Last-minute deal: Komodo 22 – 31 Aug 08
Although the ever popular Seven Seas is fully booked through 2008 and most of 2009, Dive The World has unearthed a few remaining spaces this August, which are now available to you! From 22 to 31 August 2008 the Seven Seas is setting sail for Komodo National Park in Indonesia, where dragons roam and spectacular underwater worlds await to be discovered. The Seven Seas, one of the finest Phinishi liveaboards in Indonesia, will be your modern and spacious base from which to explore it all.  Price: US$ 3,353 per person Dive The World Bonus: This special offer includes return flights from Bali AND port & park fees Price Includes: 10 days 9 nights onboard the Seven Seas, cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, candy bars, coffee, tea and water, dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, torches, experienced English-speaking divemaster(s), island excursion to see the Komodo Dragons, and return transfers to the boat from Labuan Bajo Airport. Price Excludes: scuba equipment (US$ 20 per day), torch batteries, nitrox (US$ 20 per day), dive insurance, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks.  Be quick to snap up the last few spaces left on 22 – 31 August when the Seven Seas sets off to discover the splendour of Komodo's dive sites. Call Dive The World now on +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email Blog@Dive-The-World.com.
Kapalai & Lankayan for less in Nov / Dec 08
If you're planning a dive escape this November / December to a tropical location with beautiful weather and seemingly unending marine life, then Kapalai & Lankayan have something for you. Think whale sharks and schools of barracuda, jacks and scads, while closer to the cabbage and staghorn coral studded reef you'll find plenty of anemones with clown fish, sea horses, flying gurnards, jaw fish, porcelain crabs and shrimp cleaning stations. With a mix of boat dives, shore dives, jetty dives and night dives, you'll never have a dull moment. On Kapalai you can even sun yourself or wind down with a book while the reef creatures continue to swirl right beneath your chalet.  Sounds good? From November 15 to December 10 Dive The World offers you 10% discount on dive packages at Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort & Lankayan Island Dive Resort to do just that.  Lankayan Island Dive ResortPackage: 7 Day package with 17 dives Price: Was US$ 1,244 Now US $1,119 Save US$ 250 per coupleFor inclusions and more info, please see our Lankayan Island Dive Resort PackagesSipadan Kapalai Dive ResortPackage: 8 Day package with 20 dives Price:Was US$ 1,582 Now US$ 1,424 Save US$ 316 per coupleFor inclusions and more info, please refer to our
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort PackagesContact us now to take advantage of this dive package discount. For more information or to make a booking call Dive The World on +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com
Coral Reef Alert
The environment and climate change is a hot topic, pun intended. At the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium held recently in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the damage of climate change on corals was underscored. Scientists from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature discovered that of 704 reef-building coral species they could study, 32% are in danger. What is shocking is that before the 1998 global coral bleaching catastrophe, that percentage was just 2%.  This and other messages painted a grim picture of the future of the world's corals. But the message at the symposium wasn't all doom and gloom. A universal positive that emerged from the symposium is that there is still hope. Scientists believe that we still have a window of opportunity to, if not reverse the damage, stem its blistering pace. One such counter measure is “reforestation” of the coral reefs, an analogy in parallel with coral reefs being likened to rainforests for its importance and diversity. Fragments of coral are cloned on a movable substrate and mature coral can then be transplanted to where it's needed. Artificial reefs is another way in which to create a suitable environment for coral growth. But more than coral regeneration, artificial reefs also attracts other marine life. This creates an obvious incentive and puts a fresh perspective on the benefits of building artificial reefs to support or replace reefs that once drew tourists or were sources of fish for communities. The 11th International Coral Reef Symposium sounded loud warnings about the state of the planet's coral reefs, but all is not lost. Through initiatives, rapidly implemented and properly managed, our coral reefs might just make it to and beyond the end of this century.
Free Diving Intro at Club Andaman, Phuket
If you're a guest staying at Club Andaman Beach Resort on Patong Beach, Phuket who are looking for exciting activities, you now have a free opportunity to try scuba diving. Experience what it's like to breathe underwater in the comfort of your own swimming pool. Through the Dive The World Dive Shop located within the same development, guests of Club Andaman Beach Resort can have a unique underwater encounter and experience diving for beginners.  Whether you want to get certified as a scuba diver or are curious about what diving is all about, this free introduction to scuba diving eases you into the world of diving in the safe and controlled setting of the Club Andaman Beach Resort pool.  Not only can you discover basic scuba diving for free during your stay at the resort, but following your diving introduction you will qualify for a 5% discount at the Dive The World Dive Shop. You will have access to diving equipment, scuba diving certification courses, diving day trips as well as diving liveaboards to explore Phuket's dive sites, all with 5% discount you get for simply trying scuba diving for free. So if you're staying at at the Club Andaman Beach Resort on Patong Beach, Phuket, drop by the Dive The World Dive Shop stand next to the pool, or contact us on Blog@Dive-The-World.com for more information about this and other exciting dive opportunities.
