The whole setup is first class. The dive centres are all very well run with the latest equipment all perfectly maintained and regularly serviced. The dive boats are new, spacious and rarely over-crowded. The hotels are very well equipped for families with kid friendly menus, high chairs, kids pools, playgrounds and kids clubs that are happy to look after your little ones from the age of 3 upwards.

For families with children aged under 3 the hotels can arrange for a local babysitter to come in and look after your little ones in the kids club or playground while the patents can go offsite and enjoy the diving. This is what we arranged 4 years ago at the Shandrani Resort & Spa in Mauritius and it all worked beautifully. The local babysitter had been looking after the hotels guests for over 15 years so all the staff at the hotel were very familiar with her and she knew the layout of the hotel.

Another huge benefit of Diving at the Shandrani Resort & Spa is the hotels house reef. The Shandrani Resort & Spa is located within Blue Bay Marine Park, a protected area with amazing table coral and interesting marine life within minutes from the beach.

We have some excellent deals to Mauritius throughout the year – call our dedicated scuba diving team to get the latest prices,

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Family diving in Mauritius

Oman also has year round sunshine, crystal clear water and pristine reefs + a plethora of marine life up there with the best scuba diving in the world. On a recent visit to Oman I did notice something that the Red Sea does have that Oman dosen’t – hundreds of boats and crowded dive sites. The reason many would say is the quality of diving but having seen it for myself I would say that Oman ticks all the scuba diving boxes – and more.

Getting there is easy with BA and Oman Air offering direct flights, or KLM, Qatar and Emirates offering connecting flights and all at very competitive prices. Flying time is approximately 7 hours so only a little further than Egypt.

The resorts that I have seen and stayed at are at a higher standard than those in the Red Sea and reports of food poisoning are very few are far between compared  to other destinations.

Most resorts have on site dive centres and private jetty so no getting picked up at 7am to be driven to a packed jetty and queing for 20 minutes just to get to your dive boat.

The fabulous resorts in  Oman are also offering excellent deals throughout the year so there really has never been a better time to go!

Call our sales team today for details of our latest deals to Oman including our latest addition – Hilton Salalah with the excellent Sub Aqua Reisen Dive centre.

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Diving in Oman – better than the Red Sea?

The reefs that surround the island were not affected by the el nino effect that damaged so many of the coral reefs years ago and remain in very good condition. The dive sites are also rarely occupied by more than one dive boat at a time, unlike other busier scuba diving destinations.

Many of the islands resorts have on site dive centres so you never have  too far to go before your days diving and the reefs that surround the island offer excellent diving perfect for beginners first steps underwater or families with diving parents who don’t want to be away from kids too long. The table coral in the south east of the island is the best I have ever seen and if you pick the time of year right then you may be lucky enough to see sharks and turtles.

There are many reasons to go to Mauritius, scuba diving is now, in my opinion another great reason to go and the islands resorts are offering excellent deals all year round and exceptional value for money – call us for details of the latest deals.

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Diving in Mauritius

We are all looking for great value whenever we are researching our next diving destination…. Many factors are taken into consideration.

1.Best airline to use that wont charge the earth to take your scuba gear.

2. Great deal at the hotel.

3. On site dive centre so not too far to travel.

4. Great diving.

Have you ever though of adding free diving to your list? Many of our partner resorts in the Caribbean offer qualified scuba divers – FREE diving. Yes FREE diving, who wouldn’t want to take advantage!!

All of these resorts have a fabulous range of restaurants, spacious rooms and excellent facilities but throw in an on site dive centre with the latest equipment and free diving then you must have a near perfect mix to tick all the boxes.

Couples & Breezes Resorts in Jamaica, Le Sport & Jalousie in St Lucia and La Source in Grenada all offer free diving all year round and excellent deals. Call our team today for the latest deals to the fabulous resorts and take advantage of the free diving!!

