I traveled on cruise 1918 on the Dewi Nusantara in Northern Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The boat, crew, and food are all exceptional. The diving was amazing. This boat and crew deliver everything they promise and anything you might expect. That includes the complimentary neck and shoulder massage after every dive! Highly recommended.
I used Dive Cabo for diving around the Cabo San Lucas area. The dive shop is located at the marina, and it’s a short walk to the dive boat. They have a large array of rental gear and offer instruction. There's a changing area in the shop and a hot water shower as well!
We dove in an area where there are an abundance of sea lions, a site at Lands End where you can dive in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez on the same dive, and a spot that has an underwater sand fall, like a waterfall on land. The diving was relatively shallow and easy, with little current.
The dive guides were very professional and a videographer follows you throughout the dive to provide each diver with a free video at the end of the day. When I return to Cabo, I'll definitely use Dive Cabo again.
I booked an all-inclusive trip to El Galleon. I was met at the ferry dock by resort staff, who took my bags and led me on a short walk across the beach to the resort. I was given a welcome drink, checked in, and was taken to my room. After getting settled, I went to the on-site dive shop, Asia Divers, and checked in for diving starting the next day. They filled me in on all the procedures and the diving schedule. Meals are served at Arthur's beachfront restaurant where all meals are prepared to order from an extensive menu. There is a beautiful pool and two bars. All of the staff is super helpful and friendly.
Asia Divers offers 4 dives a day, with some night dives. Puerto Galera has very diverse diving and Asia Divers gives you a taste of everything. Their boats get you to the dive sites with ease. Their emphasis is on safety and the enjoyment of their customers.
Bottom line: This is a very comfortable resort right on the beach. Spacious, comfortable, clean rooms are welcoming when returning from your dives. The food was delicious and the portions large. Asia Divers is a professional, experienced dive operation. I was very satisfied and would return again.
I spent two weeks in Fiji and found it to be a true paradise. We flew into the international airport in Nadi, on the main island of Viti Levu. This is a large, modern airport with many amenities. We had an easy walk over to the domestic terminal to connect to the island of Taveuni. The friendly and welcoming attitude of the Fijian people is evident as soon as you arrive. Everyone we encountered was very happy and cordial. The airport staff was efficient and assisted with checking us in and tagging our bags. Our flight was on a 12 seat, twin-engine prop aircraft. It's about a 1½ hour flight, which goes by very quickly while looking out the window at the beautiful islands below. The terminal at Taveuni is very small and only accommodates small aircraft. We were met at the airport by a driver who took us to our resort on the south end of the island. During the 1 hour drive, the driver gave us a brief history of Taveuni and told us about Fijian culture. Taveuni is called the Garden Island, and it is evident why. Everything is very lush and covered with jungle.
I spent a week diving primarily on the Rainbow Reef and some local reef diving. Rainbow Reef deserves the reputation it has built over the years. Wonderfully colored corals abound. We found a lot of marine life, including blue ribbon eels, electric disco clams, many different nudibranchs, large schools of fish, etc. Favorite dive sites are the Great White Wall and Fish Factory.
We also did day excursions on non-diving days. We visited a local village, where we learned about local customs, crafts, and culture. We were given many demonstrations and sampled food cooked in a lovo and fresh prawns right out of the river. The village chief also invited us to a kava ceremony where everyone joined in. This was a really enjoyable visit. We also went to a site with three different waterfalls. Each one requires an uphill hike, but the beauty of these falls is worth it. Each has a pool to swim in after the hike. A different site has a natural water slide which also requires a bit of a hike. The slide’s a lot of fun and can be done several times before moving on. A stop at the International Timeline is mandatory. Everyone needs a picture with one foot in today, and the other foot in yesterday. Another must-stop on the island is the historic Catholic church. There are shops in town to do some shopping for food, drinks, and local handicrafts.