Special 10% off all Thailand Liveaboards!
Returning Dive The World customers take note: book and pay in full before 31 December for trips running in 2009 and save 10%!  Not content with just rewarding you with our usual 5% returning customer discount, we at Dive The World want to give you double discount. Our early bird offer, on all Thailand liveaboards for next year, discounts you a bundle when you go on the boat you choose at a time you choose. Diving season next year not to be missed. The dive sites are sporting healthy reefs and are action packed. Regular sightings of mantas at Koh Bon, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are reported and last season saw an precedented amount of whale sharks and more are expected this season. So spend less to enjoy the dive sites of the Similan Islands, Phi Phi, Hin Daeng and Hin Muang and have more money for the bars, restaurants and shops of Phuket. Simply book and pay in full before before 31 December 2008 on any of the following liveaboards for next year and save 10%:  Please note: this offer is available instead of our normal 5% returning customer offer, it is not to be used in addition to that offer.So book now and get the best deal. Get in touch immediately to take advantage of this offer while it lasts. For more information or to make a booking call Dive The World on +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com.
Alor Komodo Volcanic Eruption
The crew from Karura Dive Voyages, onboard the liveaboard Cheng Ho, recently treated their guests to a once-in-a-lifetime wake-up call. In between Alor and Komodo the Cheng Ho had dropped anchor in the vicinity of an active volcano. The next morning guests literally started the day with a bang with a spectacular volcanic eruption.  After the initial eruption, it kept on going at regular 20 minute intervals that lasted the entire day and throughout the night. Guests zoomed in on the action with the Cheng Ho's tender boats and the erupting volcano was captured on film.  The Cheng Ho plies the waters of Indonesia's sought after dive destinations, including Komodo National Park, the Banda Sea and Raja Ampat / Irian Jaya.  Other than dormant, active and erupting volcanoes in the midst of virtually untouched nature, these Indonesia dive sites are also famous for unparalleled marine diversity and legendary dives.
Space for Nov Banda Raja Ampat trip!
Luck is on your side as 1 double cabin on The Seven Seas 15-29 November 2008, setting sail for Raja Ampat and Banda Sea, has just become available. The Seven Seas is otherwise fully booked until 2010. The Seven Seas is a renowned, traditional Buginese schooner, providing luxurious liveaboard dive trips to Bali, Komodo, Wakatobi, Raja Ampat, Alor and Banda Sea. Equipped with modern conveniences and a welcoming, professional crew, if you're looking for a liveaboard with a touch of luxury (and many divers are), then look no further than The Seven Seas. Price: US$ 4,550 per person. You depart Sorong on 15 November, sail and dive your way around Raja Ampat and the Banda Sea and return to Ambon on 29 November. Price includes:Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, candy bars, coffee, tea and water, dives, tanks, weights and weightbelts, torches, experienced English-speaking divemaster(s), and return transfers to the boat from the departure port's nearest airport. Price excludes (where applicable): Port and national park fees of US$ 150 per person per trip, scuba equipment, torch batteries, NITROX (US$ 20 per person per day), dive insurance, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, flights. So don't delay, get more info on The Seven Seas and contact us immediately to take advantage of this unexpected pleasure. For more information or to make a booking just call Dive The World - +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email: Blog@Dive-The-World.com.
