Wakatobi Dive Resort (Indonesia)

This dive resort is not only luxurious, but it’s eco-friendly too. It is located in remote Southeast Sulawesi, on Pulau Tolandono. This resort and the surrounding areas form a sustainable marine protected area.

Wakatobi’s beauutiful Ocean Bungalows

This resort offers three types of accommodation, although all fall easily under the umbrella of luxury. All guests have access to the lounge house which, in addition to the usual resort facilities, includes a dive centre, equipment rental room, and even a marine life reference library.

The diving here is arguably some of the best in the world. The “house reef” is located just off the shore in front of the resort. This reef features six different dive sites, all of which are easily accessible from the shore. It’s a case of simply gear up and go! If you fancy a boat dive, then there are 40 dive sites in the local region from which to choose.

Under water world of Wakatobi

After you’ve worked up an appetite exploring the waters around Tolandono, you can indulge yourself in the gourmet cuisine on offer. But that’s not where the indulgence ends.

Wakatobi Dive Resort also has a luxurious spa offering a comprehensive range of massage and beauty treatments. You can opt for a tailor-made treatment or experience the local Balinese Massage. There’s nothing quite like pampering to rejuvenate body, mind and soul.

Atmosphere Resort & Spa (The Philippines)

The Atmosphere Resort & Spa is located in Dauin, south of Dumaguete. Guests are spoilt at this beautiful resort that is on a black sand beach, directly across from Apo Island.

Apo Island Sanctuary – diving not to be missed!

Amongst the tropical garden are luxurious apartments, suites, and penthouses. The resort focuses on wellness and offers cuisine that is centered on clean health living. It’s a great way to detox your body and mind. An extensive pool area in the gardens offers fantastic views on the sea. You would be hard pressed to find a more idyllic meeting place for divers.

One of their dive boats

Although you wouldn’t want to miss the small house reef located directly in front of the resort, divers are spoilt for choice with an amazing 30 dive sites, all located 2 to 15 minutes from the dive shop. The PADI dive center is amazingly well equipped. In addition to a shop and storage facilities, divers are also able to charge their batteries and computers in a separate camera room. And as if that wasn’t enough, there is another room that is dedicated solely to photo and video editing. Paradise.

Diving and Yoga are a great match

And as for the luxurious Sanctuary Spa, that’s another slice of paradise you’ll have to experience to believe. In addition to pampering spa treatments, you can also attend yoga classes at the spa for a holistic approach to health and wellness. We offer various packages combining Yoga and diving. A package combining Diving and 3 days mini Yoga retreat for example or:  Package with 2 dives & 1 Yoga class daily.  Just inquire for details.

Gangga Island Resort & Spa (Indonesia)

Gangga’s beautiful Spa with sea views

Gangga Island is located in North Sulawesi. Picture it: white beaches, coconut trees, and luxurious wooden bungalows. With just 15 bungalows, this resort offers both privacy and exclusivity. This is how to dive in luxury.

The resort’s PADI Dive Centre is fully equipped to meet your every need. Their facilities include custom built wooden dive boats made specifically for diving. And you’ll want to jump on board: there are more than 30 superb dive sites located around the island.

Photo by Peter Lange

After sampling fresh cuisine at the resort’s restaurant, you can take a plunge in the saltwater infinity pool or work on your tan on one of the loungers. For the ultimate in indulgent relaxation there is Pasung Spa. Opt for a Gangga treatment that utilizes local knowledge and techniques.   Enjoy reflexology or aroma therapy treatments and more. You will leave Pasung Spa feeling refreshed.

It’s time to start planning your holiday! The best scuba sites are often in far-flung places, but luckily that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on luxury. Enjoy a world of indulgence and pampering at any of these three fabulous resorts.

About the author: Torben Lonne is a top skilled PADI MSDT instructor. He has worked several years with scuba diving in Indonesia and Thailand – and dived most of his life. He is also the co-founder and chief-editor of DIVEIN.com.

