Scuba Diving activities in Asia
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Diving & Snorkelling, Dive Timor Lorosae
The reef fringing the entire north coast of East Timor provides spectacular diving and snorkelling opportunities. Many sites, including the legendary K41 east of town, are easily accessed by walking in from the beach, with dramatic drop-offs just 10m offshore in parts.
Dive Timor Lorosae offers day-trip diving around Atauro, including two dives from around US$130 per person (minimum four people). Shore dives around Dili (including two dives) cost from around US$75. There are also PADI courses and trips for snorkellers.
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New Way Diving
This tiny school has built its reputation on offering small diving groups in a professional atmosphere. Their early-morning scuba excursions depart before the larger schools, which means less traffic in the water. It’s not too uncommon to go out for a postdive dinner with the entire school. The manager (a native Ko Tao-ist) can organise discounted accommodation nearby, and the free internet access on the dive shop’s ancient computer is an extra bonus.
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Scuba Nation Diving Center
The only PADI five-star dive centre in Cambodia. Highly professional, multilingual instructors with first-class equipment offer classes in English, Swedish, French and Dutch.
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Vietnam Explorer
Well-known outfit which also operates out of Nha Trang.
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Diving
Diving is king in Sabang. Ever since former president Ferdinand Marcos declared the reefs around Sabang a marine reserve in 1973, word has been spreading about the great diving here. Favoured sites include the Hole in the Wall, Verde Island and the four wrecks in Sabang Bay. Diving is possible year-round, though seas can get rough from June to September.
The usual price for a single dive with all equipment included is around US$25; it's cheaper if you have your own equipment or book a number of dives. Most of the dive centres offer PADI-approved courses - typically, an open-water course will set you back around US$350. A range of courses for more experienced divers is…
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Diving
Though not home to Thailand's best dive sites, Pattaya's proximity to Bangkok makes it a popular spot to get some underwater action. However overfishing and heavy boat traffic mean the sites closest to Pattaya can be barren with poor visibility. Nearby Ko Larn, Ko Sak and Ko Krok are good for beginners, while accomplished divers may prefer the outer islands of Ko Man Wichai and Ko Rin, which have better visibility and marine life.
In most places expect 3m to 9m of visibility under good conditions, or in more remote sites 5m to 12m. Further southeast, the shipwrecks Petchburi Bremen, off Sattahip and Hardeep, off Samae, have created artificial reefs. The scuttled Thai navy…
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Scuba Diving
Diving off Seogwipo is surprisingly good with walls of very colourful soft coral, 18m-high kelp forests (March to May), schools of fish and the occasional inquisitive dolphin. Diving here always surprises first-timers because it's a mixture of the tropical and temperate - rather like diving in Norway and the Red Sea at the same time! Visibility is best from September to November but is around 10m at other times, and water temperature varies from 15°C to 27°C.
A recommended dive operator is Big Blue, which is run by English-speaking Ralph Deutsch, a genuine diving enthusiast. A day's diving includes two dives, all equipment and a guide. Diving is from a boat and the…
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Diving & Snorkelling
The entire island of Boracay is surrounded by reef and there are 30-plus dive sites within a 15- to 20-minute boat ride. Boracay's pride and joy, Yapak, off the northern tip, is a sheer soft-coral-covered wall running from 30m to 65m. Big-fish lovers adore this spot, though depth, currents and surface chop restrict it to advanced divers only. There are also drift dives, cave dives, and the protected (usually west) side of the island offers calm, shallow reefs for beginners.
One such reef is Crocodile Island; you can swim out here on your own from the small beach at Tambisaan.
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Diving & Snorkelling, Free Flow
The reef fringing the entire north coast of East Timor provides spectacular diving and snorkelling opportunities. Many sites, including the legendary K41 east of town, are easily accessed by walking in from the beach, with dramatic drop-offs just 10m offshore in parts.
Free Flow offers guided shore dives that include transport. There's also a full range of PADI courses and trips for snorkellers. Many trips include delicious lunches.
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Island Divers
Island Divers is one of the two biggest operators. It churns out dive certifications by the boatload, and some folks complain about the less-than-personalised service. On the plus side, it pushes eco-friendly scuba - the company encourages wreck dives and doesn't allow clients to touch the coral. It has access to a hyperbaric chamber.
