If you fancy yourself a diving enthusiast, buy an underwater camera. Sure, taking photographs of awesome marine life will distract you from enjoying the moment, but you can  always enjoy those moments while flipping the album at the comfort and safety of your own home, without having to fiddle with your dive mask or scan warily for aggressive aquatic creatures. Or maybe, the next time you revisit any of these terrific dive spots, you can finally focus on enjoying yourself amidst the wonders of the deep ocean.

Koh Tao (Turtle Island) – a resort island off the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand, encircled with beautiful coral reefs and crystal-clear waters. The shallow depths make it ideal for beginners. The highlight of Koh Tao is the whale shark, which visits these waters at different times of the year. Visitors can take a domestic flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui, then board a high-speed catamaran to Koh Tao, or take a bus to Chumphon, then ride a ferry to the island.

Sipadan – only oceanic island in Malaysia, with a vertical wall 600 meters deep that’s just a few meters offshore. Once called by famed oceanographer Jacques Costeau as an “untouched piece of art”, Sipadan today is facing overdiving and pollution issues. In an attempt to alleviate the problem, authorities have banned overnight visits to the island. If you are able to dive here, a must-visit area would be Barracuda Point, an region that has thousands of barracudas circling in the waters. Sipadan can be reached by motorboat from the nearest town on the mainland, Semporna. A diving permit is required which can be handled by authorized diving operators.

Tulamben USS Liberty – a sunken WWII freighter just 30 meters off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. Due to the proximity of the wreck, this dive is easy to access from the shore. USS Liberty provides lots of swim-throughs and photographic opportunities with garden eels, anemones, and nudibranches. Other divers may scare off the variety of fishes during your visit, so dive early to avoid the crowd. To get to the small town of Tulamben, visitors must take a 3-hour drive from Bali’s airport in Denpasar.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Park – the best diving spot in the Philippines, which covers some 33,200 hectares of reef system in the Sulu Sea. The name “Tubbataha” comes from the Samal word for “long reef exposed at low tide”, and the marine park is known for its high density of aquatic species of over a thousand in number. The North Islet alone serves as a nesting site for several species of birds and turtles. Attractions include a 100 meter perpendicular wall and two coral islands. Tubbataha season is between March to June and visitors need to book years in advance with dedicated diving ships for the opportunity to explore the waters. The marine park takes some 12 hours to reach by boat from Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

The Great Barrier Reef – the famous Australian ecosystem that stretches more than 2,000 kilometers along the Queensland coast. The world’s largest reef system is made up of 2,600 different reefs, with some dating back as far as 18 million years ago. A dive in these waters reveals vivid marine life like Silver Bait Fish, Coral Trout, and turtles, to name a few.

Maeda Point – the most popular dive spot in Okinawa, Japan. A reef runs parallel along the shoreline, but just beyond it is a 100-foot vertical drop to the sea floor. There are steps constructed which lead down to the dive point, making it convenient for novice divers. Maeda Point is less known than other dive spots in Asia, which means there’s less chance of crowding from other divers. Make sure to bring an underwater flashlight for exploring the nearby underwater cave in the area.

Posted in Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Things to do

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