Scuba Diving in Phuket - the Pearl of the Andaman

Located on the western coast of the Thailand Peninsula, with its shores on the warm waters of the Andaman Sea lies the beautiful island of Phuket. The largest island off the coast of Thailand, the island of Phuket covers an area of just over 300 square miles, and is connected to mainland Thailand via a bridge at the north of the island.

For the past 25 years, the island of Phuket has catered for a large number of tourists from all over the world, a large percentage of whom are scuba divers looking to dive on some Asia's finest dive sites. Today, scuba diving in Phuket is big business, and the island has a large number of excellent dive centres offering a number of diving services ranging from leisure dives through to the most advanced courses.

The Racha Islands, located off the Southern tip of Thailand are one of Phuket's best dive sites, and the two islands offer excellent diving in crystal clear waters as well as the opportunity for big animal encounters. In particular, the smaller island, Racha Noi, offers some breathtaking underwater scenery, and is renowned for both whale shark and manta ray encounters.

The dive sites off Ao Phang-Nga, including the famous Shark Point and King Cruiser Wrecks, are widely acknowledged as being the best dive sites in the Phuket region. The waters around in and around Ao Phang-Nga are notable for the profusion of marine life, offering divers access to a range of marine life and coral which is unrivalled elsewhere in Phuket.

Phuket is also home to one of the worlds most developed liveaboard industries, with a large number of liveaboards offering diving in destinations such as the Similan Islands, the Mergui Archipelago and the Burma Banks. For scuba divers wishing to dive these more remote destinations, a Phuket liveaboard is the only realistic option for access. As such, the liveaboard industry in Phuket is a thriving and competitive business, with an increasing number of liveaboards operating from Phuket.

Further east lie the islands of Ko Phi Phi Don, and Ko Phi Phi Lae, a region characterised by the stunning topography of the amazing limestone cliffs. These islands are fringed with a number of hard coral gardens, as well as some excellent examples of soft corals, orange sea fans, sea whips and black coral.

Phuket is well deserving of its title as the 'Pearl of the Andaman,' and undoubtedly the region boasts some of Thailand's best dive sites. As environmental issues such as marine conservation slowly work their way up Thailand's political agenda, the future for scuba diving in Phuket looks a healthy one.

About the Author

Mark Burns is Director of Scubaworld.tv, a large scuba diving site specialising in scuba diving in Thailand and a leading provider of information on Scuba diving in Phuket.

More Than Just Sharks - Scuba Diving in South Africa

Traditional perceptions of holidays in South Africa conjure up images of vast open plains, roaring lions and beautiful game lodges, names of regions such as the Kruger National Park immediately come into people's minds.

What is less well known is the incredible diversity of scuba diving that is on offer for visitors of all levels of experience. From the cooler waters around the Western Cape, up to the tropical waters around Sodwana Bay near the Mozambique border. South Africa undoubtedly offers some of the finest scuba diving throughout Africa, and in sites such as Protea Banks, Aliwal Shoals and Sodwana Bay, arguably some of the best in the world.

The nature of the scuba diving in South Africa tends to be dictated by its unique geographical location on the southernmost tip of Africa, the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The area around Cape Town and the Western Cape tends to offer diving in cooler waters, typically with lower visibility. Whereas further up the coast towards KwaZulu Natal, an increase in the water temperatures and visibility tends to offer diving more in keeping with more tropical locations.

Understandably, the large variation in the water temperatures, have resulted in a variety of different marine life inhabiting the coast line of South Africa, ranging from the notorious Great White Sharks found around the Gansbaai and Cape Town areas, through to the dolphins and manta rays of tropical Sodwana Bay.

The scuba diving in South Africa tends to focus predominantly around two main regions, the Western Cape and the Garden Route, and the almost legendary sites in Sodwana Bay, Aliwal Shoals and Protea Banks which are found further north within KwaZulu Natal. Whilst there is a great diversity of diving on offer throughout South Africa, it would be safe to say that the standard of diving here is of a consistently high standard, with each site having something to offer the majority of divers.