The Best Island in the World
Bali has been the Best Island in the World for at least the last 6 years running. But, says the world's largest travel magazine, the number one has slipped to the second rung. However, the new heir to the throne is the Galapagos Islands, which is costly to get to with limited accommodation options and as such, says Travel & Leisure, Bali is still the best island destination in terms of popularity, value and accessibility. In the Best Island in Asia category Bali remained undisputed at number one and beat Phuket and Penang, sitting at number two and number three respectively.  Bali as a tourist island has come a long way since tourism was first established in the 1930's when artists, musicians and anthropologists started to paint Bali as a paradise of peace. By the end of the 60's growth in tourism started to raise the living standards of the Balinese, and Bali became a major foreign currency earner for Indonesia and its biggest tourist attraction. Today the island of Bali is once again flourishing and with surfing, nature and culture exploration being as popular as ever, Bali once again draws a new generation of tourists. More and more, Bali is also gaining reputation as a diving destination of choice with unexpectedly pristine waters. Diving in Bali offers something for everybody, from conditions ideal for beginner divers at Tulamben to dive sites for those with more experience, such as wrecks and excellent muck diving. Highlights include the USS Liberty Wreck, which has a final resting place just 30m from the Tulamben shore. Covered in healthy coral, the WWII cargo ship is frequently visited by sunfish, great barracuda, Napoleon fish and scribbled filefish. It hosts particularly memorable night-dives too, being so close to shore, with the colourful underwater world coming to life.  The nearby Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Perdina is another must see with regular sighting of the large and curious mola-mola, or oceanic sunfish, especially during mola-mola season from July to September. Manta rays are also frequent visitors to cleaning stations in the area and is a sight to behold. With dive sites like these, the friendliness of the Balinese people, fantastic weather and the beautiful white sandy beaches, it's little wonder that more divers from across the world are looking to Bali as not just the best island destination in the world, but a top class dive destination too. If you're looking for more info on a diving holiday in Bali, contact Dive The World on +66 (0)83 505 7794, or email us at Blog@Dive-The-World.com.
Thailand Liveaboard – July and August 08
The MV Scuba Adventure is a year-round liveaboard with a popular low season schedule, which means you don’t have to wait until high season to see some of Thailand’s best dive sites. Depart from Chalong Bay, Phuket to the choice dive destinations that are Hin Daeng, Hin Muang and Phi Phi islands.  Your 4 night trip features 14 dives, or 10 on the 3 night trip, allowing ample time to explore the underwater wildlife that make these dive sites so popular. The trips are scheduled from 22 July - 25 August and with consecutive departure dates and different itineraries for the 4 night and 3 night trip respectively, it's possible to join the two trips together and experience the best Phuket divesites. In fact, check out the Summer Special for a special combination offer. Price Per Person:5 day 4 night trip at THB 20,000 (approx. USD 595) 4 day 3 night trip at THB 17,000 (approx. USD 505) Summer Special: Book two consecutive cruises in July or August 2008 and get 20% discount from the overall trip price (17,000 + 20,000 = 37,000, less 20% discount = THB 29,600). Price includes: hotel transfers, freshly cooked buffet meals, fruits & snacks, coffee/tea/water, tanks, weights, divemaster services and dive torch. Price excludes: Park fees, equipment rental and anything not mentioned above.  Itinerary:Day 1You set sail from Chalong Bay at 5pm heading south towards Hin Daeng / Muang for a 6 hour, over-night cruise. Day 2You will embark on 4 dives today, starting bright and breezy with a 7am wake-up call and continental breakfast. The wonders of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are yours to enjoy, featuring purple soft corals and a good chance to spot whale sharks. Clean stations abound with mantas and divers hanging around, each enjoying their own pleasures. Rainbow runners, yellow tail and chevron barracuda and a plethora of reef fish makes for an exceptional dive location. Koh Ha is the location for your night dive. Underwater critters abound with colourful decorate crabs, shrimps, spiny lobsters, red whip corals and much more. Day 3Today's 4 dives have special treats in store for you. Koh Ha I reveals sea horse, great chimneys and swimthroughs, with the spectacular "Twin Cathedrals" of Koh Ha. Koh Bida Nok and Koh Bida Nai at Phi Phi presents leopard sharks, bamboo sharks, ornate ghost pipe fish, turtles. Following the diving action, Phi Phi island presents an opportunity for shopping, a couple of beers or a romantic stroll along the beach. At 11pm it's all aboard for the journey back to Phuket. Day 4Your last breakfast onboard is a hearty one before you disembark at Chalong Bay. For bookings, please contact Blog@Dive-The-World.com, or call our PADI 5 Star Dive Centre in Phuket - +66 (0)88 505 7794.
More Dolphins Beach near Phuket
Yet another report of beached dolphins surfaced marking the third beaching of dolphins on beaches surrounding the dive sites of Phuket in the last two weeks. In the latest incident three rough-toothed dolphins, a species rarely seen around Phuket, were found in the muddy mangrove flats of Ao Makham near Cape Panwa, south of Phuket.  Local fishermen and villagers discovered the three, two female and one male, and assisted to keep them wet while the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) was alerted. The dolphins were safely returned to the ocean after some basic treatment by PMBC staffers. In the second incident a week earlier, a striped dolphin carcass washed ashore at Baan Dan. Autopsy results are yet to be released. Two days earlier a pod of 30 false killer whales got unstuck in the rough, shallow waters of Koh Racha. In that incident a young female dolphin perished, thought to be due to shock, while all the others were successfully returned to the ocean. The beachings so far appear to be unrelated.