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Free diving in the Caribbean

According to Bernama, the Malaysian National News Agency, the sites are at Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Tenggol, Pahang and Kedah. These areas were closed last July due to evidence of coral bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures.

While the activities of scuba diving had no connection with this, it was decided that action over the additional damage caused by some diving visitors would at least help toward regeneration.

The great news from this story is the decision to re-open the sites comes with evidence that natural conditions have tilted back toward a healthier state.

Dr Sukarno Wagiman, Director-General of the Malaysian Marine Parks department, told Bernama: “According to the department’s monitoring efforts, we find the condition of the seawater has improved, resulting in 90 to 100 per cent regeneration of the coral reefs.”

While it’s not clear whether this means that the corals have recovered completely, or that nearly all of them have shown signs of recovery.

If near-complete recovery has occurred, bleaching will have been in its earlier stages, as nine months is not long in terms of coral regeneration.

Tropical Sky Scuba Diving have recently added two of Malaysia’s premier diving locations – Sipadan Water Village and Tanjong Jara Resort. Both offer a very different and unique diving experience in luxurious accommodation.
Call our sales team today on 0844 3329396 for the latest deals to this region.

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Malaysian Marine Park Re-Opens To Divers

A cautious and sustainable approach is being pushed from director of the Maldives Manta Ray Project, Guy Stevens who recently stated: ‘Hanifaru is an amazing place, but it’s also a place that, if we’re not careful, will be destroyed,’ said Stevens. ‘No-one will arrive at the site and willingly forgo diving or snorkelling because it is already full. I would like to see enforcement of the regulations – this year it was a mess.’

Stevens has also called for a ban on diving at the site. ‘There’s no need to dive to see the animals,’ he said. ‘When the whole water column is filled, with divers on the bottom, snorkellers on the surface and bubbles in between, there is no refuge for the manta rays.’

This subject has raised the ongoing issue of divers and snorkelers interacting with Whale Sharks and Manta Rays in the Maldives. Freediver Tanya Slater helped produce a documentary following whale sharks in the Maldives and at one site was see visibly upset by the lack of respect, care and attention shown to Whale Sharks by snorkelers on one dive boat.

I remember my first dive in the Maldives in Haa Alifu Atoll. The dive guide promised me we would see large numbers of Manta Rays and no other dive boats – I was not disappointed!! Not only did we see over 10 Manta Rays, but Dolphins, Turtles and a whole plethora of marine life came out to make this my most memorable dive ever!!
Manta Ray & Whale Shark sightings will vary depending on the time of year and Monsoon season.

Biyadoo Island Resort in South Male Atoll has regular sightings of Manta Rays from June – September. 7 night prices start from £999 per person for 7 nights at Biyadoo island Resort in a standard room on full board including flights and speedboat transfers.

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Manta Rays In The Maldives

Luxury liveaboard company Worldwide Dive and Sail has announced its latest dive itinerary – to Timor Leste (East Timor), one of the hottest new destinations in South-East Asia.

“Diving in Timor Leste offers pristine coral reefs to be found at the steep walls of the islands of Atauro and Jako, numerous offshore pinnacles, and plenty of spectacular coral gardens and sloping sand reefs along the northern shore,” says Mark Shaunder from Worldwide Dive and Sail.

“Dugongs, reef sharks and plenty of macro subjects are to be expected.”

From July 2012, SY Oriental Siren, the newest addition to Worldwide Dive and Sail’s Siren Fleet, will be operating 10-night dive safaris, departing from Dili in the north of the island.

Worldwide Dive and Sail are competitively priced and offer a range of the world’s best diving destinations including the Maldives (new), Thailand, Phillipines, Andaman and now Timor.