The second week, we returned to Viti Levu. We were met at the airport for the 2-hour drive to our resort on the south side of the island, near Pacific Harbor. Once again, our driver acted as a local tour guide, pointing out the sites of interest along the way. Fruit stands lined the roadside and food and beverages are available on the drive. Staying at a resort in the Pacific Harbor area allows you to dive Beqa Lagoon, but also the local dive sites along the Sun Coast. You also have the advantage of still being on the main island.
We found Fijian, Asian, and Western food readily available on both islands. Overall, Fiji has happy, friendly people, beautiful tropical scenery, a wonderful culture, and world-class diving. Soft coral capital of the world. Fiji is a real bucket list destination.
I did a 15 day trip on the Golden Dolphin lll in Egypt's southern Red Sea. The Itinerary took us to Big Brother, Little Brother, Daedalus, Elphinstone, and farther south to Zabargad, Rocky Island, Fury Shoal, and others. We boarded the boat in Hurghada and ended the trip in Port Ghalib. There are a lot of flights into Hurghada, making it easy to get there. The closest airport to Port Ghalib is Marsa Alam, where there are only a few flights. We booked our return from Marsa Alam, not knowing that the boat provided transportation for the approximately three hour trip back to Hurghada at no additional cost. Be sure to ask if this true for your trip. Connections are much better departing from Hurghada.
The crew on this boat was amazing. Everyone from the captain on down did an incredible job at making our trip wonderful. Mooring the boat in the dark around the dive sites using Zodiacs to haul the lines was a remarkable job. The dive guides were excellent at finding all the interesting stuff as well as guiding us through several caves.
The diving ranges from shallow reefs, to sheer walls to open blue water. At Daedalus, the objective is to find schooling hammerheads. The divers hover around 90 feet or so, while the dive guide goes deeper looking for the sharks. When he spots them, in order to get a better look, we found ourselves near 130 feet. Expect deep dives and strong currents here. We found strong currents at other sites, but most sites are current free. Most divers are able to check many sightings off of their bucket lists, such as, schooling Hammerheads, Mantas, Dolphins, giant Napoleon Wrasse, Oceanic Whitetips (Longimanus), Thresher Sharks, Silky Sharks, schooling Barracuda, Spotted Scorpionfish, Green Turtles, Cuttlefish, Giant Clams, Batfish, Octopuses, Bumphead Parrotfish, Giant Moray Eels, nudibranchs, and much more. Three dives are offered everyday and night dives on days when you’re not in a marine park (not allowed by government regulations).
The food was all served buffet style and consisted of three meals and an afternoon snack. I found the food to be somewhat basic, consisting of meat, fish, and pasta. Everything was good, but I wanted more variety. More Middle Eastern food would have been nice.
I shared a room with my buddy and we found it comfortable with plenty of storage room. Each room has air conditioning, but unfortunately, one of the generators broke down and the other generator was used for providing power to the compressor, kitchen, and other necessary items. The A/C only worked from late in the evening to early in the morning. I also encountered a couple of safety issues on the boat. Some water was spilled in the passageway between the rooms, contacting electrical wires, causing them to arc and be a potential fire hazard. The crew immediately remedied the situation when notified. I also found the emergency exit blocked by trash bags or supplies on several occasions.
About half of the diving is from the main boat and half from Zodiacs. Free nitrox is offered on all dives. The Zodiacs on this boat did not have ladders to reboard after the dive. After removing your gear, you have to haul yourself back into the boat “dolphin style". Many divers were not able to do this and the Zodiac driver had to grab a hand and pull them in (including me due to a bad shoulder). Ladders would have been nice. My buddy and I were two of three Americans on the boat and we have yoke attached regulators. All tanks on the boat have din attachments. They provided yoke adapters for us, but they didn’t seem to be maintained regularly, and we had several issues with leaking at the connection point. The dive guides were always there to change the o-ring or the adapter, but sometimes delayed the dive waiting for the changes. Free nitrox is also offered
Despite the issues mentioned, this was still an epic trip. Diving the Red Sea is something everyone should do at least once. Also, diving in Egypt is very economical. We paid approximately $2200.00 for this 15 day trip. That's about half the price of 7 day trips on many other liveaboards around the world.
