What to Expect
Whale Sharks
Although not the easiest of species to encounter it is possible to increase your chances by choosing your destination and season carefully. During February to May is the best time in southern Thailand on one of our liveaboards that go to the Andaman Islands and Burma Banks. Head to the southern Kenya coast between November and February and your chances of a Whale shark encounter is very high! Between August and mid October in Baja California there is a good chance of seeing these magnificent creatures; Dive Worldwide even has dedicated Whale shark liveaboards. If you are in Australia in April through May head to Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.
Whales
The first encounter with a whale is a memorable and moving experience for everyone. Now imagine being in the water as they swim beside or below you. The opportunity to encounter whales below the water is a rare experience and there are only a few places where this dream can be realised. One of these places is on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia where 2 of the liveaboards have licences to dive with the Minke Whales in July and August. It is also possible to interact in the water with Humpback Whales in Tonga and in the Turks and Caicos islands of the Caribbean. Snorkel or dive with Orcas in the Norwegian Fiords in November. New Zealand has 39 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. A new and exciting opportunity is now possible, for close encounters with some of these amazing creatures on a tour, due to depart in July 2004. With a strong emphasis on education, supporting research projects, and in the company of experts it may be possible to have as company Humpback, Bryde's, Southern Right, Minke, Pilot, Orca and Sperm Whales, together with Bottle-nosed, Common and Hector's Dolphin.
If you are considering a trip to the Sea of Cortez in January or February do take some time to head to Magdalena Bay to see the Grey Whales. In March Blue Whales are often to be seen in the Sea of Cortez. Other great areas for Whale watching include South Africa, Madagascar, Dominica, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia.
Manta Rays
Manta rays with wingspans as big as 20 feet look like huge birds gliding gracefully through the water and are high on any divers' wish list. Mantas prefer plankton-rich waters and are regular visitors to a few select locations. These include Bora Bora and other islands in French Polynesia, the Sea of Cortez and Mozambique. Cleaning stations are ideal places to encounter the Mantas and these can be found in Southern Mozambique and Manta Ridge, Yap, Micronesia. From March through July, mantas visit the island of Tobago, feeding in the rich waters fed by the Orinoco estuary in South America. On Hawaii's Kona Coast, mantas are drawn each evening to the lights of a large hotel. Night divers watch as the mantas feed on the plankton that is attracted by the lights.
Dolphins & Seals
Dolphins can often be seen bow-riding or frolicking in the waters around dive boats almost anywhere in the tropics but a few special places where encounters are nearly guaranteed are New Zealand, Southern Mozambique, Sudan, Zanzibar and the Bay of Islands in Honduras. These playful creatures will often circle around a couple of times if you are in the water before heading once again into the blue.
Sharks
You either love them or hate them! For those that love them there are plenty of areas still where you can get your fix. Some of the best Great White Shark expeditions are to be found in South Africa, Guadalupe or South Australia. Alternatively head to the Galapagos, Cocos or Malpelo Islands for Hammerhead sharks. Mozambique, French Polynesia, Great Barrier Reef, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Sipadan, Layang Layang, Sea of Cortez, Costa Rica, Tobago, Cayman Islands and Sudan all offer great opportunities for observing these exciting and elegant creatures.
Macro Life
Macro life is often of keen interest to underwater photographers but who has not wondered in awe at the fascination of some of these tiny animals? So for those that want to take time to watch these intriguing tiny critters then Dive Worldwide can recommend a number of destinations around the world. For the Caribbean head for Bonaire and Dominica; for Asia try Kungkungan Bay, Manado possibly the best in the world or Kapalai near Sipadan, Malaysia. Further a field there is Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Liveaboards
The advantages of a liveaboard holiday are numerous: Many liveaboards provide the opportunity to dive remote and often otherwise inaccessible areas of the world; for those wishing to experience the largest number of dives in the shortest space of time then liveaboards are ideal. While most resort diving is limited to 2 or 3 dives a day, most liveaboards manage 4 to 5 a day. Other advantages include no heavy gear bags to pack and unpack, no hanging around between dives and all the facilities at close at hand. For single travellers there is no doubt that liveaboards provide the best solution for meeting like-minded companions for finding a buddy and socializing after the dives plus all importantly avoiding single supplements. Liveaboards may look more expensive at first but please do take into account all that is being included, often drinks as well as meals and snacks! Dive Worldwide features liveaboards throughout the world and has many that have not made it to print. So if there is anywhere in particular you would like to visit do give us a call and we will check our database for you.
Shore Diving
Not everyone enjoys spending hours on boats but there are many areas in the world where you can just step off the beach into some fantastic dive sites. There is no doubt that Sipadan in Malaysia with its huge dropoffs offers some of the best shore diving in the world, often with immediate shark and turtle encounters! Bonaire in the Caribbean is another shore diving mecca with in excess of 60 marked sites. These are best accessed by means of a self-drive package but all resorts we feature have their own sites right in front of the properties. Other areas include Curacao in the Caribbean, Dahab in Egypt and Gozo in the Mediterranean. Remember as these areas are so close to the shore they are also ideal areas for snorkelling. There are even a few wrecks that are accessible from the shore like Tulamben, Bali and off the Portofino beach, Bonaire.
Wrecks
Combine the eerie stillness of a sunken shipwreck with the teeming life of a coral reef. The lure of exploring sunken vessels, airplanes and automobiles is something most divers can't resist. There is nothing like seeing a wreck appearing from the depth as you descend the line. Underwater wrecks soon become encrusted with life to become veritable wonders of hard and soft corals and a safe haven for thousand of species. Wreck diving offers dramatic photographic possibilities and concentrations of marine life like no other dive sites on earth. Hot wreck spots of the world include Gibraltar, Sardinia, Truk, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Malaysia at Labuan, Australia on the South Australian Coast and in Queensland the Yongala Wreck. New Zealand has the Rainbow Warrior and the Philippines has Subic Bay. These are only a few as there are many wrecks old and new throughout the world so please do call us if there is any one that you are particularly interested in seeing.
Spectacular Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are colonies of billions of tiny jelly-like individual creatures that have joined together to form colonies, which have been built up slowly over thousands of years. It is the living coral that gives the reef its colourful appearance. Shallow warm water is the ideal environment, with lots of water movement, plenty of light, salty water and low in nutrients. Healthy coral reefs teem with colourful fish and support an abundance of marine life. All over the world one can still find scenically spectacular reefs but some of the most scenic can be found in Australia - need we say more, Fiji - the soft coral capital of the world, Malaysia, Indonesia, French Polynesia and Micronesia.
Still looking for Inspiration for your next trip? - Click here