SCUBA Diving Mozambique is Great For:

*adventurous divers wanting something off the beaten track

*big megafauna – humpback whales, whales sharks and mantas

*healthy fish populations

*possibly the best white sand beaches in the world

SCUBA Diving Mozambique is Not Great For:

*divers looking to be coddled

*divers not wanting physical dives

*hard coral reefs

*highly developed infrastructure or nightlife

We were headed over to Africa and had heard about the diving in Mozambique for quite some time. The timing wasn’t right for the zenith of all divers’ wish lists, the Sardine Run, which turned out to be a blessing as the Sardine Run of 2011 was basically a bust.

But we had been invited to visit friends in Maputo, Mozambique and as we began researching the area we found Tofo Beach. Two of our Dive Master friends had recently worked there and raved about it, calling it their favorite diving in the world. Not well known in the US market, Tofo Beach is a very laid back beach town, an eight hour drive north of the nation’s capital with some very interesting surprises!

In order to get a full assessment of the area, we set up different types of accommodations and arranged to dive with three different dive operators. Most divers fly into the nearby town of Imhambane just a short drive from Tofo but we opted to drive to get a better look at coastal East Africa.

MOZAMBIQUE OVERVIEW

Mozambique is quite a different animal from it’s neighbors of South Africa and Tanzania. Just after realizing its independence from Portugal in 1975 it plunged into civil war from 1977-1992 leaving the country in vast disarray. Driving up the coast it is easy to see that it remains one of the least developed countries in the world. We passed village after village of reed huts with dirt floors, no electricity or running water. Thousands of children walked the road back and forth to school and the small cities we passed through were flooded with people in the markets selling anything they could to make ends meet. Women and children walk with oversized plastic containers balanced on their heads coming home from the local well. Along the way, roadside stands sold an array of goods but seemed to specialize in two things, cashews and hot sauce. The cashews are picked and roasted by hand and packaged in plastic bags which are then tied to the trees. It’s easy to spot these “plastic bag” trees from hundreds of yards away. And with a price of 200 Meticals ($8) for a huge bag, they were impossible to resist! The hot sauce, called Peri Peri varies from household to household but all are made with the bird’s eye pepper, tomatoes, garlic and who knows what else… all I know is that it’s HOT HOT HOT. It can be found at hundreds of stands along the way bottled in whatever empty bottles the family has. Don’t worry, any contamination is sure to be killed by the spice!

The highways, however, were in good repair all the way to Imhambane (courtesy of Chinese investment in exchange for commercial fishing rights. That in itself is another story!). Though you couldn’t see the coastline for much of the drive, gorgeous white sand beaches and dunes hug the shoreline for hundreds of miles. Mozambique may be the most beach rich country in the world. From Inhambane, it takes about 30 minutes into Tofo and we arrived just after dark with no reservations for the first night. We decided to check out the “backpackers” lodge and checked in to the only remaining room at Bamboozi Beach Lodge. The parent company, Barra Resorts, owns a few different levels of accommodation in the area and Bamboozi is at the bottom. We were given a bamboo “chalet” which was quite spacious with a double and two single beds. Many travelers in Africa like “self catering” style accommodations which means they have kitchen facilities and many sleep four, six or eight people so a group or family will rent larger units. While we were expecting “backpacker” level we didn’t expect dirty. Our water came out brown and it never drained from the shower. The mosquito netting over the bed had holes and we were both completely eaten alive that night. We went to the restaurant where we were served pretty good food on very dirty tablecloths. I tried hard not to think of what the kitchen looked like! While food in Mozambique is plenty expensive (due to corruption and the fact that it is all imported) hotel accommodations are reasonable. Our dinner (one appetizer and one chicken main plus three beers ran about $40). They were “out” of wine. The hotel ran $60. We left our small flashlight in the room when we checked out and when we returned the next morning to get it, it was gone and was never turned in to lost and found. The room had been cleaned but no one else had checked into the room.

SCUBA DIVING MOZAMBIQUE

In the morning we were excited to get to the diving. The Tofo Beach area is mainly known for big and abundant megafauna including , humpback whales, manta rays and whale sharks… what a combo!!! We set out for Tofo Scuba just a few minute drive up the beach. We were greeted by Joan, the manager, as Nikki, the owner was out of town for a wedding. Joan had been fully briefed on our impending arrival and went about getting us set to dive. As the domestic airlines LAM, had “misplaced” all of our luggage en route from Kilimanjaro to Maputo, we arrived without any of our dive gear. The staff at Tofo Scuba went over the top helping to outfit us and some of the Dive Masters lent us their personal gear.