At the northernmost tip of the Yucatan peninsula, lies Isla Holbox (Holbox Island). This is an amazing out-of-the-way place where nature lovers can find paradise. This island is in the middle of the Mexican Whale shark migration route.
We hired a company specializing in Whale shark tours. We went on a small boat with 8 passengers and scoured the waters surrounding the island until the crew spotted a very large one. Mexico prohibits scuba diving with Whale sharks, so only snorkeling is allowed, with only two people in the water at a time. The boat pulls way ahead of the shark to lessen distress to the animal and allow the snorkelers to enter the water. It's necessary to start swimming immediately, because this giant fish will close ground very quickly. Even though they appear to move slowly, one flip of their tail will propel them a long distance. We spent a long time snorkeling, each pair taking their turn, returning to the boat, and the next pair entering the water. Each duo was able to snorkel several times before leaving the shark to continue its migration. On the return trip, we spotted a breaching Manta ray and a huge school of Mobula rays.
The next day, we hired a ponga for just 3 of us to do a full day nature tour. We started by going to a shallow bay where we found a flock of hundreds of flamingos. We approached as slowly and quietly as possible and the captain then gunned the engine causing the flamboyance (the name for a flock of flamingos) to take to the air. What a glorious sight!
Next, we headed for Bird Island, a nesting sanctuary for several species of birds, depending on the season. A dock has been built for boats to tie up and observation towers for watching the birds. We observed the ongoing struggle of the birds trying to protect their eggs and chicks from being eaten by the iguanas also living on the island. Be sure to bring binoculars! By this time, it was approaching midday and the temperature was climbing.
We reboarded the boat and headed for another island covered with vegetation and went ashore. After a short walk through the jungle, we came to a spring-fed oasis with a large, fresh water pool. We stayed and swam for over two hours and had lunch.
Our next stop was a deserted sandy island on which we were able to beachcomb and search for interesting shells and other flotsam and jetsam. It was a very special day in a very special place!
We stayed at one of several small boutique hotels on the island which was very lovely and had a lot of personality. There are also several international style restaurants in town. All of our meals were very good. The only transportation on the island is by golf cart or ATV.
Isla Holbox should be visited before this natural treasure dissappears!
Isla Mujeres is the small island getaway that Cozumel used to be. A short ferry ride from Cancun will bring you to the Isla Mujeres ferry terminal right in town. Shops, restaurants, and bars are within walking distance. El Centro (the downtown area) has Hidalgo Street, a pedestrian only shopping mecca. Our favorite place to eat, an excellent Mediterranean restaurant, is also downtown. The primary forms of transportation are taxis or rental golf carts. We rented a golf cart so we could explore the island. We also stayed at a small B&B on the central part of the island, so the cart was handy for going into town. There are several hotels on the north end of town in the area called north beach (Playa Norte). Many people come here to use the public beach and swim. At the south end of the island (Punta Sur) there are Mayan ruins and beautiful views from the seaside cliffs. Not too far away is the local turtle farm and small aquarium, which can be toured for a small fee. The island is small and we were able to see most of the attractions in one day.
We found restaurants serving seafood, Mexican food, Mediterranean food, Cuban, New York pizza, and menus with a variety for everyone. Hint: Avoid the restaurants along Hidalgo Street. They are geared toward day trip tourists and the food is mostly mediocre and the drinks are watered down.
Accommodations range from hotels, B&Bs, and rental villas.
Scuba diving is available to see sleeping sharks, a pair of shipwrecks which attract squadrons of eagle rays in the spring, and local reefs. The real attraction in the spring is snorkeling with sailfish feeding on bait balls at the surface. In the summer, this is a prime area to see whale sharks. There are many dive shops to choose from.
Bottom line: Isla Mujeres is the place to go for that small island vibe, the friendly Mexican people, excellent food, and great diving. We have been there several times and will continue to return.
