleased, but not surprised, by this recognition. They believe in the dive product, and work hard to keep Cayman on top. No Caribbean destination offers more dive sites – 365 on all three islands. Cayman also protects its marine environment, and as a dive destination, Cayman is always evolving – something that is the direct result of teamwork by leaders in the local dive industry. This team includes; Sahm, Easterbrook, Rod McDowall of Red Sail Sports, Steve Broadbelt of Ocean Frontiers, Neil Van Niekerk and Kristian Eyles of the Southern Cross Club. The five dive operators work together to keep the Cayman dive experience fresh and in the dive public’s eye. As one, they help steer Cayman’s high-powered dive industry in the right direction with an eye on the competition and the future.

“We see our competition as other destinations, not our neighbors,” says Broadbelt. “We know the choices our customers have and we want to get them to the Cayman Islands. We’re not new to the game, so we focus on what we know best and make sure we are doing it better than anyone else.”

Working together at a fundraiser for a Reef Restoration project in Grand Cayman are Rod McDowall (L) and Keith Sahm.

“As a team we share the load with challenges Cayman faces, we get creative and share ideas with marketing opportunities to help us all,” adds Easterbrook. “If we can get people to come to Cayman, where everything is well-maintained and safe, and where we have this incredible diving, then there is enough business for everyone.”

This culture of cooperation for the common good was fostered in the early ‘80s with the formation of the Cayman Islands Watersports Operators Association (CIWOA). Watersports operators came together to establish guidelines and procedures to ensure diving in Cayman is a consistently safe and memorable experience for all visitors. This set an example that other dive destinations try to emulate.

Hall of Fame award from TripAdvisor

“Cayman is always in the forefront of the dive industry,” says Adrien Briggs, a founding member of the CIWOA, and owner of Sunset House and Red Sail Sports. “We’ve always been leaders and that’s something we are very proud of.”

Briggs served as president of the association for six and a half years, and also on its Board of Directors. During his tenure with the CIWOA, he and the Board, were instrumentation in the development of Cayman’s Marine Parks and the installation of permanent moorings at dive sites to help protect them from anchor damage. Other core founding members include: Ron Kipp, Dickie Walls, Martin Sutton, Athlee Evans, Wayne Hassan, and Bud Johnson, among others.

Divetech’s Nancy Easterbrook (L) was awarded the Cayman Islands Governor’s Conservation award for being a champion of the environment.

“They showed a forward thinking that was ahead of many other dive destinations and provided a very solid base for other Caymanians and dive business enthusiasts who saw an opportunity to make a decent living in a pretty new field of tourism in the Caribbean,” says Rod McDowall, Red Sail Sports Operations Manager, and an early and active member of the CIWOA. “Many of the core principals of the CIWOA are still part of the Scuba Diving guidelines that our industry uses today, 45 years later.”

“The Cayman Islands is the home of recreational scuba diving thanks to Bob Soto’s valuable contribution to the sport, which continues to serve as an inspiration to many of us that knew him,” said Neil van Niekerk of the Southern Cross Club.

Nancy Easterbrook, another founding member, says the commitment remains strong today. “As an industry, its our responsibility to our own livelihood and to our country to contribute to Cayman’s environment and tourism business through Lionfish culls, promotional events, staff training and more. It makes good business sense because we have so much in common on this tiny Caribbean nation that working together as one voice works.”

The CIWOA eventually became part of the larger Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) that today represents all factions of the tourism industry, but Cayman’s dive industry remains in good hands. Today’s leaders collectively share more than 100 years of dive experience and a depth of knowledge. They too have been singled out for acclaim. McDowall was inducted into the Cayman Islands Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2014 for his more than 30 years of service. Easterbrook, a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, pioneer in technical diving, and a champion of the environment, also received the Cayman Islands Governor’s Conservation Award. For his contributions to the world-wide dive industry over 20 years, Keith Sahm has been named to the 2015 class of “Divers of the Year,” by the founders of Beneath the Sea, America’s largest consumer dive and travel show in Secaucus, NJ.

 

“It was unanimous, Keith deserves it,” said Maria Hults, Executive Vice President of Beneath the Sea. “He’s tireless – always working for the good of the dive industry. People like Keith are the backbone of the dive community, working every day and they should be recognized.”

That applies to all members of the team that works as one to move forward with vision for the future of the Cayman dive industry. Nancy Easterbrook was the driving force behind the sinking of the Kittiwake wreck, now one of Cayman’s most popular dive sites. Steve Broadbelt, who served as CITA Watersports Director and chair for 6 years, and the association president for two, was instrumental in making the Dive 365 project a reality.

“We, as a destination are still excited about dive travel and it is what we do well to make our customers smile and come back,” says Broadbelt.

“Cayman is a trendsetter, and we couldn’t do that if we didn’t work together,” says Keith Sahm. “It’s a necessity, if you want success, you want it to work, you have to do it collectively together.”

Learn more about: Divetech (www.divetech.com), Ocean Frontiers (www.oceanfrontiers.com), Red Sail Sports Grand Cayman (www.redsailcayman.com), Sunset House (www.sunsethouse.com) and the Southern Cross Club (www.southerncrossclub.com).

The birthplace of recreational diving in the Caribbean inaugurates an annual celebration of what makes the Cayman Islands a special dive destination

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Tanks, tuxedos and tasty Lionfish were all hits at Cayman’s first annual Legends and Lions scuba celebration, which rolled out October 4 – 11, 2014 with great success thanks to teamwork, a good turnout and perfect weather. The celebration showcased Cayman’s superb diving, honored dive legends inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, fought invasive Lionfish and then served them up at a celebratory street party on the waterfront.

Lionfish and Caribbean staples were served in a tasty buffet at the street dance hosted by conservationist Guy Harvey. Photo courtesy Courtney Platt.

“Legends and Lions was a successful event for its first time,” says Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall, one of the participating dive operators. “ We hope to make it a yearly celebration that highlights the fantastic scuba diving of the Cayman Islands and the reasons we are one of the world’s leading dive destinations.”

“It went really well, I’m very pleased,” agreed Keith Sahm, General Manager for Sunset House, also one of the event dive operators. “It pulled together very nicely.”

Dive industry leaders teamed up with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to combine several existing scuba promotions during this traditionally slow time of year to take advantage of off-season rates. The dive deals offered by Red Sail Sports, Sunset House and Divetech attracted new divers to Cayman from as far away as Germany, and drew repeat divers from closer markets in the US back to a destination they know well and visit often.

Welcoming the legends to the Cayman Islands (L-R) Red Sail Sports’ Bill Edwards, Leslie Leaney, Dan Orr, Bill Acker and Rod McDowall.

Some visitors started the week of diving aboard a Red Sail Sports dive boat with scuba pioneers Bill Acker, Dan Orr and Leslie Leaney. The three hall of famers spoke to the group about the history of diving and their experiences in the sport. The legends and divers then hit the water together to dive Cayman’s spectacular North Wall where they explored dive sites Creole Cliff and Pinnacle Reef. It was an experience Carolyn Larrivee and her husband George from Utah won’t forget.

“I loved it! It was great to be with people who love what they do and who want to share that passion with us,” she said. “I love the camaraderie – it reassures me as a diver who loves the sport.”