Check out our liveaboards page for the full range of destinations ttp://www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk/liveaboard-diving-holidays.htm

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New Luxury Liveaboard in Timor

The organizer have been seeing more and more younger divers attending the show over recent years with features such as try-dive pools, equipment displays and photo galleries proving very popular. Most of the guest presentations all offer a taste of diving adventure from the experts and are perfect for younger divers who want o find out more

Visitors to the dive show will also see a number of resorts  family-oriented packages, as well as those tailored for more mature divers and single travellers. Family friendly resort in Caribbean are absolutely perfect with free kids places, free kids clubs, family orientated rooms and pools and on site dive centers like the Almond Beach Village in Barbados where 7 night packages start from £1189 per adult.

The UK’s biggest Spring diving event, LIDS 2011 features the latest dive gear, holiday destinations and training courses – as well as the chance to enjoy a free programme of presentations by world-class diving speakers and meet thousands of other divers – under one roof!

In addition to dedicated travel areas, in-hall features areas include a Try-Dive Pool, Rebreather Pool, Dive Gear Showcase, gallery of top underwater prints, and the new Free-dive Simulator and new Photozone.
Opening hours for LIDS 2011 are 9.30am – 6pm on Saturday 26 March, and 9.30am to 5pm on Sunday 27 March. Adult tickets cost just £10.50, and children under 14 are free. Visitors booking tickets online receive a free Show Guide worth £2.50.

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London Dive Show will appeal to divers of all ages

Competitors will be looking to  beath the standing record of 164 days set by Vin Cox last year – Woodhous’s target is a staggering 162 days!!

Each cyclist is tracked by GPS and are allowed to choose their own route as long as it covers 18,000 miles. Woodhouse will pass via northern europe, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand and the USA. Jason Woodhouse come from the north-east of England and decribes himself as an adventurer on both land and sea, but diving remains his main passion in life – just like the rest of us!!

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Diver plans world bike tour

The Great Barrier Reef is a massive chain of coral reefs, beyond which is the cleanest water on the planet. On a diving holiday you will dive beautiful reefs, deep drop offs, see the most stunning marine life, explore tunnels and caves and when you want to relax, there are magnificent sun drenched beaches of soft sand to choose from. Cairns itself is a stylish international city with many attractions to visit in and around the area.  Visitors can enjoy the oceanfront energy of the Cairns Esplanade and trawl its restaurants, shops and bars. Beyond, there is white water rafting in the nearby rivers and a scenic railway journey to the tranquil, butterfly-fringed village of Kuranda. A day trip to the magical Daintree Rainforest, thought to be the planet’s oldest surviving tropical rainforest is also worth a visit for all the family.

Mike Ball was the original pioneer  of scuba diving in Australia since 1969 offering liveaboard expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef and Coral sea. Each expedition is suitable for beginners and experienced divers seeking large palegic and shark action. A 7 night trip on Mike Ball Spoilsport doing the coral sea safari costs from £1729 per person, for our latest deals and tailor made itineraries please check our webiste http://www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk/great-barrier-reef-diving-holidays.htm

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Scuba Diving Honeymoon for Prince William?

These unique 14 day liveaboards visit unexplored reefs, thilas and kandus in the Meemu-, Thaa-, Laamu-, and Gaafu Alifu Atolls will all be visited, offering diving that is more of an expedition than a package deal.
At present, the reefs in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll are entirely uncharted and have the potential to deliver some exciting diving. This is where you get your money’s worth – Maldivian diving at its’ best!

As well as potentially seeing underwater beauties such as whale sharks and mantas, guests will also enjoy the adrenaline rush associated with crossing Huvadhoo Kandu. Known as “One and a Half Degree Channels”, Huvadhoo Kandu, a broad expanse of water separating the Laamu- and Gaafu Alifu Atolls, offers strong currents, rough seas and other difficult contributing conditions.

Sheena was completely renovated in September 2009 and offers modern cabins and a higher level of comfort for guests. Why not combine the diving expedition on Sheena with a few nights at the luxurious Medhufushi Island Resort with it’s beach and water villas. Divers can still get their underwater fix with the help of on site Werner Lau.  Staying at Medhufushi Island Resort during Summer 2011 has just been made even more affordable with savings of up to 40%. 7 nights half board at Medhufushi is from £1289 per person in May and June including flights and sea plane transfers. A 7 day liveaboard on Sheena costs from £880 per person. Check out our deals for the latest prices.