The shop has a great area for “kitting up” and a small pool for teaching. The front side of the building sits on an incredibly gorgeous stretch of beach. Chaise lounges, picnic tables and a small restaurant serving a hearty pre dive breakfast and lunch complete the picture. The only part of this laid back dive shop that didn’t meet my expectations was the locker room which was a bit dank and dark.

However, the never ending hot water showers were luxurious!

Tofo Scuba on the beach

Both Tofo and Diversity have plenty of space to gear up

GORGEOUS beaches

At Tofo Scuba the majority of the Dive Masters were expats mostly from S. Africa. They were all young and fun and upbeat. They gave thorough dive briefings and knew the dive sites well. Considering that none of them were probably over age 25, they had a good level of experience. Matt and Nick were our main DMs for the three days we dived with Tofo Scuba.

The process of diving at Tofo Beach is quite unique and not for the pampered diver! There are no jetties to tie up the dive boats and often there is a large swell pounding the beach. So the completely rusted out Land Cruiser (what else would you expect in Africa!) hauls the eight meter RIB on the trailer to the long flat beach. Then they throw it in reverse and floor it towards the water. Then just when you think the Land Cruiser is going to turn submarine, they jam it into forward gear and the boat comes flying off the trailer! The divers all run over to the boat and together we push and pull and turn it around to face the waves.

Launching of the dive boat every dive

Seas can be rough so hold the line!

Once the boat is floating they yell, “ladies up!” and all the girls clammer into the boat. Then once the boat is in shoulder deep water the men jump in and we pound our way through the surf. One day the surf was so big, a wave smashed out the plexiglass windshield!

Off to the dive site we go. All of the deep sites 60-100ft are about a 30-45 minute boat ride away, the shallow sites only 5-15. On the way, the boats always keep a look out for whale sharks. At first we thought, right, what are the chances but then soon enough the cry came, “whale shark!”. The boat stopped and we all grabbed for masks, fins and cameras and jumped overboard. The Tofo Beach area, it turns out is one of the largest areas for whale sharks in the world. 20% of all identified whale sharks worldwide have been identified in this small stretch of coastline (300 out of 1000). Enough so that a manta and whale shark research station is set up here with a small staff working hard to protect these incredible animals.

whale shark vertical feeding at the surface

Big healthy grouper

BEST TIME TO DIVE TOFO

Sometimes it can be difficult to find out the truth of when is the “best” time to dive an area. Most dive operator websites say, “year around” is best. We were told that October was a great time of the year, though it was at the end of the humpback season. Turned out we saw just a couple humpbacks but missed most of them by about two weeks. It was said it was a banner year for the whales who breach incredibly close to shore and many divers have had the chance to see them underwater. But we knew that mantas and whale sharks would be our main attraction. However, what we weren’t prepared for were the total “unusual” conditions we found. The water, which is normally about 26c (78.8F) this time of year varied from 20c (68F) to a mind chilling 16(60.8F). Since I am normally cold in a 7mm in 85 degree water, you can imagine my shock in a rented 5mm in 60! Not only that but because of the upwelling associated with the unusual wind direction the normally clear water was very green and fairly dark with a range of 20’ to 30’ visibility. I didn’t even to rig my video the whole week.

Over the next five days neither the temperature nor the visibility improved. However, it was GREAT for whale sharks. We had plenty of opportunity to freeze our butts off chasing whale sharks and watching them turn vertical and suck in the plankton soup. The mantas were also there and probably in more of a force then we could see, we simply had to imagine that behind the two or three we saw on each dive, there were more following. Given the number we saw splashing and leaping on the surface, this was undoubtedly true.

What we saw at Tofo was great POTENTIAL. When the water is clear and warmer, which probably occurred the day after we left (smile) it would be fantastic. Tofo has some beautiful, Fiji like soft corals (dendronepthya) – which took us by surprise – and very abundant fish populations including large groupers on almost every reef. . Interestingly, the red toothed triggerfish is the staple of the reef. Tofo is not known for lush reefs. To find the lush reefs you would need to head further north to the Bazaruto. There you will find nice lush reefs but a lack of megafauna. It would be a nice combo trip.

 BUT PERI PERI DIVERS WASN’T EVEN IN BUSINESS

We had arranged two days of diving with Tofo Scuba and then our next stop was to dive with Peri Peri Divers, a relative newcomer to the scene. All I had read about it had been great! However, when we arrived, even after the owner had told us to come on down and dive, we were told, “They are not currently doing business”. That would have been good information to have been given by the dive shop! So we returned to Tofo Scuba who were more than happy to have us back diving with them again. The day before we left we caught up with one of the employees of Peri Peri who informed us that the other dive shops were trying to run them out of business and they were now having problems because the other dive shops paid off someone in the government to shut them down. At this point, we don’t know the truth but the claim seemed far fetched to us.