Misool Eco Resort

Raja Ampat is not the easiest of places to visit. Located at the northwest tip of New Guinea, Raja Ampat is an archipelago with 1500 small islands. If, normally you’re traveling along the tourist routes, you are in for an experience of a lifetime.

The islands are easiest visited with a liveaboard, and we have many vessels in our program. The  other option is to stay at one of these remote but beautiful resorts spread across the islands.

Rich Marine Life

Photo: Ethan Daniels,. Rich marine life in Raja Ampat

When you are diving in this tropical water, it feels like you are diving in the paradise of Eden. You’ll be able to see small uninhabited white sand beaches and dive down to reefs more diverse and beautiful than many other underwater destinations in the world. It has more than 450 different types of corals. In 2001, tropical fish count reached almost a thousand, which significantly proves that this is truly a world-class diving destination.

The Indonesian waters are known for strong currents, and diving in Raja Ampat is no different. If you are a beginner diver, you need to be comfortable with drift diving. The current gives ground for great schools of fish, and mantas are often passed by. You also get the chance to spots sharks and at the surface, dolphins and whales are spotted frequently.

If you’re into small stuff, the coral life at the reef is perfect for exploration. Nudies, seahorses, pygmy seahorses, lobsters and crabs are found in the waters here. Raja Ampat has plenty to offer for all types of divers!

Great Dive Spots

Cape Kri is one of Raja Ampat’s dive sites that manifest this beauty. You will be diving while fully surrounded by schools of dogtooth tuna, jacks, giant trevally and chevron barracuda. As the currents pick up, you’ll see yourself drifting by a vast bed of soft and hard corals. I have Cape Kri on my top 10 dive sites in the world –see the whole list here.

Manta, Kri Eco Resort

Just near Cape Kri is Mike’s Point. Mistaken as a Japanese warship, this rocky protrusion was bombed during World War II. Today, this is a popular wall dive site where you can plunge into vertical walls covered by the beauty of corals and surrounded by life. Mike’s is located in Dampier Strait which means you’ll get a good chance of experiencing one of the best drift dives in your life.

Have you dived in Raja Ampat? Apart from the spots I’ve mentioned above, which ones would you recommend?

About

Torben Lonne is a top skilled PADI MSDT instructor. He has worked several years with scuba diving in Indonesia and Thailand – and dived most of his life. He is also the co-founder and chief-editor of DIVEIN.org.

Yoga class at the Treehouse

Yoga is becoming more mainstream every year as the ancient Indian skill is being adapted to the needs of us westerners. One of Yoga’s main teachings is breath control – which makes it a very logical step that divers find a great deal of benefits. Increasing your physical fitness is one way to get more out of every breath, but even fit divers can find themselves breathing too fast or too shallow from the stress of diving and that’s where Yoga comes in. Like scuba, yoga places emphasis on proper breathing. Deep, slow yogic breathing teaches us how to calm the mind and breathe more efficiently. Yoga also
strengthens and stretches muscles that are important in diving, looking at the total package, Yoga helps to increase your quality time
under water being super relaxed when enjoying the marine life on your next dive. If you have never tried Yoga before – this is your chance.

Atmosphere Resort on the south-eastern tip of Negros in the Philippines has embraced yoga and diving. The resort is located in a beautiful tropical garden, directly on the beach opposite Apo Island. It offers guests a magnificent view of the sea and access to some of the Philippines’ best dive sites close by and around Apo Island.

Atmosphere’s beautiful Infinity Pool

There are around 30 dive sites on the Dauin coast, all 2-15 minutes from the resort’s dive shop. Highlights are the dive sites around Apo Island with intact coral formations and varied diving in shallow coral gardens and beautifully vegetated walls. Interesting underwater landscapes with sea fans, soft corals and feather stars offer a home for many colourful nudibranchs, moray eels, frog fish, seahorses, clown fish and sea snakes. About 450 different species of hard and soft coral have been found here. Atmosphere travels to Apo almost daily.

