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September Savings from Diverse Travel

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Save £££ on your diving holiday when you book this September. Check out the latest diving holiday deals from UK-based Tour Operator Diverse Travel.


Indonesia: Emperor Raja Laut Special Introductory Offer 2017/2018

Komodo, Raja Ampat, Banda Sea | Beautiful traditional Dutch schooner-style yacht

Literally just launched, a special introductory offer on the new Emperor Indonesia’s MY Emperor Raja Laut debuting this September.

Emperor Raja Laut is a beautiful traditional Dutch schooner-style sailing yacht now under the renowned Emperor Divers’ brand. She has 12 berths and a high level of service with seven crew and two dive guides. Sailing the iconic diving areas of Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea and Komodo National Park. Prepare to dive or snorkel with mantas, hammerheads, whale sharks and macro life. Or combine with land tours to meet the infamous Komodo dragon.

Price from £2999 including:

  • 7-night package (also 12-nights available) to Raja Ampat based on twin share
  • Return international flights – London Heathrow to Manado
  • Return domestic flights – Manado to Sorong
  • Airline departure taxes
  • 7 nights shared cabin, 3 meals a day, afternoon snacks, 1 cocktail party on a local island, unlimited drinking water, tea, coffee, guide, 12 litre air tanks, weights
  • 2 nights Half Board – Manado Novotel Airport Hotel
  • All transfers according to itinerary
  • Full ATOL Protection

Departures between 14 December 2017 and 02 May 2018.

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


Dive Mythical Sudan | 04 – 11 March 2018 | Save up to £125

Plus the first 10 bookers will receive free Nitrox fills (First come, first served basis. Nitrox-certified divers only).

Follow in Cousteau’s footsteps! Dive his Conshelf II underwater habitat and famous Shaab Rumi reef with its sharks and colourful drop-offs and Sanganeb’s northern and southern plateaus. The Umbria, considered to be one of the finest wreck-dives on the planet and then south of Port Sudan where different species of sharks are found.

* Number of dives may vary according to itinerary weather conditions. Minimum diving level: PADI Advanced Diver (or equivalent) with minimum 50 logged dives. Diving is permitted upon presentation of a valid certification card AND proof of adequate insurance covering risks related to diving activities.

Price from £1495 based on sharing a twin cabin including:

  • Return flights from London Heathrow to Port Sudan on Saudia (via Jeddah) or Emirates/Fly Dubai (via Dubai)
  • 7 nights’ full board accommodation in shared cabin
  • Transfers between Port Sudan airport and liveaboard
  • Dives: first day 2 dives; then 3 dives a day; last day 2 dives and return to Port Sudan
  • Sodas, espresso, cappuccino, water, tea & coffee
  • Robes and towels provided during the safari

Not included: Sudan Visa US$175/person; Government taxes and local agent fee 197 EUR pp; Booking of a specific cabin: 50 EUR pp/week; 15L tank: 40 EUR/week; Equipment rental; Guided dive: 8 EUR/dive; Alcoholic drinks; Crew tip (70 EUR recommended/week).

Booking deadline: 31 October 2017

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


Best of Red Sea | Emperor Asmaa I 9 – 16 Nov 2017 – Save £75

Dive the best top three sites in this area: Big and Little Brothers, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone. These islands offer stunning wall diving and attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagics. Large tuna, jacks and snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional hammerheads, silvertips, silky and oceanic white tip sharks and mantas. Even the rare thresher shark can be found here.

7 nights from £1049 per person including flights from London – save £75!

Price is per person based on sharing a twin cabin and includes:

  • Return international flights – London Gatwick – Hurghada
  • 20kg hold baggage allowance
  • 7 nights in shared cabin (last night either on board or in a hotel)
  • 6 day’s diving, guide, 12 litre tanks, weights
  • Full board & soft drinks, red wine with dinner
  • Environmental tax
  • Marine Park fees and port departure fees
  • Free Nitrox (subject to availability)
  • Airport transfers
  • Full ATOL protection

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


Oman Red Dhow | 7 – 14 October | from £1565

Just 80 miles from Dubai is Oman’s little-known Musandam Peninsula – an area of outstanding natural beauty. Dramatic vertical cliffs in meandering bays plunge into the azure seas below, giving Musandam the affectionate nickname, ‘the fjords of the Gulf’. Deep and cool upwelling water provide a rich plankton soup attracting a huge variety of marine life; whale shark, sun fish, pilot whales, lobsters, hawksbill, green turtles, huge schools of snapper, barracuda and jacks. Critters galore are also in abundance making Musandam a macro-photographer’s delight.

Red Dhow is a 76ft boat with 6 standard double cabins (2 cabins sharing 1 bathroom) and two ensuite cabins. She takes no more than 14 guests.

