Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in the Maldives
A short cruise is the best way of visiting the islands of the Maldives. Several islands can be visited in the course of a week. Many are uninhabited and unspoiled by humans.
While cruising to the Baa Atoll we visited the uninhabited island of Milaidhoo - declared to be the very best for snorkeling and diving. It was the opportunity for an introductory one-day scuba diving trip for $96. Instruction was given on the essential theory in the morning and then over the reef to share the waters with a multitude of fish at a depth of 30 to 40 feet.
We were weighted to give us neutral buoyancy and make it easier to stay submerged. It was remarkable how much our buoyancy changed as I breathed in and out. A full breath would make me less dense so that I ascended to the surface. Beyond the reef the sea was hundreds of feet deep, a point to bear in mind when breathing out and descending to a greater depth. I was careful to keep at the same depth as the instructor.
Shoals of brightly colored fish swam by within inches of me as though I were a piece of coral, which happened to be shaped like a human being with a mask on. A turtle came by; I followed, moving my flippers in time with his legs as he lazily swam along the reef. A stone fish lay in a recess in the coral and nearby a sea cucumber resembling a giant millipede in green.
Others in on our cruise had donned mask and snorkel to view the fish in the shallow waters. It made the Stingrays more visible so there was less chance of stepping on them. It could make them very annoyed. When scuba diving it is not necessary to be so wary of the sun, but it is unwise to swim on the surface for more than 20 minutes.
Once back on shore we would take shelter amongst the trees where barbecued fish were sizzling ready for lunch. Further tables were loaded with a variety of fruit and vegetables. We sat at trestle tables in the shade of the trees.
Derrick Grover has travelled extensively. In addition to his various published articles. He is also an experienced photographer and supplies high quality images to support his writing. He has had 39 photographs published to date. More information on The Maldives cruise at http://www.travoto.com/maldives
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Dive Ambergris Caye
Dive Ambergris Caye, How to Choose the Right Place to Stay and Dive
By Gaz Cooper
Where to Stay on Ambergris Caye Belize
When I first arrived on Ambergris Caye as a backpacker more than 13 years ago, San Pedro was a very small quaint village with Sandy Streets, I can still remember the first vision that is clearly embedded in my mind to this day.
As I stepped off that small ferry from neighboring Caye Caulker, I gazed down front street (San Pedro main street), all I could see was a beautiful white sandy lined street with one single golf cart making its way leisurely down the street, it passed a young couple holding hands window shopping in the quaint multi coloured gift shops that lined the street.
At that time there were only about 6 dive shops spread out along San Pedros multiple docks, each one offering services to the few adventuresome divers that had already discovered this beautiful island also known as la Isla Bonita.
Most divers that visited stayed close to town at a few select hotels such as the Sunbreeze or Ramons, there were not that many to choose from in those days.
The same can be said with the dive shops, most people would be diving with Bottom Time Dive shop which was located at Sunbreeze Hotel, (today they are at Banyan Bay) the Paz family were the boatmen and Divemasters, they were to later to go out on there own under the leadership of Changa and Melanie Paz to form what is today, Amigos Del Mar one of the leading dive operations on Ambergris Caye.
Today 13+ years later, many things have changed on Ambergris Caye, the island has quickly developed into a small island mecca and today there are over 40 dive shops and hundreds and hundreds of different quality hotel rooms, that cater to the thousands of divers and visitors that visit Ambergris Caye each year.
The reason for this article is as an up to date information source for those that are considering a vacation to Ambergris Caye, it is meant to provide clear accurate information on the options of where to stay on the island when visiting Ambergris Caye, based on the wide variety of hotel options that are now available on the island.
For the visiting diver today, they have a huge selection of Hotels to choose from, depending on what it is they are looking for in a dive vacation.
The island now offers different hotel choices. At the very top of the scale you can have your own Private Villa with your own Butler on call 24/7 to the still famous backpackers hotels that offer basic clean accommodations but at a fraction of the price of the more upscale hotels.
Each offers different experiences depending on what the visitor is looking for.
Ambergris Caye now has hotel choices on three parts of the island NORTHERN Hotels SOUTHERN hotels and Hotels located in San Pedro Town or within easy walking distance to SAN PEDRO TOWN.
Each offers a uniquely difference experience.
