Cambodia: A diving hidden gem

As the global population increases and world travel becomes more accessible for many people, it is increasingly difficult to find dive sites that offer spectacular marine life and minimal tourism. Many areas of world class diving are overrun in peak season with boats and large dive groups, which is a far cry from the serenity and peace of scuba diving that most of us seek. There are however some lesser-known diving locations to explore, if you are prepared to go off the beaten track and begin a travel adventure both topside and underwater.My article for The Scuba New New Zealand about diving Cambodia is continued here: http://nz.thescubanews.com/2016/09/18/cambodia-a-diving-hidden-gem/  

WSGT Gratitude Writing Contest Winners

 I recently received an Honourable Mention in the We Said Go Travel Gratitude writing contest. I am delighted with this result and you can read the full article about my time in Kuala Lumpur at the link below:The sky was filled with crimson paper lanterns, swaying in the hot, sticky breeze of Kuala Lumpur. Beads of sweat formed on occasional tourists passing by in their khaki shorts as Malaysians and Chinese people, as old as the earth, hunkered by their stalls. I admired the golden writing on those lanterns high above me; we had arrived in Chinatown.My senses were overwhelmed as I weaved through the crowds, hemmed in between tall buildings that surrounding the main concourse. The city smog from Indonesia’s palm oil plantation burning was thick above us and set to linger at this time of year. It was a sad reminder of the many ways in which destroying the environment also destroys our health. I was, as were no doubt many others, thankful for the ready availability of surgical masks to breathe more easily. I ducked under multi-coloured umbrellas; more reminiscent of popular European beach destinations than the grubby and pungent alleyways of the city.https://wesaidgotravel.com/contests/kuala-lumpurs-son/ 

Living on a remote island, Cambodia - what is it really like?

I have been thoroughly enjoying the past two weeks of staying on a remote island off the coast of Cambodia whilst volunteering and lecturing with Projects Abroad. The island we are staying on is called Koh Sdach and it is a small island with a population of approximately 3000 people and zero tourists. The village consists of stilted houses that sit above the turquoise waters and there is no mains electricity, sewerage or mains water. We are utterly reliant on rainwater for our shower and toilet needs and it is rustic at its finest!We are here for three weeks to educate the volunteers, staff and local school children about the plight of sharks and we are having a fantastic time. Admittedly, living in 30+C heat and high humidity without air conditioning is a challenge but being a part of this friendly community is a great opportunity. It saddens me that the island has no waste management system and that the majority of the waste generated ends up in the oceans. There is literally plastic everywhere...on local beaches and on the beaches of neighbouring uninhabited Islands. There are discarded fishing nets on the reefs that are killing corals and all manner of other waste to be found.But, this is the good part, Projects Abroad are working hard to tackle this with regular beach and reef cleans up, by educating locals and by hopefully introducing a waste management system in the future. The diving is incredible here and the project is making a very real difference to the health of the coral reefs and the marine creatures that inhabit them.I hope you enjoy my insight into a week living and volunteering on Koh Sdach, including an underwater discovery that had the volunteers smiling all day long:http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks

http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks