Our new Indo destination – The Banda Sea

Introducing the Banda

On drums…Not wanting to miss a beat we decided that it was not fair to only offer liveaboard trips in North Sulawesi, Komodo and Raja Ampat. As a result of our continuous fact-finding missions, we concluded that Banda was not just another place to dive but was a special place in its own right, with its own unique history and range of underwater sights.



On keyboards…Rivers of ink have been spilled enthusing about Raja Ampat as the centre of the world’s marine biodiversity and much of it is warranted. However If you have been to Banda before then you will know that there is enormous diversity here too, with everything from meaty pelagics, lots of big schools and every macro delight you can imagine. The richness of the dive sites is off the scale. Check out what the Banda dive sites hold in store for you.

On brass…..There are a number of liveaboards operating in Banda with various price ranges represented. We expect more boats to visit the region in the coming years but for now you can check out who boldly cruises around this amazing region by perusing our Banda Liveaboards.



On bass….Back in the day the Banda Sea was better known for its olden say spice trade, but now the main reason to go there is the awesome underwater life and scenery.

On vocals...So we have decided to shout it out loud and who better a frontman than our very own 80’s throwback Sheldon Hey? Read his Banda Liveaboard trip report on the Adventurer II.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a big Dive The World welcome to…...The Banda Sea!


If you are interested in Banda Liveaboards call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Fighting chance: green turtle has flipper amputated

CAPE PANWA: A green sea turtle rescued from a fishing net in Satun last week had a badly inflected flipper amputated at the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) this afternoon.



PMBC veterinarians led by Sontaya Manawattana said that the “flipperectomy” was the only way to save the animal, an otherwise healthy 20-year-old female.

The turtle was found off Koh Rayatot Yai, in Satun, where she had been pierced with five fishhooks and tightly ensnared by netting that had cut off circulation to her right front flipper, allowing infection to set in.

She arrived at the PMBC at 9 pm last night.

At 75 kilos, she is the largest of 15 rescued sea turtles sent to the PMBC for treatment this year. The center treated a total of 30 sea turtles of various species throughout 2007.



K. Sontaya said the turtle will need up to six months of close, post-surgery care. After the wound has healed, they will test the reptile’s swimming ability.

Some three-legged sea turtles have been known to survive in the wild, he said.

The PMBC have yet to name the turtle, as it does with many endangered species sent there for long-term treatment.

“The green turtle population is very worrying because it falls lower and lower each year,” K. Sontaya said.

The decline in the number of green turtles and other sea turtle species in local waters is due in large part to the destruction of nesting sites by tourism and real-estate projects, he added.

Green sea turtles are listed as endangered in the wild by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the world’s main authority on the conservation status of species.

Source: Phuket Gazette

More on the Turtle: Diving with Turtles

For more on the local dive sites see here:
Phuket Dive Sites

Seahorse's Sangalaki Summer 2009!

The sleek and stylish MSY Seahorse continues to push the boundaries and seek out the best diving in Indonesia.



The man behind the Seahorse goes by the name of Jesus and, thanks be to him, June, July and August see this high quality vessel touring around the Sangalaki region taking in mantas, Kakaban's jellyfish lake, awesome macro, big fish and just about everything you could hope for from a pioneering liveaboard trip.

Regular and reliable flights from Singapore to Balikpapan also make getting there much easier and not the mission it once was.



Price and travel info to follow shortly...

If you are interested or want to know more call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Tui Tai - making a difference in Fiji

We at Dive The World are keen to promote diving operators that offer a high quality service to their guests but those that go the extra mile deserve special credit. Read below about the valuable contributions the Tui Tai is making to the lives of ordinary Fijians...

Tui Tai and her guests sponsor students in remote island villages

CONTRIBUTIONISM: Adopt a student, provide education assistance and create relationships.

TUI TAI CHARITABLE FUND

Because Tui Tai regularly visits remote islands not frequented by any other ships, the company recognized that it could offer important assistance and contributions to the well-being of villagers living far from population centers. The Tui Tai Charitable Fund was established because our passengers wanted to make contributions to assist people they'd seen during their visits.



TUI TAI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Many of Tui Tai's past guests have indicated an interest in assisting kids from villages they visited during the cruise. Specifically, past guests have made donations towards educational programs. The Tui Tai Scholarship Program allows you to adopt a student and follow their progress through school. Your donation goes directly to paying that student's school fees, school uniforms, transportation, room and board. The student, by accepting the scholarship, promises to write at least 6 letters per year that will be mailed or emailed to you, with updates on how they are doing in school, favorite subjects, highlights and awards.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Tui Tai has already identified students from the villages visited during the adventure cruise. When you decide to make a Tui Tai Scholarship, you have the option of meeting your student/beneficiary in person. You can meet the student and his/her family during your visit to that village.

