6 Top Regional Dive Sites

I would love to learn diving and under a certified diving school, coz i've heard enough scary stories of accidents and recently, there seem to be a increase of deaths resulting from diving incidents. One will have to be careful and vigilant, especially in the sea diving, coz there are alot of distractions which will draw your attention away. Most importantly, i guess has to be doing further research before heading out and Dive Centres are the best resources because they know first hand most details about the site, and instructors can advise you on environmental conditions underwater.

Now with the moonsoon season just over, divers are putting on their flippers again. The following are what i've gathered which is very worthwhile to take some roads, less travelled to catch the, well, bigger fish.

6) Layang Layang, Malaysia
Layang Layang is part of the 600 island, reef and shoal group in the South China Sea known as The Spratlys. Pristine coral reef atoll is 14 sq km wide and surrounding waters drop to 2,000m deep abyss. Great numbers of barracuda, jacks and the hammerhead shark frequent these waters. The reefs and walls are also home to some of the finest and most spectacular displays of hard and soft corals in the world.
Depth: 2,000m
Visibility: About 50m
Getting there: One-hour flight from Kota Kinabalu
Off season: November to January

5) Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
The Liberty wreck - a United States Army transportation services ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese on Jan11, 1942 - marks Tulamben as Bali's most famous dive site. This wreck lies in depths from 9m to 30m over 120m of the sea floor, and divers can see the guns, toilets, boilers and anchor chain among other parts of the sunken ship. Totally encrusted in anemone, gorgonians and corals. Marine life includes a huge school of big-eyed trevally and over 400 other species of fish, including anglerfish, neon nudibranches, ghost pipefish, shrimp, goby, garden eels, multi-coloured anthias and butterlfy fish. Must not missed is the Tulamben Wall, which drops to over 60m and houses a magnificent purple gorgonian sea fan over 2m wide.
Depth: 5 to 60m
Visibility: 10 to 25m
Getting there: 10-minute boat ride from Amed on the south-eastern tip of Bali
Best months: April to October

4) Similan, Thailand
The Similan Islands comprises of nine granite islands covered in thick tropical jungle, surrounded by powder-white beaches and crystal-clear waters. The area is a protected national park and camping is allowed on the islands. Beneath the surface lies a diverse landscape of deep canyons, giant boulders, a coral gardens, caves and walls.
Depth: 5 to 30m
Visibility: About 40m
Getting there: Three-hour boat ride from either Phuket or Khao Lak

3) Cebu Islands, Philippines
A long narrow island surrounded by 167 neighbouring smaller islands, including Mactan Island, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. See plenty of sharks at Malapascua and Gata Island. Capitancillo Island has a wall on its south side with gorgonians and other coral formations. Manta rays, yellowfin and groupers are regular visitors.
Depth: Average of 30m
Visibility: Up to 40m
Getting there: Three hours north of Cebu City by road. Transfers to sites can take up to an hour by boat.
Best months: November to May

2) Manado, Indonesia
Gateway to the world-class dive spots in the Bunaken National Park, the Lembeh Strait and a number of islands further out - the city of Manado in northern Sulawesi. Extraordinary walls and vertiginous drop-offs abound at this dive site, which is also rich in corals and reef fish, including feather-stars, sponges, nudibranches(sea slug) and gorgonians(sea fan coral). There is even a well-preserved shipwreck from World War II.
Depth: 5 to 40m
Visibility: 20 to 40m
Getting there: Fly to Manado International Airport
Best months: Every month

1) Sipada, Malaysia
Only oceanic island in Malaysia that rises 600m on a limestone pinnacle and "mushrooms" out near the surface. This site is made famous by Jacques Cousteau's documentary, Ghost Of The Sea Turtles. Fascinating coral structures, marine caves abound in the waters underneath. With the largest variety of soft corals in the world, turtles swim and frolic freely in the waters around Sipadan and divers will find lobsters, barracudas, beautiful coral fish and sometimes even sharks swimming by.
Depth: 15 to 20m
Visibility: At least 30m
Getting there: 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna port in Borneo
Best months: Diving can be done all-year, although January to March can see some stormy weather.

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War Museums at Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Woke up early in the morning expecting my friends to drive me from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, Thailands 3rd largest province. It took around half a days ride to where we were putting up, a River Kwai resort by the famous River Kwai. Immediately, i fall in love with this peaceful and yet tranquil place. A place that was once wrecked by war and casualties of the Allied forces, mainly armies of Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland.

During the day, all of us boarded a big platform pulled by a motorised boat in a boat similar kind of model. Even on a hot day, it was cooling under the shelter of our platform, we played chess, chitchatted and had fun. The amazing sight, i must say is that we saw youngsters dancing to the sound of disco beats on a similar platform like ours too pulled by a motorised boat. Quite fun literally dancing on water...

War Museums like the Jeath Museums were built to commemorate these brave soldiers whom has died in the war. Usually, in the months of late November and early December, you'll get to watch the sight and sounds of the River Kwai en-acting what happened during those fateful time this Death Railway has experimented during War, including a Allied Bombing Raid too. At the end of the night, there will be wonderful fireworks for everyone to enjoy.

While sitting relaxingly by the River Kwai and experiencing the nice fireworks, a sense of tiredness and awe that now i'm actually sitting here enjoying the view which has been a war zone area and thousands has died here.

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The Rose of the North - Chiangmai, Thailand

This northern city that i've been is surrounded by mountains and average temperature of 25.5'c. Compared with its capital, Bangkok, it is less polluted and much cooler. As a second largest city of Thailand, it used to be the capital of old Lanna Thai, the first independent nation in Thai history. With its civil wars fought in the past, she has suffered severe damages, with many relics destroyed.

The residents have their own northern language, traditional costume, a wide variety of agriculture products and handicrafts, traditional dance and authentic tasty northern food. Chiangmai is full of wonderful festivals around the year. Three major festivals are Flower Festival which commences during the first Saturday of every February, Water Festival from 13 - 15 April and Loy Krathong festival on the mid of November. During these festivals, there are many flower float parade and beauty contest.

Once you have visited her, you will sure fall in love with its fascinating scenic spots, warm smile, beautiful culture and colorful festival. If i'm given the chance, i will select her as one of the best city for residence because of her beautiful culture and unpolluted environment.

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