San Pedro Town Hotels
San Pedro Town is the heart of the island and this is where the majority of Shops, Banks, Bars, Nightclubs are located sadly today you will no longer see the white sandy streets with just one Golf Cart what you will see however is a bustling medium size town with a variety of vehicles from the local Golf carts to cars and trucks going about there daily business, the streets are still lined with multi coloured gift shops, restaurants where you can shop and dine at a variety of venues.
Staying in town is for those that want to be in the center of things close to bars and multiple restaurants., Positives are,no need for transport other than your legs and everything you will need is no more than a short walk away. Negatives can be noisy late at night from party animals heading back to there hotels, or live music going on into the night that may disturb guests that have retired for the evening.
In the dry season it can be very hot and extremely dusty in town due to the traffic kicking up the dust as they go by, plans are however in place to pave the existing roads to eliminate this and the first part is completed from tropic air terminal to Island distributors heading south of town. The center of town now has now also been paved also.
There is no real beach to lay out on during the day (besides Ramons) if that is your thing, in addition the multiple peddlers will continue to try and sell you local trinkets which is not too bad unless you want to be laying and not be disturbed every few minutes. Some Hotels have pools that you can sunbathe around but you will still be approached.
Some people love the interaction and that's great however some people also may find it annoying, being informed you have the choice.
In addition with the advent of Timeshare, San Pedro now has the dreaded OPC's these are Outside personal contacts employed by the timeshare company's to get you to attend a presentation on the timeshare concept. Over the past year there are now several timeshare resorts that now have these people on the streets constantly approaching tourists to attend presentations the island has them pretty much under control and they are now required to .stay within there allocated pitch ares and are not allowed to approach people outside these areas.
All this can be considered either a negative or not such a negative again depending on what you want out of your vacation.
So to clarify, Staying in town is really for party animals that want to be in the thick of things and don't mind the hustle and bustle of a growing town and the positive and negatives that go with that. Some Hotels to consider in town are Sunbreeze Hotel, Mayan Princess,Paradise Villas to name a few.
North Ambergris Caye
North Ambergris caye is going through a huge development boom and this can be confirmed by the many projects under construction as you head north of the Cut.North Ambergris is where the future of Ambergris Caye lies it is the only area that can still be developed and eventually there will be another town probably in the Basil Jones area, about 12.5 miles North of San Pedro Town.
Over the past several years North Ambergris Caye has had a bunch of New hotels constructed such as the Hip and Chic Mata Chica Resort or Portofino resort that both caters to the rich tourists and then there is Xaman Ek which focus's specifically on relaxation and Spa Services, each of these resorts offers something different for the traveller however all offer Beaches where you can lay out without being disturbed.
The peaceful natural beauty of the area is pristine and most resorts are only a few minutes (10-15 by boat) away from the Hustle and bustle of San Pedro town. Many questions have arose in the past as to the accessibility of getting into town when you want to, this has been a valid question however development has taken care of that, now there is a regular scheduled Island Ferry Boat that operates between North Ambergris Caye (as far as Costa Maya Resort) and San Pedro Town.
Here is there current published schedule however it can change due to seasons
Island Ferry Schedule LEAVING FIDOS DOCK
7:00 am
9:00 am
11:00 am
1:00 pm
3:00 pm
5:00 pm
6:00 pm
7:00 pm
8:00 pm
9:00 pm
10:00 pm
12:00 pm
2:00 am
RETURN TRIPS RUN ON ALTERNATING HOURS
Private runs are available upon request or reservation. They can cater for large groups and charter runs on the Island and surrounding areas.
Some resorts such as Mata Chica, Portofino etc offer there own water ferry service into town at set times, whichever way, if you choose to stay North Ambergris Caye you can get to town easily HOWEVER it can become tiresome and costly if you were really better suited to be staying in town.
You can now also rent Golf Carts as far North as Costa Maya and getting to town will take about 25-30 minutes on the cart depending on how many Bars you stop at along the way. Renting a cart opens up 6-8 restaurants that will be within accessibility to any northern hotel you decide to stay at.
There is now a Bridge at the cut, so its easy to head north now on a bike or golf cart, be sure to check with your Golf Cart company to ensure they allow you to take there carts north, some have restrictions.