It's official: Cleaner fish clean
Whether it's mola-mola off Nusa Lembongan, batfish in the Similans off Thailand, Manta Point in the North Male Atoll or cleaner shrimp in Mabul, cleaning stations, where fish go for the human equivalent of a spa treatment, are an integral part of the reef. Through 13 years of observing cleaner fish on the Great Barrier Reef, Dr. Alexa Grutter and her team from Coral Reef Ecology Laboratory at the University of Queensland in Australia discovered that cleaners dramatically impact on their client fish's parasite numbers.  The team found that a single cleaner fish could process up to 2,300 fish from any of 130 species per day. During the course of a workday, each cleaner fish can eat up to 1,200 parasites from their clients, with a distinct preference for the tick-like, gnathiid isopod larvae. Results from experiments showed that in the absence of cleaner fish, parasite numbers on clients increased five-fold when compared with client fish who had access to cleaner fish. The study therefore deduced that parasite infection was the main motivator for this awkward, but mutually beneficial behaviour on the reef. Other studies show that the tactile stimulation administered through the apparently suicidal service that cleaners render, perhaps has other added benefits too.
False Killer Whales beach off Phuket
A pod of false killer whales caused a stir near Phuket last Friday when around 20 of the animals beached on Koh Racha Yai. In the incident that occurred 25 km south of Phuket, the pod apparently got disorientated while navigating a narrow channel near Ao Paktok. Witnesses reported up to 40 of the large dolphins in the shallow waters.  As social animals, the group follows the leader, often blindly. If the leader got disorientated by the strong waves and currents, and caused it to beach, the rest would follow suit. Twenty of the dolphins washed ashore and half were helped back into deeper waters by resort staff and tourists. One of the animals, a 2.8m female, went into shock while in the shallow waters and couldn't be saved. The Phuket Marine Biological Center had an autopsy scheduled for Saturday as the animal had no visible signs of illness. The remaining dolphins were taken by truck to Ao Teua on the other side of the island, where they were successfully released in the calmer waters. Following their release, the pods reportedly gained strength and haven't been spotted near the shore since. False killer whales are large dolphins that mostly keep to open ocean. They are known to attack other cetaceans with their trademark 44 teeth, hence sometimes mistaken as being killer whales. False killer whales can live up to 50 years and currently their population is considered healthy. They are regularly sighted off the coast of Thailand. Although beachings are uncommon, the large pod of false killer whales are testament to the rich diversity of large animals and marine life to be discovered whilst in the waters and diving in Phuket and Thailand.
Six-armed octopus discovered at sea life centre
There are many types of octopuses that divers can encounter, but marine experts in Blackpool's Sea Life Centre in England believe they recently discovered a creature previously found only in movies. Henry, as the unusual octopus was dubbed, is in fact a hexapus. Instead of the eight arms we've come to expect from garden variety octopuses, Henry only has six.  The reason experts believe that Henry Hexapus is a 'true' six armed hexapus and not merely an accident prone octopus, is two fold. Firstly, octopuses use autotomy as a defense mechanism, in other words, they can amputate their own arms, usually to escape capture by a predator. These severed arms can then be grown back. Secondly, webbing separates the arm of an octopus and thus the difference between a missing arm and one that was never there to start with, is quite obvious. The latter applies to Henry, as there is no apparent space where the arms will grow back from. Sea Life Centre staffers said that aside from the 1955 low budget movie 'It Came From Beneath The Sea', no other 6-armed octopuses have been apparently be found. And the only reason the movie featured a hexapus, was because the budget didn't allow for two extra arms. In real life Henry was discovered amongst seven other octopuses that the centre had collected from a local zoo for one of their own exhibitions. The hexapus escaped detection until he conspicuously splayed himself against the wall of the glass aquarium, thus exposing his shortcoming. Six or eight legs aside, octopuses are marvelous creatures. When in dive locations such as Alor, Bali, Lembeh Straits and Raja Ampat in Indonesia, as well as Lankayan in Malaysia, octopuses are often sighted and you will discover their eccentric qualities such as three hearts, blue blood and arms that virtually think for themselves. They have also been referred to as Chameleons of the Deep thanks to being able to change their skin colour (and sometimes texture) in a heartbeat. The mimic octopus in particular has perfected this technique.
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