MORE THAN 200 BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS TO CHOOSE FROM!
Palau's first foreign contact took place in 1783 when the vessel Antelope, commanded by Englishman Captain Henry Wilson, was shipwrecked on a reef near Ulong, a Rock Island between Koror and Peleliu. Wilson and his crew stayed in Palau for three month to rebuild his ship, with the assistance of Koror's High Chief Ibedul. Palau has come a long way since Captain Wilson landed, but it's still a natural, unspoiled paradise, where visitors can be assured of a unique vacation experience.
As the westernmost cluster of the six major island groups that make up the Caroline Islands, Palau lies 1000km (600 miles) east of the Philippines. The archipelago stretches over 650km (400 miles) from the atoll of Kayangel to the islet of Tobi. The Palau islands include more than 200 islands, of which only eight are inhabited. With three exceptions, all of the islands are located within a single barrier reef and represent two geological formations. The largest are volcanic and rugged with interior jungle and large areas of grassed terraces. The Rock Islands, now known as the Floating Garden Islands, are of limestone formation.
KOROR - A MODERN SMALL TOWN
About 70% of Palau's population of 19,000 live in Koror. The town provides all the modern conveniences you could need, including a large department store/supermarket and a well-equipt hospital (complete with a double-lock recompression chamber), and is the location of most of Palau's accommodation - about 20 hotels and resorts. Local stores carry an excellent selection of products for the tourist - diving and snorkeling equipment, suntan lotion and beach towels, and locally crafted souvenirs. Koror is small and friendly, with services available in English, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
The restaurants in Palau offer the visitor a variety of dining experiences - everything from a donut shop and a diner to sophisticated french cuisine. Chinese, Korean and Japanese are local favorites, as well as locally caught fish and seafood. After dinner, take in some of the local nightclubs and bars, sing karaoke, listen to live music, or watch a beautiful Palauan sunset. For something truly romantic, take a sunset cruise on our boat Moondancer.
http://palaudive.com
If you have not yet heard much about the Raja Ampat island group then chances are you soon will. The region has very recently received a lot of media attention for its phenomenal biodiversity but yet still remains virtually untouched by tourism. In joining our cruises you can be one of the first to experience this pristine environment. Unlike many "should've been here ten years ago" destinations our trips will take you to genuinely untouched environments both above and below the water. The time to see Raja Ampat is definitely now!
Whether you prefer macro photography or action packed big fish diving this area is for you. The big fish you can expect to see include giant mantas, Mobula rays(often in large numbers), massive schools of surgeons and Barracuda along with Wobbegang sharks, giant tawny sharks and variety of others. Macro enthusiasts can see blue ringed octopus, numerous types of pygmy seahorse, ghost pipefish, frogfish, mandarin fish and a huge variety of strange and wonderful crustaceans.
A recent Rapid assessment project (RAP) by Conservation International (an American based conservation group), suggests that "due to it's location near the heart of the coral triangle coupled with an amazing diversity of marine habitats, the area is potentially the worlds richest in terms of marine biodiversity" - Mc Kenna, Allen and Suryadi (April 2002) Some notable results of the survey include, "456 species of hard corals were recorded, which is more than half the worlds total. No other area of comparable size has this many species." (J. Veron 2002) Including previous studies and 9 "new" species this brings the total in the Raja Empat area to 565!
828 species of reef fishes were recorded in the assessment, raising the known total in the Islands to 970. An extrapolation technique using 6 key indicator families reveals that at least 1,084 species can be expected to occur in the area. (G. Allen 2002) Gerald Allen also broke his personal record and identified 283 different species of fish on one single dive!
The diversity of Molluscs was also high with 699 species, surpassing previous studies in PNG and the Philippines. (S. Suryadi 2002) A similar survey was also conducted by another established conservation group. The Nature Conservancy which concluded that the area had the highest diversity of fish and coral species anywhere on Earth.
The diving visibility is normally very good in the Raja Ampat Islands, ranging from 20-40m+ varying in the different areas. The north generally has excellent visibility as the water is deep and the islands are small with very little run off. The larger islands to the south where there are some mangrove areas, obviously the visibility is less, but they provide the perfect environment for some excellent muck dives.
One of the great things about this area is the variety of reefs and their topography. There are vertical walls, reef flats, slopes, ridges, sea mounds, mucky mangroves, lagoons and pinnacles all of which are affected by a varying degree of current from none to very strong. Likewise by a varying degree of wave action, from the north side of the northern islands (wayag, Uranie and Bag) which are open to the Pacific Ocean swells, to the very calm bays and lagoons of Fam and Waiego Islands. No wonder there's so much biodiversity in this area!