Diving on the North side is very diverse and pristine, Dive shops in town very rarely head up that way during a weeks diving maybe one day they will head up North however some of the best diving on the island is located North of San Pedro Town, one such site is M&M Caverns which is considered one of the best dives on the island and a favorite of visiting divers. There are several dive operators North that have dive shops located on site, Belize Ocean Divers, and Aqaua Dives located at Journeys End Resort, Belize Academy of Diving located out of Costa Maya Resort, most of the other resorts north either use one of these operators and some that are closer to town such as Captain Morgans have affiliations with shops in town.
Some operators in town will come up North to pick you up for diving but normally they require there to be more than 2 divers check with your favorite dive shop for confirmation of that.
Staying North is for those that want to be away from the Hustle and Bustle but be close enough to get into town when they wish. If your looking for a peaceful vacation with relaxation natural beauty, remote setting and diving sites less dove then North Ambergris could be for you. A Resort located North should not be the choice of those that want to party every night or that want to go to town every day if that's the case then choose to stay in town or on the outskirts
Southern Ambergris Caye
South Ambergris has a multitude of hotels and they are located south of San Pedro Town and acessable either via road or by boat. Getting to town is either via a Taxi cab or you can rent a Gold cart for the week but be prepared Golf Cart rentals can be expensive even more than rental cars, a daily rental of a gold cart can be $60 U.S + in addition during peak time ie Christmas Thanksgiving etc pre booking a golf cart rental is advised.
There is no better way to see the island than by a Golf Cart and its highly recommended you rent one at least for a day to see the sights. ( Drivers License is required)
There are several nice hotels located on the South side of the island such as Banana Beach or Banyan Bay each of these are excellent condo hotels and diving can be arranged either thru the on site dive shop at Banyan Bay or any of the other dive shops will pick up at most of the southerly hotels.
South has easy access to town via taxi cab (About $7.50 each way for the Cab) or Golf cart. You can lay out on the beach South of Town in fact Banyan Bay has one of the nicest beaches on the island its called Mar De Tumbo and a favorite of the locals that flood there over the weekends.
South is a choice that is not as busy as town but not too quiet either its close enough to town to get back and forth independently and at the same time offers a variety of restaurants within easy walking distance.
I hope this short Article helps you make the right accommodation choice and the most out of your trip to Ambergris Caye and Belize.
Dive Safe
Gaz Cooper
This article may be reposted and published but this box must remain with the article
Gaz Cooper
http://www.BelizeDiscounts.com
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Cook Island Diving
Cook Island Diving Adventures at Rarotonga
By Frances Van Den Berg
The Cook Islands are named after the first European to land there in the 18th century, Captain Cook. They are now an independent state with a small population and are fiercely protective of their rich cultural heritage. As far as diving goes, Cook island diving is ideal for beginners and although not very challenging for seasoned divers, still offers beautiful marine life, warm waters all year and lush rainforests and streams on the island for above-the-sea adventures.
Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands and the name appropriately means 'down south'. Despite being the largest island, it is still tiny and you can complete the island circuit by car in under an hour. Rarotonga offers the best of both worlds, as it is fringed by miles of sandy beaches and coral reefs and inland are enigmatic misty and lush mountains. If 'tropical paradise' springs to mind, you're not far off, as it is situated just inside the tropic of Capricorn and the water temperature fluctuates between a temperate 23 degrees Celsius and a warm 30 degrees in summer, providing you with the perfect climate for your Cook Island diving adventure.
Cook Island diving consists of mostly easy and relaxed reef diving, although there are some wreck diving opportunities. Rarotonga is surrounded by a lagoon which provides an ideal environment for snorkelling. If you venture beyond the lagoon, you will encounter more exciting dives as the Cook Islands are home to many underwater caves, canyons and tunnels. The island is best avoided from November to March during the cyclone season but July to October are the ideal months for visiting, as it is humpback whale season. While diving in the Cook Islands you are bound to encounter a variety of marine life, including magnificent mantra rays, barracudas and marlin, as well as Spanish dancers, sailfish and turtles. The numerous species of coral are unfortunately under invasion from destructive crown of thorn starfish but recent culling has proven to be successful.
Cook Island diving has a lot to offer and is perfect for those on their first diving holiday; PADI courses are also available on the island. For the intrepid explorers among you, the Cook Islands offer miles of unexplored territory and deserted tropical forests. You can fly to the airport at Rarotonga and from there explore the smaller islands by cruise or charter.
Frances wrote this article for Dive Time
Cook Island Diving Sites
"Divetime.com is the premier Scuba diving destination on the internet, with a unique offering of Scuba related information and services to divers everywhere"
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