“They shared this wonderful dive experience with us,” said Dan Orr, who thoroughly enjoyed the meet and greet on board. “Diving is done as a community – we are a community.”

“This is the essence of diving, which is a non-competitive sport,” agreed Leslie Leaney, a dive historian. “It’s about sharing this fun activity as a community.”

Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism Counsellor Joey Hews (L) with International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Nicklin. Photo Courtesy Courtney Platt.

Also attending the festival were top performers from dive shops and booking agents participating in Cayman’s Tanks A Lot Rewards Program, courtesy of the Department of Tourism and Cayman’s dive industry.  A couple of the FAM attendees – Paula and Dean of The Dive Academy in Ontario – celebrated by getting engaged and then picking out a ring. The weeklong fun continued with topside events that Lionfish culling certifications and culling dives to remove the predators from Cayman’s reefs. The day’s catch was then cooked up and served during a street party sponsored by Aqua Lung.

“I’ve never had Lionfish before and it’s tasty!” said a surprised and pleased Rich Peterson, visiting the island from Jacksonville, Florida.  The meal included Caribbean staples rice and peas, plantain and “cho cho” a tropical fruit.

Legends and Lions also hosted a photo contest during the week that drew local, as well as visiting underwater photographers. The winners received prizes awarded by Scubapro, Guy Harvey and the Cathy Church Underwater Photo Centre.  Coordinator Keith Sahm says the images submitted for the event were astounding and the response to the collections has been great. Categories included; Unusual, Macro, and Turtles, Stingrays and Fish. Winners included local divers Charlie Reaney, Brittany Slade, Amanda Nicholls, Chase Darnell, Courtney Platt and Ellen Cuylaerts.

International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame inductee Alese Pechter with her award. Photo courtesy Courtney Platt

“The response that we have received from our social medial site showing off the winners has been absolutely fabulous and it give us great pleasure showing off these talented photographers work,” he said.  “Next year, we will get started much earlier, now that we have a new format in place. We’ll have more prizes, more categories, the goal is to get more entries.”

The scuba week celebration was capped off with a formal, black tie International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Induction Dinner hosted by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. These year’s inductees were Alese and Mort Pechter, Bill Acker, Chuck Nicklin, Dan Orr and Neal Watson.  Rod McDowall of Red Sail Sports was also honored for his contributions to Cayman’s dive industry through the years.

“The induction into the local Cayman Islands Scuba Hall of Fame is appreciated,” said McDowall. “It’s always nice to get recognition for just doing your job in a diving paradise.”

 The dive legends inducted to the hall of fame had this to say:

Alese Pechter: “What a fantastic weekend we had! Thank you so much for making absolutely everything so perfect. Grand Cayman has always held a special place in our hearts and this weekend just solidified that feeling even more.”

Neal Watson: “Thanks a million for the hospitality extended to my friends, family and the ‘Dive God’.”

 Dan Orr: “Keith, it was a wonderful week thanks largely to you and Karin. Having all of our family stay at Sunset House was the best decision – our family loved every bit of it.  The rooms, the staff, the food and the diving were all first rate.  We sincerely thank you and Karin for everything! ”

 Bill Acker: “Thank you so very much, for your help, hospitality and friendship during the past week in the Cayman Islands.  My entire family as well as our friends from Germany had a wonderful time at Sunset House.”

Chuck Nicklin: “Thanks to the Cayman Department of Tourism and to the hospitality of Karin and Keith Sahm of the Sunset House Dive Resort, Leslie Leaney, our eloquent MC and Co-founder of the Historical Diving Society, and to the many friends who attended. Congratulations to all inductees! It was a great event!”

Everyone involved in Legends and Lions is anxious to get started on plans for 2015 since this first event was so successful – there are new ideas to discuss for next year.

“We want to put this event on every divers calendar – fantastic diving, great dive deals, diving with industry celebrities and a street party – the perfect Cayman Islands dive vacation!” said Rod McDowall.

Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. has officially relaunched the Cayman Islands Yacht Club, an integral part of the North Sound boating experience that boasts daily traffic of more than 700 boat owners and passengers.

The Yacht Club is the primary gateway from the Seven Mile Beach tourism district to Cayman’s top natural attraction, Stingray City, and North Wall diving and snorkeling. With the renovations, the Yacht Club is prepared for the heavy crowds of tourists during high season.

To mark the completion of the $7 million marina redevelopment, which has been ongoing since Dart purchased the property in 2011, the Cayman Islands Yacht Club recently held a “Rechristening Celebration.” Her Excellency the Governor Helen Kilpatrick delivered the official dedication and smashed a ceremonial bottle of champagne to invite safe journeys for all who sail from the Yacht Club.

“Dart approached this project as more than a commercial marina renovation,” said Jackie Doak, Chief Operating Officer of Dart Realty. “It was a redevelopment of one of the island’s key tourism facilities and a core amenity to some of Cayman’s most desirable and longstanding waterfront communities.”

The improvements to the Cayman Islands Yacht Club showcase Dart’s commitment to thoughtful, sustainable development as the renovations are environmentally responsible, helping to promote marine tourism while protecting the fragile ecology that is the industry’s main attraction. Since diving and snorkeling are among Cayman’s top attractions, these sustainable improvements were not only necessary but crucial. They include:

• SEAFLEX moorings, which have a unique construction that allows them to slowly stretch to keep docks in place regardless of water movements, do not affect sensitive sea beds and do not rust or introduce pollutants into the marine ecosystem
• Use of recyclable aluminium and synthetic products used in the Poralu Marine docking and walkway
• Solar powered lighting in the car parks and along the walkways and docks
• Pump out stations at individual docks, which is ecologically preferable to centralized stations
• Landscaping using native and endemic plants and trees from the 26-acre Dart Nursery

The renovation also included upgrades to the fuel stations, access road, lighting, walkways, security, car park, landscaping and chandlery. The docks now feature key card security access, pump out stations and electricity at each slip, movable cleats, dive whips and Wi-Fi. The Anchors store and bar provides boaters and visitors with the full range of provisions for a day out on the water.

For more information on the Cayman Islands Yacht Club, visit ciyachtclub.ky.

The Cathy Church signature room at Sunset House. The dive resort will ultimately have 22 underwater photography themed

Four rooms available now, 22 by the end of 2015 – the goal is to enhance the visitor’s dive vacation experience by showing them the underwater world through the eyes of experts

Sunset House, the hotel for divers by divers, has completed four of what will ultimately be 22 themed guest rooms decorated with the work of some of the dive industry’s elite underwater photographers. The design upgrade is part of a continuing makeover plan by the popular dive resort, to enhance the dive experience for guests who travel here to enjoy Cayman’s famed underwater world. Customers can now book one of these signature oceanfront rooms, or suites, and walk into the beauty of the undersea world as seen through the lenses of photographers Courtney Platt, Ellen Cuylaerts, Cathy Church and Jim Hellemn.

“I’m very honoured to be included in the Sunset House Signature rooms,” says Cuylaerts, who moved to Cayman in 2009 and began diving in 2011 when she also took up underwater photography. She has just been named World Champion Underwater Photographer 2013 in an international photo contest for her diverse and stunning photos.