In addition to the regular diving schedule, yoga classes are offered

The car wreck an awesome critter dive!

twice daily on the spectacular treetop platform.
However, it does not have to be an addition to your holiday, but the goal of your stay.   This year, the spa manager and yoga teacher Rae has organized a yoga retreat for 6-13 September 2015. Guests can chose a 3 or a 6 day retreat and enjoy yoga & meditation classes, presentations, a complete vegetarian heath menu and many other things. Combine the retreat with a of week diving and have the perfect holiday! Great for  for families and diver and non-diver couples. Contact us for more details!

The Galapagos Marine Park Authority has changed the maximum number of dives per day from 3 to 4 and even 1 night dive per seven week cruise is now allowed. Diving in the Galapagos is always an exceptional experience. With changing water temperatures, the highlights shift:

• June – November: The water is cooler, 16-24C (60-75F); Whale Shark sightings are greater.
• December – May: The water is warmer, clearer 21-30C (70-86F); Larger schools of Hammerhead Sharks, Manta Rays and Eagle Rays.

Check our our dive site Map for Wolf and Darwin Islands

Here a quick overview how the different yachts are adjusting their itineraries to maximise the benefits for you:

Galapagos Sky
Sunday – Sunday
from/to San Cristobal

Galapagos Sky is the leading liveaboard in the Galapagos, owned and managed by diving veteran, Peter Hughes. GS is part of the Diveencounter Alliance which provides you with attractive rewards on the best liveaboards around the world.

Galapagos Sky has announced that they will take advantage of the new regulation by offering a night dive at Wolf Island – offering up to 5 dives at this most amazing dive region. They have 2 days scheduled here and have a much broader variety of dive sites in their programme then any other liveaboard.

During Mar – May 2013, they will visit Cousins Rock, City of Mantas, Cabo Marshall, Punta Vincente Roca, Roca Redondo, and Isla Pinzon (Islote Dumb).

During June, 2013 – Feb., 2014 – they will visit Bartolome, Cousins Rock, Cabo Marshall, Punta Vicente Roca, and Isla Pinzon (Islote Dumb).

They will dive the Isla Pinzon area on our last diving day. Islote Dumb is a tiny rock outcropping off the northeast tip of Isla Pinzon. The dive is packed with the same dynamic diving that they’ve found at Roca Blanca in 2012.

There will be three – four land/sea excursions per trip, and the very populuar Santa Cruz Highlands / Giant Tortoise tour is included in both.

Galapagos Aggressor I & II
Thursday-Thursday
from/to Baltra

The Galapagos Aggressor I (16 pax) & II (14 pax) are sister ships and depart from Baltra every Thursday afternoon.
Starting February 1, 2013, their new itinerary includes Wolf and Darwin, Baltra, Punta Carrion, Bartolome, Cabo Marshall, Cousins Rocks and a brand new addition, Cabo Douglas where guests will have the opportunity to interact with marine iguanas as they feed in the water.
Both boats spend between 2 and 3 days at Wolf and Darwin. Land tours will be at Bartolome and Santa Cruz Highlands.

Current Special:
Save $1000 for departures between February 28 – July 4, 2013

M/V Humboldt Explorer
Monday – Monday
from/to San Cristobal

Humboldt Explorers new permits kick in on 1 April 2013. They have gained the necessary permits to dive up to 4 times a day, including 4 dive days at Wolf & Darwin Islands, plus an additional land tour on North Seymour Island and will be offering a night dive! If Wolf/Darwin is your main goal – Humboldt Explorer is the best choice.

M.Y Darwin Buddy and M.Y Wolf Buddy
Saturday-Saturday
from/to San Cristobal

The two newest additions to the group of quality dive liveaboards are following a similar approach with trying to maximise diving at Wolf and Darwin Islands. Their boats plan 3 dive days at Darwin an Wolf islands.

For more info: info@diversiondivetravel.com.au

20 years later I sailed into Banda harbour again – this time on board of PINDITO.

What a change in experience. Pindito is definitely one of the finest live aboard vessels in Indonesia. Ample space for 16 guest in roomy airconditioned cabins. Private ensuite bathrooms, Saecco Coffee machine, free Bintang, 3 excellent meals every day, and the best group of dive guides to show us around.