Located within the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park, Sodwana Bay is arguably the pick of the fantastic dive sites in South Africa. Its warm, clear waters, and stunning reefs and rich variety of corals act merely as a veneer to what rich rewards lie within these beautiful waters. Huge Potato Bass, morays and manta rays are all regular inhabitants of sites such as Nine Mile Reef, Three Mile Reef and Antons.

Despite this rich variety of marine and coral life in the waters of Sodwana Bay, it is the opportunities for scuba diving with the large populations of sharks, and particularly the Ragged Tooth Sharks that people visit the region. Here in Sodwana Bay, as well as Protea Banks and Aliwal Shoals, are some of the finest shark diving locations in world. Alongside the Ragged Tooth sharks, large populations of Bull Sharks, Thresher Sharks and Hammerheads regularly inhabit the waters off the coast of KwaZulu Natal.

Diving in South Africa is available all year round, although the majority of visitors to the region tend to visit during the summer months of late November through to February. Water temperatures vary greatly with location, with the Atlantic Ocean cooling the waters off the Western Cape to around 10 - 14 degrees Celsius whereas the more tropical waters around Sodwana Bay tend to average around 20 - 21 degrees.

Throughout South Africa, large numbers of dive operators offer a variety of scuba diving courses across all the major accreditation agencies, and overall, the standard of dive operator tends to be relatively high. Good local knowledge, well maintained equipment and boats tend to be the norm in a region that is looking to attract an increasing number of scuba divers to its waters.
Overall, South Africa offers a wide range of unique diving experiences, and has something to offer scuba divers of all experiences. With South Africa becoming increasingly aware of its rich wildlife heritage, on land and in the water, it only bodes well for future visitors to this beautiful country.

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Scuba Diving in Thailand - the Secrets of One of the Worlds Most Popular Diving Destinations

Thailand has one of the world's most diverse marine habitats, with more than 300 major reef groups covering an area of over 4,500 square miles. From pinnacles and submerged rocks, through to stunning coral gardens and sheer walls, the scuba diving in Thailand has something to offer scuba divers of all levels of experience. It is this diversity in marine habitats and diving environments which attracts so many divers to the waters around Thailand every year, and today the region is one of the world's most popular scuba diving destinations.

There are a number of major diving destinations in Thailand, all offering a wide selection of diverse dive sites. Throughout all of these major destinations is a network of well equipped, knowledgeable and experienced dive centres, offering a range of diving from leisure dives through to a selection of scuba diving courses.

It would be impossible to discuss Thailand, without looking at the scuba diving in Phuket and the surrounding areas. Without doubt, the diving in Phuket is of the highest standard, and the waters surrounding the 'island' host a number of excellent dive sites. However, the real underwater treasures of Phuket lie slightly further afield. Dive sites such as the Burma Banks, The Similan Islands and the Mergui Archipelago are often found high on the wish list of many discerning scuba diver and offer some of South East Asia's finest dive sites.

The scuba diving on the Western Gulf of Thailand sees a different emphasis, and the small islands found here have become one of the world's most popular areas to learn to scuba dive. In fact, the island of Koh Tao has developed a complete tourist industry from scuba diving, and today large numbers of would be scuba divers travel to Koh Tao every day to begin their diving education. Other islands within the Western Gulf of Thailand are also home to developed scuba diving industries, and destinations such as Koh Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan are both home to a large number of dive centres and excellent dive sites.

Throughout Thailand there are a number of exceptional dive sites, and sites such as the Richelieu Rock and Chumpon Pinnacle are widely acknowledged as being world class dive sites. However it is the sheer volume of excellent dive sites that makes Thailand such a popular destination. Destinations such as Pattaya, Krabi, Ko Chang and the Surin Islands are all home to a number of exceptional dive sites and dive centres.

Today, Thailand is one of the world's most popular scuba diving destinations, and large numbers of scuba divers travel long distances to dive in the waters surrounding this stunning country. The sheer diversity of the diving on offer here ensures that there is something to cater for all tastes and levels of experience. From vertical wrecks, through to submerged pinnacles, from the largest sharks, through to the smallest nudibranches, the diving in Thailand has something for everyone.