 NEXT STOP DIVERSITY SCUBA

After our now three days with Tofo Scuba, we went around the corner to dive with Diversity Scuba. They were also warm and welcoming and again, lent us whatever gear we needed and again, some of the DMs lent us their private gear including computers. Diversity Scuba is not on the beach like Tofo but just a block away. They have a new, clean facility as well as a teaching pool. They have a cool upstairs deck where the dive briefings are held in cozy chairs. They have a small bar but no restaurant. That’s okay however, because one of the beach’s best restaurants, Waterworks, is right next door. We found that Diversity and Tofo both were safe and well run dive operators and I would gladly dive with either of them again. Diversity owns and operates a hotel on the beach which is undergoing a huge renovation and Sergi, the owner, promised us photos of the new place in the next four months! I did feel that one of the Dive Masters we were with was definitely not as experienced and a couple of times he appeared lost on the dive. He had broken his dive computer and was diving on the deep reefs without one, swimming over to his other DM to check for time and depth. However, one thing you can never bank on is for Dive Masters to be there when you get back. Like every other diver on the planet, they too want to dive the world.

If you have a chance, you can also take an Ocean Safari. At Diversity Scuba, they offer the opportunity to go out with a biologist to look for whales, dolphin and whale sharks. Any chance encounter, they stop the boat and you can get in with them. The biologist does an informative talk at the shop before you go. Then you help out by identifying each whale shark’s sex and size and if you can take identification photos. It’s definitely worth spending an afternoon doing.

THE ACCOMMODATIONS IN MOZAMBIQUE

After our stay at Bamboozi Lodge, we stayed next at Casa Barry. Casa Barry is advertised as the most upscale lodge on Tofo Beach. Yes, it is more upscale than the backpacker’s lodges but we were still in a bamboo room with cement floor and a basic bed back off the beach. There are a few larger A-frame units right on the beach which were definitely nicer than our back of the house casita. The hotel has a nice beachside restaurant which is probably the most expensive in the area and a very nice bar. One of the great things about Casa Barry is that they have given free space to house the manta and whale shark research station. Three nights a week there are talks. On Mondays, Dr. Andrea Marshall (star of the BBC documentary, Andrea – Queen of the Mantas) who started it all here at Tofo speaks. Unfortunately, on our Monday, she had missed her flight as she was returning from another part of Africa so we never heard her speak. On Wednesday, Dr. Simon Pierce speaks on his research of whale sharks. He is funny, interesting, poignant and a must see. On Friday is a general talk on the ecology of the area by one of the PHD students. It’s a nice touch and a great way to learn about what’s going on in Tofo.

After three nights at Casa Barry we moved on. We were still searching for THE truly upscale hotel in the area. We spent one entire rainy afternoon searching out areas nearby Tofo. We went and looked at Barra Resort’s other lodges, Flamingo Bay and Barra Resort. Flamingo Bay is nice with overwater casitas with air conditioning, something we often did not find in Tofo. However, during our inspection the pool was a horrible green and the tide was out exposing the mud flats. Our preference was something more on the beach. Barra Lodge is a family resort and if you are not into the family thing, I would steer clear. Otherwise, it is on a nice stretch of beach.

But then we came across Barra Beach Club. We pulled in and as we walked in our eyes lit up. In front of us was a gorgeous dining room with white linen, high end wine stems and a true European flair! We excitedly asked for a tour. The eight rooms and one “honeymoon cottage” gave it a distinctly boutique feel. The beds were soft with high quality linens. The pool area was beautiful and well kept. At the beach was an upscale beach bar with another beautiful swimming pool. We arranged to stay the night. When you book here, room, dinner and breakfast are included at a very reasonable price of about $250. However, if you have dinner a la carte as we did, it was over $100 just for the meal.

The manager, Evan, has big plans for the hotel. Currently, they work in tandem with Tofo Scuba though it is about a 30 minute drive to the dive shop. He plans more boutique rooms in separate buildings and a huge dive facility. It will be interesting to see if they can execute on these grand plans. Meanwhile, we feel that this will be a place that an upscale market will appreciate.