Does this sound pampered? Then I explained it right. Guest on Pindito are looked after by 14 amazing crew members, starting from the chef in her stainless kitchen, through the hard working guys in the engine room, the ship mates, dive guides, the captain to the 2 cruise directors (The only non –Indonesians). Everyone was working hard to make sure we guest were having a good time.

PINDITO was built 20 years ago from tropical timber in the traditional Phinisi style. The ship has a beautiful feel of old maritime tradition. I agree with Edi, the owner, that she will be still around in 100 years. The sails hardly get raised these days as our trip covers almost 1000 km. In 11 days we covered some of the most amazing reefs in the heart of the Coral Triangle.

Critter galore in Ambons deep harbour, giant hard coral cover on the volcanic reef slopes of Banda Island, exposed seamounts, sheltered coral gardens, reef points sticking out into the currents,. Cleaner stations where the giants of the oceans receive their pedicure from specialised fish….

As a long time fan of Papua New Guinea Diving – which I still am, I have to concede that especially the northern reefs around Misool and Mansuar are displaying a density of life which is unparalleled. Each square millimiter is covered by some (colourful) living “thing”. It is a divers (and uw photographers) dream.

Back on board PINDITO, there was a buzz of excitement after each dive. Our well travelled and experienced dive buddies had all big smiles about their dives.

Mike, Amir and Bob- our guides – constantly showed us the weird and wonderful.

Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock, THE authorities on Diving in Raja Ampat and authors of many photo books, had just been on Pindito for the first time (after 15 years of intensively diving the region) left a big compliment in the guest book. Their biggest regret is to realise what they missed out on by not going on Pindito in those previous years.

It is difficult to explain one’s excitement without falling into platitudes. So I stop here and hopefully leave you with the desire to see for yourself what I was on about..

PS: Banda itself hasn’t changed much. The world seems to stay still in those remote parts of our planet.

Divers with young kids often face a challenge if they want to take the family on a great holiday and experience excellent diving.

There are no age restrictions, babies, toddler or teenage children, these family excursions are for everyone. Children under 10 years are Free of Charge and children up 15 years old pay half price!

Siren’s family diving trips are dedicated to families with kids and every aspect of what makes a family holiday relaxing and fun is taken care of. This trip is designed to allow both parents and their children to dive together (dependant on age and qualifications), to try scuba diving if not qualified yet and to enjoy many other activities.

Some of the activities on offer during family excursions are sea-kayaking, water skiing, treasure hunts, visits to stunning beaches and much more.  Food is included in the excursion and there is nothing to worry about, as children will get healthy but favourite and familiar food on board. Soft drinks & juices are included in the price as well. There is an extensive movie selection on board of kids favourites’ such as Disney movies and these can be viewed in the saloon on the large plasma screen whilst munching some pop corn or on each cabin’s personal computer!

•  7 nights excursion*
•  Price per adult (16 years +) 1850 Euro (approx. AUD 2499)
• 10-15 year olds half price (per full paying adult)
• Children under 10 years are Free of Charge !!!

*Inclusions: 7 night excursion, airport transfers (domestic airport and boat/return, accommodation for family of 3-4 in a double & twin beeded share ensuite cabin, all delicious meals and snacks, coffee, tea,  fruit juice, soft drinks and beer, fresh fruit ( special dietary requirements catered for), on diving days up to 3-4 dives for certified divers with all essential dive equipment provided.

 FREE PADI Discover Scuba Dive* for all non-diving guests
3 day PADI Scuba Diver* course ONLY 75 Euro per person

Onboard PADI instructors will be available to conduct scuba diving courses for those guests who never dived but would like to try! Take this fantastic opportunity to encourage the rest of your family members to enjoy your diving hobby as well! For 8 & 9 year old kids the Bubblemaker program will be offered if weather conditions and other circumstances allow.

