Dive and Nature Travel

Friendly, responsive and helpful crew, comfy / clean accommodations, terrific food, and spacious common areas. Efficient dive operations with 3 zodiacs, guides that find even the tiniest creatures, and showers to rinse off as you take off your wetsuit. Camera room with AC. Private and common areas cleaned daily. Hope to go back out with them soon!

Diving in Halmahera was excellent. We spent 4 full days diving Halmahera from a liveaboard and we got excellent visibility (over 80 feet) the whole time and saw many large schools of jacks, barracuda and friendly batfish. The reefs were extremely healthy with lots of soft and hard corals and were filled with fish life like anthias. We also did not see any other dive boat the whole week on our Halmahera trip, a very nice change from other more popular diving destinations in Indonesia where it can get quite crowded.

The White Manta is a spacious and comfortable liveaboard that works very well for divers looking for a relaxed mid range option in Indonesia. The boat can accommodate up to 28 guests, but the generous layout means there is still plenty of room to spread out between dives. Guests can relax in the indoor dining area, the upper deck lounge space, or the large covered sun deck, which has plenty of lounge beds, tables, and chairs. Cabins and ensuite bathrooms are large, comfortable, and offer good storage space, with options across the upper, main, and lower decks. The main deck cabins are especially convenient for guests who prefer to avoid stairs, as the dive deck, dining area, and cabins are all on the same level. Cabins are serviced multiple times per day while guests are diving, which helps keep the rooms fresh and comfortable throughout the trip. Diving is done from three large metal zodiacs, with plenty of space for guests and gear. The crew loads the dive equipment onto the zodiacs, so guests only need to step on and off with their masks, making the process easy and comfortable. Dive groups are kept small, with a 4:1 guide ratio, and the zodiac setup allows groups to be transported efficiently to and from the dive sites. Meals are plentiful, with buffet style breakfast and lunch, and a plated three course dinner each evening. The White Manta is also a good choice for single divers, as some departures offer shared options with a relatively low single supplement.

Tubbataha might be one of the best diving destinations in the Philippines for lovers of clean clear water and healthy reefs filled with marine life. It is a destination that is only accessible via liveaboard so the number of divers in the water is somewhat limited. During my trip in April 2026, our group experienced 80 foot viz and 86 Fahrenheit water all week. Thermoclines dropped the water to a refreshing 82 degrees. Most of the dives were drift dives with the current and were very relaxing. We usually started the drift along the wall that has lots of soft corals and large sea fans. Schools of jacks, grey reef sharks and tuns were patrolling the deeper parts of the wall. As we made our way up the wall, there were more hard corals and lots of anthias, big schools of longfin bannerfish, redtooth triggerfish and harlequin sweetlips. The end of the dive and safety stop were spent on the top of the reef that has big coral bommies, massive ball of jacks and schools of barracua, titan and yellowmargin triggerfish, white tip reef sharks and turtles!

A dive trip aboard the Gypsy is a wonderful experience for a group of friends or if you really prefer a small group. The boat isn't huge and the galley and dive areas are small, but the cabins are decent sized and a surprisingly amount of storage spaces in the cabin. The maser cabin is especially nice with a double bed, couch area and separate toilet and shower rooms. There is ample space and seating areas on the top deck and the bow to spread out and hang out and chill between dives and in the evenings. The food is simple but very well prepared. All meals are served à la carte. Breakfast is 2 course and starts off with a fruit platter followed by eggs cooked your style, toast and some protein. Lunch is 3 course with a soup, a protein and salad for lunch and a dessert. Dinner is 2 courses with a main dish followed by a dessert. Throughout the week we had beef steak, surf & turf, mackerel steak and many more delicious dishes. There are 2 dive groups of 4 divers each and diving is done via one zodiac. There are 2 zodiac divers on the on zodiac so along with the dive guide, there is plenty of help getting on and off the zodiac. One of the best things about the Gypsy is the Seakeeper, a computer-controlled gyroscope stabilizer for boats that eliminates up to 95% of boat roll, significantly reducing seasickness and instability. It is my first time on a boat with a Seakeeper and it really works! They Gypsy is for you if you do not need 5 star luxury accommodations aboard a liveaboard. If you value diving in a small group where you and 3 other divers might be the only ones you see underwater, then the Gypsy was made for you.

I do not have sufficient superlatives! I was there 8 days, 4 diving days, 4 days on Sipidan. Staff is wonderful. Jasci is a fabulous divemaster. Elizabeth is excellent. Sipidan is in perfect condition. Transfers are perfect; great food! High recommended. A/C and TV for nap time is excellent. People from all over the world and everyone loves it!

