Dive Worldwide’s latest seasonal brochure brings the very best new diving experiences to the attention of divers, ranging from an action-packed long weekend in Iceland to a selection of expert-led small group adventures. Outlined in the brochure is a range of new Australian holidays, with recommendations on the best diving locations Down Under and some inspirational new trip ideas. Among other highlights are features by TV presenter Kate Humble who recounts her recent visit with Dive Worldwide to Papua New Guinea where she re-kindled her love for diving; and another by award-winning underwater photographer Jane Morgan who will be escorting a photography trip to Bali for Dive Worldwide on the 4th September.
With 40 of the world’s finest dive destinations on offer it could be a challenging decision to make, but Dive Worldwide, with over 14 years experience, manages to select their Top 5 Diving and Adventure Holidays and their Top 5 Great Liveaboard Diving Holidays. Among the 10, respectively, are a Galapagos Island Dive Adventure (10 days from £4,295 inc. flights) and a Komodo Liveaboard exploring the vast Komodo National Park (11 days, from £2,545 inc. flights).
There is little more magical than discovering the underwater world with all the family. Dive Worldwide picks six dive resorts for families that offer outstanding facilities and safe and colourful diving adventures; indeed everything that a family needs for the perfect diving holiday. Among them are Anthony’s Key Resort in Honduras, Compass Point in the Cayman Islands, Sifawy Boutique Hotel in Oman, Lions Dive Resort in Curacao, a Learn to Dive trip in southern Thailand, and Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire.
Writing in the new brochure about single travellers, Phil North, manager, Dive Worldwide, says: “Single divers do not need to miss out on all the fun or pay twice the price.” A former pro in Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and Thailand, Phil recommends that singles join one of their liveaboard or small group adventures, or take a look at their top resorts for single travellers which start from as little as £1,655 for a 9-day adventure. Among them are Reethi Beach Resort in the Maldives which waives single supplements in certain months of the year, or True Blue Bay Resort in Grenada which offers superb year-round wreck diving and discounted singles packages in quieter months.
With the long summer months stretching out before us, it’s a great time to be travelling throughout the world, whether making the most of the sunshine or its seasonal marine activity. Over a dozen trips come highly recommended for summer diving. Among them are:
- Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica – summer is the time when the Pacific coast comes alive with big pelagic life, including sharks and mantas (9 days, from £1,845)
- Sardine Run Adventure, South Africa – witness the greatest shoal on earth as millions of sardines migrate along the coastline in July attracting thousands of dolphins, seals, sharks, whales and birds (10 days, from £2,495)
- Walls, Schools and Critters, Indonesia – the world-class diving meccas of Bunaken and Lembeh are both at their best in our summer months (17 days, from £2,575)
- Blue Shark Adventure, Azores – the short summer season of this Portuguese archipelago promises superb blue shark and even mako encounters, along with devil rays and manta rays at Princess Alice Banks (8 days, from £1,145)
WHAT’S BUBBLING
Introduced this season to Dive Worldwide’s programme are the following:
Australia – With its vast coastline and wealth of world-class diving opportunities, divers can expect thrilling encounters with whale sharks, dwarf minke whales, great white sharks, huge potato cod, turtles and leafy sea dragons. Choose from a trip to Queensland combining diving with minke whales from a liveaboard with diving with manta rays on the southern barrier reef (22 days, £5,495, inc. flights). Or opt for The Great White Dive Adventure in South Australia, diving with white sharks on a liveaboard trip in the remote Neptune Islands (16 days, £4,095, inc. flights).
Belle Amie Liveaboard, Mexico – Custom built for divers, this boat cruises to two remote world-class diving locations. Socorro is big animal diving at its best where, from November to July, divers experience encounters with giant mantas, numerous shark species and pods of dolphin. The boat visits Isla Guadalupe from July to November for thrilling great white shark encounters from the safety of cages (10 days, from £2,395, boat only).
Magic Island Resort, Philippines – This small resort on the tip of Moalboal is wonderfully located for the amazing variety of local dive sites. Suited to all abilities, highlights include sardine bait-ball and mandarin fish dives. Sister property, Magic Oceans in Anda, opens next month (July 2015) making a great twin centre option (10 days, from £1,545).
New Expert-led and Small Group Holidays – A programme of trips that offer a fascinating insight into little-known and far-flung destinations such as the islands of New Britain and New Ireland in Papua New Guinea or Japan’s seldom visited Okinawa islands. Travelling with like-minded individuals, these unique trips allow divers to pick up useful tips and enhance their knowledge through workshops and talks alongside incomparable guided dives with destination experts. Among them is the Dumaguete Dive Festival when divers join photographer and marine biologist Dr Richard Smith on a 10-night adventure to the Philippines’ critter capital of Dumaguete (20 February 2016, from £2,835, inc. flights).
Iceland Diving Weekend – A UNESCO world heritage site, Iceland’s Silfra fissure is a unique phenomenon where it is possible to dive between continents in the mid-Atlantic ridge. Discover numerous tunnels and caverns while diving through the purest and clearest water imaginable, with visibility exceeding 100 metres (4 days, from £995, inc. flights).
All prices are per person based on two sharing.
For further information visit www.diveworldwide.com or call +44 (0)1962 302 087.