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Exclusive 14 day Maldives liveaboard

With dive sites varying from inner fringing reefs with depths from 9-18m to outer banking reefs descending to more than 50m – plus some fascinating wreck sites – there is plenty for both the beginner and the most experienced of divers, says the Barbados Tourism Authority.

The one thing that doesn’t vary about Bajan dives sites is that the locals who run the dive shops will help illuminate what you see and discover with their knowledge and passion about what lies beneath the ocean.
In addition to outstanding coral formations and impressive barrel sponges, the island is renowned for marine life including turtles, stingrays, barracuda, parrot fish and moray eels. “Rare species including the seahorse and frogfish, often difficult to see elsewhere, can also be discovered.” Other diving highlights in Barbados include the Pamir, the four wrecks of Carlise Bay – Berwyn, eilon, C-trex and the Fox.

Perhaps the most impressive of all dive sites in Barbados in the Stavronika, a Greek freighter which ran into trouble off the coast of Barbados in 1976. Standing at an impressive 365ft the SS Stavronika lies bolt upright with its bow facing east at 40m.

Holiday packages to Barbados start at just £749 per person for 7 nights at Butterfly Beach. This package includes return flights to Barbados with Virgin Atlantic, coach transfers and 7 nights room only. A 10 dive package can be pre-booked for £380 per person. Check our website for the latest deals. http://www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk/

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Scuba Diving in Barbados

Ultra modern liveaboards all have a sleek new look, that tend not to blend into their beautifully surroundings – this is due to change in July 2011 when Worldwide Dive & Sail start operating their permanently. Maldives Siren will continue the classic yacht style them and the latest creature comforts inside including the ever important flat screen TVs, spacious cabins with individually controlled air conditioning, comfortable living areas and fine dining. The Maldives Siren will offer 10 night itineraries designed around the Monsoon seasons and best diving available throughout the year from the far north to the deep south. For packages and availability on Maldives Siren please call us on 0845 3329 396 or visit our website www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk

Our favourite Maldives liveaboard Dream Catcher II continues to have our guests raving about the quality of the diving and onboard experience. Boat manager Ali Sabree has a wealth of past experience from his time working at Vilamendhoo Island Resort before moving to work for Dream Catcher II and this has been reflected in the excellent service, food and diving services offered to all guests onboard. The itineraries offered by Dream Catcher II also vary throughout the year and no two sailing are ever the same and depend on the Monsoon season and local weather conditions – the itinerary is never confirmed until 2 days before departure so guests can be guaranteed the best diving experience possible. Various offers are available throughout the year including free nights and discounts for single travellers – please call us on 0845 3329396 for details – Happy diving!

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Maldives Liveaboards

The main diving resorts of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada are quieter than normal for this time of year and a big push by Egyptian and British ends is on to bring divers back to the Red Sea.

Many hotels and dive centers are now offering excellent deals for the next few months and the message is very clear: Egypt is safe, the Red Sea is safe and the diving uncrowded and “World Class”. Colona Divers have given Tropical Sky an exclusive deal of £25 per day for 2 boat dives – WOW! Other European countries have now lifted their ban on travelling to Egypt in contrast to the UK who continued to fly to the Red Sea resorts and many of the main dive centers used by British divers have remained opened since the 25th January.

A recent “I Love Egypt” street party recently took place on Valentines day in Hurghada – another sign that peace and love remains throughout large parts of Egypt. These celebrations were a clear signal to the rest of the world if that Egypt is open for business and is keen to welcome back the millions of visitors that come every year.