“As a newby to be able to show my work to divers from around the world makes me very proud,” she said. “The selection of canvasses was difficult, but I chose mostly images taken in Cayman. Every encounter in the water brings something new, and I hope my work inspires people to keep looking with an open mind, every time. Beauty is everywhere.”

Cuylearts is displaying her work in Room 411 at Sunset House, including captivating images of the silversides the visit Devil’s Grotto and numerous sites around Grand Cayman each summer. She hopes her photographs will inspire divers to take a closer look.

“The highlights are not on wall dives, but on the subject, the beauty of every creature big or small. I hope people seeing my work will revisit some signature dive sites and look at them with a different focus, maybe by seeing my work they discover things or details they never noticed before, for example how beautiful light enters grottoes, what excellent reflections stingrays get at the surface.”

Digital imaging and underwater specialist Jim Hellemn, based in California, hopes his photos in room 407 encourage people become concerned about ocean conservation.

“Seeing the natural beauty that’s here allows us to see what’s in the ocean that we need to protect, especially when you see all of the reef life in one area, you really get a sense of what you’re trying to protect in the ocean. I think that’s very important for every diver and every person on land to understand.”

“We gave the photographers free reign to decorate their signature room in the way they want to display photos from anywhere in the world to share their vision of the underwater world – each artist is completely different with their own style,” said General Manager Keith Sahm, who came up with the idea for themed rooms that extend the dive experience topside.

Consistent ideal conditions and a variety of dive experiences have made the Cayman Islands a mecca for underwater photographers, both pro and novice. Sunset House, with its in-house Cathy Church Photo Centre and partnership with the well-known photo pro, cultivates the underwater photography culture and caters to all.

“We’re the capitol of underwater photography here: great visibility, exciting marine life and reefs, and Sunset House has easy shore diving so photographers can just go out and indulge in their sport,” said Keith Sahm.  “With advances in technology and digital photography more and more divers are doing underwater photography so we have photographers here every day.  It only makes sense to take their dive vacation experience to the next level.”

It has taken a year to complete the four signature rooms, and Sahm hopes to get all 22 rooms done by the end of 2015.  Other well-known industry photographers who will have their own signature room include: Alex Mustard, Marty Snyderman, Stephen Frink, David Doubilet, Geri Murphy and Greg Piper, among others.

The partnership between Sunset House and the photographers has benefits for all involved. Prominent Cayman photographer Courtney Platt, who has done several assignments for National Geographic Magazine and has a thriving photo business on Grand Cayman, says the exposure to guests from all over the world is already providing business leads.

“It makes the visit for the diver coming to Cayman more exciting and the rooms become a point of interest for them and their friends who want to see the photos in the various rooms,” he said.

Sahm agrees saying the signature rooms have become social meeting places for guests after a great day of diving.

“The whole idea of this project is to extend the underwater experience for our guests as much as possible, and add more fun to their vacation here at Sunset House.”

About Sunset House

Sunset House/Sunset Divers has been welcoming divers to the Cayman Islands for more than 55 years. It is the only resort in the Cayman Islands, designed by divers, operated by divers, for divers. It’s also the only resort on Grand Cayman that has its own coral reef, with modern and ancient shipwrecks in shallow water right off shore. Underwater visibility on Sunset House’s reef can exceed 200 feet, and a remarkable variety of marine life to be seen there. Our own spectacular 9’ bronze sculpture of the mermaid Amphitrite is one of the most popular shore dive sites in the world.  The resort features 52 guest rooms, including 16 deluxe Oceanview rooms, 2 spacious suites and 2 apartments with full kitchenettes. All rooms are air-conditioned, with phones and private baths. Free Hi-Speed Wireless Internet can be accessed throughout the property and a convenient computer station is located in the lobby. SeaHarvest Restaurant offers full menus for some of the healthiest breakfasts, lunch and dinners around and is famous for its East Indian menu. My Bar a popular hangout for both locals and visitors, has been voted “Best in the Caribbean” by Caribbean Travel and Life and the Best of Cayman.  Sunset House also features an inviting seaside fresh water swimming pool.

For information or reservations
Call Toll Free: (800) 854-4767
On Grand Cayman: 345-949-7111
Web: www.sunsethouse.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sunsethousecayman
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sunsethouse

A fantastic new facility for diving and accommodation is set to open in Marsa Alam on 1st October 2014 – Flora Diving Camp.

The team at Flora Diving Camp are busily preparing for the grand opening in October and as an introduction to the facility have a great special offer for divers

7 Nights Accommodation including 10 Guided Dives and Transfers from Marsa Alam Airport – All for ONLY €299 per person!

Learn more on the brand new Flora Diving Camp website at: http://www.floradivingcamp.com 

The fish reproduce at a fast rate so culling must be done on a regular basis to keep the predators population in manageable numbers. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

Steve Broadbelt and his team at Ocean Frontiers have culled 10,000 Lionfish from East End reefs; Chef Ron Hargrave has purchased a total of 6000 pounds of the predators to cook up in delectable local dishes.

“Lionfish are beautiful, resilient and strong – a cool fish – but they are deadly to our reefs and if we don’t stop them something bad is going to happen,” says Matt Russell a divemaster/instructor at Ocean Frontiers who has watched the invasion with deep concern for the marine environment. Russell is a dedicated, educated and skilled warrior in the fight against the Lionfish, consistently culling large numbers on dives – a record 56 Lionfish during a 2-tank dive. He’s also a member of the very exclusive “30 Club” whose members have removed 30 or more Lionfish on a single dive. Matt also teaches customers how to safely and humanely remove the invasive species from the reefs.

Lionfish are colorful and beautiful, but deadly to Caribbean reef fish because they are voracious eaters. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

“The hunt was wickedly fun at first, but now I feel an obligation to get as many people involved as I can,” he says. Matt and his co-workers follow the lead set by their boss Steve Broadbelt (also a member of the 30 Club) who is out there hunting and spearing as many Lionfish as he can on company culls.  “We’re pretty competitive! Steve ‘gets it’ and understands that we need to keep the pressure on.”

This attitude and the resulting teamwork is why Ocean Frontiers is winning the local battle against invasive Lionfish prowling the reefs at East End, if not the broader war against the predator.  Broadbelt and his team aggressively press on, culling as many predators as they can, and encouraging locals and customers to get involved in the fight. In March they crossed an important thresh hold – they have removed 10,000 Lionfish from East End reefs since they began culling three years ago.

Ocean Frontiers co-owner Steve Broadbelt (left) culling Lionfish during a dive. The fish are speared and placed in a tube for safe handling. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

Also this month their best customer for the fish, Chef Ron Hargrave, who operates Tukka at East End and Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill at Compass Point Resort, calculates that he has purchased 6000 pounds of Lionfish at a cost of $25,000. This partnership between Broadbelt and Hargrave is an example of how the community can help fight the Lionfish invasion, and it exemplifies the hope behind the mantra being repeated across the Caribbean: to beat them eat them.

