First giant manta ray born in captivity
Article appears courtesy of MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer Sun Jun 17, 7:35 AM ET What is believed to be the first giant manta ray born in captivity has arrived at a southern Japanese aquarium, the facility said Sunday. The baby manta, a female, was born late Saturday in a huge fish tank at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, more than a year after its parents mated, the aquarium said in a statement posted Sunday on its Web site.  In a video capturing the birth, the baby manta, rolled up like a tube, came sliding out of the mother manta, then quickly spread its fins and began swimming around. The scene, recorded by the aquarium, was broadcast by national broadcaster NHK on Sunday. The event marks the first birth of a manta in captivity, according to the aquarium, which started raising manta rays in 1988. Noriyasu Suzuki, an official at the Izu-Mito Sea Paradise commercial aqua zoo in western Japan, said he thought the birth in captivity could be a world first. "I've never heard of any other case before," he said. "Aquariums that raise manta rays are rare to begin with ... because they get so big."  According to the aquarium, the newborn manta was more than six feet wide. The mother manta, which was brought to the aquarium in 1998 after hitting a fishnet off the southern island of Okinawa, about 1,000 miles southwest of Tokyo, mated with its partner on June 8, 2006, and was pregnant with the baby for 374 days, according to the statement. Aquarium official Minoru Toda said little has been known about the life of manta rays, and the record of pregnancy and the birth would provide valuable scientific data to the studies of the species. "We unfolded some of the mysteries about the life of manta rays, including the length of their pregnancy," Toda said. "Now we have to make sure the baby grows in good health." Read more about these beautiful creatures: Manta RaysWant to dive with manta rays? Then check out where the best spots are: Thailand – Hin DaengBurma – Black RockFiji – KadavuIndonesia – Komodo
Sipadan - Malaysia - Prices slashed!
Amazing Sipadan and Malaysia Discounts from Dive The World These offers are so good we can hardly believe them ourselves! For a limited time only we will be selling dive packages in resorts in Malaysia at lower prices than the resorts sell themselves! Dive The World has always been the No. 1 experts for diving in Malaysia with in depth knowledge of all the resorts, dive sites and everything else you need to know. Now we are No.1 in price too so you get the benefit of all our independent advice plus the cheapest prices around! Below are the examples of the kinds of packages where you can save big! These savings are good for an individual but if you are a group then the $$$ in your pocket really start to bulge. Book prior to 30th November and you can benefit from the following deals and more:  Mabul Water Bungalows8D/ 7N was US$ 1,656 (resort price) NOW US$ 1,577 (Dive The World price) For a group of 6 people this is a saving of US$ 474!  SMART Resort8D/ 7N was US$ 1,206 (resort price) NOW US$ 1,134 (Dive The World price) For a group of 6 people this is a saving of US$ 432!  Kapalai Resort8D/ 7N was US$ 1,330 (resort price) NOW US$ 1,250 (Dive The World price) For a group of 6 people this is a saving of US$ 480!  Lankayan Resort8D/ 7N was US$ 1,190 (resort price) NOW US$ 1,157 (Dive The World price) For a group of 6 people this is a saving of US$ 198!  Layang Layang Resort8D/ 7N was US$ 1,290 (resort price) NOW US$ 1,251 (Dive The World price) For a group of 6 people this is a saving of US$ 234! For bookings, please contact Blog@Dive-The-World.com, call our PADI 5 Star Dive Centre in Phuket - 083 505 7794, or chat with us on Skype.
