Diving

Dive Trips - Worldwide

Lisa and I have been Scuba Diving for well over a decade, we became enthralled with the peace and serenity of diving, it also suited us down to the ground working itself nicely into our traveling, opening and decided to search out as many of the world’s best dive sites. The options of great scuba diving destinations are endless, but here are our top three diving sites.

Sipadan

Sipadan is indisputably the most famous scuba destination in Malaysia. It is located off the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia's eastern most state, and lies on the north-eastern corner of Borneo, the world's third largest island. The Sipadan diving legend has passed through the world's dive community to the extent that all divers with an interest in visiting the best sites in the world, have a resort stay at this small island near the top of their wish list. Pulau Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for 'The Top Dive Destination in the World'.

In fact the island shared its top spot with 2 other destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life - the Galapagos Islands and Truk in Micronesia.

The list of attractions is quite staggering and all the more exceptional as it involves plenty of big fish encounters - barracudas, large schools of trevally and marauding bumphead parrotfish. This is one of the big fish capitals of the world! When diving in Sipadan everywhere you turn you'll see turtles, munching on the sponges and algae, or lazing on the wall ledges. If you take the time to look closely at the walls you'll see a wealth of macro life and fish species to rival most destinations, although this is often overlooked due to the other major attractions vying for your attention.

Maldives

Although the Maldives are known the world over for the stunning beaches and azure waters that typify the tropical idyll, its life beneath the water's surface is becoming ever more respected by divers in the know.

The Maldives Islands have some excellent coral reefs, but it's the abundance of fish life throughout the country that sets it apart from other dive destinations.

Most diving in the Maldives is drift dives from liveaboards where you allow the current to move you along. Due to the myriad channels and passages between the atolls, the currents sweep and play throughout the island chain so that nutrients are always on the move. These accounts for the vast numbers of fish enjoying the passing feast and you can expect to see Napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, snappers, barracudas, jacks and sweetlips in every site where the water flows.

In the channels, you can explore the caves, caverns and overhangs where soft corals proliferate, and there is a riot of colourful sponges, invertebrates and gorgonian fans all profiting from the nutrient-rich water. There are also plenty of cleaning stations where cleaning wrasses and shrimps service the larger marine species.

Inside the atoll lagoons you often find pinnacles of rock vaulting up almost to the surface. These are known locally as 'Thilas' and are often bejewelled with sessile life forms. These formations bring water up from the ocean floor against their walls, feeding the sponges and soft corals that cling to its sides as well as creating an environment that supports a plethora of crustaceans and schools of resident fish.

Slightly removed from the reefs, you are likely to spot the pelagics that frequent the Maldives, including manta rays and eagle rays and a variety of sharks including the mighty whale shark. Wherever you look there is likely to be something of interest going on and for many it is in the shallows where the best of the action takes place. Here the clear water, brightly illuminated by the sun's rays and playing host to great numbers of fish, provides an ideal environment both for photographers and divers alike.

During the El Niño of 1998 some shallower areas of the coral reefs have been adversely affected by bleaching. However the accepted view is that while the reefs are returning to their former colourful glory, the marine life has never dwindled and indeed many believe it has increased in numbers over the past few decades.

Galapagos

The legendary Galapagos diving destination is often considered by experienced divers to represent something of a pinnacle in their diving careers. In that sense, many agree that Galapagos Islands have, quite simply, the best liveaboard diving in the world. Diving in the Galapagos Islands with scalloped hammerhead sharks - photo courtesy of Galapagos Sky.

While many places have superior reefs, sea conditions and ease of accessibility, there is no other island chain here, the area is virtually free of commercial fishing and the waters are so densely populated by a vast and disparate array of marine creatures. Since the Galapagos are volcanic oceanic islands, unconnected to the continent, deep sea upwelling’s make the waters rich in nutrients and therefore thriving with life.

Such is the range of creatures, that it is difficult to avoid lists when discussing scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands. Imagining a dive holiday involving sea lions, penguins, eagle rays, Galapagos sharks, turtles, hammerhead sharks, iguanas, golden rays, seals and whale sharks is a phenomenal experience. Add to this the land tours and encounters with land creatures and birds, which are at once, educational and exciting, and the appeal of the Galapagos becomes obvious.

Learning about evolution by natural selection in a place where the evidence is so compelling and where historically, the islands played such a major role in the development of Darwin's revolutionary thinking is truly a unique experience. To do so in a place where each dive promises extraordinary sightings is nothing short of a ‘must do once in a lifetime’ experience for any semi-serious diver.

There are a lot more great, and mediocre, photos in our 'Diving Gallery', please feel free to browse.