Culling invasive Lionfish is a day in, day out challenge, and while eradicating them completely from Cayman’s reefs is unlikely, Ocean Frontiers is hoping to keep the predator population manageable at East End dive sites. Once a week, Ocean Frontiers runs a one-tank afternoon cull, and customers are asked to help by being Lionfish spotters for trained cullers. This helps keep the Lionfish population low on regular dive sites, but a more aggressive approach is needed for other areas of the reef not regularly dived. Ocean Frontiers also offers an all-day 3-tank cull once a month for Cayman residents who are licensed to use spears and have their own DoE approved spears. The dive operation also offers a culling class, taught by Matt Russell, for customers interested in being trained and licensed to spear Lionfish.

Ocean Frontiers divemaster Matt Russell (lower left) removing invasive Lionfish from a reef at East End, Grand Cayman. Matt has cullled a record 52 Lionfish on a 2-tank dive. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

“These trips target the hard to reach areas that are too far to get to on a typical half day trip,” says Broadbelt.  “We’ve also developed what we call ‘parachute drop culling’ where we split the residents into three teams and drop them off along the reef sequentially the estimated distance apart that they are expected to cover. This enables us to cull over 1 mile of linear reef at a time and has resulted in many top scores. This method can only be used in the right conditions with advanced divers that we are comfortable with… I would class it as an extreme dive, but worth the results.”

All smiles after a successful cull at East End are Steve Broadbelt and his team at Ocean Frontiers. His daughter in the foreground is too young to spear, but she still wants to be involved in the fight against Lionfish which will certainly involve the next generation. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

The numbers tell the story: to date Ocean Frontiers has culled a total of 10,202 Lionfish; 1008 divers have participated in culling dives; the most fish ever culled in one day is 320; the most culled by a single diver in one dive is 39; the longest Lionfish caught is approximately 13 inches measured from nose to base of tail; the smallest is about 2 inches. Everything is carefully documented and the results are reported to the Cayman Islands Department of Environment where a Lionfish database is kept.

Chef Ron Hargrave takes all the Lionfish being harvested at East End, no matter the size, and adds them to his menu. He says most of their customers are aware of the issue and support the cause by ordering at least one Lionfish dish – among the most popular are the famous Lionfish Tacos served at Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill.

Invasive Lionfish reproduce quickly so culling involves removing predators of all sizes from the reef. Photo courtesy of Ocean Frontiers.

“Customers love it! And why not… Its delicate, flakey, white meat is very mild and extremely tasty,” he says, adding that demand is going up all the time.

“The Lionfish tacos at Eagle Ray’s are probably the best I’ve ever had and they are on the menu 100% of the time,” says Matt Russell who often recommends them. “I’ll ask customers ‘did you try those fish tacos? I caught them!’”

Steve Broadbelt says licensed local cullers joined the fight once they understood the threat posed by the Lionfish, and they continue to be involved.

Lionfish on the menu at Tukka and Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill. The fish have a delicate, flakey white meat that make them good to eat. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

“Divers do not like harming or killing (culling) marine life, but we have to be smarter than our emotions and understand the damage the Lionfish are doing and the importance of our environmental work,” he says. “We employ some of our own techniques to make sure the Lionfish are terminated as quickly and humanely as possible. There is no reason to make them suffer – they are just not welcome here.”

“You have to take care of the things you love and there are few things I love more than Cayman’s reef life,” says local customer Mark Rovner, a licensed spearer. “At first I was apprehensive about killing fish, but once you understand the horrific damage these invasives can do, you realize there’s no choice. And if not me, who?

Steve Broadbelt (R)and Chef Ron Hargrave (C) accepting a team award for winning an island-wide Lionfish culling tournament on Earth Day last year. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

Broadbelt says getting Ocean Frontiers customers involved in culling is easy when they become aware of the threat Lionfish pose and sometimes a little competition keeps the hunt interesting.

“We make the culling trips fun and competitive by encouraging a little rivalry and team spirit,” he says. “Most divers don’t need motivation. They care about the environment and there is always this desire to do a good thing and help with the problem. Some of them just love it and can’t get enough.”

Tasty Lionfish tacos are a popular item on the menu at Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar & Grill at Compass Point Resort, East End. The predators are culled from the reef and purchased by Chef Ron Hargrave who happily prepares them in dishes served to the public. Lionfish has mild, light flakey white meat that is quickly making it a favorite fish for consumers who are happy to help with the fight: to beat them, eat them! Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

Is regular culling it working? Broadbelt says the data they’ve collected and submitted to the Department of Environment indicates that Lionfish counts and sizes are being reduced. Customers are also seeing fewer of them during dives on return trips.

“When I started, the lionfish populated almost every dive site. Now it is a surprise to see a lionfish,” agrees regular customer John Sharp who has participated in culling dives.

“Yes culling is making a difference, but it is like a leaking boat,” says Steve Broadbelt. “Every time we bail out some water… more just keeps coming back in. We can keep bailing and bailing, but we have to find a better long term solution.”

Lionfish ceviche is a popular item on the Tukka menu at East End. Photo courtesy Tukka.

About Ocean Frontiers

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located at Compass Point Dive Resort on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for catering to small groups and having the island’s friendliest staff.  Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction.

The Compass Point Dive Resort, which received the Green Globe Certification award in 2010 for sustainable tourism, is the epitome of laidback luxury. It features 28 luxurious one, two and three bedroom oceanfront, ocean view and poolside condominiums, each with its own private patio or balcony and all beautifully decorated with stylish island décor, and fully equipped with all of the comforts of home. Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar and Grill is now open for business at the resort.

For more information:
Call Toll Free:  1.800.348.6096, in Grand Cayman Call: 345.640.7500
E-mail:  info@oceanfrontiers.com, Website:  www.oceanfrontiers.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/caymanscubadiving
Twitter: @oceanfontiers
Linkedin:  Ocean Frontiers

At the Sister Islands Cookoff are (L-R) SCC’s Ms. Merilda Messias, Ms Joan Muir, Chef Francisco Diaz, Chef Manuel D’Souza and SCC’s Executive Chef Anu Christopher with the Cook-off Judges: Shetty Vidyadhara, Head of the Cayman Culinary Society, Owner of Blue Cilantro on Seven Mile Beach; Keith Griffen, Vice President Cayman Culinary Society, Manager of the Cayman Culinary Team; Wayne Jones O’Connor, Owner-Chef of Food For Thought Catering, Grand Cayman’s Premier Catering House.

Team Southern Cross sweeps awards and comes out on top as 2013 Grand Champion

On Little Cayman, a small 10-square-mile island with a permanent population of about 150 people, the Southern Cross Club hosted the Sister Islands Cook-off, a world-class cooking competition that would impress any culinary aficionado or foodie in the world. On November 16, 2013, more than 20 chefs from various restaurants and resorts in the Cayman Islands submitted 48 towering and creative dishes that highlighted originality, presentation and taste. This was the 16th year for the event, an annual fundraiser for the Sister Islands Tourism Association.  After a competitive and fun-filled evening, Team Southern Cross Club swept the awards, winning Best in Show and the Grand Champion award.