*  Participants for any diving course or activity must be aged 10 or above

 Please contact us now for bookings of these special 7-night trips:

• 3-10 August 2012 (Visayas, Philippines from Cebu to Dauin)
• 28 July-4 August 2013 (Komodo, Indonesia from/to Birma)

 More about the boats on our website: Philippine Siren  and Indo Siren. 
Note: The Philippine Siren excursion is almost sold out, only a few berths left. Contact as soon!

Special Features of Family Diving Trips:

• Nannies to look after children.
• Baby cot if required*.
• Children’s size snorkeling equipment*.
• Specially catered children’s menu.
• Fancy dress pirate night with prize for best dressed (make the crew walk the plank).
• Fun but educational talks on the marine environment.

 *Limited numbers. Cot should be ordered at time of booking. It is advised parents purchase their child(rens) snorkel equipment prior to the trip to ensure a perfect fit.

Contact us!!
info@diversiondivetravel.com.au

www.diversiondivetravel.com.au
Phone     + 61 ( 7 ) 40 390 200
Freecall  1800 607 913 (within Australia)

Where:         Southern Visayas, Philippines
What:            Liveaboard Cruise
When:            11^th to 18^th August 2012

Dive into Yourself – Yoga & Scuba
Join Yoga instructor Teresa Herrera for a specialist yoga and scuba diving liveaboard trip in the Southern Visayas, Philippines.
Spend 7 nights aboard on the classic and luxury Pinisi SY Philippine Siren in large and comfortable air-conditioned twin/double cabins with private bathroom. Enjoy the regions’ best diving, snorkelling and sea kayaking whilst practicing yoga, relaxation and meditation, enjoy healthy food and massages.

Liveaboard Diving and Yoga in the Philippines

The Philippine Siren offers a full program of diving or snorkelling with up to 4 dives offered per day including night dives. Trips depart from Cebu and the yacht will cruise first to Cabilao then onwards to Balicasag & Alona Beach, Moalboal & Pescador Island before culminating at Dauin on Negros Island. See the world’s biggest anchovies school, swim with turtles and thresher sharks, be amazed by the beauty and diversity of Philippines best reefs! The many islands give a tranquil setting for yogis to enjoy the most of this relaxing experience.
Each day will begin with a meditation & relaxation session followed by Prana Vinyasa Flow Yoga led by Teresa on the sun deck of the SY Philippine Siren. In the late afternoon or during sunset Teresa will lead a further Prana Vinyasa Flow Yoga session aboard the yacht or at a suitable beach location. This holiday is true relaxation! Rejuvenate your body and mind and indulge in the natural wonders of the tropical reefs of the Philippines!

        Teresa Herrera
Prana Vinyasa Flow is an
energetic, creative,
full-spectrum approach
to embodying the flow
of yoga. Through
balanced and creative
sequences, students learn
classical and innovative
approaches to Vinyasa
Yoga.
Teresa’s intuitive and fluid
teaching style nurtures each student as they explore their bodies on the path of yoga. Teresa has studied under the generous guidance of her teacher, Shiva Rea M.A. and learned with Chuck Miller, Maty Ezraty, Bryan Kest, Gurmukh.

What do I get? 

• 7 night excursion with the Philippine Siren from to Cebu incl airport transfers
• accommodation in a double/twin share ensuite cabin
• All refreshments such as herbal tea, cocoa, fresh water, fruit juice, coffee, tea, soft drinks and beer, fresh fruit and all delicious meals and snacks – special dietary requirements catered for
• Sunrise meditation session with Teresa
• Snorkelling & Sea kayaking
• on diving days up to 3-4 dives with all essential dive equipment provided
• Daily Prana Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Teresa – this session will either be onboard or at a beach location
• massage service available for only AU$ 20 per 1 hour session.

Price per person only: AU$ 2499.00* 

Not included:  Flights to the Philippines, travel insurance, items of personal nature
* Price is subject to currency fluctuation and may change.

 Is this for me?

• Trip is open to divers and non-divers alike with all levels of yoga training and experience. Teresa will be on hand to assist you and work to individual needs.
• Single travellers can share a twin cabin (same sex) for same cost.