Egypt’s Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) has described the situation as “an incredible opportunity to dive the Red Sea, with the current restrictions on flights from a number of countries has resulted in the resorts along the Red Sea coast resembling the ‘old days’. “Divers in the Red Sea are enjoying empty reefs, quiet jetties and some rare sightings for these warm and sunny February days. Reports of rays, dolphins and reef sharks are now a daily occurrence. “Now is the time for divers to take advantage of some great offers whilst diving operators in the Red Sea adjust to the major changes the events of the last month have brought upon them.”

With great deals and empty reef throughout the Red Sea now is the time to go, check out our website for the best deals to the Red Sea www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk

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Egypt – Time to return

The Foreign Office continue to advise against all non essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Luxor but all Red Sea resorts remain open for UK visitors. We spoke to Colona Divers in Sharm El Sheikh who gave us the following statement:

Consumer confidence is incredibly low in Egypt as a holiday destination at the moment, however, as a diving destination, there is no reason to not book a flight to Sharm… flights are cheap, the reefs are nice and empty, there is plenty of space on our dive boats and the price of diving is so low. It is very hard to beat the Red Sea for diving on price, standard of diving and flight length…

And until further notice Colona Divers are offering 2 dives per day for just £25 per person.
Contact our sales team today for details on our Sharm El Sheikh packages.

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Scuba Diving in Sharm El Sheikh

2011 is going to see a new dive show at London’s Olympia on the 19th and 20th February 2011 Egypt and the BSAC taking a very prominent part of this new and exciting show.
Does the UK need 2 shows so close to each other – only time will tell. What we do know if the UK diving industry is buoyant (if you pardon the pun) and the demand for everything scuba is putting a demand for this extra show. If you ask me things have never been so good for Uk divers – and long may it continue!!

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2 BIG Dive Shows in early 2011

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New Underwater Sculpture Park in Mexico

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Shark Experts Travel to Sharm El Sheikh

The Bianca C has been recognised as one of the “top ten” worldwide wreck sites by international experts and diving magazines and nevers fails to impress.

Other wreck diving highlights include the MV Hema, Buccaneer, MV Veronica and MV Shakem.

All our Grenada dive centres offer boat trips to these famous wreck sites year round – confirming Grenada as a metal heads dream diving destination.

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Get Wrecked in Grenada!

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See us at the Birmingham Dive Show 30th & 31st October

The oil spill is ever expanding, and the clean up operation seems to be taking its toll on the surrounding marine life! This could have some catastrophic effects for scuba divers and tourists in general. At the moment however, the area is only mildly affected, but if more of the oil is forced through this loop current, then the effects could be much worse!

BP is obviously being hassled and bombarded by the American government for more funds to clear up even more mess. The only problem is that a clean up operation of this scale is completely uncomprehending and is impossible to gauge cost or time for completion.

The main issue is that nothing is going to be solved until BP gets the initial problem solved. Before this there is not going to be any real relief for the current circumstances and problems could continue to worsen.

Scuba diving needs the best visibility for people to have the greatest enjoyment on their holidays! Scuba Diving holidays still remain popular across America and the Florida Keys. It is important that they control this as best as possible to keep tourism at high levels!

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Florida Keys has Finally Been Hit by the Oil Spill!

I had only just checked into my luxurious beach villa at Vilu Reef when I got the call from the manager of the islands dive centre, “Hi Steve, we are going to see the Manta tomorrow morning, be at the dive centre at 08:00am for a briefing”.

I had been “promised” encounters with Manta Rays many times before but unfortunately for me they never turned up – would this be another case of “great dive, but no Mantas”?

After a very prompt dive briefing we were on our way to Manta Point and arrived after a very scenic 45 minutes passing deserted islands, luxury retreats and private sailing boats we arrived.

The scene was set. I could see the visibility was good, almost 30 metres, but no sign of any Manta from the surface. I dived in and after a gentle descent there they were – Magnificent! Not just one or two but 10 magnificent Manta Rays gently gliding around us. Some seemed to be quite shy and stayed in the background while others were more inquisitive came for a closer look themselves.