Based on the education level and needs of the student, your donation will be calculated (see examples below). At the end of a year, you can decide to continue your scholarship with another donation.



EXAMPLES OF TUI TAI SCHOLARSHIPS

Class 1-8 Scholarship
1-year Donation: 600 Fijian Dollars
Includes all tuition/school fees, school uniforms, books and supplies for one student for one year. Class 1-8 students are typically 6-13 years old. In the outer islands, this is a time to get a solid foundation for further education. Your sponsored student will write a letter every 2 months to share their progress with you.

Form 1-6 Scholarship
1-year Donation: 900 Fijian Dollars
Includes all tuition/school fees, school uniforms, books and supplies for one student for one year. Form 1-6 students are typically 11-17 years old. In the outer islands, this is a critical period where children often have to "commute" to another island in order to further their education. Your sponsored student will write a letter every 2 months to share their progress with you.

Form 7 Scholarship
1-year Donation: 1200 Fijian Dollars
Includes tuition/school fees, school uniforms, daily bus transfers, 2 transfers from home village to Savusavu, daily lunches, books and supplies for one student for one year. Form 7 students are typically 16-18 years old, this is the final year of school prior to university. Form 7 education is perhaps the most elusive for students in remote parts of Fiji, generally constrained by the cost. Form 7 is a stepping stone for students to make their way into higher education including universities and technical schools. Your sponsored student will write a letter every 2 months to share their progress with you.



INSTEAD OF ACTIVITIES, WE FACILITATE ACTIVISM

Our guests have assisted on Humanitarian trips that brought doctors to remote islanders who hadn't ever been treated by a doctor. Guests went along on the eight-island Humanitarian tour by Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, daughter of Monaco's Prince Albert. That 2006 tour led to a new water collection system and storage tanks for a tiny village called Yanuca, classroom chairs and tables for a school in Rabi where students had been sitting on the floor, and 18,000 doses of pre-natal vitamins provided to a hospital that had none.

Other guests joined rock star Alanis Morissette on a humanitarian trip to a remote island damaged by a rare cyclone. Morissette's trip brought emergency supplies such as food and drinking water; and also wheelchairs. The 2007 trip uplifted spirits by delivering Christmas toys for the kids, guitars and musical instruments for everyone.

Many people who have enjoyed success in business come to ask how they can give something back to the world. Tui Tai is grateful to be able to facilitate the experience of direct giving, while also helping people seeing the world's most beautiful places, and most beautiful faces.

Tui Tai guests see amazing sites; they still enjoy great luxury and exciting adventures - only now, they leave behind something more than a few dollars, and they take home something more than a few photos.


For more information on diving in Fiji, see our website: Diving In Fiji

Or you can contact our Fiji Dive Experts by email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

10% off Aug/Sept Sangalaki liveaboard trips!

Word is starting to spread about the 2008 liveaboard trips around Sangalaki and there is a great 10% off trips in August and September!

There are few areas remaining largely unvisited which offer such a splendid array of dive sites than those being visited by the MV Panunee this year.





10% off the following trips. Book before 10 July 2008...

1-7 Aug 08
15-21 Aug 08
29 Aug - 4 Sep
21-27 Sep

Special Price:

Suite: US$ 1,389 (Baht 46,800)
Deluxe: US$ 1,282 (Baht 43,200)

Prices correct in USD at the time of writing.

Price includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and water, dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, experienced English-speaking divemaster(s)

Price excludes:
Domestic Airfare Balikpapan-Tarakan-Balikpapan = US$ 300/pax(Including Tax, porter, handling in Balikpapan & Tarakan + 25 kg baggage), Excess weight charge = approx. US$ 1/Kg, Fuel Surcharge US$ 130, scuba equipment, torches, dive insurance, soft and alcoholic drinks.

For enquiries or bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Turtles found stranded on boat freed.

The discovery of four large live turtles in a stranded boat early yesterday morning has shocked Trinity Beach residents, Australia.



The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is investigating whether the indigenous hunters who caught them were exercising their customary rights.

The adult green sea turtles were released back into the wild after they were found in a half-cabin boat at the northern end of Trinity Beach.

Jennie Gilbert, of the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, was called out to care for the creatures.