Our final night was at a wonderful B&B called Baia Sonumbula, run by a gem of an Italian woman named Laura. The B&B is small with just five rooms. It sits just on the beach next door to Casa Barry. The two rooms inside the main building have a large bed with plenty of storage and large bathrooms. They do not have any views and are in the back of the house. However, the three remaining rooms are fantastic. They have sliding doors that completely open up the rooms with sea views. They are decorated with low platform beds, Asian style with raised basins in the large bathroom and open showers. They have A/C and we used it to keep out the mosquitos which can be an issue at sunrise and sunset if you don’t have a breeze. . It was heaven to open the doors in the morning to watch and listen to the waves roll in and the breeze float into the room. Above the rooms is a sun deck and a covered area with a dining table where made to order breakfast is served each morning. It’s truly a place where you know you will make friends and a place you will want to come back to.

Baia Sonombula ocean view

 OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF TOFO BEACH

Tofo Beach grows on you. My very first impression was that it was a little dumpy with sand streets and some run down backpacker hotels. But within a day, I was starting to feel at home. At every turn, we would meet someone we had already met. We sampled most of the few restaurants and kept meeting more and more people. By the fifth day I think we knew everyone! One night, Waterworks put on a steak night. For only about $10/pp we had fabulous steaks on the grill, spicy potatoes and salad. Our Dive Master, Nick, from Tofo Scuba was the main entertainment and he showed incredible talent on the guitar. Everyone showed up, from the Dive Masters to the owners of the shops to guests we had met from the hotels, other divers and even the two gals who run the only up-end deli in town. There were probably 75 people there that night and we must have know 80% of them.

We will return to Tofo Beach at some point to have that hometown feeling in a little funky beach town in the middle of struggling Mozambique. We’ll return to all the restaurants and dive with both Tofo Scuba and Diversity. But we will call in advance and make sure there aren’t any unusual conditions because we want to see more than the just the potential for great diving. We want to see reefs packed with fish, mantas, whale sharks and the humpbacks in all their glory.

And, there is no denying the grand scale of Mozambique’s amazing beaches – something only the South Africans seem to really know about. But now, you do too.

FINS UP FOR:

•Baia Sonumbula

•Barra Beach Club

•Tofo SCUBA

•Diversity SCUBA

•Amazing Whale Shark Encounters

•Fantastic Beaches

FINS DOWN FOR:

•Peri Peri Divers

•Bamboozi Beach Lodge

•Unusually Crappy Conditions

TO YOUR DIVE ADVENTURES!

MANTAGIRL

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For Mantagirl, it’s….well…manta rays of course!!! Why? I’ll explain, but first there seems to be a lot of confusion over different species of rays. Let me try to clear that up.

The three rays you are most likely to see snorkeling or diving in tropical oceans are the sting ray, spotted eagle ray and manta ray. They are very easily distinguishable from each other. Scientifically, they are all the same down the line of scientific classification through Order. They are all Elasmobranchs (cartilaginous fishes) and are all of the order Myliobatiformes. At the family level they split. Ah…yes, so many families split up these days…….

Anyways…..

Sting rays are named for the barb at the base of the tail and are the animals of stupid Steve Irwin fame. They feed mostly on mollusks and crustaceans and use smell and electro receptors to detect their prey in the sand. You can find them on the bottom often concealed in the sand. They are not aggressive and use their barbs only in self defense. These are the rays that people “swim” with at Stingray City in the Cayman Islands.

Spotted Eagle rays are named for their white spots on the top of their bodies and reach a length of 8 feet measured wingtip to wingtip. They also have a defensive barb at the base of their tail. These magnificent rays have large heads and powerful mouths for crushing the shells of their main prey, mollusks and crustaceans. They are not bottom rays but powerful ocean swimming rays. While they skim the bottom for food, you will not see this ray laying on the bottom of the sea.

Manta rays, in my opinion are the most stunning member of the ray family. And also the largest. The largest ocean going Pacific manta has been measured at 22 feet across!! They do not have barbs on their tails and do not feed in the sand. These rays are plankton feeders and use two fins on either side of their mouths to scoop and filter planktonic material out of the water. These cephalic fins are rolled up when not in use and open when the rays are either feeding or being cleaned at cleaning stations. Most mantas are countershaded for protection with white bellies and black tops, however mostly or all black mantas are not uncommon. Each manta has a distinct pattern of spots and splotches top and bottom.

So now that you can identify the different rays, let me tell you why I LOVE mantas. To me, they are the ballerinas of the sea. They are incredibly graceful and I get the feeling that they simply love life, making great loops and turns in the water. This is how they feed, by making huge back rolls scooping up plankton. It just looks like so much FUN! When they come into a cleaning station, they make long lazy turns like a 747 in the sky, allowing the cleaner fish to do their job.

They have these incredible piercing eyes behind their cephalic fins which seem to stare into my eyes whenever I am watching them. But it’s a kind stare, more of a gaze than a glare. I can, and do watch them for hours!