Aside from amazing diving, the Raja Ampat islands offer some of the most beautiful and dramatic island scenery to be found anywhere. Our itineraries offer a chance to see completely untouched rainforest and mangrove environments as well as dramatic karst limestone island groups. These islands are similar in appearance and topography to the rock islands of palau but without any people or restrictions!
This is one of the most remote and unexplored regions on earth and provides a very different holiday experience free from any sign of development or tourism. What could be more satisfying than to cruise this stunning natural environment on a classic and comfortable wooden yacht whilst diving the worlds most bio-diverse reefs!
Most dives are drift dives due to strong currents in the area. The currents provide nutrients for the outstanding quantity and variety of fish life and corals in the area. A fabulous variety of colorful soft corals and plenty of reef fish are found at most sites. Large schools of fish are known to populate some areas, pelagics such as sharks, Manta and Mobula Rays, dolphin, whales and turtles are frequent sights.
http://www.adventureindonesia.com
| Critters | |||||||||||||||
| Diving in Komodo is world famous for an almost unparalelled diversity of marine life. A lot of this comes in the form of smaller critters and macro subjects - it's all here from flamboyant ghost pipefish to the tiny pygmy seahorse. Between the sea mounts and the shore are vast unexplored coral reefs, coral rubble and soft sand sites, often in shallow water and teeming with unusual tropical reef animals. In fact, this area plays host to more than 1,100 different species of fish (the Caribbean has around 700 by comparison). With a careful eye, even the most jaded observer will discover hundreds of new species of brilliantly colored marine life, plus an astounding array of invertebrates, some of which have never even been properly identified! http://www.komododancer.com | |||||||||||||||
The Sultanate of Oman is a fascinating country. Situated at the far eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, its coastline stretches for over 2000 km, touching the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea on its way.
The landscape is diverse and range from arid and rugged in the northern and central parts, to the surprisingly green in the southern region of Dhofar. Its people are friendly and the Omani government has a strong hold over environmental issues, hence you don’t often see any litter lying around. Oman is simply an Eco-tourists paradise.
With that much coastline, a relatively small population and an average water temperature of 26 C, any diver would instinctively think; “there must be something down there worth checking out”. Well, there most certainly is!
Bearing in mind that only part of the underwater realm has been explored, Oman can already now lay claim to offering the best diving in the Gulf region! The word is spreading and Oman has, especially for European divers, become a feasible alternative to the Red Sea and other traditional diving destinations.
Where to go
Unlike the more established diving destinations, Oman’s diving industry is still in its infancy so don’t expect to find dive centres anywhere you go, so best to plan ahead. As a visitor, you should be able to arrange dive trips with relative ease in the following places:
Khasab
Diving from Khasab means diving literally in the Strait of Hormuz, which would normally attract only experienced divers. There are, however, also a large selection of easier dive sites suitable for novice divers and snorkelers alike. Extra Divers, based in the Golden Tulip Hotel, can arrange diving trips for divers of all levels.
Dibba
If you are visiting Dubai and want to have a taste of diving in Oman, Dibba is your easiest option. Apart from being only 90 minutes drive from Dubai, Dibba is also an “open town” right on the border between UAE and Oman and you can join dive trips from Dibba without having to get an Omani visa.
Damaniyat Islands
These nine uninhabited islands are situated approx 12 kilometres offshore and are best reached from the Al Sawadi Beach Resort Dive Centre, one hours drive north of Muscat. The islands have marine park status and the underwater scenary here is amazing. The marine life is prolific and there is a good chance of spotting “big fish” here, including Whales, Whale sharks and Manta Rays.
Muscat
It is fairly unusual for a country’s capital to also be the country’s “diving capital”, but this is nevertheless the case with Muscat. The waters off the Muscat coastline offers some excellent diving options and Oman’s leading dive operator, Oman Dive Centre, can help you explore the vast area stretching from the Damaniyat Islands in the north to Ras Abu Daoud in the south.
The Muscat area offers the country’s most developed tourism and diving industry and is the “busiest” place in all of Oman with a range of restaurants, bars and some nightlife. It is, however, still quiet compared to other international holiday resorts.
Salalah
In the far south of the country, you will find Salalah. The diving here differs from the rest of Oman as most dives here are safari style shore-dives, very similar to how it is done around Sinai in Egypt. You go by four-wheel drive into the desert west of Salalah, kit up and walk in straight from the shore. Easy.
The diving here is also seasonal – not much diving takes place during the summer months when the sea is whipped up by strong monsoon winds, so best go in winther or spring. To sum up, Oman offers diving all year round for all levels of divers, but it is important to research and book before you go to avoid disappointment. And since Oman could well be the next big thing, best to go before it gets too popular.Enjoy your trip, dive safely and don’t forget to respect the fragile marine environment wherever you go.
http://blog.dubaidivers.com