WOW, What a Memorable Week!!! From the moment our driver Angel picked us up at the airport to the sad day we had to leave, our stay at Barefoot Cay was AMAZING!!! We stayed in an Oceanview Suite. Great, comfortable, clean, and convenient room above the dive shop. Incredible pool and lounge areas. FIVE STAR restaurant and service: Chef German, F&B Director Javier, and our two servers Leo & Jasmine exceeded every expectation! We did 18 dives between my wife & I in 6 days, including our first night dive, with an amazing, lights off, bioluminescence experience!!! Beautiful conditions in March, 50-100 foot visibility, incredible ledges, minimal currents, endless hard corals, teaming with life. Mary's Place, top 10 dive spots on the planet, only a stones throw from the resort. Captain Kinley was so friendly and professional and our Dive Master Steiner is a Seahorse and Octopus Whisperer!!! Kayaking around the island and snorkeling off the awesome gazebo pier even exceeded our expectations. Thank You Barefoot Cay (Drivers, Front Desk Staff, Housekeeping, Dive Masters, Boat Captains, Security Staff, Island Shuttle Staff, Cooks, Bartenders, Baristas, and Servers) for a TRULY AMAZING WEEK!!!

We just finished a Galápagos dive liveaboard on the Calipso and it was a true bucket-list trip. The dive locations on the itinerary absolutely delivered—we saw everything we hoped for except whale sharks: hammerheads (not huge schools but plenty), Galápagos sharks, blacktips, many rays and other nonstop marine life. One unforgettable moment came during the marine iguana dive when we were told orcas were nearby—we ended the dive early and were able to get in the water with them, an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The crew was outstanding—professional, hardworking, and clearly committed to making the trip great. The Calipso itself is an older boat, but very clean, well-kept, and comfortable with great WiFi—just don’t expect a luxury experience. Conditions are advanced, with strong currents and rapidly changing water temps (it went from warm to very cold fast), so come prepared with a hood and thicker wetsuit. If you’re an experienced diver, this trip absolutely delivers.

We just got off a week on the Galaxy Diver 2 and had a fantastic time. While the underwater conditions did not always cooperate (our dives at Darwin Island were heavy on surge and light on wildlife), the overall trip was incredible. The food on GD2 was excellent, to the extent that another couple on the trip said it was the best food they've ever had on any of the 10 liveaboards they've done. The crew was very impressive and clearly well trained. Loading and unloading zodiacs was smooth and efficient, even in heavy seas. I would strongly recommend GD2 to anyone considering Galapagos.

After my Komodo liveaboard trip, I headed to Lembeh. It was top of my list forever because I love critters, and seahorses especially—even if they sound common to some divers—I’d never seen one, though I'd dreamed of them since I was a kid. Right away on the house reef, I found so many critters. You could spend hours underwater just watching them and trying for good photos or videos. The dive guides are patient with sharp eyes for spotting special critters you’d never see on your own. Small groups, sometimes even private, made it all the more relaxed in the warm water. The entire diving experience exceeded my expectations. The place feels luxurious and very peaceful, with black sand that looks amazing both in and out of the water—you really feel in complete harmony with the surroundings. Lembeh is a must for every diver.

Paradise Taveuni is a wonderful boutique hotel on the south side of Fiji’s Garden Island, Taveuni. Right from the start, everything is set up to make you feel welcome. You get a foot massage when you arrive, and a tasty cocktail as you take in the ocean and the lush jungle around you. It’s easy to relax and feel looked after here. The owners clearly think about every detail to make your dive vacation unique. With just a short boat ride to the Somosomo Strait, divers will be amazed by the soft corals and marine life at sites like the White Wall, Cabage Patch, or Vuna Reefs. If you love nudibranchs, make sure to stay close to your guide – they have exceptional critter‑finding skills. After the dives, we really enjoyed the fresh, local dishes with an international touch, all very delicately prepared. If you feel like a spa treatment, just indulge in a relaxing massage. In the evening, you can enjoy local entertainment with dancing and singing. Fijians are well known for their love of singing with guests. You will definitely enjoy your stay and want to come back – a true gem!

