Adventuring On Your Own? 9 Great Liveaboards For You

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.

Why Travel Solo?

• 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!

Top Liveaboards for Solo Adventures

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

Hallelujah, Thailand

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

Carpe Novo, 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.

NEW - French Articles

I have been providing French articles for a variety of news, dive and travel outlets this year. Read on to find out more and get your latest scuba diving fix!

ZeSea.com

Read about my top tips for improving dive fitness and 10 top tips to master perfect buoyancy in my recent article for ZeSea. This upcoming French blog is one of the 'blogs to watch' in 2019 and has an ever-growing following around the world.

Plongeeonline.com

Micronesia is paradise for divers with its thriving reefs, impressive drop offs and world-class wreck dives. Find out more in my article for Plongeeonline Micronesia’s must-see wrecks.

Lepetitplongeur.com

In my latest article for Lepetitplongeur I discuss four of my top dive destinations for 2019 including:

• A hidden gem in Western Australia

• 'Walls of sharks' in idyllic French Polynesia

Read 4 Unmissable Dive Destinations for 2019 to find out more.

Top Reasons to Dive Western Australia in 2019

Australia scuba diving is synonymous with the Great Barrier Reef, but go west and you'll discover peaceful dive sites, epic marine life and an abundance of sunshine all year.

Whilst the Great Barrier Reef is undoubtedly one of Australia's best scuba diving destinations, the diving scene in Western Australia is as good if not better.

Here's why you need to go Western Australia scuba diving:

1. Swim with whale sharks

Go Western Australia scuba diving from March to June and you can swim with whale sharks in their hundreds.

The stunning Ningaloo Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, hosts these spotty giants each year, as well as over 500 species of fish and hundreds of corals.

You don't need to be a diver to get in the water with the whale sharks either.

whale shark

2. Dive Australia' Hidden Gem: Rowley Shoals

If there's one place to go diving in Western Australia above all others, it has to be Rowley Shoals.

The pristine Rowley Shoals Marine Park lies 300km from Broome and is remote by anyone's standards.

Consisting of 3 coral atolls perched on the edge of a continental shelf, the shoals host abundant reef and pelagic life.

You can spot sailfish and humpback whales on the outer reef or spend your days enjoying fast-paced drift dives through flourishing reef channels.

Fewer than 200 people get to dive Rowley Shoals each year. Make sure you're one of them.

coral reef

3. Dive with Mantas, Dugongs & More

As well as whale sharks, Ningaloo Reef also hosts a variety of large marine life thanks to the reef being part of a migration route.

Dive Ningaloo Reef and you can enjoy encounters with the marine life highlights:

• Mantas (all year, peaking May to Oct)

• Dolphins (all year)

• Turtles (all year, nesting from Nov to Jan)

You can also spot dugong. Dive Ningaloo Reef in March to May for the chance to see impressive mass coral spawning.

Western Australia scuba diving

4. Swim with Humpback Whales

For a real treat, visit Ningaloo Reef from July to November and swim with huge humpback whales.

The reef hosts tens of thousands of humpbacks each year and it is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with them.

humpback whale western Australia

Need More western australia scuba diving Inspiration?

Read my Dives News Wire article about scuba diving Western Australia to find out more about these other highlights:

• Small-group catamaran liveaboard safaris.

• World-class diving away from the crowds.

Top Liveaboards for Every Diver In 2019

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:

top Liveaboard destinations for New Divers

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

top Liveaboard destinations for Advanced Divers

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!

top Liveaboard destinations for Experienced Divers

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.

8 Great Reasons To Try Liveaboard Diving

“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

10 Great Shallow Wrecks for Less Experienced Divers

“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

Five Great January Dive Destinations

“It’s the start of a new year and there’s no better time to plan your next dive trip! There are some great choices in January, from swimming with orcas in the Arctic to whale shark diving in one of the world’s newest liveaboard hotspots. Here are our picks for five great January dive destinations.”

Read my latest article for Scuba Diver Life: Five great January dive destinations.

Unmissable Micronesia Wrecks

“Micronesia scuba diving has everything a diver could wish for; from thriving reefs to coral-encrusted WWII wrecks, plenty of large marine life and tiny colourful critters. Palau and Truk Lagoon are the places to go if you’re a fan of wreck diving, with numerous wrecks on offer.”

Read Unmissable Micronesia Wrecks to discover my top wreck dives in Micronesia. There’s something for every diver at this wreck diving mecca!

Best Scuba Diving Liveaboards for Single Travellers

“Travelling on your own is a great way to meet people and there are a number of liveaboards with single cabins just perfect for your next vacation. These liveaboards offer safaris at some of the best dive destinations around the world and have a variety of onboard facilities to choose from. Here are our top liveaboards for single travellers.”

Find out more in my latest article: Best Scuba Diving Liveaboards for Single Travellers

6 Unbeatable Drift Diving Destinations

“There’s nothing like a dive with ripping current; coral whizzing by, a frenzy of fish and little critters trying to hide from the current. Drift diving really is one of the most exhilarating types of diving on offer. There are some great liveaboard diving destinations where you can dive in and enjoy the ride.”

Find out more in my latest article for Scubadivermag: 6 Unbeatable Drift Diving Destinations