5 Extraordinary Dives You Need to Know About
From giant manta rays to minute nudibranchs, we scour the globe to bring you a breakdown of five extraordinary dives that you need to know about:
Capo Noli, Ligurian Sea, Italy
By Isabella Maffei
Expect
A great muck dive, full of nudibranchs, sea horses, tubeworms, octopus, cuttlefish, and blennies
If you’re lucky
Monkfish and schools of anchovies
When
From June to September Gear A decent wetsuit, especially if you feel the cold
Training
Open Water
Getting there
Fly into Genova and take the train from Genova Porta Principe to Noli
On arrival
No visas are required for CEE citizens. Other nationals please check your country’s agreement
Languages
Italian, English
Time Zone
UTC/GMT +1
Currency
Euro
For more information www.divenjoy.it, www.airport.genova.it
New Drop Off, Palau, West Pacific
By Reinhard Arndt
Expect
A vertical wall with a plateau at 10 metres, dropping to around 150 metres. Large sea fans, colourful soft corals, grey reef sharks, clouds of pyramid butterflyfish, square anthias, moorish idols, sergeant majors and yellowtail fusiliers. Occasionally turtles, large schools of barracudas and snappers, spotted eagle rays and Napoleon wrasse.
When
November to April, when visibility is between 15 to 40 metres depending on the tides, and water temperature from 28 to 30°C
Gear
November to April, when visibility is between 15 to 40 metres depending on the tides, and water temperature from 28 to 30°C
Training
Novice/Open Water if no current. Advanced if the current is strong.
Dive with
Fish’n Fins, Sam’s Tours
Getting there
From Europe via Manila or Taipei to Korror (Palau), from USA via Guam
On arrival
Citizens of the USA do not need a visa for a stay of up to one year. For most other nationals, a tourist visa is available for free at the airport.
Languages
Palauan, English
Time Zone
UTC/GMT +9
Currency
US Dollars
For more information www.palau.visahq.com, www.fishnfins.com, www.samstours.com
Deep Reef South, Zavora, Mozambique
By Juan Vega
Expect
Manta rays, turtles, groupers, and barracudas
If you’re lucky
Bow mouth guitar rays, honeycomb rays, reef sharks, dolphins, and humpback whales
When
All year round Winter: water temperature 20°C, visibility 15m. Summer: water temp. 27°C, visibility 20m
Gear
Recreational gear with nitrox if you’re certified
Training
Advanced Open Water
Getting there
Nearest airport is at Inhambane, two hours from Zavora, pick-ups arranged by the dive centre
On arrival
Most nationals require a visa to enter Mozambique, and some cannot be obtained on arrival. Check with your local embassy or consulate.
Languages
Portuguese, some English
Time Zone
GMT +2 Currency Mozambican metical
White Sand Beach, Pulau Beralas Pasir, Bintan, Indonesia
By Jonathan Lin
Expect
Nudibranchs, pygmy cuttlefish, common cuttlefish, pipehorse, cowries
If you’re lucky
Tiger shrimp, long-arm octopus, coconut octopus, turtles
When
Season is from March to November, though conditions can be unpredictable
Don’t dive without
A torch for critter spotting!
Training
Open Water Dive with Tasik Divers Bintan
Getting there
Easily accessible from Singapore via a one-hour ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry terminal, and then one hour by car to the site
On arrival
Visa on arrival for most nationals
Languages
English, Bahasa Indonesia
Time Zone
GMT + 8
Currency
Indonesian rupiah
For more information www.tasikdivers.com/bintan
The Chien Tong, Sint Eustatius, Dutch Antilles
By Damien Mauric
Expect
Large schools of jackfish around the wreck, turtles, rays, and moray eels
When
All year round, except during the hurricane season in September. Visibility ranges from 20 to 40 metres. Water temperature will vary from 30°C in July to 25°C in January.
Gear
3mm or 5mm wetsuit
Training
All levels
Getting there
Fly into St. Maarten (Princess Juliana Airport), then on to St. Eustatius with Winair
On arrival
For stays of up to three months, most nationals do not need a visa.
Languages
English, French and Dutch
Time Zone
UTC/GMT -4
Currency
Euro
For more information www.statiatourism.com
This article featured in SD Ocean Planet “Let There Be Light”