There were five categories in the cooking competition: local, soup/appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert.  First and Second Place Winners in each category received a cash prize and a beautiful Cayman National Nambe Trophy.  Team Southern Cross took home two 2nd place trophies and four 1st place trophies out of 5.  And for the King of the Hill award – this year the coveted Grand Champion Cayman National Nambe Trophy was awarded to Team Southern Cross for its entrée: Lamb Chops in Mint Scented Ratatouille Parcel.  The Cayman Islands Culinary Society also awarded this original and delicious dish Best of Show distinction.

“It was a very proud moment for me to be acknowledged and rewarded by the community,” said Southern Cross Club Executive Chef Anu Christopher. “We have a great team here and Southern Cross Club deserved to be the best.”

“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our Staff at the resort; to garner so many awards at the one event is extremely exciting, to be awarded with the prestigious “Grand Champion Award 2013” by SITA and “Best in Show” by the Cayman Culinary society is a real honour and true tribute to Chef Anu and his team in the kitchen, who do a phenomenal job,” said General Manager Jennifer Mills.  Southern Cross Club’s winning dishes were as follows by course:

Local

First Place:  Guava Heavy Cake – Mirelda Messias

Soup/Appetizer

Second Place: Pan Seared Queen Conch Cake w/ Cayman Season Pepper Chutney and Vanilla Dusted Yuca Chips

Salad

First Place:  Purslane, Local Green Papaya & Hibiscus Chaat

Entrée 

First Place Entree, Best Of Show – Cayman Islands Culinary Society and

SICO 213 Grand Champion  – Lamb Chops in Mint Scented Ratatouille Parcel

Dessert

First Place: Passion Fruit Mojito Mousse

Second Place: “Charlie Trotter” Flourless Chocolate Beetroot Cake

“Our General Manager Jennifer Mills put on a fine event, but those who know Jen were not surprised by the quality of the evening,” said Peter Hillenbrand, owner of the Southern Cross Club. “From beginning to end the 16th annual Sister Islands Cook-Off fundraiser was a classy and entertaining evening for all participants, competitors, and sponsors.”

This is the main fundraiser of the year for Sister Islands Tourism Association and the money will go to fund the Brac Shore Dive Initiative and a new environmental awareness project, the conservation-minded Mills and the other organizers were committed to making the event a big success. Most of the island’s residents attended the cook-off to cheer and taste their way through the evening. Grand Cayman’s Brown Sugar Band provided entertainment for the smashing evening under the Caribbean stars.

“All of us on the SITA Cook-off committee were extremely pleased with the event; it was very well attended and everything went extremely smoothly,” said Mills.  “We made a few small changes to the rules and adjustments to the format to step things up to a new level, and the changes were very effective. The quality of the event and the food entries themselves were significant improvement on previous years.”

 About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 14 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”.  Little Cayman is renowned for its breath-taking coral reefs and pristine environment, and the Green Globe certified Southern Cross Club sets sustainability standards to protect it. The resort was awarded the 2013 Cayman Islands Tourism Association CEPTS Stingray Award for its exceptionally good stewardship of the environment and its ongoing commitment to preserving it. Guests to the Southern Cross Club can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious award-winning food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year. The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

For reservations or more information:

Telephone: 1 (800) 899-CLUB (2582)

Outside the USA: (619) 563-0017

Website: www.southerncrossclub.com

Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

If you are looking for a once in a lifetime experience, how about a stay UNDER the Indian Ocean? We are delighted to be able to offer our guests the amazing chance to stay on a private floating island off the stunningly beautiful white sands of Pemba, Tanzania.

The Underwater Room, part of the all-inclusive Manta Resort, is now open. Here you can sleep four metres below the surface and enjoy unparalleled views of the underwater world from the comfort of your own bed. Luxuriate in sunbathing and star gazing on the top deck, and lounge and dine on the water deck surrounded by stunning turquoise seas.

While dipping in and out of the warms waters that surround the island, divers can admire a wide variety of beautiful tropical fish species, manta rays, whale sharks and dolphins, in addition to brightly coloured gorgonian sea fans, corals and sponges. Those staying on the island between August and early September can also hope to see Humpback whales as they migrate north. Make the most of your time on Pemba and explore the numerous dive sites accessible from the north and south of the island. Divers have a good chance of encountering mantas at Manta Point, while those more taken with overhangs and canverns can travel to Fundu reef or Njao Gap, where diverse marine life including turtles, eels and large triggerfish can be seen.

Available to divers staying at Pemba’s Manta Resort, a 24 hour stay in the ‘underwater room’ costs from £900. A seven night stay at the Manta Resort costs from £1,763 per person, to include return flights, transfers and all inclusive accommodation. A six dive dive pack costs from £170 per person, to include air tanks, weights, belt and guide. This is an amazing experience for any diver but an absolute WOW for honeymoon divers or those looking to celebrate something special. Stays on Pemba can also be combined with a number of safari and trekking options for the ultimate holiday.

Give the Regaldive Team a call on 01353 659 999 to book this unique experience or contact us via the website at: http://www.regal-diving.co.uk

For more information visit http://www.piratespointresort.com

Compass Point Dive Resort, recognized for sustainability, is located on Grand Cayman’s remote East End. Photo courtesy Ocean Frontiers.

With in-house dive operation Ocean Frontiers, Compass Point is recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive resorts in the Cayman Islands

The Compass Point Dive Resort at East End in Grand Cayman has recently received its Green Globe re-certification for sustainable tourism.  Green Globe provides a framework and guidelines to help tourism businesses develop and improve on best sustainability practices to save energy and water resources, reduce operational costs and positively contribute to local communities and their environment. Ocean Frontiers is also recognized as one of the most conservation-minded dive operators in the Cayman Islands with a long history of promoting ocean protection through its company programs, and an unwavering support for outside environmental projects.

“The Green Globe re-certification indicates that we are doing the right thing for the environment of East End and the local community on Grand Cayman,” said Steve Broadbelt, owner and general manager of Compass Point Resort and Ocean Frontiers. “All of us at the Compass Point Resort feel it’s extremely important that we take care of the environment and give back to the community as much as we can.”

Sea view from the Compass Point Dive Resort on Grand Cayman’s remote East End. Photo courtesy of Compass Point Dive Resort

Compass Point also received the new biennial CEPTS Environmental Stewardship Award, bestowed by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) at the Stingray Awards in May. The CEPTS project is a groundbreaking joint venture between the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and Department of Environment that encourages local businesses to become Green Globe certified, and the award recognized Compass Point for its ongoing commitment to implement initiatives for the conservation and preservation of the natural environment.

For the program the Compass Point Dive Resort implements environmental best practices that include:  recycling program for aluminum, glass and plastic; installation of EcoSmart thermostats and door switches for the resort’s air conditioning system; installation of low-flow show heads and dual-flush toilets; use of Zero-VOC paints and LowE glass for windows; use of green housekeeping products; on-site composting for landscape trimmings and coffee grounds; zero potable water for landscape irrigation and rainwater harvesting; Energy Star 3.0 rated appliances and electronics; non-incandescent lighting; and implementation of  a linen re-use program for all guests resulting in 34% decrease in laundry expenses.

