As we round off a fantastic 2018, filled with awesome scuba diving experiences in new and exciting destinations and resorts, we can recommend the must-see destinations for 2019:
- Chuuk – Micronesia. What makes Chuuk so special is the abundance of ship wrecks in the vicinity. With handfuls of supply ships, aircraft carriers, tugs and planes sunk during a 2 day US raid on the Japanese base in Chuuk in 1944, there are so many fascinating sites to dive, many of which have loads of coral life growing on them, as well as incredible artifacts to explore. These include munitions, guns, tanks, plane parts, trucks, bottles, plates, medical supplies and more. Now accessible directly from Tokyo on Air Niugini, getting to this small group of islands in the Pacific is much easier and definitely worth the extra travel time.
- Alor – Indonesia. One of our favourite places to go scuba diving, this part of the country is still relatively undived. The sits here are a mix of some of the healthiest reefs we have seen, and spectacular black sand muck sites to rival those of Lembeh and Ambon. Easy to access with a fantastic resort and awesome diving, including a pretty stunning house reef complete with Mandarin fish, this is a must visit.
- Maratua Atoll- East Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia. What makes this part of the world so special is the variety of marine life in the area. Everything from reef and thresher sharks, manta rays and an abundance of turtles, to ghost pipefish and sea snakes, the diving here is fantastic and offers something for everyone. Another reason to visit is the Kakaban lake- a land locked lake with loads of sting-less jellyfish living inside it, which one can snorkel with, a special experience indeed.
- Dauin – Negros, Philippines. One of our preferred spots to dive in the Philippines (although the list is not short), Dauin offers an awesome array of scuba diving opportunities. Here one can dive on the coast, on some of the best muck dive sites in the country. Alternatively one can travel about half an hour by boat to Apo Island, the oldest and most established marine protected area in the country. Thriving, fishy with beautiful corals, sharks and turtles, this area is a delight to dive. ALso, not to far away, and weather depending, one can travel to Siquijor Island for beautiful and little-dived fringing reefs.
