from Micro-organisms from the seabed Bismarck strange to shark feeding frenzies to Cocos Island, Tim Ecott reveal where to experience the thrills of the deep.
1. Rocktail Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
The water in the Maputaland Marine Reserve may be in the cool, but there are many species of tropical fish and great opportunity when you see a large number of species actually known.Rocktail Bay Lodge is the only dive boat off the coast of this great stretch, and I see even bottle-nosed dolphins and humpback whales on the way to the dive site. Clive and Darryl, group dance, now send me emails regularly met with the details of everything from sharks and even tiger sharks, and many species of clownfish and endearing as manta rays. Between November and February, you’ll see turtles nesting along the skin wild Manzengwenya sand.
Dive details: The Lodge costs from £ 125pp per night including all meals, diving with a dive of about 35 pounds. More information from Wilderness Safaris.
2. Rangiroa, Polynesia
Very few places have my imagination captured as Polynesia, and the beautiful island of the Tuamotu Archipelago about 250 miles from Tahiti feel extremely remote. Rangiroa means “Long Sky” and it is the second largest atoll in the world. Two passes, or channels, named Tiputa and Avatoru, allowing the Pacific into and out of the lagoon was a day when the tide changes. I remember being carried through by the tide to come and share the ride with a score of gray reef sharks, dolphins, sharks and sometimes mantas hammerhead great, too. It was adrenaline high, but in the water, coral reefs are one of the most laidback places in the world.
Dive details: Dive with The Six Passengers and benefits in a locally run as Tuanake about £ 50pp per night.
3. Sulawesi, Indonesia
Dive sites around the cluster of small islands off the tip of Sulawesi has some of the largest marine biodiversity on Earth. I spend most of my time here looking for dwarf seahorses, but fish, nudibranchs, flat worms and corals healthy than anyone can name, not to mention the chance of things from large pools of blue. Bunaken National Marine Park is a world leader in sustainable tourism for every diver to pay a park fee is shared between the local community. The fish with the eccentric but lovable obsessive-Christianne Muller and his team at Froggies Divers on Bunaken is unforgettable, with a communal dinner every night, where people talk about diving in the day, fish, sharks and where they will dive tomorrow.
Dive details: Froggies Divers from £ 15pp per night and expect to pay £ 40 for a two tank dive to a maximum of two divers per guide. More information from Dive North Sulawesi.
7. Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
I happen to like corals and sponges and sea slugs and all the weirdly microorganisms that collect data, Slither and hop along the reef. That’s why I love triangle “fertility” of the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), where marine biodiversity is highest on the planet. To PNG from Europe is a long slog, and once in Port Moresby you need to fly to New Britain island, but diving make it. Night diving in the sea off mount up from the ocean abyss Bismarck cured me of my fear get in the sea at night. Besides the big stuff, you’ll see sponge crabs and squat lobsters, fish, scorpion fish dwarf and dwarf horses. Some of the best scuba diving in the world can access from Walindi Plantation Resort in Kimbe Bay, where biologists have identified more than 800 marine species.
Dive details: Walindi Plantation Resort – about £ 100 a night on the boat full.
8. Sipadan Island, Malaysia Borneo
Malaysia oceanic islands is a small dot in the South China Sea. Water is a magnet for fish: schools of barracuda, trevally and horse eye jacks swarm over reefs, but also home to dozens of breeding hawksbill and green turtles. Turtles used to divers and I have never seen a better place to get up close to the gentlest reptiles. Encounter sharks reliable good here, although the line can be strong and do not want to introduce Sipadan for divers inexperienced. Nearby, the reefs of Mabul and Kapalai are fantastic for finding the rare fish (I saw them mating at dusk), sea wasps and many nudibranchs.
Dive details: Dive Worldwide offers seven nights at Kapalai Resort from £ 1603 (full board), including flights via Singapore to train up to three times a day and unlimited snorkelling.
9. Surin and Similan Islands, Thailand
Near the border between Thailand and Myanmar waters lies a chain of islands in the Andaman Sea. There is an element of diving wild “recently and a huge selection of dive sites less visited.At Koh Bon, the height of the rise from the ocean depths and attract food group play, fish and sharks, leopard sharks and mantas. Richelieu Rock is a site similar rich, world-famous among divers for the plethora of experienced macro life inhabiting its coral ridge mosaic.
Dive details: The best way to visit the island is on luxury living, the vessels Rover – £ 1270 for seven-night cruises departing from Phuket.
10. Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
This is the ship sinking sun. I’m not a big fan of wreck diving, but I still Bikini Atoll is located near the top of my wishlist. Located between Australia and Honolulu, the Marshall Islands has a number at least exploring the dive sites on the planet. Bikini Atoll, known to be used as a nuclear test site in 1950 as a resting place for ships including the USS Saratoga aircraft carrier – a carrier longer than Titanic. Because the island itself is uninhabited (by contaminated radioactive), Bikini lagoon has become an unofficial marine conservation, where fish life is excellent. 10 years a small number of scuba divers were allowed to dive on the sunken ships – including a Japanese submarine and a destroyer of the U.S. Navy. This is where divers dream of – at a price.
Dive details: Request to pay around £ 3500 for diving and ticket a week through Honolulu, Majuro and Bikini. More information from San Safaris.