Avid conservationist Broadbelt realizes the dive resort plays an important role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment, so sustainability has always been a priority with Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers. New employees agree to abide by a company environmental policy that calls for minimizing use of energy, water and materials.  Staff is also asked to educate guests about the sensitive environmental conditions, to invite them to participate in conservation efforts and to maintain a continuous commitment to improve environmental practices. Ocean Frontiers also enforces a code for Responsible Reef Diving which calls for divers to practice good buoyancy and secure equipment to keep it from damaging coral; avoid any contact with coral; refrain from buying marine souvenirs, and to eat sustainable seafood at restaurants.  The resorts new restaurant, Eagle Ray’s Bar and Grill features invasive lionfish on the menu.

The Compass Point Dive Resort at East End has just received Green Globe re-certification for sustainability. Photo courtesy of Compass Point Dive Resort.

Since 1996 Ocean Frontiers has been involved in conservation and environmental projects that include; Dive Site Carrying Capacity Study, Shark Awareness & Tagging Program, Satellite Tracking of a Green Sea Turtle, Coral Spawning, Historic Shipwreck Mapping Project with the Cayman Islands National Museum, Wildlife Interaction Zones, Dive 365 Project, Kittiwake Artificial Reef (Silver Sponsor).  Ocean Frontiers also developed the first carbon off-set tool for divers and helped mobilize a national demonstration that halted a port project threatening East End dive sites.

Broadbelt is one of the most vocal supporters of a legislative bill to enact the Cayman Islands National Conservation Law, providing protection for Cayman’s endangered species, including sharks, and promoting environmental considerations in future development.  First drafted in 2002, the bill has gone through several revisions but has not been signed into law. There is hope that the National Conservation Law will be approved by the end of the year, and he lauds the efforts of the Department of Environment and some politicians in drafting and implementing the bill, despite obstacles.

Eagle Ray’s Bar and Grill is now open for lunch and dinner at the Compass Point Dive Resort. Photo courtesy Compass Point Dive Resort.

“I am delighted to hear the law will finally go to the House and hopefully come into law. Most people in the dive industry wholeheartedly support the proposed law and feel it is about time that Cayman takes a sustainable and long-term approach to protecting our natural resources,” says Broadbelt.  “Without our natural habitats on land and under the sea, our tourism product is nothing. Our reefs can compete on the highest levels throughout the region, but if our resources are not protected and managed, we will end up like every other destination in the region, relying on only blue skies and sunshine to attract tourists, not exactly a rare commodity in the Caribbean.”

About Ocean Frontiers and Compass Point Dive Resort

Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop is located at Compass Point Dive Resort on the remote East End of Grand Cayman. Founded in 1996 with one dive boat and a dream to introduce divers to the wonders of East End diving, the company has grown into one of Cayman’s premier dive operations with a reputation for catering to small groups and having the island’s friendliest staff. The winner of Project AWARE’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2004 and 2010, Ocean Frontiers has again been recognized in 2012. The company also received the PADI Green Star Dive Center accreditation in 2012 for demonstrating a dedication to conservation, the first dive operator in the Cayman Islands to receive this distinction. The Compass Point Dive Resort, which first received the Green Globe Certification award in 2010, is the epitome of laid-back luxury. It features 28 luxurious one, two and three bedroom oceanfront, ocean view and poolside condominiums, each with its own private patio or balcony and all beautifully decorated with stylish island décor, and fully equipped with all of the comforts of home. Eagle Ray’s Dive Bar and Grill is now open for business at the resort.

Green Globe provides a framework and guidelines to help tourism businesses develop and improve on best sustainability practices to save energy and water resources, reduce operational costs.

For more information:

Call Toll Free: 1 800-348-6096, Grand Cayman call (345) 640 7500.

Website: www.oceanfrontiers.com.

Facebook.com/caymanscubadiving

Twitter.com/oceanfrontiers

Wins World Travel Award as Cayman Boutique Resort and Receives Green Globe Recertification for Sustainability

Most visitors to the Southern Cross Club in Little Cayman praise the resort as the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing vacation on this secluded island Paradise, and their high opinion was affirmed last month by the 20th World Travel Awards (WTA), considered the “Oscars” of the travel Industry.  The WTA once again named the Southern Cross Club as the 2013 winner in the category of “Leading Boutique Resort in the Cayman Islands”.  The resort won this distinction in 2012, and was nominated in the same category from 2008 to 2011. The WTA was launched in 1993 to acknowledge and recognize excellence in global travel and tourism and travel agents around the world vote for the winners.

“We are all thrilled because this is one of the highest awards any individual or operator can aspire to within tourism,” says Jennifer Mills, General Manager of Southern Cross Club.

“To receive this prestigious award for the second consecutive year is an excellent indication that Southern Cross is maintaining a high level of customer service and providing guests with an exceptional experience, which keeps them returning year after year.”

The resort also recently received its Green Globe  recertification for sustainable tourism, the only resort in the Sister Islands to hold the certification. Green Globe provides a framework and guidelines to help businesses develop and improve on best sustainability practices to save energy and water resources, reduce operational costs and positively contribute to local communities and their environment.

Green Globe Certification’s CEO, Guido Bauer, commented, “We are extremely pleased to award the certification to the Southern Cross Club in the Cayman Islands. The property sets a wonderful example for the environmental movement in the Caribbean, and I am impressed with the numerous sponsored and national conservation activities, initiated by the Southern Cross team. The long-term goal is to stimulate economic growth throughout the region, while maintaining each unique aspect of this beautiful area.”

“The Green Globe recertification signifies that we are doing the right thing for the environment of Little Cayman and the local community,” commented Mills. “All of us at the Southern Cross Club feel it’s extremely important that we take care of the environment and give back to the community here.”

Jennifer Mills credits resort owner Pete Hillenbrand, an avid conservationist who realizes the resort has an important role in protecting and enhancing the islands environment, with setting the sustainability standards that have always been a priority with the Southern Cross Club. Solar panels were installed in 2004, and energy efficient toilets and air conditioners were added to guest units. The resort’s best practices include closely monitoring water use, electricity use, and waste. Staff members also take and encourage smaller conservation measures such as turning fans off, reusing printer paper, using energy efficient light bulbs. Mills adds that these measures seem like small things but they can actually make a huge different on a small island.

At the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) Stingray Awards in July, the Southern Cross Club was awarded the CEPTS Stingray Award, the highest honor bestowed by CITA in recognition of its exceptionally good stewardship of the environment and its ongoing commitment to preserving it. The CEPTS project is a groundbreaking joint venture between the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and Department of Environment that encourages local businesses to become Green Globe certified.

The resort has just undergone a September refit to gear up for the 2014 tourism season; freshly painted and redecorated guest rooms, a newly thatched bar, a new bigger and better drying shed, bike shed and compressor room.

“The compressor room has been expanded to accommodate our new Nitrox compressor,” adds Mills.  “The Southern Cross Club is going to be the only dive operator in the Cayman Islands to offer free Nitrox to our guests.”

The biggest improvement project will be a new dock and work on that will begin very soon. Jennifer Mills says while the recognitions and accolades are exciting and they affirm that they are doing things right, the ultimate recognition comes from guests who return to Little Cayman and the Southern Cross Club again and again.