The best way to observe mantas is to go to a cleaning station. Give them some space around the station and stay outside of their “circle”. Then just settle in on the bottom and wait. The mantas become easily relaxed with you watching and will often become curious. Often, they will circle over your head and at times, I’ve even had to duck!! Each time they circle past those eyes captivate me! THIS is why manta rays ROCK!

Like all humans, when we have these kind of encounters, we like to think that we’ve made a special connection to an animal, that perhaps we’ve “bonded”. Maybe we do and maybe we don’t but the lasting memory of the experience leaves an impression for a lifetime.

What’s your favorite critter? Share your story!!

To Your Adventures!

Mantagirl

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We all travel differently.  Mainly because we value different things.  Where do you put your emphasis?  How do you spend the dollars that you’ve allotted for your vacation?  It’s something to think about and plan for.  Perhaps if you put less dollars into getting there you could stay longer.  Or if you stayed in a nicer hotel it would impact your overall experience.  Maybe taking the cheap way out by traveling off season means your holiday is rained out and therefore ruined…. I recommend spending some time to determine what is important to you before you purchase.

Getting There

The Flight- First class or Economy??

For some, getting there in style and comfort is above all.  It’s first class flat bed seat or nothing.  Perhaps it’s because they are physically larger or taller and traveling around the world in an economy airplane seat would wreck them for a week.  The overall experience traveling first class is definitely less stressful and more fun.  You are treated with actual respect, offered a beverage in a real glass and served almost real food.

For me, economy does fine (though I love the upgrades when I get them).  I would rather spend my money elsewhere.  Often, I will take a flight with more stops or one that is less convenient to save money and put those resources to better use.  Fortunately, I am not a big person so I can survive economy.  I just slap on the noise canceling headphones, curl up in the seat and go to my happy place.

Transit Overnights

Transit overnights can add a lot of cost to getting there.  But, again, it depends on what is important to you.  At Changi airport in Singapore for instance, there is a beautiful Crowne Plaza hotel you can stay at very conveniently and in luxury for about $200/night.  However, I can also grab a sleeping room inside the airport and pay by the hour.  I can get a good night’s sleep for about $50.  Again, when I travel, I prefer to put my money to use elsewhere rather than getting there.

Being There

Hotel/Resort

I am a firm believer in that you get what you pay for.  But here as well, think about what is important to you.  I have seen many people choose a budget hotel and then complain about the service and amenities.  However, you don’t have to stay in five star luxury to have a good time, unless that is what is important to you on a vacation.  And for our guests,  good friends, good food and luxury accommodations are just as important as great diving.  So we focus on providing both.   Total cost for a recent whale shark trip to Isla Mujeres was about $3000/person for the week inclusive.  Yes, we could run the trip for $1500 BUT we would not be use the luxurious Villa Rolandi on a gorgeous beach with all the amenities.  Having a beautiful view, perhaps something romantic, a spacious junior suite the best food and highly experienced guides is worth a little extra.

Time of Year

Here is where many people get into trouble when they plan a trip.  You can find all the deals you want on the internet.  You can find incredible deals anywhere if it’s in the off season.  And here again, I say, you get what you pay for.  A few years ago, I was in Australia at a dive shop on Heron Island.  A diver was bitterly complaining about the dive conditions and the weather and how he could have had better diving if he had stayed in the Caribbean.  Then he blamed his travel agent.  I turned to him and explained that he had booked his trip during the middle of the rainy, low visibility season and that was not his travel agent’s fault.  He needed to be diligent about his research.  BUT….he got a deal…Some deal that turned out to be!  I knew it was the poor season to be there but it was the only time I could get there.  So I prepared myself for the rain and low vis and looked on it with a professional  eye for it’s potential for a future trip during the best dive season.

What Will You Remember?

Price vs. Experience

And how many people care more about the price than the experience?  Well, I believe that it depends on when you ask them!!!  Ask people when they are planning the trip and they are all about saving money and the deal they are getting.  Ask them when they are ON the trip and they have a crummy hotel room, it’s raining and there are no whale sharks in sight because it’s not the right season.  People want the cheapest price first and then complain that their expectation did not meet their reality.

I’m not saying you can’t have an experience of a lifetime on a budget.  What I AM saying is to pay attention to where you are spending your money and make sure that you get the experience that you are expecting.  Down the road you won’t remember what you spent on that trip of a lifetime but you WILL remember the experience.

Happy Travel Planning!

Sharkman

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Join Global Diving Adventures with a select group to dive Raja Ampat, Indonesia this coming January and February as we join forces with dive pioneer and legend, Max Ammer to explore the waters off Cape Kri where after two decades of exploration, Max says,

“we have only scratched the surface”.