I’ve been to Kona three times, and each time we’ve stayed at a beachfront condo just south of Kailua-Kona, the main town on the west side of the island. Hotels are also available, but we find the convenience of a condo to be much better. There are many to choose from. The ones we’ve stayed at were walking distance to restaurants, bars, and stores. We rented a car so we could have the flexibility of doing some exploring and getting to the dive boat each day.
For the non-divers with us, there were plenty of things to do, including hiking, snorkeling, visiting beautiful beaches, and shopping. Many beaches are within a short drive from Kailua, where the snorkeling is easy, in shallow water, and lots of fish are easily spotted. Several of these beaches have restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and barbeque grills. Hawaiian green turtles are plentiful here and are frequently seen while diving, snorkeling, and on the beaches. We've even seen them lazing right in front of our condo. Kona is also one of the places where you can see the endangered Hawaiian Monk seal. We saw them several times during our visits.
The diving here is mostly by boat to reach the top sites. On the boat ride, you're likely to see Spinner dolphins performing acrobatic maneuvers while leaping out of the water. Since Hawaii is so remote, there are many endemic species that are not found anywhere else in the world. About 20% of the fish here are only found in Hawaii. The topography tends to be a sloping reef, so you can start your dives deep and shallow up, finishing in shallow water where you might find lava tubes, arches, and craters. The visibility is often 80-100 feet. We frequently made 90-minute dives because of the shallow depths, but didn’t sacrifice seeing fantastic sea life for the extended time. Kona is also a place where you have an excellent chance to see Tiger sharks. We saw tigers on two different occasions. If you're lucky, you may see dolphins on your dives and hear humpback whales singing in the distance.
Two of the world's best night dives are offered here; the world famous Kona manta ray night dive, and black water diving, that one of the dive operators calls “Pelagic Magic”. Before we did the manta ray night dive the first time, I thought it might be very commercial and touristy, attracting large crowds. That scenario is somewhat true, but the opportunity to interact with a dozen or more of these large, magnificent animals is worth it. Divers sit stationary in a circle on the bottom, shining their dive lights upward to form a column of light that attracts plankton for the mantas to feed on. They come swooping in to feed and we had to duck our heads several times they came so close. This is an exhilarating and enjoyable dive not to be missed and only found in Kona. The black water dives are conducted far offshore, in deep open water, in total darkness. They are done to see planktonic creatures (many of them fish or other animals in their larval, or juvenile stage of life) that ride the ocean currents. This is very exciting, but not for the faint of heart.
Lastly, if you have time and a car, a drive to the east side of the island near Hilo is a good diversion. You can visit Volcanos National Park where you can see two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Bottom line: Kona is a great place to visit for the tropical island experience, world class diving, a warm and welcoming population, and fun topside activities. Everyone speaks English, you don't need a passport, and the currency is the US dollar; all of this without leaving the U.S. Tip: Don't forget to try shave ice for a delicious sweet treat.
On a trip to Maui, my buddy and I used Lahaina divers for three days of diving. We customized our package by choosing the Molokini Back Wall dive, the Hammerhead dive, and the Three Tank Safari. These dives were at the Molokini crater, the island of Lanai, and the island of Molokai. The boat is built for divers and was very comfortable. The boat crew and staff at the shop were very helpful and professional. When we were diving Molokai, the weather was so perfect, the boat crew went out of their way to cruise around the island so we could see parts that divers and tourists rarely see. Even the crew was excited to be cruising these parts of the island under such pristine weather and ocean conditions. Bravo to Lahaina Divers. I would definitely use them again.
I have now stayed at the Little Cayman Beach Resort twice. The excellence of the staff was evident both times. Everyone from front desk, to restaurant servers, to bar tenders, provide great service, and always with a smile. The chef here is a master at providing amazing food at every meal and superb desserts. They provide games and entertainment every night. They are also located a very short distance from the dive sites, average 10-15 minutes. The on site dive operation, Reef Divers, is a true valet service. Loading and setting up your gear each day, then breaking it down , rinsing, and storing it. Excellent pre-dive briefings and fabulous diving. Divers' paradise!
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