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Dive holiday offers from Scuba Travel
Here’s the latest dive holiday offers from our friends at UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel:
Egypt
Simply the Best onboard Hurricane for only £995
Flash Sale only 2 spaces at this price!
This 6th June dive the fabled Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone with the most experienced team on board the stable, steel-hulled Hurricane. Avoid long transfers with a direct flight to Marsa Alam. 12 L tank & weights and FREE NITROX are included in your package. Flights are with Thomson from Gatwick and transfers are included. At the end of the week, a day use room and lunch at a hotel is included while you wait for your flight home. The only costs not included are the Egyptian entry visa, alcohol, additional kit hire and any onboard souvenirs. Please let Scuba Travel know if you would like to pre-book any PADI courses on board or have any dietary requirements.
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
The stunning image at the top of the page was taken by in house photo pro – Mario Vitalini, a couple of weeks ago in the Red Sea. See it for yourself and join the Scuba Travel team in the spectacular Red Sea.
Scuba Travel has handpicked its range of modern Red Sea liveaboards. They believe you deserve outstanding diving as well as onboard creature comforts. Find your perfect weekly departure at an affordable price. Scuba Travel’s Red Sea liveaboards are run to the highest safety standards by friendly, experienced crews. Discover their award-winning liveaboards for an Egyptian diving holiday that will exceed expectations.
See our latest Red Sea availability here
Wrecks and Reefs onboard Cyclone this 15th June Only £995
Sail away on the ever popular,Cyclone. This is a classic itinerary in the Northern Red Sea with up to 22 dives over the week. Departing from Hurghada, you will spend 7 nights on board on a full board basis (twin share cabin). All marine park fees, 12lt tank, air fills and weights are included in your package.
Flights are with Easyjet from Gatwick and transfers are also included. At the end of the week, you will have day use of a hotel and buffet lunch while you wait for your flight home. Excluded are the Egyptian entry visa, alcohol, nitrox, additional kit hire and any onboard souvenirs.
Click here to book this holiday
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
This 7th September, Carpe Novo for £2195 including flights from Heathrow
Manta, sharks, eagle rays and so much more on this classic Maldives itinerary on board the sublime and spacious Carpe Novo (new in 2016). Visiting North Male, Ari, Vaavu and South Male, Carpe Novo offers 3 dives daily (except for on the day of arrival and day before departure) including one or two night dives and all diving is from a dhoni tender, with 12lt tank, weights and Nitrox included. Accommodation in a standard cabin on a full board basis (twin/double share cabin) – cabin upgrades available. Tea, coffee and drinking water are included in your package. Excluded are alcohol, fruit juice, soft drinks, additional kit hire and any onboard souvenirs. Please let your travel consultant know if you have any dietary requirements.
This holiday includes international flights to Male from Heathrow and airport transfers. Transfers operate at fixed times. Scuba Travel offer flights from other regional airports in the UK. Ask your travel consultant for a competitive quote.
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
This 13th July, experience Oman onboard the Oman Aggressor for only £1895 exc. flights
A truly magical itinerary for divers that love reef diving and abundant biodiversity. You have 7 nights in a deluxe stateroom on a full board basis, including all soft drinks and a limited selection of local beer and wine with your evening meal. There are master cabin and suite upgrades available. Over a 7 night trip, you can clock up an impressive 25 dives. 12lt tank, air fills and weights are included in your package. There is a USD200 Port/Marine Park fee per person to be paid on board. Excluded are the Oman entry visa, alcohol, additional kit hire and any onboard souvenirs. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements. Dinner on Friday evening is not included, although the crew will assist with recommendations and reservations. Transfers will be pre-booked but have to be paid for locally in cash USD35 per person per way – the transfer time will be advised locally.
This holiday does not include any international flights to Muscat airport MCT. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option. Do not book any flights until your boat space is confirmed by Scuba Travel.
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
This 28th June, dive Moalboal and Pescador Island from Kasai Village and save £300.
Your package includes international flights, 7 nights in a pool view room on full board basis (optional room grades available) and 15 boat dives and local transfers.
Please do ask your travel consultant if you would like to pre-book additional diving. Special day trips or blackwater dives are organised and subject to a small supplemental charge paid locally. Flights are with Cathay Pacific airlines via Hong Kong but Scuba Travel can book most major scheduled airlines including regional UK departures. You will need to pay a departure tax when leaving the Philippines (approx 750php).
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Save £300 – Dive Tulamben and the incredible critter dives of Bali with the team from Scuba Seraya!
Your Bali adventure includes 7 nights in a maisonette on full board basis (excluding drinks). Enjoy 10 boat dives in the morning (Tulamben region) plus unlimited, unguided shore diving for 5 afternoons. Flights are typically from Heathrow but Scuba Travel can book most major scheduled airlines including regional departure options. UK passport holders no longer need to pay for a visa on arrival in Bali. Excluded are local marine park fees, additional dives, special trips, nitrox or any meals or drinks outside of your full board package.
Click here to book your Bali Adventure
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
Your trip starts on arrival in Koror (ROR). Your Aggressor liveaboard package is based on a twin double cabin (full board) – a deluxe cabin upgrade is available. Soft drinks, water, tea, coffee and a limited selection of local beer and wine are included. All trips are fully guided by 2 expert dive guides and include 12lt international valve tank and weights. There are usually 4 dives a day and 3 night dives during the trip. At the end of your trip, you will return to Koror. Dinner on the final evening is not included but the crew will be able to assist with reservations and recommendations. All transfers are pre-booked but must be paid for locally approx $15 each way. Excluded are park fees (total approx $240), departure tax ($50), green fee (approx $10), additional kit hire, nitrox and any souvenirs.