Diving with Elephants! New Phuket dive site
Elephants. Yes that's right. You can now dive with elephants - albeit statues thereof but it doesnt make the sight of a pachyderm coming into view at 20 metres any less strange.  You can read more about Phuket's latest dive site here: Siam Bay StatuesOr more about other nearby dive sites here: Phuket Dive Sites
Dive The World Phuket Daytrip
When you contact Dive The World you know you will be communicating with an experienced diver who knows not only about diving but also about the various destinations and operators we recommend. We make sure our guys get to see these places first hand. However the rest of the time they are chained by the ankles to their desks 24 hours a day to make sure you get the timely responses you need. Recently we let them out for a family daytrip in Phuket. Below our very own Noon give us an account of a Phuket daytrip in low season.......  Who says low season is rainy and miserable? Here the Dive The World team proves that phrase wrong because this is us...on our holiday! (May 2007). It was a really good day from the start. Bright sunshine lit all our faces with smiles and everybody was excited to go swimming, snorkeling and diving at Racha Noi island - one of the best known spots in Phuket diving.  The daytrip was not only a holiday for the staff but also for our families, so we can actually call it the “Dive The World family day”. Also it was the first day for some of us who never been in the water before. We learned to take their breath underwater for the first time! It was also a good opportunity for some of us who haven’t dived for a long time to catch up with their scuba skills as well. We arrived at Racha Noi about 11am. We were welcomed with crystal clear water. We split the group in to 3 groups: experienced divers, beginner divers and non-diver. So the experienced divers jumped in at the South Tip Point considered by many to be the most beautiful dive site of Racha Noi and also one where there is the chance to see manta rays. So all the experienced divers were very excited. As soon as we jumped in we were so lucky! Diego spotted a green turtle trying to swim against the current to the surface. Then Noon saw a blacktip reef shark cruise by. Even though we are not that lucky to see manta but we saw lots of other stuff such as octopus, lionfish, lovely nudibranchs and all the lovely soft coral which makes this dive unforgettable. Just before we decided to go up we had a big school of barracuda come to say goodbye to us as well.  While the experienced group had a great dive, the beginners also enjoyed their first breath underwater including Boom - one of our office staff. She seemed to enjoy her first taste of diving more than we actually expected! During our lunch break we let the majority of the group who were snorkelling enjoy themselves in the water. The kids seemed to be having the greatest time ever! The warm blue water was so inviting we all ended up jumping in and playing and splashing as the kids laughed and screamed with joy.  After 2 hours of surface interval finally is the time to go in the water for the second dive this time we jumped in the easy sloping reef in Racha Noi called “Banana Bay”. Banana Bay never fails to impress us with beautiful hard coral reef and lots of beautiful reef fish. The visibility was so good that we could see so far as 30 metres! After the second dive everyone was so tired that most of our members fell asleep as soon as the boat left the island but our kind captain didn’t forget to cruise past Racha Yai on the way back to Phuket so that those not sleeping could take in the beautiful views. So at the end of the day everyone was very happy and had enjoyed such a lovely day out that we were thinking to ourselves "We can’t wait until next low season comes around again!" For more on the dive sites see here: Phuket Dive SitesRacha Noi Dive SitesTo look into the full range of daytrips you can do from Phuket see here: Phuket daytrips
Special price for Phi Phi Overnight trip
The MV Greta 2 day / 1 night dive cruise to Phi Phi has a special discounts for all trips until 30 September. You'll dive the best Phi Phi dive sites as well as Shark Point, King Cruiser Wreck and Koh Doc Mai. There are 7 dives including 1 night dive.  Trips run every Friday to Saturday and every Monday to Tuesday Accommodation is in air-con bungalows overlooking Phi Phi's Ton Sai Bay and is based on twin sharing. Usual price: US$ 299 - Special Price: US$ 247 (7,900 Baht) More Information: Phuket day trips Read up on what you will experience underwater: Phi Phi dive sites  For Bookings, please call Dive The World - 083 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com
Bidadari announces bargain cruises in Raja Ampat 2008
Just when you thought you would not be able to find availability in 2008 for a liveaboard in the wondrous region of Raja Ampat..... ...along comes the Bidadari to save the day!!   The Bidadari are running the following bargain trips around this amazing diving region: Sorong to Sorong12-22 April 23 April-03 May 04-14 May 16-26 May 10-20 October 22 October - 01 November 03-13 November Price: US$ 2,750 per person plus US$ 100 port and park fees The itinerary is: Day 1: Arrive Sorong / embark Day 2: Mansuar Island (3/4 dives) Day 3: Waigeo Island (4 dives) Day 4: Gam Island (3/4 dives) Day 5: Penemu Island (3 dives) Day 6: Kofiau Island (3/4 dives) Day 7: Kofiau Island (3/4 dives) Day 8: Misool Island (3/4 dives) Day 9: Misool Island (4 dives) Day 10: Misool Island (2 dives) Day 11: Sorong / disembark Prices include: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, biscuits, coffee, tea and water, dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, torches, experienced English-speaking divemaster(s), island excursions. Prices exclude: scuba equipment, dive insurance, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, domestic flights and US$ 100 port and park fees. There are other trips which also take in Raja Ampat, Banda and Alor so please just ask us! More information on the boat here: The BidadariCheck out the sites you would be diving on here: Raja Ampat dive sitesInterested? Then email our Indonesia reservations specialists: Blog@Dive-The-World.com
Fiji's Shark Reef Marine Reserve
 It is well known that Fiji is one of the best places for diving with sharks and few who have nestled on the sea floor off Pacific Harbour watching the numerous mighty sharks that appear there would disagree. However Fiji is doing more than just using the sharks as a tourist draw. If you are planning a trip to dive with these great beasts of the ocean or are simply keen to know more then check out our new pages on Fiji's.... Shark Reef Marine Reserve
