In celebration of the Thailand Dive Expo (TDEX) luxury live-aboard Panunee is offering a special price on their own Derawan – Sangalaki trip to East Kalimantan. Normally priced at 55,000 Baht, the show price is just 27,000 Bhat for a six night cruise. The TDEX special is not shown on their web site, so you need to either contact sales directly or see them from July 8 to 11 at the show (Booth P23,25) to get this special price.

The reef scenery at Bunaken – why most people want to learn to dive.

Before we get to the topic of where to learn to dive, it might be a good idea to first discuss whether or not this is really a good idea, for you. Learning to dive from any reputable dive shop will take four or five days, and involves a fair bit of reading, written tests and other activities that might be a little too much like being back in school. If you only have a two or three week holiday, do you really want to spend a good chunk of it leaning to dive? It all depends on you. Some people like learning new things while on vacation, others prefer to maximize their down-time in the sun. If the amount of time it takes to learn to dive is going to make a big dent in your plans, it might be better to learn at home before arriving in the region.

The other general factor in your decision regarding where to learn to dive, is when you’ll be doing it. Most of the major dive destinations in the region like to advertise that they can be enjoyed year round, but the truth is that there are times when conditions are not ideal. You want to learn to dive in the best weather, both to ensure you have an easy time, as well as to have an enjoyable experience that you’ll want to continue with. Therefore, I’ve highlighted below when the best times for each destination is.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Koh Tao is perhaps the most obvious choice. I’ve heard that Thailand accounts for something like 25% of all the Dive Master and Dive Instructor certifications in the world, and it seems that Koh Tao contributes a major proportion to that number. For people just learning to dive, this means there are lots of dive shops to choose from, and a wide range of accommodations as well as restaurants, bars and other services. The downside is that Koh Tao can be a little too popular. Some wags suggest that the only creatures you’ll see in the waters around the island are other divers. That may be a little too harsh, but I would rate the diving at the other two options as ‘better’ than what you’ll experience immediately around Koh Tao. There are some really great dive sites in the sea some distance from Koh Tao, but these are generally for experienced divers.

When to go: The season for Koh Tao is fairly long, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. The months to avoid are October to January.

Tioman Island, Malaysia

Tioman is my "dark horse" candidate for a good place to learn scuba diving. It is very popular as a weekend diving destination for people from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, with direct flights there from both cities. But it isn’t quite as popular as Koh Tao, and instead has a very relaxed atmosphere. Many of the dive resorts have their own "house reefs" where they take beginning divers, which makes things very easy by eliminating external issues like dealing with boats from the learning experience. Once you’ve got the basics down, there are a lot of easy and very enjoyable dives within a 10 to 20 minute boat ride. There’s a nice variety of sea life, such as turtles, sharks, squids and many kinds of fish, although not in great abundance. The downside to Tioman – which some might consider an upside – is that there aren’t a huge variety of restaurants or nightlife on offer. Depending on which resort you’re staying at, you may be stuck there for most of your stay.

When to go: Tioman is at its best from March to October.

Bunaken, Indonesia

If the time of year weren’t an issue, Bunaken would probably be my top choice for a destination to learn to dive. The tiny island just off the northern tip of Sulawesi in Indonesia has some of the best diving you can find, with a huge abundance of sea life on view. Conditions are generally calm, although currents can be strong on some sites. Your dive instructors will take you to the easier sites to start with. You’re almost assured to have experiences on your first few dive that will get you hooked on the sport. The downside, if there is one, is that most of the dive resorts around Bunaken are more or less self-contained. You won’t find much in the way of independent restaurants or night life outside of the resorts.

When to go: Bunaken is best from may to October, with the summer months of July and August being ideal.

Most of the Komodo Dancer’s trips are from Bali to Komodo or vice-versa, but they do have an East of Flores trip that sounds interesting.

A Spiny Devilfish "walks" along the sandy bottom

The first sight of this guy was quite intriguing, since it was indeed "walking" along the bottom. I wondered if maybe it was a shrimp that looked like a scorpionfish, but once back on the boat I confirmed it was in fact the Spiny Devilfish.

Thanks again to Two Fish Divers and their guide Franz for a great trip.

Ghost Pipefish – there is small stuff around Bunaken

I’m also staying at Two Fish Divers resort in Bunaken. They are one of only two or three resorts with operations in both locations. The big advantage with this is that I didn’t have to stop diving hours before the transfer so my gear would have time to dry out before I packed it. Instead, Two Fish puts my wet gear in one of their own day bags for transfer between their resorts along with my luggage.

Two Fish Bunaken resort.

In addition to convenience, Two Fish is a very nice operation. The accommodation may not be posh, but it’s comfortable and well maintained, as is their equipment. Their staff – not just the dive guides but also the reception and restaurant – are all friendly and helpful.

A Seahorse

Pink Painted Frogfish (?) – the same color as the sponge.

A Flamboyant Cuttlefish

I’m staying with Two Fish divers in Lembeh. Really nice folks there, and as you can see, some really good dive guides.

Speaking of trip prices, Sunrise is offering up to US$500 off on selected Komodo cruises. To get the best deals, you need to book by 30 April, so you better act quickly. Check the prices and schedules for the Komodo Dancer, Mermaid I and Mermaid II. Although not "on sale", the Moana still offers excellent value for money.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control – as the saying goes – I haven’t been able to write up a complete trip report for this dive blog. However, you can read a general overview of the trip in my regular travel journal. I also posted a few Komodo teaser videos there as well.

Look for more updates soon.

The base of operations for the group is the Paradise Palm Beach Resort, one of a small handful of dedicated dive resorts in Tulamben Bay. The bay itself is rather pretty and wild looking, as aside from the few resorts, there’s not much else here. The thing I’d heard about diving here was that it was a “beach entry”. What I hadn’t heard was that the beach wasn’t sand, but large stones around the size of a fist. It’s a hard surface to make your way over, even without more than 20 kilos of weight on your back.

Fortunately, you don’t have to haul your tank and BCD the 100 yards up the beach for the entry. No, that job is left to some rather dainty ladies, who carry the tank, BCD and Octo assemblies up the beach for you, on their heads.

Of course, like almost all dives, once you’re in the water, all is forgotten. Oddly, once you get to deeper water, the stones give way to sand. We follow the bottom directly away from shore for a while. I’m such a newbie, I’m distracted for a moment adjusting my strange BCD, and suddenly when I look to my left, I find the stern of the Liberty looming over me. My guide and diving buddy Dendra motions for us to proceed down and around the wreck.

The old ship is almost completely covered with corals, and alive with many different fish. A large bannerfish is nicely framed by part of the superstructure. Not far from here, Dendra swims up close to a large fan coral and begins looking closely over the delicate veins. He seems to find what he’s looking for, and hands me a magnifying glass, point to a spot on the coral. It takes me a while to see what he’s trying to point out, but I finally make it out: a pygmy seahorse. It’s not much bigger than a flea, and exactly the same color as the coral it has its tail wrapped around, which is why it’s so hard to spot.

Not long after this, it’s time to start heading back. It’s always disappointing having to call an end to a dive, but I’m especially left wanting for more this time. So, I’ll definitely be back to dive on the Liberty again.

See the Liberty Shipwreck dive site page for all the specifications and other details.