This is a BOAT ONLY holiday. The cost does not include any international flights. Scuba Travel is able to add flights with a wide range of airlines, including regional departures. Please ask your consultant for a competitive quote for any flight option. Do not book any flights until your boat space is confirmed by Scuba Travel. You are strongly recommended to have at least 1 night in Palau before and after your liveaboard dates in case of any flight delays or baggage issues.
Click here to book your next Palau holiday
* prices are subject to change according to availability at the time of booking
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.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
The second day’s diving was a day full of wreck diving at Abu Nuhas, which included the Chrisoula K, Carnatic, and Ghiannis D. The first dive of the day was onto the Chrisoula K, also known as the wreck of tiles. The 98m vessel remains largely intact where she was loaded with tiles which can be seen throughout the hold. The stern sits at 26m and the bow just below the surface. One of the highlights of the wreck is heading inside and seeing the workroom where the machinery used for cutting the tiles are perfectly intact. The bow provided some relaxing scenery as the bright sunlight highlighted the colours of the soft coral reef and the many reef fish.
Following breakfast, we then headed to the next wreck, which was the Carnatic. The Carnatic is an 89.9m sail steamer vessel that was built in Britain back in 1862. She ran aground on the reef back in 1869 and remains at 27m. At the time, she was carrying a range of items, including 40,000 sterling in gold. An impressive wreck where much of the superstructure remains, and the two large masts lay on the seafloor. The wooden ribs of the hull provide structures for lots of soft corals, and into the stern section, the light beams through, bouncing off the large shoals of glass fish that can be found using the structure as shelter from the larger predators that are found outside of the wreck.
The final wreck at Abu Nuhas was the Ghiannis D, originally called ‘Shoyo Maru,’ which was 99.5m long and built in Japan back in 1969 before becoming a Greek-registered cargo ship in 1980. The ship then ran aground on the reef on April 19th, 1983, and now sits at the bottom at a depth of 27m. Heading down the line, the stern of the ship remains in good condition compared to the rest of the hull. The highlight of the wreck, though, is heading into the stern section and down the flights of stairs to enter the engine room, which remains in good condition and is definitely worth exploring. After exploring the interior section of the ship, we then headed over to see the rest of the superstructure, where it’s particularly interesting to see the large table corals that have grown at the bow relatively quickly considering the date the ship sank. After surfacing and enjoying some afternoon snacks, we made sure everything was strapped down and secured as we would be heading north and crossing the Gulf of Suez, where the winds were still creating plenty of chop.
The next morning, it was a short hop to Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve for the next couple of days of diving. The 6am wake-up call came along with the briefing for the first site we would be diving, which was Shark & Yolanda. The low current conditions allowed us to start the dive at Anemone City, where we would drift along the steep, coral-filled wall. These dives involved drifts, as mooring in Ras Mohammed wasn’t allowed to protect the reefs. As a dive site, Shark & Yolanda is well-known and historically had a lot of sharks, but unfortunately not so many in recent years, especially not so early in the season. However, there was always a chance when looking out into the blue.
The gentle drift took us along the steep walls of the site, with plenty of anemone fish to be seen and a huge variety of corals. It wasn’t long into the dive before we were accompanied by a hawksbill turtle, who drifted with us between the two atolls before parting ways. Between the two reefs, the shallow patch with parts of coral heads surrounded by sand provided the chance to see a few blue-spotted stingrays that were mainly resting underneath the corals and are always a pleasure to see. With this being the morning dive, the early sunlight lit up the walls, providing tranquil moments. Looking out into the blue, there was very little to be seen, but a small shoal of batfish shimmering underneath the sunlight was a moment to capture as we watched them swim by as they watched us.
Towards the end of the dive, we stopped at the wreck of the Jolanda where the seafloor was scattered with toilets from the containers it was carrying. This provided a unique site to make a safety stop, which was also accompanied by a large barracuda slowly swimming by, along with a hawksbill turtle calmly swimming over the reef as the sun rays danced in the distance.
For the next dive, we headed north to the Strait of Tiran to explore the reefs situated between Tiran Island and Sharm El Sheik, which were named after the British divers who had found them. We started on Jackson before heading to Gordons Reef, where we also did the night dive. All the atolls at these sites provided stunning, bustling coral reefs close to the surface and steep walls to swim along, which always provided the opportunity to keep an eye out for some of the larger species that can be seen in the blue. Midwater around Jackson Reef was filled with red-toothed triggerfish and shoals of banner fish, which at times were so dense that you couldn’t see into the blue. Moments went by peacefully as we enjoyed the slow drift above the reef, watching these shoals swim around under the mid-afternoon sun.
The night dive at Gordon’s Reef was mainly among the stacks of corals surrounded by sand, which was great to explore under the darkness. After some time circling the corals, we came across what we were really hoping to find, and that was an octopus hunting on the reef. We spent the majority of the dive just watching it crawl among the reef, blending into its changing surroundings through changes in colour and skin texture. It’s always so fascinating and captivating to watch these incredibly intelligent animals, in awe of their ability to carry out these physical changes to perfectly blend into the reef. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat to enjoy a well-deserved tasty dinner prepared by the talented chefs onboard.
Check in for the 3rd and final part of this series from Jake tomorrow!
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
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
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