Thailand steps up the protection of its Marine Parks
Indonesia Marine Parks
Knowledge is power and if you are going to treat yourself to a diving holiday in somewhere as spectacular as Indonesia then you will get much more from the experience with a little background reading. Dive The World's customers tend to be not only incredibly attractive and charming people but also intelligent and ecologically aware individuals! :0) So we have added new pages to our websites so you can learn more about the good work being done to preserve Indonesia's unparalleled underwater heritage.  See here for details of the gem of North Sulawesi: Bunaken National Marine Park  Learn more about the Park where dragons roam: Komodo National Park Discover the Park centre of the centre of the world's greatest marine biodiversity: Raja Ampat National Park
A brief history of Sipadan
Here at Dive The World we like to make sure that you, our customers, not only get the best deals and book with those operators best suited to YOUR needs, but we also like to make sure you have all the info you could possibly wish for. Take Sipadan for example.....   We have just created a new page for you to read a timeline of the life of this incredible island which has cemented its position as one of the world's best dive spots. For all you need to know about Sipadan see here: A brief history of Sipadan Or read more about the diving here: Sipadan Dive Sites
Tui Tai fit for a princess
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, daughter of His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Monaco, selects Tui Tai for her South Pacific expedition.  Many newspapers and magazines around the world have reported on Jazmin Grace's visit to Fiji, and she too has discussed it on her web site. Tui Tai is glad we were selected for this important expedition; where Jazmin visited outer islands on a humanitarian tour of Fiji. She provided a new rooftop water-collection system for the tiny village of Yanuca that has suffered a water shortage. She also donated 30,000 pre-natal vitamins to Savusavu Hospital, and provided classroom chairs for the Rabi Primary School (where students had been sitting on the floor).  "We are very happy and honored to be a part of Jazmin's humanitarian efforts," said Morika Young, "in conjunction with our Tui Tai Charitable Fund, remote outer islands in Northern Fiji are receiving educational materials, medical supplies, infrastructure help and income." According to Jazmin Grace, "the eight-island tour I went on with the Tui Tai was truly an amazing experience. I must admit, I have traveled to many places around the world, but this by far was the most hands on, fun, exciting, educational and heartfelt vacation I have ever been on."  Read more about this Royal visit and make a donation to the Tui Tai Chartable Fund here: Royal visit to Fiji Read more about trips aboard the Tui Tai here:
Tui Tai Adventure Liveaboard
More Protection For Fiji's sharks
This article appears courtesy of Beqa Adventuere Divers - the number one name in shark conservation in Fiji: "Ever since having established the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in 2003, we have been striving to further expand the protected area. As the data provided from our satellite and radio tagging experiments tell us, the Bull sharks and Tiger sharks tend to roam a much larger territory in this region. The southern coast of Viti Levu adjacent to Shark Reef comprises the Qoliqoli, or fishing grounds, of the Villages of Galoa, Wainyiabia and Deuba.  After more than one year of sometimes difficult negotiations, we have finally succeeded in signing an Agreement with the relevant Chiefs and Mataqali representatives of Deuba Village stipulating that any catching or otherwise harming of Sharks within the entire Qoliqoli of Deuba Village is henceforth banned. Galoa and Wainyiabia Villages, our partners in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, have since joined in by also declaring their own entire Qoliqoli to be banned for Shark fishing. To compensate for any losses in income, Deuba Village will be entitled to a share of the Marine Park Levy collected on Shark Reef, for which the Swiss Shark Foundation is very kindly providing a minimum income guarantee. To that effect, the Marine Park Levy on Shark Reef has been increased to $20. In April 2007, the Fiji Department of Fisheries has sanctioned all relevant Agreements, making them legally binding and thus enforceable. The protected area, which has been named the Fiji Shark Corridor, comprises approx. 30 miles of coastline and thus hugely expands on the original Shark Reef area. In fact, when you visit Shark Reef, the entire coast as far as you can see in either direction is now protected!" You can read more about these dives here: Fiji Shark Diving
Revolutionary Mask Strap - See it here first!
Not content with just scouring the earth for the best dives deals and helping you book the most amazing trips from start to finish, our staff even bring you the latest things in diving equipment design. Our very own Beef aka Detlef Sarrazin is the man behind what you need......... The Mask Saver ! MASK SAVER & MASK SAVER DELUXE - THE ULTIMATE SCUBA DIVING MASK STRAPEveryone has had difficulty with and discomfort from common diving / swimming mask straps. Too loose, too tight, difficult to adjust, hair pulling and tangling, water leakage the problems go on and on. Mask Saver from Aqualine Oceangoods promises to make your diving experience better and safer as the easily adjusted, padded strap system replaces the common silicone or rubber strap on any mask.  Mask Saver can be easily tightened or loosened and you can drop it around your neck without upsetting your personal adjustment. No more need to put the mask on your forehead because of problematic straps. Mask Saver also comes with an attachment clip for your BCD so your mask is safe from being broken or even lost and it goes where you go. The deluxe version of the Mask Saver turns also into a floating pouch for your mask to protect it from being scratched up. Mask Saver retails at US$ 14.95 and Mask Saver deluxe retails at US$ 19.95. Check out the website: www.oceangoods.com SPECIAL : Buy 2 – Get 3 Please send a mail with your wanted colors to: desa@oceangoods.com
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