"A lot of the community was down there pouring water on these turtles,’’ she said.

"They were fairly stressed when I got there and I think that was from being in an enclosed space.

"They were beautiful big adult females."

The turtles were carried to the water’s edge and set free.

"They were released and as soon as they hit the beach, believe me, they took off," Ms Gilbert said.



Ms Gilbert said the boat had run out of fuel several hours earlier and the four indigenous hunters aboard had set off to get petrol.

She said they returned about 9am and were apologetic for upsetting residents.

"The fact that the community saw them (the turtles) in the boat was the problem and the fact that they were quite stressed," Ms Gilbert said.

"They’re allowed to hunt.

"A lot of people do think it’s illegal but it’s not."

A GBRMPA spokeswoman said officers were speaking to the hunters about the incident.

The RSPCA said it would investigate but was awaiting a report.

The green sea turtle, which is hunted and eaten for its meat, is listed as a "vulnerable" species.

Source: The Cairns Post

More on the Turtle: Diving with Turtles

For enquiries or bookings, please contact Blog@Dive-The-World.com or call our PADI 5 Star Dive Centre in Phuket - 66 (0)83 505 7794.

Orangutans go fishing!

In a sight never previously witnessed an orangutan uses a sharpened stick to try and spear fish.

Orangutan translates from the Indonesian language into Man of the Forest. The beguiling creatures are great imitators and having seen local people fishing with sticks they are quick to try for themselves.

The orangutan used one of the fishermen’s poles to try and spear fish as they swam by but didn’t quite have the necessary dexterity.

Instead he used the stick to hook out fallen fruit as it floated by. Another orang utan used a fishing stick to pick out fish trapped in lines set by locals.



The male orangutan lives in a sanctuary on the island of Kaja in Borneo which rescues animals driven out of their traditional rainforest home by loggers and palm oil plantation owners.

The great apes, which share 97 per cent of its genes with humans, are routinely slaughtered if they get in the way of workers. Often they are butchered and their meat sold in shops with the animal’s decapitated head used as an adornment.

But those lucky enough to be brought to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS) are lovingly cared for and nurtured in the hope that can eventually be rehabilitated and returned to the forest.

The relentless demand for land for agriculture, the continuing loss of invaluable rainforest and the worsening plight of the orangutans are told in a new book, Thinkers of the Jungle.

It tells of the work of Dr Willie Smits who set up a charity in 1991 that evolved into BOS. It warns that unless something is done quickly orangs may disappear from the wild within 10 years.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

See here for more information on orangutans:
The Wild Man of Borneo

For more on visiting the orangutan sanctuary visit:
Orangutan Sanctuary Resort

Read more about the diving that awaits you in Malaysia here:
Malaysia Diving Sites

For Bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

US lifts travel warning for Indonesia

We are delighted to report the easing of travel restrictions to Indonesia as published on www.telegraph.co.uk. Now there's no reason why you should not fulfill your diving ambitions by visiting the world's richest waters....

The United States Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia has announced the decision by the US Government to lift a travel warning for Indonesia which was issued in 2000 following a series of violent attacks in Bali, and Jakarta.

 

“The US Department of State has lifted its travel warning for Indonesia after determining the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning,” the embassy was quoted by AFP as saying, adding that the move went into effect on 23 May 2008. “The US has lifted the warning due to objective improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation.”

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Read more about the diving that awaits you in Indonesia here:
Indonesia Diving Sites

For Bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Low Season Special Offers - MV Amba

MV Amba is a very affordable yet good quality Maldives liveaboard operating around some of the Maldives best dive sites. There are 10 cabins to choose from all with air conditioning and en-suite facilites.

There are some great deals to be had with a Family Special and a Buddy special both valid for the travel period of 27 July 2008 to 22 September 2008.

 

Family Special
Treat the kids to a summer adventure - bring them along on a Maldives diving safari.
Kids aged 12-18 years for 7 nights together in the room with parents only US$ 156! (Euro 99)

Buddy Special
Pair up and save $$$
If 2 guests book together the 2nd gets 25% Off!

Have a look at some of the diving in the island chain: Maldives dive sites

Read more about the Mermaid I here:MV Amba

For Bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Relief starts to get through to cyclone victims

As stocks of relief supplies reach the victims of the recent cyclone in Burma we are pleased to pass on to you the latest news courtesy of the Phuket Gazette:

CAPE PANWA: Stocks of donated food and emergency-shelter supplies today finally began their journey from the Third Naval Command at Cape Panwa to help victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.