Article Source:
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About the Author

Mark Burns is Director of Scubaworld.tv, a large scuba diving site specializing in scuba diving in Thailand and a leading provider of information on Scuba diving in Phuket.

Dive Point Hurghada Joins The Dive Centre Database.

Established in 1992, and located at the Rotana Coral Beach Resort in Hurghada, Dive Point in Hurghada have become the latest dive centre to join our ever expanding dive centre database. A PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre and TDI Middle East Training facility, Dive Point are one of the most experienced and well equipped dive centres in Hurghada.

Offering the complete range of PADI, DAN, DSAT, IANTD and TDI scuba diving courses from introductory to professional, Dive Point are able to cater for the training requirements of all divers. Their dedicated and service oriented team is one of the most experienced in the training of PADI Professionals in the Red Sea, consisting of 3 PADI Course Directors and 6 IDC Staff as well as Master Instructors working full time in the field of scuba Instructor training.

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Scuba Diving In Hurghada With Ilios Dive Club

As of this morning, Ilios Dive Club in Hurghada have become the first dive club from the Red Sea resort of Hurghada to officially join our new Dive Centre Database!




Based out of the Steigenberger Al Dau Resort in Hurghada, Ilios Dive Club offer a wide range of diving services and courses (PADI from beginner through to professional) in English, German, Russian, French and Arabic. Their fully equipped dive centre has two multimedia classrooms as well as well as their own workshop and filling station (nitrox available). They own two of their own boats in the Al Dau 1 & 2, which visit all of the main dive sites in Hurghada.

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Scuba Diving In Hurghada In The Red Sea

The Red Sea resort of Hurghada is one of the regions most rapidly expanding tourist destinations, and an increasingly popular destination for scuba divers wishing to go scuba diving in the Red Sea. Superb coral and marine life, coupled with some of the most interesting wrecks in the Red Sea have made Hurghada into one of scuba divings key tourist destinations in recent years.

The scuba diving in Hurghada is of a high standard, with good dive sites throughout the region including the wrecks of the Giannis D and the Carnatic, both of which can be found in the shallower waters off the coast of Hurghada. Further south, the dive sites around Carless Reef and Abu Ramada (The Aquarium) are also of the highest standard, and although their more exposed nature makes them susceptible to the elements, the experience here can be truely fantastic.

The water temperatures in Hurghada are relatively warm, especially in the warmer summer months, when the average water temperature is around 26-27 degrees. This does tend to dip somewhat in the cooler winter period, when the water temperature will fall to around 20-22 degrees.

The marine life on the dive sites in Hurghada, as with most Red Sea dive sites, extensive. A vast array of reef fish can be found throughout, with a large population of pelagic marine life also being found in the region. Throughout the dive sites in Hurghada can also be found numerous species of shark, and grey, whitetip and even oceanic whitetips are regularly sighted here.

Today, there is a developed, and rapidly expanding scuba industry in the region, and at last count there were estimated to be over 70 dive centres in Hurghada itself. The vast majority of these are well equipped, and will offer access to the major dive sites in the waters surrounding Hurghada as well as the sites further afield including the Thistlegorm Wreck and the Dunraven.

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Alona Beach - Scuba diving in Bohol with Genesis Divers.

The latest dive centre to join our Dive Centre Database are Genesis Divers from the beautiful Alona Beach in Bohol in the Philippines. Established in 1994, Genesis Divers are one of the most established dive centres in Alona Beach, and they offer a wide range of scuba diving courses and day trips throughout the Bohol waters. The dive guides at Genesis are fluent in English, German, French, Dutch and Filippino.

Genesis Divers offer access to a wide range of dive sites in Bohol, including Cabilao Island, Pamilican Island and the numerous dive sites of Balicasag Island. If you would like to know more about the opportunities for scuba diving in Bohol, why not visit our main site at Scubaworld.tv, where we cover all the major sites in detail. More information on Genesis Divers.