News
Cozumel Scubafest 2016 Dates Announced

Underwater Photography Contest to be included at this year’s Cozumel Scubafest
The dates for the 2016 Cozumel Scubafest have been announced. This year the event will run from November 30th to December 4th.
This is the one of the biggest diving events in the region and attracts divers from all around the world. Visitors can attend evening lectures, visit the dive show stands, socialize every night with other attendees at special events and best of all get in some great diving on the wonderful reefs.
Each year, speakers from around the world come to talk about all aspects of diving. There are talks on technical diving, marine life, conservation, equipment and destinations. One special guest is honoured in the Underwater Museum with a statue dedicated to them. In 2015, this was Dr Sylvia Earle, who dived down with a group of enthusiastic divers, along with Jean-Michel Cousteau, to be photographed alongside her statue.
This year the team have added an underwater photography contest to the activities. The organisers are looking for the best images taken in Cozumel, so if you have dived here in the past, dig out your images and start looking for your best shots to enter:
www.cozumelfest.com/eng/photo-contest
Last year, dive operators offered fantastic packages during the event, with low costs for all divers that dived the Scubafest Diving Route during the festival. This included great reef dives that showed off the amazing corals and marine life, as well as some exciting wall dives. Cozumel is well known for it’s drift diving, and on some dives you can gently traverse the reef and walls without ever having to fin!
It is an event designed for divers, so the guest speakers are not on stage until after the diving day is done. The organisers also make sure that all those with a ticket are well looked after, and offer cocktails, food and entertainment to finish off each evening.
For more information on Cozumel Scubafest 2016, keep an eye on the website: www.cozumelfest.com/eng
News
PADI Launches World’s First Scuba Technician Distinctive Specialty Course with Octo Diver

Octo Diver, in collaboration with PADI, have introduced the first-ever PADI Scuba Technician Distinctive Specialty Course, designed to raise the standard of dive equipment knowledge and safety in the scuba diving industry.
This 7-day hands-on course is open to all certified divers, dive professionals, and dive centre/resort staff, and focuses on vital life-support equipment servicing.
The course modules include:
Scuba Regulator Servicing (Diaphragm & Piston types)
2nd Stage Servicing (Balanced & Unbalanced)
K-Valve Cylinder Valve Maintenance
Scuba Cylinder Visual Inspection
Power Inflator Servicing
Oxygen Cleaning for Scuba Equipment
Scuba Compressor Service & Maintenance
Standard Service & Repair Reporting
It is developed by Octo Diver’s professional team, led by a certified PADI Scuba Technician Instructor with a background in mechanical and aerospace engineering and over 15 years of experience in the diving industry.
This professional-level course can be conducted at Octo Diver’s classroom in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, or hosted at dive centers worldwide. Hosting dive centers receive exclusive benefits, including high commission, special course rates, and free seats.
Upon completion, students will receive certification from PADI along with official technician credentials.
Octo Diver is currently looking for dive centers and resorts globally to host this course. Let’s work together to make diving safer and more professional — Be a Certified PADI Scuba Technician.
For more information, visit www.Scuba-Technician.com
Blogs
Nabucco’s Spice Island Resort – A Hidden Gem in the Northern Moluccas

Far from the usual tourist trails, on a small island in the Northern Moluccas, lies a place of extraordinary beauty: Nabucco’s Spice Island Resort. Nestled between dense tropical jungle and a powdery white sand beach, the resort offers a peaceful escape immersed in nature at its purest. With panoramic views of the turquoise sea and direct access to some of Indonesia’s most untouched reefs, it’s a dream come true for those seeking tranquility above and adventure below the surface.
The resort features just 16 spacious beachfront bungalows, each only steps from the ocean. At its heart is a beautifully designed open-air restaurant, built entirely from natural materials, where guests can enjoy a diverse selection of Indonesian and international cuisine.
But what truly sets Nabucco’s Spice Island Resort apart is the underwater world that surrounds it. The reefs of the Northern Moluccas are among the most pristine and biodiverse in all of Indonesia – and remarkably, they remain largely untouched. Thanks to the remote location, dive boats are often the only ones around, giving divers the rare privilege of exploring vibrant coral gardens, dramatic walls, and colorful drop-offs in complete solitude.
Marine life here is nothing short of spectacular. Blacktip reef sharks are spotted on nearly every dive, while nutrient-rich walls attract sea turtles, schools of jacks, and bumphead parrotfish. For macro enthusiasts, the area is a treasure trove of rare and photogenic species, including pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, frogfish, leaf scorpionfish, and several types of octopus and shrimp.
One of the region’s most extraordinary highlights is the Halmahera Walking Shark, a rare species endemic to this part of Indonesia. First described by scientists only in recent years, this small shark is unlike anything else in the ocean. Rather than swimming, it uses its muscular pectoral and pelvic fins to “walk” along the seabed. These elusive yet fascinating creatures are most often encountered on night dives – and witnessing one in the wild is a truly unforgettable experience.
The reefscapes surrounding Spice Island Resort are equally impressive. Flourishing hard coral formations spread across the seabed, interspersed with vivid sponges, large sea fans, and colorful soft corals. The biodiversity is astonishing, and the visual spectacle underwater is a dream for photographers. Most importantly, the reefs here are healthy—a rare treasure in today’s marine environment. With minimal tourism and careful management, the ecosystem remains intact, vibrant, and teeming with life.
Nabucco’s Spice Island Resort is more than just a dive destination – it’s a retreat for those seeking peace and a haven for underwater explorers looking to experience the authentic magic of Indonesia’s last true frontier.
Book your next diving adventure at Nabucco’s Spice Island Resort with Extra Divers!
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