Approximately 10 tonnes of supplies were loaded onto four container trucks heading for the Thai-Myanmar Border Fishery Co-ordination Center in Ranong province. From there, the supplies are expected to be distributed to the cyclone victims in Myanmar by Burmese officials.

The Third Naval Command had been the main collection point for the many donations by local businesses, charities and individuals, although the Royal Thai Navy had been waiting for the stockpile to become large enough to warrant transporting the supplies to Myanmar in a single trip.

As the trucks rolled out, US Navy sailors and Marines began disembarking from three US Navy ships – USS Pearl Harbor, USS Dubuque and USS Benfold – which pulled into the nearby Deep Sea Port about midday.

While in Phuket for five days for “rest and recreation”, some of the sailors will lend a hand with some painting at the Phuket Special School in Pa Khlok.

“The school has a vocational training building for tailoring and a bakery. This building is 10 x 30 meters with a roof height of 8 meters, and we plan to paint the entire building inside and out,” said Brad Kenny of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach.

“A heavy task in two days, but the US Navy and Marines have around 90 volunteers signed up for the work and the Rotary Club of Patong Beach is organizing and prepping the site today and tomorrow,” he added.

Mr Kenny went on to explain, “These ships are part of a US Navy amphibious assault group and with their landing capabilities also serve, and are highly trained for, humanitarian assistance during natural disasters. They are in the area to use their disaster-relief capabilities in the event the Myanmar government gives them access up the delta area after the recent cyclone.

“They have on board up to four advanced hovercrafts that can travel up to 75 kilometers per hour with a range of 300 miles, and could delivery 60 tonnes of disaster-relief goods per sortie if allowed,” he said.

(end of article)

The Future
As with all disasters it is hoped that relief comes to those in need and that they will quickly be able to return to some sort of normality. From the perspective of the diving industry and to respond to the questions we have been receiving, several liveaboards have reduced their number of trips to visit the remoted Burmese waters for the 08/09 season. However there remain a number of scheduled departures beginning in November.

See here for more info on Myanmar's underwater sites:
Burma Dive Sites

For enquiries or bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com

Phuket to Langkawi Liveaboard

MV Sai Mai, one of the popular Similan islands and Burma liveaboards will be running new trips from Phuket to Langkawi in the 2008/09 season.

With a maximum of 8 divers (10 for full charter) there is no danger of being lost in the crowds on this Thailand liveaboard. There is plenty of space in the cabins, the communal areas and on the dive deck. All four cabins have en-suite bathrooms and individually controlled A/C.

 

8 Nights. Phuket to Langkawi Liveaboard
Standard Cabin Price: US$ 2,065
Deluxe Cabin Price: US$ 2,315
Full charters: US$ 17,522
Sai Mai can take 10 divers - 8 paying and 2 free!
Groups: Pay for 4 and get 1 free!

(prices accurate in USD at time of writing)

Cruise price includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, hot chocolate, tea and water, dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, experienced English-speaking divemaster(s), and return transfers to the boat from Phuket hotels.

Cruise price excludes: National Park Fees currently 2,400 Thai Baht, scuba equipment (US$ 20 per day), torches, dive insurance, Nitrox, soft and alcoholic drinks.

Passports!
Note that all guests, including Thais, will need to bring their passports. You will receive your Thailand exit stamp at Chalong pier. Your passport will be stamped with a Malaysian entry so please ensure there are no restrictions for your nationality entering this Muslim country. This also means you will be re-entering Thailand upon your return so you may have to apply for a multiple entry visa prior to your trip.

8 Nights Langkawi Liveaboard Itinerary

Departure Day: 16.00 pick up from hotels in Phuket. Dinner and overnight trip to the Phi Phi islands.
Diving Day 1: Phi Phi islands. 3 day dives, 1 night dive
Diving Day 2: Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Ha and Koh Rok. 3 day dives, 1 night dive.
Diving Day 3: Tarutao National Park. 3 day dives, 1 night dive.
Diving Day 4: Option 1: Sightseeing, shopping Langkawi. Option 2: Diving Koh Lipe.
Diving Day 5: Tarutao National Park. 3 day dives, 1 night dive.
Diving Day 6: Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Ha and Koh Rok. 3 day dives, 1 night dive.
Diving Day 7: Phi Phi islands. 3 day dives, 1 night dive. Overnight back to Phuket.
Day 8: 8.00 am breakfast and transfer back to hotel.

For more information on the diving: Thailand dive sites

For departure dates and to read all about the liveaboard: MV Sai Mai

For Bookings, please call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com