You can also dive out at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, 60km off Ko Phi-Phi.
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Global Aquatic Diving Centre
The diving near Sanur is not great, but the reef has a good variety of fish and offers quite good snorkelling. Sanur is the best departure point for dive trips to Nusa Lembongan. A recommended local operator is Global Aquatic Diving Center which is located right on the beach. Besides trips out to the Sanur Reef, which is known for its lion fish, Global can arrange trips throughout Bali.
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Diving
Scuba diving on the local reef is better at lower depths and night diving is particularly recommended. Many people stay here to dive Pulau Menjangan, a two- to three-hour drive west.
For a two-dive trip, including transport and all equipment, expect to pay about US$35 for a Lovina reef or night dive; and around US$50 to Amed, Tulamben or Pulau Menjangan.
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Marlin Dive
Makassar may not be as famous as other parts of Sulawesi when it comes to diving, but the small islands off the coast do offer abundant corals, a range of marine life and some of the largest wrecks off the Sulawesi coast, including a submarine, a gunship and cargo boat, all accessible to advanced divers. For more details, contact Marlin Dive.
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Aqua Vision Dive Center
A reliable dive school, one of many offering trips to dive sites at nearby Railay's Laem Phra Nang. Ko Mae Urai is one of the more unique local dives, with two submarine tunnels lined with soft and hard corals. Other trips run further afield to sites around Ko Phi-Phi or Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, southwest of Ko Lanta.
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Phra Nang Divers
A reliable dive school, one of many offering trips to dive sites at nearby Railay's Laem Phra Nang. Ko Mae Urai is one of the more unique local dives, with two submarine tunnels lined with soft and hard corals. Other trips run further afield to sites around Ko Phi-Phi or Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, southwest of Ko Lanta.
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Dive Indonesia
Diving trips from Senggigi normally visit the Gili Islands, so you may want to consider basing yourself there. Snorkelling is reasonable off the point in Senggigi, in the sheltered bay around the headland, and in front of Windy Cottages, a few kilometres north of the town.
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Blue Marlin
Diving trips from Senggigi normally visit the Gili Islands, so you may want to consider basing yourself there. Snorkelling is reasonable off the point in Senggigi, in the sheltered bay around the headland, and in front of Windy Cottages, a few kilometres north of the town.
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Chumphon Pinnacle Dive Site
Chumphon Pinnacle Dive Site 36m maximum depth. Has a colourful assortment of sea anemones along the four interconnected pinnacles. The site is home to schools of giant trevally, tuna, and large grey reef sharks. Whale sharks are known to pop up once in a while.
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EcoSea Dive
Although Cambodia's diving isn't as spectacular as its Asian neighbours (dynamite fishing having blown the coral to smithereens), there are still some nice spots to explore. EcoSea Dive is a reputable company offering PADI courses.
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Dam Diving
Although Cambodia's diving isn't as spectacular as its Asian neighbours (dynamite fishing having blown the coral to smithereens), there are still some nice spots to explore. Dam Diving is a reputable company offering PADI courses.
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Frogman
Although Cambodia's diving isn't as spectacular as its Asian neighbours (dynamite fishing having blown the coral to smithereens), there are still some nice spots to explore. Frogman is a reputable company offering PADI courses.
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Rainbow Divers
Reputable Rainbow Divers was the first to set up shop on the island and offers a wide range of diving and snorkelling trips. As well as their walk-in office, they are well represented at resorts on Long Beach.
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Green Rock Dive Site
Green Rock Dive Site 25m maximum depth. An underwater jungle gym featuring caverns, caves and small swim-throughs. Rays, grouper and triggerfish are known to hang around. It's a great place for a night dive.
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IANTD Okinawa, dive operators
Located in Naha's suburban sprawl, this is one of two English-speaking dive shops. It's a bit difficult to find, but if you phone ahead, it can arrange a pick-up from your accommodation.
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Reef Encounters, dive operators
Located in Naha's suburban sprawl, this is one of two English-speaking dive shops. It's a bit difficult to find, but if you phone ahead, it can arrange a pick-up from your accommodation.
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