 Contact DIVERSION DIVE TRAVEL  today for more information and booking:
 1800 607 913 (in Australia)    or email: info@diversiondivetravel.com.au
Cannot make it in August 2012? Please email us for other trip dates!

Papuan Barrier Reef photo: Craig DeWitt

The Golden Dawn has been pioneering diving in PNG since 1990. Craig DeWitt, veteran diver and skipper of the MV Golden Dawn, offers now some awesome diving at the Papuan Barrier Reef, south of Port Moresby.
The Papuan Barrier Reef is a substantial rival to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia running 1000 km from Port Moresby to Rossel Island at the tip of the Louisiade Archipelago, and has the advantage for much of its length of being much closer to shore. Craig has recently been exploring the section between Port Moresby and slightly beyond Hood point 100km to the south-east. The Barrier reef shelters a lagoon with many small isolated coral reefs commonly called “Bommies” and has a multitude of passes cutting through the reef and allowing Coral Sea waters to flush the lagoon.

While there are some well known dive sites on the Papuan Barrier, which are close to Port Moresby such as Suzies Bommie the majority of the trip will be spent “finning the reef less travelled”…to coin a term by PNG Dive Pioneer Bob Halstead.
 
The passes are adorned with colorful sea fans, sea whips and barrel sponges. On the outer walls Silvertips, Grey Reef Sharks and White Tips are commonly sited with occasional sightings of Java Sharks (Pig Eyes) and Great Hammerheads. Inside the passages Eagle Rays, Mobula Rays, Blotched Sting rays (Cow Rays), Tasseled Wobbegongs, Leopard Sharks, Tawney Sharks are common.

Well, Dirk and Claudia from Diversion Dive Travel will be on the first excursion to this awesome destination. Would be great if you join us!

Join us exploring!

Date: 15-21 August 2011 from/to Port Moresby ,
Package: 6 nights Diving Papuan Barrier Reef, twin accommodation, all meals, tanks, weights. Up to 5 dives on dive days,  return airfares on Airniugini from Cairns  from AUD 2599.00
 Other excursion dates are available for August/September. Please email us!
More information on our Golden Dawn Website

It sounds a bit like a fairytale, but this one is true:

Susan Sobtzick from Berlin, a former client of Diversion Dive Travel, now lives in Townsville, where she has finished her PhD about Minke Whales. Here in Australia many people call her “Susan, the Minke Girl”.   

It was the dream of Susan’s dad, to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. In 2000 the whole family wanted to travel together and Susan was the one who started to organise the trip. She found or website on the Internet and contacted us. We recommended her and excursions with the Undersea Explorer because we love their approach to combine tourism with research. At the time we did not know, that Susan had an interested in marine biology and that this trip would be very important for her future career.

In 2004 Dirk and I did our first Minke Whale trip with the Undersea Explorer (UE) and Susan was on board! She then worked at her thesis. Susan was always the first one in and last one out of the water. With her video camera, she spend hours in the water, when everybody else on board warmed up already with cup of tea, she was still in there. She did all this work to document the exact size of Minke Whales for her theses.

In 2006 when Dirk and I did our second Minke Whale trip, she was on board again. This time we met her together with her supervisor and team leader of the Minke Whale Research Project, Dr Alastair Birtles, who supported her in the water and together they worked till ‘late night at the Computer enter to enter and sort the data, which they collected during the day.
Seeing Susan in action, I got the idea to capture the story of her career and do an interview with her, which she agreed to.

C (Claudia): When you booked your first trip on Undersea Explorer with us, we did not know, that you where tossing the idea to specialise your studies in marine biology. Was that planned all along or did you get the idea during the excursion?

S (Susan): At the time I was still undecided between microbiology and marine biology. I studied at the university of Rostock/Germany because they offered marine biology as a major field of study. However I enjoyed both micro and marine biology and was undecided. I thought to do a trip with the UE is a good idea, as I can see in “real life”, how marine biologists work.

C: Susan, do you remember the research themes of the first trips you and your family did with UE, in 2000?

