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Dreamy dive deals from Scuba Travel
Make your diving dreams come true! If you’ve spent most of your day dreaming about where you would rather be, it’s time to call our friends at UK-based Tour Operator Scuba Travel. Beat the blues and book yourself a ticket to a blue water adventure this week. Diving takes us to some of the most spectacular, remote and astonishing locations around the world – it’s time to make your diving dreams come true.
Dive the Red Sea this October I Wrecks & Reefs aboard Cyclone I £1295 I 22 October
October is a really popular time of year to dive the Red Sea as the sightings are incredible. The air temperature has dropped to the mid 30’s and the sea is starting to cool meaning the sharks start to reappear at shallower depths. The Wrecks & Reefs itinerary is perfect for any diver wanting to see the best of the Northern Red Sea, with world class wreck dives and breathtaking reef dives every day.
Cyclone features the tried and tested layout of all Tornado Marine Fleet vessels. The all important dive deck is spaciously laid out so everyone can kit up without fighting for space. Head to the main deck dining room at meal times and an outstanding feast awaits. The upstairs saloon is complete with a bar and the plasma screen is a focal point at the end of the day or during surface intervals. Or escape from it all on the extensive sun deck, complete with sun beds and jacuzzi. Cyclone is a true Red Sea classic liveaboard that easily meets the high standards of Scuba Travel’s modern Red Sea vessels.
- 7 nights full board, return flights to Hurghada, up to 22 dives per week
Find out more about this trip here.
Turks and Caicos Aggressor I Save £600 I 20 October I Only £2825
Looking for a special kind of diving holiday in the Caribbean? Then why not take a closer look at Turks & Caicos.
Turks & Caicos are made up of 40 islands lying to the west of the Caribbean but as only eight are inhabited, there are some magnificent dive sites waiting to be explored far from the madding crowd. With such a glorious range of dive sites to visit, surely the only way to travel is onboard our luxurious liveaboard the Turks & Caicos Aggressor. Sail between the endless cays and islands in complete comfort, breaking up your day only to dive. Diving in Turks & Caicos is one of the Caribbean’s best kept secrets – visit it before the secret gets out!
As you would expect from an Aggressor boat, no creature comfort has been overlooked. The saloon is large with all the entertainment kit you could need. A computer station is onboard for emails (local charge) and checking your photos. At the end of the day, put your feet up with a sundowner at the wet bar.
- Package includes return flights via USA, 7 nights full board and up to 5 fully guided dives per day
Find out more about this trip here.
Aggressor have incredible savings on many worldwide destinations including Palau, Komodo and Belize – Click here for more information on these special offers.
Hai Tide Beach Resort, Bali – September I Only £1595 I Departing either 9 or 30 September
The professional team at Bai Hai diving adventure have been operating in Bali and Nusa Lembongan for 25 years. Within 15 minutes of most of the world class dive sites in the area the sealife is incredible. Manta rays can be seen year round with a 90% success rate and Mola Mola’s are seen regularly from July-Nov, with stunning coral reefs and adrenaline fuelled drift dives. It’s time to discover reef diving Indonesian style.
The Resort is the ideal home away from home for divers. The traditional villas are all air-conditioned with private ensuite and the resort boasts an idyllic seafront bar and grill for freshly cooked meals at the end of your day.
- Includes return flights, 7 nights half board in a garden villa, 14 boat dives (air)
Find out more about this trip here.
Orion I 19 August I £1795 save £500 I Best of the Maldives itinerary
Encounter manta, sharks, eagle rays and so much more on this classic Maldives itinerary onboard the popular Emperor Orion. This is a dive holiday in the Maldives to remember that hits all the seasonal hot spots of North Male, South Male and Ari Atoll. Dive the many channels, drifts and pinnacles, encountering the reef residents as you go. The exact order of things is left deliberately flexible to ensure that no matter what the time of year, the breathtaking world underwater is unveiled in all its perfection.
As all diving takes place from the 19.8m tender dhoni that follows Orion, your liveaboard is pure living space. Your first port of call on board is the sitting area and reception room. Move forwards to the dining area with bar. Dive briefings usually take place here, as well as buffet meals. On the upper deck you will find the jacuzzi and a small shaded seating area. Pull up a chair at the end of the day and chat over the day’s diving delights with fellow divers. Chill out in the sunshine on the wide fly deck sun loungers and mattress beds.
- Package includes return flights, 7 nights full board, an average of 16 fully guided day dives and 1 night dive over the week plus FOC nitrox
Find out more about this trip here.
Luxurious Carpe Novo I 8 and 15 September I £1895 save £500 I Maldives Seasonal Sensations itinerary
Wend your way between Male and Baa atolls, cherry picking the highlight dive sites and including snorkelling at Hanivaru Bay. Dive the east side of the atoll when sites are at their hottest for sharks, manta and gorgeous coral reefs – this is the best time of year to look out for manta rays and whalesharks.
Spend your week onboard the sublime and spacious Carpe Novo. New since March 2016, Novo boasts three decks and is 43m long. She is generously proportioned and has gorgeous areas for relaxing between dives both inside and outside.
- Package Includes return flights, 7 nights full board, 3 dives a day including 1 or 2 night dives
Find out more about this trip here.
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. You can find the latest summer specials at www.scubatravel.com/lastminute
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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