Spanning up to 8m from wingtip to wingtip and weighing up to a huge 2400kg, oceanic mantas are enormous. They are also one of the smartest animals on Earth.
To say I was excited about going diving with mantas is a huge understatement. But first, we had to get to the place they call home; the remote Revillagigedo archipelago.
Read More“Go go go!” were the words I’d been waiting to hear. Gijs, our guide, shouted at us urgently, signalling it was time to drop into the dark Arctic waters below. Without hesitation, I threw myself into the ocean. With snow-covered mountains above and orca fins seemingly everywhere, the world ceased to exist.”
Read my latest Forest and Bird Magazine article: Arctic Adventures with Orcas.
I've always been a fan of solo travel and it is fast gaining popularity in the travel industry.
Once you get over the initial leap and fear, there are many benefits to solo travel.
It's one of the best ways to meet new people!
You can experience dive and travel highlights from other people's perspectives
Pushing outside your comfort zone will literally change your life!
It can be challenging to find facilities tailored for solo travelers but thankfully more and more liveaboards are providing single cabins. YES!
Here are my top picks for solo liveaboard diving:
French Polynesia diving
Dive with walls of grey reef sharks at French Polynesia's Fakarava atoll
French Polynesia Master, French Polynesia
This gorgeous liveaboard is the ultimate for shark diving fans. Go French Polynesia diving and you'll be surrounded by more sharks than you could wish for.
Thailand
Experience Thailand's incredible beaches and landscapes
This comfortable, large liveaboard visits some of Thailand's best dive highlights, including diving with mantas at Koh Bon and the whale sharks and macro life of Richelieu Rock.
In the heart of the Coral Triangle, Indonesia is home to exceptional marine biodiversity and flourishing coral reefs.
Empress II, Indonesia
Komodo and Raja Ampat are two of Indonesia’ best-known dive destinations and the Empress II takes you to experience them.
Imagine diving with thousands of fish, plus mantas, sharks and tiny colourful critters....Indonesia diving is rightly known as some of the best in the world. Don't miss it!
The Maldives
This luxurious new liveaboard visits a variety of the Maldives best atolls, including these liveaboard diving highlights:
Quiet dive sites and well-preserved reefs at North Male Atoll
Undiscovered dive sites at Laamu and Thaa atolls
South Ari Atoll’s whale sharks
Numerous nurse sharks and stingrays at Vaavu Atoll
A mix of easy and challenging dives at Meemu Atoll, plus mantas and reef sharks
Rasdhoo Atoll's deep drop-off and hammerhead sharks at dawn
Find out more in my latest article for Dive News Wire.
Are you looking for your next dive travel adventure? Liveaboard diving is a great way to experience the magic of the oceans and world-class scuba diving. You can scuba dive all day long, relax as you cruise the ocean, and do it all again the next day.
With so many dive destinations to choose from, it can be difficult to know were to start when choosing the right liveaboard destination for you.
Here are my top liveaboard destinations for every diver:
The Seychelles and Turks and Caicos are two great choices for new divers.
With relatively easy dive conditions and calm waters, you can spend your days enjoying shallow reef dives and cruising idyllic islands.
The Seychelles is particularly good if you want to combine diving with sailing and watersports, or relaxing at easy snorkelling sites.
liveaboard diving Seychelles
Explore stunning bay and islands with a dive and sailing Seychelles safari
If you've got some scuba diving experience under your belt, it's time to try some more challenging dives!
Maldives liveaboard diving is an ever-popular choice, offering a broad range of marine life and scuba dives.
Take your pick from:
Diving with whales sharks
Witnessing hundreds of feeding mantas at Hanifaru Bay
Diving with curious nurse sharks and stingrays at Alimatha House Reef
Whatever your preference, the Maldives will have a liveaboard safari for you.
Galapagos liveaboard diving
Nothing beats the vibrant marine life of the iconic Galapagos Islands. Don't miss it!
If you're an experienced diver looking for an adventure, go Galapagos scuba diving. You won't regret it!
The Galapagos Islands are on many divers wish list and rightly so.
The dive conditions might be challenging but the rewards include diving with hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, whale sharks and more.
You can dive with feeding marine iguanas, friendly sea lions and enjoy incredible nature watching topside.
If that isn't enough for you, how about liveaboard diving Antarctica?
Discover more of my top liveaboards for every diver on Deeperblue.
“Liveaboard diving opens up a whole new world of adventures. It offers the chance to explore remote destinations and uncrowded dive sites, plus enjoy the benefits of a personalised service and more dives per day.
The list of reasons to try liveaboard diving is almost endless, so here are a few to whet your appetite. Dive in and you might just find the perfect liveaboard for you!”
Read my full article on Scubaverse: 8 Great Reasons to try Liveaboard Diving
“Wreck diving isn't just for experienced wreck divers! Go wreck diving and you’ll be immersed in living history as you explore coral-covered wrecks and peer into rooms filled with remnants of the past.
It is a fascinating type of diving and there are some great shallow wrecks for novice divers to enjoy at top liveaboard destinations around the world.”
Read the full article on Deeperblue: 10 Great Shallow Wrecks for Less Experienced Divers
“Liveaboard diving opens up a new world of dive adventures but it can be tricky to know where to start when navigating the variety of liveaboards available.
Thankfully there are liveaboard options to suit every type of diver; from new and intermediate divers wanting to enjoy peaceful coral reefs, right through to experienced divers looking for remote and challenging destinations.”
Find out more in my latest article for Scubadivermag: The Best Liveaboard Destinations for Every Diver
Featured on Scubaverse:The Guadalupe shark diving season is upon us and there are a variety of awesome liveaboards that visit this destination. There is something for all budgets, a wheelchair-friendly liveaboard, and even safaris that combine Guadalupe with the giant mantas of Socorro. What are you waiting for? It's time to go shark diving!Find out more in Top 5 Guadalupe Liveaboards
Featured on LiveAboard:A liveaboard trip is an ideal way to get to know some new scuba buddies and explore world class dive sites together. Sometimes though, you don’t want to be diving with people you don’t know and would prefer to be on a boat with just family or friends. This is where chartering a boat comes in.Top Reasons To Try Charter Diving