Raja Ampat, the richest diving in the world?

According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth. Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. The Coral Triangle is the heart of the worldʼs coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world. To date, according to Roger Steene, 1426 species have been recorded here.

“Picture Perfect” is how Stephen Frink describes it.

“The richest coral reefs in the world” is the accolade given by David Doubilet of National Geographic.

“Kick ass diving” is what Sharkman thinks.

Aerial flight over Sorido

7th heaven for MantasAnd Mantagirl just dreams of Mantas! To date, Max has located over 21 manta cleaning stations throughout Raja Ampat. But diving is not the only thing we will be doing at Maxʼs boutique, upscale Sorido Bay Resort.

Our Plans Include:

•Flying over these “Palauan-esque” islands in Maxʼs personal sea plane, Drifter.

•Excursions to see the outlandish birds of paradise featured in Planet Earth

•Visits to native Papuan villages

•Cave Exploration

Once again, Sharkman and Mantagirl will be leading a small group of divers to one of the worldʼs top dive locations, with three different sets of dates in early 2012. With all the details handled and all the fun included, we welcome you to our tribe.

Details You Want to Know for Raja Ampat

Dates: Jan 8 – 18, 2012 (Bali extension Jan 4-7)

Jan 19 – 29, 2012 (Bali extension Jan 29-1)

Feb. 5 – 15, 2012 (Bali extension Feb 15-18)

$4995.00 Sentani Bungalow

Included: 10 nights Accommodations at Sorido Resort, 10 days of diving including unlimited shore diving (weather permitting), all meals, nitrox, group transfers, use of underwater digital camera and video, services of expedition leaders including any specialty courses taught, nitrox certification, slide shows and other fun stuff including dive trips to outer islands, treks for birds of paradise and local village visits.

Not Included: Air transportation, travel insurance, dive insurance, alcoholic beverages, items of a personal nature, departure tax where applicable, excess baggage fees, SCUBA or snorkel equipment, marine park fees where applicable, dive staff gratuities.

ARRIVAL AIRPORT: Sorong, West Papua 

* When planning dates, be aware that a domestic overnight may required on the inbound.

Want more? How about a three day add on to a luxury private villa in Ubud, Bali. We have a stunning 5 bedroom villa reserved for three nights in the heart of where they filmed, Eat, Love, Pray. Activities include massage in a private spa house at the villa, rafting on the Ayung river, site seeing to rice terraces and your own driver/guide for shopping and exploring!

Pricing: $1195 for 3 nights (see dates above)  including accommodations, meals, activities such as rafting the Ayung river, private massage, van and driver for site seeing and shopping, transfers to and from the Bali airport.

REQUEST A RESERVATION

One of 5 gorgeous bedrooms at our private villa

Fabulous open air living spaces

Lap pool at our villa

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Some of the contributors to the Marine Conservation and Education Chronicle include:

Project Aware Foundation
In partnership with scuba divers and water enthusiasts, Project AWARE conserves aquatic resources in more than 180 countries and territories of the world. Project AWARE Foundation works in partnership with divers and water enthusiasts to combat challenges facing underwater environments including:
Underwater Cleanups and Marine Debris Prevention
Coral Reef Conservation, Monitoring and Data Collection
Shark Education, Reporting and Conservation
Improved Management Policies and Marine Protection Efforts
Environmental Training for Divers and Education Programs for Kids

Founded 1989, Project AWARE was created by a group of environmental advocates at the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), who were concerned about emerging threats to the underwater world. In 1992 Project AWARE Foundation became a separate nonprofit organization.

The Muskoka Foundation
The cutting edge vision of the Muskoka Foundation is to create a network of hundreds of modern day explorers, who are traveling in developing communities around the world, using what they know to do good as they go. This network can lead to a significant impact on the world we visit, supporting ocean conservation, reducing poverty and inspiring others to do the same. Unlike many of the ‘voluntourism’ type Gap Year programs, our global travelers are seasoned professionals such as doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and consultants. The Muskoka Foundation provides this group of explorers with a framework, tools and partnerships, enabling them to carry out the positive activities on their trips.

The Muskoka Foundation believes that the real sustainable changes need to be brought about with full buy-in and collaboration with the local communities. This goes beyond teaching English, bringing blankets & pencils or carrying some concrete to help build a fence. What is so important in each of these locations is training of relevant skills and support of local talents that can translate into sustainable changes and community independence.