“Little Cayman is a very special place and all of us are proud to call it home,” says Mills.  “We understand that it is vital to ensure the preservation of this beautiful little island for future generations.”

About the Southern Cross Club

The casually sophisticated Southern Cross Club Fish & Dive Resort is Little Cayman’s original resort. It features 12 beachfront bungalows complete with a top-rated, professional in-house diving and fishing operation. A unique blend of rusticity and elegance the resort is often described as “Barefoot Luxury”.  Guests can expect friendly and diligent service, delicious food, inviting rooms with breath-taking views and a comfortable dive boat ― a few of the things that bring them back year after year.  The resort’s beach-based location also provides flats fisherman with access to Bonefish and Permit just minutes away.

For reservations or more information:

Telephone: 1 (800) 899-CLUB (2582)

Website: www.southerncrossclub.com

Facebook:  www.facebook/SouthernCrossClub

Enjoying a fantastic dive on Cayman’s reefs aboard a comfortable and spacious Red Sail Sports dive boat. Photo courtesy Red Sail Sports.

With four Red Sail Sports locations island-wide, and other perks, package adds depth, variety and a touch of class to a Grand Cayman dive vacation

Trinity Caves on the West Wall, Eagle Ray Pass on the stunning North Wall, Grouper Grotto at remote East End, Stingray City in the North Sound − all iconic dive sites in the Cayman Islands − all available through Red Sail Sports in one dive package being offered for a limited time. The Ultimate Dive Stay and Play Package, with accommodations at the Westin Grand Cayman Resort on Seven Mile Beach, is an all-access pass to Grand Cayman’s best dive sites. With four convenient locations across the island Red Sail Sports is the only dive operator that lets guests choose which side of the island they want to dive on every day of their vacation.

Red Sail Sports dive boats pull right up to Seven Mile Beach for easy customer loading for the short ride to Cayman’s dive sites.

Custom-built dive boats pull up directly on the beach at the Westin, to pick up guests for a short ride to the West Wall dive sites. North Wall dive trips depart from the nearby Red Sail Sports Dive Shop at the Safehaven Canal. Dive excursions to the remote East End dive sites begin with a check-in at the company’s dive shop at Morritts Tortuga Club. Guests can choose their dive trips when they book their dive package, and convenience is just one aspect of the whole Red Sail Sports dive experience.

“We take the comfort of our guests seriously so their ultimate dive experience also extends to the quality of our dive boats where they have plenty of room to walk around and enjoy themselves on the ride to the dive sites and during surface intervals,” says Red Sail Sports Operations Manager Rod McDowall. “Our customers are spending a considerable amount of money to travel to the Cayman Islands. Often this is their only dive trip of the year, so we don’t scrimp on the quality of our boats or service.”

Red Sail Sports boats offer easy boarding and comfort on every dive. Photo Courtesy Amanda Nicholls.

McDowall says the quality of life is in the details, and this is something Red Sail Sports took into account in designing its dive boats. The decks are spacious and all boats include luxuries such as fresh-water shower, marine head (restroom), separate camera rinse-tank, dry-table and large dive platform for easy entry. The Red Sail Sports touch includes having cold drinking water available on board for guests and serving fresh fruit served between dives.

“All our dive boats were designed with a diver’s needs and comforts in mind,” he says. “There are no small and cramped boats in our fleet, so our guests can enjoy of the fantastic diving that Cayman is famous for, and do it in comfort. This is what they are here for.”

The incredible visibility in the Cayman Islands offers a view of the Red Sail Sports dive boat on the mooring. Photo courtesy Amanda Nicholls.

Grand Cayman is one of the best-known dive destinations in the world, famous for its dramatic drop-offs, unspoiled coral reefs, abundant marine life, famous stingrays and shipwrecks. The water is warm and crystal clear year round.

The Ultimate Dive Stay and Play Package starts from $539 per person based on double occupancy. The package includes 4 nights at the resort on Seven Mile Beach, 3 days of diving, free breakfast, a daily 2-tank dive, 50% off night dive, 50% off Stingray City Dive a FREE sunset sail aboard a luxury catamaran, 10% off at any of the island’s Shops of Red Sail Sports and 20% off watersports at any location, discounted rates on Nitrox tanks and BCD and regulator rentals. Ultimate Dive Stay and Play Packages are also available in 5, 6, 7 or more nights. Adding convenience and accessibility, Red Sail Sports is also offering discounted car rental from Budget as an add-on perk. Rates are valid from now through December 20, and blackout dates apply.

To book or for more information on the Ultimate Dive Stay and Play Package or if you are attending the Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association (DEMA) Show in Orlando visit the Red Sail Sports BOOTH #1255.

About Red Sail Sports

Red Sail Sports is a leading resort based dive and watersports operator in the Cayman Islands.  Since 1987 the company has been setting the standard in Grand Cayman by providing the highest level of dive service and equipment.  Over the past 25 years Red Sail Sports has expanded to include five full-service dive and watersports centers and numerous retail locations from Seven Mile Beach to East End and North Side. Red Sail Sports is partnered with some of Grand Cayman’s major resorts including; the Grand Cayman Beach Suites, the Westin Grand Cayman Resort, the Marriott Beach Resort, Rum Point, The Reef Resort and Morritt’s Tortuga Resort.

A diver enjoying a sea turtle encounter during a dive with Red Sail Sports in the Cayman Islands.

For more information:

Call toll free: 1-877-506-6368
In Grand Cayman: 345-623-5965

Website:  www.redsailcayman.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/redsailcayman

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/redsailsports 

Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort is the newest and most modern Dive Resort in Anilao Batangas today, it is geared more towards the Underwater Imaging Segment of the industry.   Anilao has long been a local Dive Destination in the Philippines, its good mix of reefs, sandy slopes, caves and piers make for a really interesting Dive vacation.  Just a boat ride away from Puerto Galera and Verde Island; Anilao makes for the perfect staging area to access all these well known Philippine Dive Destinations.

In recent years with the boom of UW Macro Photography and the influx of foreign divers Anilao has gained a following among those looking for a place to photograph great underwater subjects and seascapes.  With the influx of foreign influence the knowledge and skill set has grown and now; critters like the Rhinopias, and Sea Dragons thought to have only been in Lembeh are being Spotted regularly in these waters.

For the longest time the waterloo of Anilao has been the lack of accommodations and facilities of Western Standards.  Being avid divers who’ve seen and experienced dive operations elsewhere in the world, the partners of Aiyanar envisioned an Anilao facility whose standards would not only pass, but exceed the expectations of the ever increasing Diver Base from the west.  What they have come up with is a modern Dive Resort well laid out over 4 hectares of land right in the heart of this up and coming Macro Mecca.

Aiyanar has every tool to make Diver’s and Specially Under Water Photographer’s stay a pleasant and highly efficient experience.  We have built our own boats making them longer and wider in effect better suited to carrying UW photographers than the usual Anilao Outrigger boats.  And to compliment those Aiyanar has 4 fast boats of different sizes for dive trips out to those farther away destinations like Verde Island and even Puerto Galera putting them all within 30-45 mins boat ride of the resort.

