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Check out the latest dive holiday offers from Scuba Travel
Check out this week’s selection of the best dive holiday offers from the team at UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel:
Red Sea: Mistral I Shark Quest I 25 January I £995 including flights
Come face to face with pelagics in the Southern Red Sea with the most experienced team, on board the stable steel hulled Mistral. Avoid long transfers with our direct flight to Marsa Alam.
Includes flights, transfers, full board accommodation, all diving, tanks and weights.
Maldives: Dive the Maldives on Emperor Atoll from £995 (boat only) I June – September 2018
Emperor Atoll is a traditional Maldives liveaboard. If you are looking for an affordable way to access the full range of dive sites in this world class destination, then look no further. She might be smaller than some of her sister ships, but her charm lies in her open, airy layout and warm welcome.
Emperor Atolls sleeps only 12 divers across 6 cabins. Every cabin has the same lay out with a double bed below and bunk above. All are en suite with individual air con and a fan. Her small size makes her more stable than some larger wooden boats and the group size means she never feels crowded.
Maldives: Dive the Maldives on Orion I 27 May I £1145 (boat only)
At 39m from bow to stern, Orion is a generously proportioned liveaboard. She runs a range of seasonal itineraries, covering all of the hot spots that make the Maldives such a mecca for scuba divers. It’s a relaxed atmosphere on board as you sail between the picture perfect islands and atolls that make up this island nation.
Orion sleeps 24 divers across 2 decks. The 8 standard twin or double cabins are downstairs. Up on the sun deck level are the mini suites – these are the same as the lower deck cabins in terms of size but have the added sea view. If you prefer a larger cabin, then why not opt for either of the suite upgrades. These cabins go across the width of the boat at the bow.
Maldives: Dive the Maldives from £1145 I 30th June on Emperor Leo
Leo is a light and bright Maldives liveaboard that runs weekly departures to dive the classic Best of the Maldives. She’s a popular choice for those looking for a great, affordable liveaboard. Free nitrox is just one of the reasons divers love the on board package. Measuring 35m, she happily accommodates 24 divers in 12 ensuite cabins with double and twin arrangements.
The communal areas on board Leo are generous, with a large air conditioned saloon and dining area with bar. All meals and briefings are here. Spend your surface intervals drinking in the sun’s ray on the fly deck. As all diving on Leo is done from the large 19.8m dhoni tender that will get you in the perfect spot for all that pelagic action each and every time.
Indonesia: Dive Indonesia from £2595 I 1 March at Bunaken Oasis
This boutique dive resort has been lovingly designed and built by British couple Simon & Elaine Wallace, who had one simple goal – to create a dive resort whose every aspect meets your exacting requirements for quality and 5-star service service, both on land and in the sea. Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort provides you with the ultimate in dive convenience.
This is an exclusive resort. There are only 12 large, traditionally built private villas. No detail – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant – has been overlooked in the building of Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort. Comfy sofas, stunning, indoor en-suite bathrooms, a Krups coffee machine, high quality toiletries and free laundry service are just some of the perks that come as standard.
Maldives: Komandoo Island I Save £500 I From £1995 – Summer 2018
Komandoo is an exclusive and tranquil hideaway in the Maldives that proves ever popular with our customers looking to get away from the Male atolls area. Nestled away in the northern tip of Lhaviyani atoll (approx 50mins seaplane ride), Komandoo specialises in secluded luxury.
This special offer summer package includes international flights, return seaplane transfer and 7 nights full board in a Jacuzzi Beach Villa. Prebooked diving packages can be added to your holiday on request.
Indonesia: Scuba Seraya – Bali from £1545 incl. flights
Scuba diving in Bali is an experience you will never forget! Bali sometimes overlooked in Indonesia, but diving here is a must for anyone that loves opulent reef diving. And Scuba Seraya has built a reputation as the area’s premier dive centre.
Package includes flights, transfers, 7 nights maisonette full board, 10 Tulamben dives and unlimited, unguided house reef diving.
Sudan: Dive Sudan on Voyager I From £1695 incl. flights
Voyager is a luxurious liveaboard with a vastly experienced crew, running thrilling dive holidays in Sudan, a country still visited only by a handful of divers each year. Some of the highlights include, the Umbria wreck and wall diving in the north of Sudan.
Includes flights, transfers, 7 nights full board and all dives.
To find out more about Scuba Travel and the dive holidays they offer call 0800 0728221, email dive@scubatravel.com or visit www.scubatravel.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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