To top it all off a pod of dolphins joined the party just as we left the water and followed our Dhoni for 15 – 20 minutes occasionally breaking through the crystal clear water.

My favourite diving destination, the Maldives – My favourite dive, no prizes for guessing it’s my first dive in the Maldives and 10 best friends.

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My favourite diving destination and why

So there are six main places that re best to visit, and these are where you can have the best experience by far! When arranging your holiday it always helps to know where you can go to enjoy yourself, and what you can expect to find when you get there!

Cayman Islands:

• The seas around here are classed as having “High Visibility”, this means that you can see for quite a distance underwater, which improves your diving experience. There are corals and a wide variety of small wildlife, with one difference. If you want to take the kids this is highly recommended. There is the opportunity to go diving with a multitude of Sting Rays, in a huge lagoon known as “Sting Ray City”!

Grenada:

• The visibility is not quite so great here, but there are better opportunities for the more experienced of you to indulge in some wreck diving. There are 17 ship wrecks that surround the Grenada island, making it the best place in the Caribbean to try out your scuba wreck diving skills. The other great advantage with Grenada is that it is also home to a protected marine park, which means that reef diving is another popular attribute here!

Tobago:

• Like a little bit of Shark Diving and wall diving? Tobago is a great place to go diving with a few black tip sharks, out in Speyside. You can also find yourself some hammerhead sharks in the shallower waters, there are no big sharks to worry about, but you should always be very wary. Make sure that you check when the rainy season is though, as when visibility is affected, the opportunity to dive in these waters becomes very low!

Barbados:

• The party island of the Caribbean also offers a wide variety of diving. Families are welcome along with the more experienced group of you. Drift diving and reef diving are very popular here, but it is important to remember that although there is not much in the way of advanced level diving here, it is very pleasant to combine with a beach holiday!

Bahamas:

• This is one that beginners as well as masters can enjoy, but you must be careful when venturing out past Nassau as it has been privy to several shark visits. Wreck diving has become extremely popular hear and is one of the most defining features of the Bahamas diving experience.

St Lucia:

• Finally St Lucia offers the traditional relaxation experience and is most popular with couples. There are around 8 marine reserves here making it a golden place to enjoy untouched diving ventures. There are many coral gardens and all easy to reach, so snorkelling as well as Scuba diving is popular here!

Hopefully this was interesting and helped you decide where to dive, Spa hotels in St Lucia help to offer a pleasant experience after a long day out diving!

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Diving in the Caribbean, where to go and what to see!

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Basking Shark Seen Breaching Off The UK Coast

Last month a team of freedivers and scubadivers collected “tonnes” of rubbish from the world famous Blue Hole and nearby coastlines in an attempt to cleam the reefs up. Similar weeks have been taken place around the shores of the Red Sea and the result is always the same – huge amounts of rubbish.

Is the rubbish dumped from local dives boats and liveaboards that operate in the Red Sea?

We all have a responsibility to be enviromentally aware on our diving holidays and keep destinations like Dahab in pristine condition so the next generation of diver can experience what we enjoy today.

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Reef Clean Up in Dahab

• The Maldives! Diving in the Maldives is one of the most surreal experiences. With year round warm waters and the perfect diving environment, the Maldives hits the top of the list. There are a mass of amazing animals for you to see, and several different diving types to indulge in. Drift diving, Free diving, Scuba Diving and Liveaboard diving are all very popular in this area. The chance to see a Whale Shark or even swim with one is at it’s greatest around the Maldivian islands. The waters around here the guaranteed place to see some of nature’s most stunning creatures!