Price from £1565 based on sharing standard twin cabin including:

  • Return economy class flights departing from London to Dubai (flights from other UK airports can be arranged)
  • 7 nights’ onboard the Red Dhow in an en-suite cabin with Full Board (breakfast, lunch & dinner), water, tea & coffee, PADI Instructor and/or Divemaster on board (acting as a dive guide) with up to 3 guided day-dives per day and return airport transfers
  • ATOL and full financial protection

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


Fiji Volivoli Offer | Book 7 nights, pay for only 5

Volivoli Beach Resort | Fiji | 2 nights FREE

  • PLUS 2 FREE dives
  • PLUS FREE Nitrox*

Fiji has so very much to offer from the diving to nature, beautiful beaches and welcoming local people. Here lies a perfect blend of white sandy beaches, coral reef, a sunny year-round climate and that friendly Fijian hospitality and culture.

A pearl of Fiji, Volivoli Beach Resort is tucked away on the northernmost tip of Viti Levu and promises guests a welcoming relaxed indulgence. Being just a short boat ride from the enticing dive sites of Bligh Waters the Resort is family-run by the Darling family who have over 20 years’ experience of diving in these waters. Probably one of the best locations in Fiji for a diving holiday, Volivoli Beach is home to Ra Divers, a fully certified PADI and SSI Dive Resort with over 18 years’ experience.

Conditions of offer: Travel dates: Until 31st March 2018

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


South Africa | 9 nights | Aliwal Shoal Diving + Great White Cage Diving, Cape Town

The best of both worlds; diving the iconic Aliwal Shoal and then onto the great magnet of South Africa, cage diving with great whites!

Price – £1999 per person based on sharing a twin/double room including:

  • Return international flights to Durban return from Cape Town on Emirates (via Dubai)
  • 6 nights’ Full Board in twin/double room, Blue Ocean Resort, Umkomaas
  • 8 dives: 6 Aliwal Shoal reef dives (2-tank morning trips) + 2 Baited Shark Dives
  • Round trip airport transfers from Durban King Shaka International Airport
  • One-way domestic flight Durban to Cape Town
  • 3 days’ Cape Town car hire (Avis VW Polo TSI B Plus + GPS)
  • 3 nights’ B&B, Mountain Facing Room, Quayside Hotel, Simon’s Town (Cape Town)
  • 2 Seal Island Cage Dive Trips
  • Government taxes
  • Full ATOL Protection

Price does not include daily conservation levy of R114 (approx. £7).

These offers must be booked before 30 September 2017
Travel must take place before 31 December 2017

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


Indonesia I Manado + Lembeh Combo | Last Minute Offer

Eco Divers. From just £1850 with diving, flights, accommodation

Dive two of the world’s greatest dive places with an award-winning dive centre and here’s your recipe for holiday happiness.

Home to a huge concentration of unusual marine species as well as reef sharks, turtles, eagle rays, Napoleon wrasse, even dugong and orca!

Most sites are within easy reach from your hotel and yet they’re never crowded. The reefs of Bunaken National Marine Park are rich and unspoilt with abundant soft coral and fish life whilst the Lembeh Strait is arguably the best place in the world for macro photography.

10 nights from £1850 per person including:

  • International return flights – London Heathrow on Singapore Air/SilkAir via Singapore
  • 30kg baggage allowance
  • 5 nights’ sharing air-conditioned Superior Room, Mercure Manado Resort
  • 5 days’ boat diving Bunaken (up to 2 guided day-dives per day*) with cylinders & weights
  • 5 nights’ sharing air-conditioned room, Eco Divers Resort Lembeh
  • 4 days’ boat diving Lembeh Strait (up to 3 guided day-dives per day) with cylinders & weights
  • Full Board Meal Plan including mineral water
  • All local transfers according to the itinerary
  • Government taxes
  • Full ATOL protection

* Upgrade to 3-dive package: £23/day

Valid for stays between 01 – 30 September and 24 October – 30 November 2017

See all Diverse Travel special offers here


For more information or to book, call Diverse Travel on Freephone 0800 915 4436, email info@diversetravel.co.uk or visit www.diversetravel.co.uk.

Marine Life & Conservation

IUCN Spotlights Green Fins at Bali Ocean Days 2025, Calling for Stronger Business Model in Marine Conservation

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conservation

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Global Ocean Director, Minna Epps, has spotlighted Green Fins Indonesia along with a call for stronger business models that sustain marine conservation. Speaking at the inaugural session of Bali Ocean Days 2025 held on 7-8 February, Epps emphasised the need for sustainable financing to support and scale marine conservation initiatives such as Green Fins.

conservation

Activities earlier in the week with the Coral Triangle Center in Sanur and Ceningan Divers in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area shaped the IUCN Ocean Director’s message at the conference and showcase, aligning with the theme of the blue economy and impact finance to sustain marine ecosystems.

conservation

“Tourism has such a big impact on marine biodiversity, and we need it to adhere to a certain code of conduct,” Epps said. “That is why through our funding facilities, we worked with The Reef-World Foundation advancing Green Fins so dive operators can become certified with standards. But this kind of initiative has been around for a long time and it’s also a tool used to improve [MPA management], but it needs to come with a business model. I also believe in market-based instruments to evolve this programme.”

conservation

IUCN’s visit is part of their Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF), which supports at least 21 projects around the world, building the business case for investing in the future of our ocean.