The Dive Center well stocked with gear and tools to suit all needs, sits on more than 120sqm of well designed space that assists in the efficient flow of Divers departing and arriving at the resort during peak operations.

To augment all these, there is the camera room with space for 18 Photographers actively working on their cameras; and provisions for double that number if needed, it is hands down one of the best equipped Camera Rooms in Anilao.  Details such as air hoses are in place, ready for blasting and drying wet cameras.  Camera Tables are covered in a non-slip rubber material helps keep all your parts and what nots in place while you prepare for the days diving.  The Aiyanar Camera Room is truly a space designed by Underwater Photographers to service Photographers.

Softening all this functionality and efficiency is a living area chic and modern, with an open air dining room that over looks the whole property and the sea.  The dining room is highlighted by Aiyanar’s open kitchen where all the sumptuous buffet meals are prepared and guests are free to watch the magic happen.

The rooms which are well equipped with all the amenities you would expect from a modern hotel are lighted perfectly for any mood you may want.  The beds are firm yet comfortable; match that with the pillows and high thread count sheets and you complete the equation of a good nights sleep.  Each room is also adorned with its own balcony area offering sea views over the sprawling well manicured lawn below.

The Infinity Pool at the end of the lawn is the best place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.  Whether it be to catch some sun or just to wind down after an activity filled day.  Enjoying a fruit smoothie or even an ice cold cocktail; while watching the sun setting on the Anilao coastline is the perfect way to end an Aiyanar day.

As a whole Aiyanar, is a well planned out mix of everything Divers and their Families would want from a vacation resort; and as each day passes the management is constantly striving to think of ways to make it better.  

For more images of Aiyanar please check out our website at www.aiyanar.com or our Facebook page at www.facebok.com/AiyanarAnilao.

Itinerary: Galapagos Islands
Dates:     4th – 13th November 2016
Aboard:   M/Y Wolf Buddy 

The vessel…
At 36m in length and welcoming a maximum of 16 guests per week, M/Y Wolf Buddy offers luxurious accommodation in which to relax and dive. The dive deck is unique in Galapagos liveaboards and consists of 2 separate areas – one can be closed off on cooler days and heated for when you exit the water! With plenty of space to get kitted up and store your equipment, it is a dream platform for entering some of the most exciting waters in the world!

Sample schedule…

– Day 1 – Fly to Ecuador (Guayaquil), transfer to hotel for overnight stay
– Day 2 – Fly to Galapagos Islands, transfer to vessel
– Day 2 – 9 – Liveaboard safari
– Day 9 – Fly back to Guayaquil and transfer to hotel for overnight stay
– Day 10 – Fly home
– Day 11 – Arrive home

Few people are lucky enough to dive these pristine waters, and no place on Earth will boast such a variety of underwater life. Schooling hammerheads, silkies, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, whales, manta rays and even marine iguanas and penguins may accompany you on dives!

Itinerary Highlights…

LOBOS ISLAND
Lobos Island is named after the Spanish word for ‘sea lion’ and it certainly lives up to its name! The small flat island is home to an abundant population of these amazing creatures and with any luck you will encounter them underwater. As well as the sea lions, the island is also well-known for sightings of marine iguanas, turtles, blotched stingrays and beautiful sea stars.

CABO MARSHALL
Along the eastside of Isabela Island (the largest of the Galapagos Islands), is the site of Cabo Marshall or Cape Marshall. This is the only spot in the Northern Hemisphere where you can observe penguins in their natural habitat. The site is only accessible by liveaboard and is renowned for its manta rays. If you don’t get to see these giants, there is plenty of other action to keep you entertained: hammerheads, white-tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, sea turtles and many other fish. The seafloor and walls are covered by black coral and interesting anemone colonies grow all over the rocks. 

THE NORTHERN ISLANDS: DARWIN & WOLF
The northern most islands in Galapagos ‘Darwin and Wolf’ rank among the best and most famous dive sites in the world. Due to their fragile ecosystem, the national park authorities prohibit land visits and the fact that they are so far from the other islands, means that they are only visited by liveaboards. Darwin (appropriately named for its famous visitor) is easily recognised by its famous arch, which sits just above the surface and is considered the best in Galapagos. Schooling hammerheads, mackerel, tuna, jacks and rainbow-runners swirl around the walls while dolphins play in the distance. Thousands of species such as eels, turtles, sea lions, flounders, rays and whale sharks are all on the list for the lucky Darwin divers! The long journey to Wolf Island is well worth it – divers can enjoy a drift dive in very fast currents with thousands of fish, schools of hammerheads and other large pelagic species such as whale sharks and eagle rays!

COUSIN’S ROCK
Cousin’s Rock is a small rock and the remains of an eroded volcano crater. A small number of birds and sea lions live on it, but the appeal is definitely underwater. This wall dive with strong currents features plenty of black coral, which appears green underwater. If you can keep from being distracted by the schools of barracuda, green sea turtles, sea lions, eagle rays and the occasional manta , you will see that this coral provides the perfect camouflage for seahorses and other experts of disguise, such as octopus, hawkfish and sometimes frogfish.

All dive sites are subject to weather conditions and cannot be guaranteed.

£4099 per person including FREE NITROX

Included: Return flights Guayaquil to Galapagos Islands, 2 nights B&B in a 3*/4* hotel in Guayaquil before and after the liveaboard, internal transfers, 7 nights full board accommodation on vessel (based on 2 sharing), tea/coffee/water/soft drinks/local alcoholic beverages, snacks, up to 3 dives per day while on safari, unlimited nitrox, 12lt cylinder and weights.
Not included: Flights to Ecuador (Guayaquil), equipment rental, $100 Galapagos Park fee to be paid on arrival in cash, U$D 10 Tourist Card (to be paid before boarding your domestic flights to the Galapagos), Ecuadorian Departure Taxes (between U$D 28 and U$D 41 for International flights).

Please contact Reefers and Wreckers on 01254 825555 or visit the Reefers and Wreckers Website for more information or to book on this fabulous Galapagos safari!

Diving Philippines is one the best diving site in the world. The marine life here in the Philippines is good compared to the other countries in Asia. We respect the coral reef and other marine life they all respect the people here. that’s why the beautiful of our diving site and the different species of life under water that’s our secret. Diving Philippines is one of you did not forget when you came here i recommend that if you looking for a diving adventure choose one of the best in Asia or in the world. I offer you a diving at night its a wonderful experience when you diving at night different experience don’t worry about the danger about diving at night we have a complete tools like night vision etc to keep safe you diving. Truly you see why the Philippines is well known one of the best diving site in Asia. The tourist in the Philippines getting more stronger and stronger in past year and i gave credit of the tourist site the white sand of Boracay and one of the seven wonders of the world Palawan underground river. I think one the main reason why many tourist more comfortable to visit the Philippines is the attitude of most Filipino funny and humble and the communication skill of Filipino we all know that English is the famous language all known people in all country because Filipino is the number one in terms of Tele communicating business in Asia we are fluent in English and the tourist not very hard to understand our language or not need to understand our language because we understand there language. Getting back our topic in Diving Philippines i hope because what i sad in the Philippines you like the Philippines now.

Submitted by Roel Bobis of Cocktail Divers at: http://www.cocktaildivers.com