• Diving in the Red Sea off the coast of Sharm El Sheikh! As with the Maldives this is also a place filled with a variety of wildlife, and is the most popular place for diving holidays across the world. The reefs stretch for miles and relatively close to the surface, this area boasts more than 40 different dive sites. However there is also a series of shipwrecks for people to visit as well, including the well known Thistlegorm wreck that was discovered by Mr Cousteau in the 50’s. Of course Egypt and the Sharm are also filled with various cultures and a vast history, so you can always expand outside of a diving holiday.

• Diving in the Cayman Islands! This is a great place to go swimming with Sting Rays! This also tops my list for top Caribbean destinations to go diving. All you need to do is look at some of the pictures (one below) to see how truly amazing the waters are. The other great part of these islands is the north shore where a huge lagoon awaits, which is a great place to free dive with snorkels. This has also built a reputation for a great place to bring families, especially for the Sting Ray experience.

• For a more thrilling experience there is South Africa. This is definitely my top location in Africa! This has the greatest reputation as a shark diving location, but not just any sharks, these are some of the largest in the world. South Africa is home to the Tiger Shark, Great White Shark and many more , and is also a prime location for cage diving and scuba diving with professionals (not necessarily around the Great). Below is a picture of a Tiger Shark:

Sri Lanka diving could well be on the list next with a stay at the Aditya Sri Lanka hotel!

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Top 5 Diving Hot Spots – 2010!

As we dived into the water the sun was making its final decent through the horizon and was casting amazing beams of light into the depths that changed the hues of the coral almost by the second, By the time we had reached our diving depth of eighteen meters all light had gone and with our torches off it was like floating in space. Turn the underwater spotlights on and their strong beams would suddenly bring to life reef wall in front of us.

All of my concerns were immediately forgotten as we drifted serenely along in the current, watching Moray eels poking their heads out of holes in the rock face, turtles silhouetted above us, sharks cruising below and all around fish hunting and hiding. Under one outcrop where large lobsters were scuttling across the underside of the reef, lay a giant Napoleon fish fast asleep and completely oblivious to our presence; measuring at least eight feet long he was a truly majestic looking fish and well worthy of his namesake. Mohamed, ever the professional, kept a close eye on my progress and also proved himself to be an excellent photographer and I his able lighting assistant positioning myself to offer as much light with my torch whilst he poked his head and the camera into every crack and crevice in the reef.

The dive was a huge success and I am now a total convert to night diving and no trip to Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort in the Maldives should be complete without enjoying this most surreal of experiences.

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Night Diving at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort Maldives

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Shark infested drift dive at Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort

One of the best sites from which to do this is the beautiful island of Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort where the Sun Diving Centre is located. The team are brilliant and hugely experienced and their house’ reef, where you can learn to dive, is both beautiful and safe. But it is the fact that from Olhuveli you can access about 35 dive sites by boat that makes it so special, meaning it is possible to dive with whale sharks, manta rays, Napoleon fish and, for the more adventurous, sharks.

To top it off, for those who have partners, like me, that do not dive there is loads for them to do whilst you are off bobbing around. There is a great spa where treatments like the ‘Jet Lag’ massages are on offer (thoroughly recommended) watersports centre, gym, library, cyber café and not to mention chilling in the sunshine. It really is heaven on earth.

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Maldives

Our “45 minute” journey started at approximately 7:45 pm on a warm evening in Cairo. The traffic was as usual noisy and the daily queue of cars was now assembled for further than I could see.  To make our journey more interesting we were now in the middle of a rain storm that Cairo had not seen in 20 years.

The roads of Cairo are not designed to handle this kind of weather and quickly became gushing rivers that left many cars stranded in the middle of the road.

Once outside Cairo we were now “only 20 minutes” away from our final destination, The minutes ticked by and we quickly realised we were lost. Frantic phone calls were made to our host and eventually, after 60 minutes of taking the wrong turn we arrived. The driving in Cairo is something that I have never seen before where indicators are not used and the car horn is as important as the breaks!!

 Cairo is truly a wonderful holiday destination and perfect a few days before spending some time on the beach in Sharm El Sheikh.

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Are we there yet?