S: Yes, the first trip was an Osprey Reef Shark Research excursion. The second one was, “Cephalopod research”, with Mark Norman on board. It was very exciting, as he discovered a new species of octopus on this trip!

C: What fascinated you so much, that you decided to study marine biology at the end?

S: I was never in contact with marine biologist before and suddenly I saw all those exciting things happening while I was there, which I only knew from TV.
The researchers where very charismatic people, these 2 excursions with the UE showed me that marine biology is not only about counting herring and measuring nutrient gradients in the Baltic Sea, but really exciting stuff!

C: How did you go on from there?

S: I finished my basic studies and took a year time out to go to Australia. I travelled and worked for a few companies, amongst the Undersea Explorer. They offered me a job as videographer to film the Minke Whales. I enjoyed this job big time! In the following years I went regularly back for the season and worked on UE. In 2004/5 I worked on my thesis, which had the title:’ Underwater Videogrammetry and its Application to Estimate Body Lengths of Dwarf Minke Whales in Great Barrier Reef Waters’

C: Have you been interested in whales before you had seen them, or did this interest awaken during your trips as videographer?

S:I never wanted to major in marine mammals, I wanted to follow my fathers’ interests, which are sharks and rays. However, when I saw my first whale under water, it blew me away! It was love at first sight.

C: How did you get to stay in the project?

 S: I was very keen to continue to work in the project, so I applied for a scholarship and got it. I now live in Townsville and work at my PhD, which is about ‘Dwarf Minke Whale Biology and Implications for Tourism Management.” My supervisors are Dr Alastair Birtles and Prof Helene Marsh. It is amazing, what started as a holiday gave me undreamed-of possibilities changed my live completely!

C: Thank you very much, Susan! We are happy to be part of your story. We wish you and the Minke Whales a good future!

Over A$ 100 000 worth of prizes to be won!

What: Go diving and take pictures
When: 2-11 Sep 2011
Where: Anywhere in over 20 Australasian countries or at one of the designated “fringe” events

The Underwater Festival 2011 will be the biggest one yet. It will be lots of fun and activities. Many dive operators are offering special “Underwater Festival Fringe Events” anything from photography workshops with Photo & Video Pros to photo shootout competitions, is available!

KunkunganBay Resort, Lembeh & Tasik Ria Resort, Manado, North Sulawesi
A fantastic combo of diving at the reefs of Bunaken National Park and the critters of Lembeh Strait with two of the longest established operators in the area.

Arenui, 11 night Liveaboard Cruise, Komodo, Indonesia
Underwater Photography Workshop with underwater photography legend and Violinist William Tan on a 11-day cruise on The Arenui to the Komodo islands. The Arenui is a magnificent wooden vessel that raised its anchors in June 2008 to explore the majestic underwater world of Indonesian archipelago.

MALDIVES Ark Royal, 10 night Liveaboard Cruise, Maldives Underwater Photography Workshop with underwater photography legend and Underwater Festival judge Michael Aw on a 10-day cruise on the Ark Royal to the Maldives. The Ark Royal is a 115-feet luxury cruiser traversing the crystalline waters of the Maldives.

PALAU Fish’n Fins, Palau Diversity Fiesta at Fish ‘n Fins in Palau. Diversity Fiesta celebrates the unique combination of great diving during the day and gourmet cuisine and wine at night! Located in the western pacific and under Japanese rule for decades, combined with culinary influence from Philippines, USA, Malaysia and Indonesia, Palau’s cuisine is a truly Pacific fusion of sea food, fresh fruits and vegetables and spices.

PHILIPPINES ABWonderdive, Puerto Galera, Philippines

TONGA Vava’u, Tonga Humpback Whale Swim Fringe Event with big animal underwater photography guru Tony Wu in Tonga.

YAP, Micronesia Mantaray Bay Hotel & Yap Diver, Yap Manta Fest with Tim Rock and others in Yap, the premiere dedicated dive resort on the island of Yap in Micronesia, designed by divers and built for divers. Photo & Video Pros • Seminars • Photo Contest • Daily Presentations.  If you want to take part in any of the shootouts please send us an email!

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