Ocean of Hope Foundation
Ocean of Hope Foundation is dedicated to restoring a healthy ocean through the creation of an entire generation of ocean stewards. Ocean of Hope Foundation is the first massive scale, grass roots organization that works directly with volunteer teams to effect Ocean conservation through education in classrooms around the world. OHF’s actions create results both today and far in the future.

In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught. ~ Baba Dioum

By extensively using volunteerism and having no marketing overhead, OHF breaks the mold of the traditional non-profit and puts funds to use where they make the most difference. Domestically, OHF will visit 10,000 classrooms over the next 10 years; teaching and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards. Internationally, OHF supports schools in developing island nations by offering basic infrastructure needs such as generators and school supplies and providing training and support to local teachers on the subject of ocean conservation.

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We all travel differently. Mainly because we value different things.Where do you put your emphasis? How do you spend the dollars that you’ve allotted for your vacation? It’s something to think about and plan for.  Perhaps if you put less dollars into getting there you could stay longer.  Or if you stayed in a nicer hotel it would impact your overall experience.  Maybe taking the cheap way out by traveling off season means your holiday is rained out and therefore ruined…. I recommend spending some time to determine what is important to you before you purchase.

Getting There

The Flight- First class or Economy??

For some, getting there in style and comfort is above all.  It’s first class flat bed seat or nothing.  Perhaps it’s because they are physically larger or taller and traveling around the world in an economy airplane seat would wreck them for a week.  The overall experience traveling first class is definitely less stressful and more fun.  You are treated with actual respect, offered a beverage in a real glass and served almost real food.

For some, first class is the ONLY way to go! Looks nice doesn't it?

For me, economy does fine (though I love the upgrades when I get them).  I would rather spend my money elsewhere.  Often, I will take a flight with more stops or one that is less convenient to save money and put those resources to better use.  Fortunately, I am not a big person so I can survive economy.  I just slap on the noise canceling headphones, curl up in the seat and go to my happy place.

Transit Overnights

Transit overnights can add a lot of cost to getting there.  But, again, it depends on what is important to you.  At Changi airport in Singapore for instance, there is a beautiful Crowne Plaza hotel you can stay at very conveniently and in luxury for about $200/night.  However, I can also grab a sleeping room inside the airport and pay by the hour.  I can get a good night’s sleep for about $50.  Again, when I travel, I prefer to put my money to use elsewhere rather than getting there.

Being There

Hotel/Resort

I am a firm believer in that you get what you pay for.  But here as well, think about what is important to you.  I have seen many people choose a budget hotel and then complain about the service and amenities.  However, you don’t have to stay in five star luxury to have a good time, unless that is what is important to you on a vacation.  And for our guests at Global Diving Adventures, good friends, good food and luxury accommodations are just as important as great diving.  So we focus on providing both.  This August we are hosting a group in Isla Mujeres. Total cost for the trip will be about $3000/person for the week inclusive.  Yes, we could run the trip for $1500 BUT we would not be using the luxurious Villa Rolandi on a gorgeous beach with all the amenities.  Having a beautiful view, perhaps something romantic, a spacious junior suite the best food and highly experienced guides is worth a little extra.

A little extra for the ULTIMATE vacation!

I firmly believe you get what you pay for!

Time of Year

Here is where many people get into trouble when they plan a trip.  You can find all the deals you want on the internet.  You can find incredible deals anywhere if it’s in the off season.  And here again, I say, you get what you pay for.  A few years ago, I was in Australia at a dive shop on Heron Island.  A diver was bitterly complaining about the dive conditions and the weather and how he could have had better diving if he had stayed in the Caribbean.  Then he blamed his travel agent.  I turned to him and explained that he had booked his trip during the middle of the rainy, low visibility season and that was not his travel agent’s fault.  He needed to be diligent about his research.  BUT….he got a deal…Some deal that turned out to be!  I knew it was the poor season to be there but it was the only time I could get there.  So I prepared myself for the rain and low vis and looked on it with a professional  eye for it’s potential for a future trip during the best dive season.

You won't remember what you paid but you WILL remember this!

Overall Vacation

Price vs. Experience

And how many people care more about the price than the experience?  Well, I believe that it depends on when you ask them!!!  Ask people when they are planning the trip and they are all about saving money and the deal they are getting.  Ask them when they are ON the trip and they have a crummy hotel room, it’s raining and there are no whale sharks in sight because it’s not the right season.  People want the cheapest price first and then complain that their expectation did not meet their reality.

I’m not saying you can’t have an experience of a lifetime on a budget.  What I AM saying is to pay attention to where you are spending your money and make sure that you get the experience that you are expecting. Down the road you won’t remember what you spent on that trip of a lifetime but you WILL remember the experience.

To your Adventures!