In Indonesia, the project supported by IUCN was developed in partnership with The Reef-World Foundation, the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the Coral Triangle Center, which serves as the local implementing organisation for Green Fins. The initiative engages marine tourism businesses through voluntary sustainability certification based on the only internationally recognised environmental standards for diving and snorkelling operations. Green Fins’ activities aim to reduce negative environmental impacts associated with marine tourism activities as well as improve the management of marine protected areas.

conservation

IUCN’s promotion of Green Fins in Bali Ocean Days signals the need for greater private sector engagement in marine conservation across Indonesia and beyond.

Investors, donors, marine tourism operators and stakeholders looking to support scalable marine conservation solutions are encouraged to explore opportunities with The Reef-World Foundation, the international coordinator of the Green Fins initiative. To learn more about sustainable marine tourism and how to get involved, visit www.reef-world.org.

conservation

About Reef-World

The Reef-World Foundation is a registered UK charity which delivers practical solutions for marine conservation around the world. The charity promotes the wise use of natural resources – particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems – for the benefit of local communities, visitors and future generations. It is dedicated to supporting, inspiring and empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals around the world to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources.

Reef-World leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. As such, the charity provides low-cost and practical solutions to local and industry-wide environmental challenges associated with the marine tourism industry. It provides education and capacity-building assistance to empower environmental champions (within the diving industry, local communities, authorities and governments) to implement proven coastal resource management approaches.

Visit www.reef-world.org to learn more or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.

About Green Fins

Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach – spearheaded by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme – which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with the marine tourism industry. The initiative aims to protect and conserve coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry. It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for the diving and snorkelling industry and has a robust assessment system to measure compliance.

Green Fins encourages and empowers members of the diving industry to act to reduce the pressures on coral reefs by offering dive and snorkel companies practical, low-cost alternatives to harmful practices – such as anchoring, fish feeding and chemical pollution – as well as providing strategic training, support and resources. By reducing the local direct and indirect pressures tourism puts on coral reefs, it helps make corals healthier and more resilient to other stresses such as the effects of climate change. Look for the Green Fins logo when booking your next dive trip.Visit www.greenfins.net to learn more or follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram and X.

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News

Filming 360 in The Bahamas

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In December 2024, the Shark Trust had a very special opportunity to film sharks and rays in The Bahamas. Frogfish Photography are the Bahamas Dive Ambassadors for the UK. And Caroline, Deputy Editor at Scubaverse, is the Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust. So, when the need arose to film footage of several species of shark and ray for a new Shark Trust project, The Bahamas seemed the perfect fit. A huge thank you is needed here to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. As they stepped in to fully support the trip both financially and practically. Ensuring that the filming expedition ran smoothly, and that we got as much time as possible in the water with sharks and rays, during the 10 day, 3 island trip.

The Bahamas is famous for its sharks and rays. Divers flock there to experience getting up close to a range of species. Our itinerary saw us visit Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama. It packed in as many in-water experiences as possible and had us dive, snorkel, and even take a submarine to experience them in a variety of different habitats and to capture them on film. We saw 148 sharks and rays from 8 different species (all of which have been logged on the Shark Trust Shark Log!).

But why were we there? The expedition was designed to fulfil the needs of two new projects being launched by the Shark Trust in 2025. The filming done underwater on this trip was the start of creating OneOcean360: A Shark Story. A new 360 immersive experience designed primarily for immersive domes and planetariums. The film will be the nearest experience to getting in the water with sharks and rays without getting wet! It will bring the world of sharks to an audience that may never get the chance to experience it first-hand. A Shark Story aims to deepen people’s understanding of sharks, uncovering and illustrating why they are so wonderful as well as being vital to marine ecosystems.

The film is being made in collaboration with Real Immersive. Also based in Plymouth, they have an immersive dome and are providing the technical expertise behind creating this unique experience. Reviewing the footage in the dome has been an invaluable part of the process. Both inspiring the team and allow us to refine the filming techniques to suit this immersive theatre.

You might imagine that we are using expensive cameras and even more expensive housings. But this is not the case. The entire project is being filmed using Insta360 X4 cameras. With only a few simple additions to the standard dive setup. The INON weight plate allowed us to attach this camera to a dive weight, set it down on sand or wreck, and then swim away and let the sharks be the stars. And the results are very exciting. The film will be ready this autumn. It will be accompanied by an educational pack for teachers to take away after school trips to see the film. Encouraging all those that see it to continue learning about these incredible animals.

You can support the creation of OneOcean360: A Shark Story by heading to the crowdfunder page and donating or selecting a reward.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-shark-story


Read about the shark and ray dives we did on Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama in our next blog post coming soon on Scubaverse.

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