Mantagirl

check out our upcoming adventures at, www.live-adventurously.com.

Global Diving Adventures is a premium provider of SCUBA diving vacations and advice on travel, adventure & the adventure lifestyle.  We provide our guests and friends the experiences and knowledge to live an extraordinary life through adventure.

great friends, luxury travel with Global Diving Adventures!

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Scott is an active diver in the S. Cal diving scene and an officer of the Los Angeles County Underwater Photographic Society. He has put together an impressive faculty at UW Photography Guide with many of the world’s top experts on underwater photography.

Travel and underwater photography often go hand in hand , and this is where you want to be if you do them both.

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Some of the contributors to the Marine Conservation and Education Chronicle include:

Project Aware Foundation
In partnership with scuba divers and water enthusiasts, Project AWARE conserves aquatic resources in more than 180 countries and territories of the world. Project AWARE Foundation works in partnership with divers and water enthusiasts to combat challenges facing underwater environments including:
Underwater Cleanups and Marine Debris Prevention
Coral Reef Conservation, Monitoring and Data Collection
Shark Education, Reporting and Conservation
Improved Management Policies and Marine Protection Efforts
Environmental Training for Divers and Education Programs for Kids

Founded 1989, Project AWARE was created by a group of environmental advocates at the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), who were concerned about emerging threats to the underwater world. In 1992 Project AWARE Foundation became a separate nonprofit organization.

The Muskoka Foundation
The cutting edge vision of the Muskoka Foundation is to create a network of hundreds of modern day explorers, who are traveling in developing communities around the world, using what they know to do good as they go. This network can lead to a significant impact on the world we visit, supporting ocean conservation, reducing poverty and inspiring others to do the same. Unlike many of the ‘voluntourism’ type Gap Year programs, our global travelers are seasoned professionals such as doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and consultants. The Muskoka Foundation provides this group of explorers with a framework, tools and partnerships, enabling them to carry out the positive activities on their trips.

The Muskoka Foundation believes that the real sustainable changes need to be brought about with full buy-in and collaboration with the local communities. This goes beyond teaching English, bringing blankets & pencils or carrying some concrete to help build a fence. What is so important in each of these locations is training of relevant skills and support of local talents that can translate into sustainable changes and community independence.

Ocean of Hope Foundation
Ocean of Hope Foundation is dedicated to restoring a healthy ocean through the creation of an entire generation of ocean stewards. Ocean of Hope Foundation is the first massive scale, grass roots organization that works directly with volunteer teams to effect Ocean conservation through education in classrooms around the world. OHF’s actions create results both today and far in the future.

In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught. ~ Baba Dioum

By extensively using volunteerism and having no marketing overhead, OHF breaks the mold of the traditional non-profit and puts funds to use where they make the most difference. Domestically, OHF will visit 10,000 classrooms over the next 10 years; teaching and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards. Internationally, OHF supports schools in developing island nations by offering basic infrastructure needs such as generators and school supplies and providing training and support to local teachers on the subject of ocean conservation.

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Marie Levine
Marie Levine is Founder and Executive Director of SRI. Under her stewardship the organization expanded its membership to more than 8,000, and has research / conservation projects in Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Mexico, Mozambique, The Philippines, Seychelles, South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, the UK and the USA. In addition to articles in scientific journals and chapters in books, she authored two childrens books on sharks: Sharks: Q&A (New Holland), and Great White Sharks (Weigl, reprinted by Raintree Steck-Vaughn). An avid diver, she has worked and dived with sharks in 43 countries. As a Fellow of the famed Explorers Club, she has led 5 Flag Expeditions, and in 2001 was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame and subsequently served on its Board of Directors.

Shark Research Institute
Shark Research Institute (SRI), a multi-disciplinary non-profit 501(c)(3) scientific research organization, was created to sponsor and conduct research on sharks and promote the conservation of sharks. Founded in 1991 at Princeton, New Jersey, SRI has field offices in Canada, the Galapagos Islands, Honduras, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan and the Seychelles. A new data collecting site has been established in Australia.

SRI works with the scientific community, individuals and organizations concerned about the health of our marine ecosystem, and marine resource users: subsistence fishermen, sport divers, and the dive tourism industry. SRI works to correct misperceptions about sharks and stop the slaughter of 100 million sharks annually. A primary goal is creating value for sharks as sustainable natural resources for the dive tourism industry, particularly in developing countries. By so doing, a steady revenue stream is also generated for local fishers that might otherwise slaughter the sharks for immediate gain. Current programs involve visual and satellite tracking, behavioral and DNA studies of sharks, environmental advocacy, publications and public education.

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