Fuvahmulah Dive Center I traveled to Fuvahmulah on my own after a liveaboard in the central atolls, at a time when tourism there was just beginning, with only one dive center and one guesthouse open. The island felt like a real frontier—very local, authentic, and exciting for a diver looking for something different. Most people go to Fuvahmulah for one main reason: tiger sharks. Tiger Zoo is an unforgettable experience, just a few minutes by boat from the harbor, so you’re in the water quickly. You dive in shallow water with beautiful natural light, perfect for video and photography, and the sharks come in close, bold and curious, so the adrenaline is definitely there while still feeling under control. But Fuvahmulah is not only Tiger Zoo. The island is quite big for the Maldives and offers a variety of dive sites and conditions around it. There are easier, more sheltered dives that suit relatively new divers, and more demanding sites with stronger current and drop‑offs that really reward experienced divers. I was very lucky to see a thresher shark and found the reef quite healthy, which really gave the feeling of a new, lightly visited destination. Topside, I loved the island itself: lush vegetation, beautiful long beaches where you can sometimes be completely alone, or just sit and watch local kids playing in the waves. The atmosphere felt very relaxed and genuinely local. My guesthouse stay was excellent. The room was comfortable, the place well looked after, and the staff were warm, attentive and very flexible with my schedule. The food was tasty and exactly what I needed between dive days. As a demanding dive instructor when I travel and dive for myself, I really appreciated how flexible and accommodating both the guesthouse and Fuvahmulah Dive were with dive plans, logistics and my personal preferences.

The Riviera Maya in Yucatán is a very diverse diving destination with plenty to offer non‑divers as well, so everyone can have a great time together. I particularly enjoy staying in Playa del Carmen and sometimes going over to Cozumel. In winter, I like to dive with the bull sharks in Playa del Carmen. It’s a fantastic dive when it’s done in really safe conditions and with good visibility. The dive is around 23 meters on a sandy bottom and clearly for advanced divers, but it’s an unforgettable feeling to have about 5–10 bull sharks swimming around you. Cozumel is also a big part of why I love this area. I really enjoy the classic drift dives there, just letting the current carry you effortlessly along the reef. The visibility can easily reach around 100 feet, with clear turquoise water, impressive drop‑offs and great wide‑angle opportunities on the walls and reef formations. The region is also famous for its cenotes, where you don’t need to be cave certified to discover this overhead environment. Hidden in the jungle, with crystal‑clear blue water and spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, it feels a bit like being Indiana Jones. The visibility is incredible, and you can really imagine the Maya in the same place—every diver should try cenote diving at least once. When you’re not diving, you can explore Mayan archaeological sites, enjoy the nightlife if you feel like it, or simply stroll along Playa del Carmen’s 5th Avenue, which makes it a great destination for family and friends.

The resort is beautiful, definitely the nicest and best maintained of any place we've been. The rooms were HUGE and comfortable and well maintained. Any issues were resolved quickly (our hot water wasn't working when we arrived and they were already in the middle of fixing it, hardly a problem when all we wanted were cool showers anyway) and communication was top notch. The resort app was a little strange of a concept for me but ultimately was a very effective tool they've built. The pools were great, our daughter spent every waking moment in them. She made some fast friends with the resort manager's kids and had a great time. The diving was fun, a real change of pace from our usual reef drift dives. This was our first time on a muck focused dive trip and it was a new experience we really enjoyed. The guide to guest ratio was wild, I've never been to a place with a max of 4 guests per guide, the two of us had Richard to ourselves for 4 days straight. We don't usually rely on the guides as they're often busy with less experienced or independent divers so having him point out the microscopic critters we didn't even know to look for was a real treat. The reef dives nearby were a fun break from critter hunting, healthy, but we've been ruined by the likes of Raja Ampat, Komodo, and Tubbataha. The dive center is well organized and ran efficiently, we never had a single problem or late dive. The camera room is well equipped. We did go up to Oslob for the whale shark snorkel. I'm still happy we saw the amazing animals but ethically I'll carry some guilt having added to the chaos. Meryl and my in-laws were excited and happy they got to see them, my in-laws will never see them in nature, but I cant recommend it to anyone, it's a zoo, the animals may be free to come and go as they please, but they're essentially in captivity. Seeing them in the real world is still on our hit list. The highlight of the trip, honestly, was the food. Atmosphere's chefs are nothing short of incredible. I have never eaten at a place with such consistently high quality, beautifully prepared and delicious food in my life. I was expecting the usual South Eastern Asian experience of fruit, rice and slightly overcooked fish. I couldn't have been more wrong. These people are artists. All of us were simply blown away by what we ate at every meal, real effort has gone into setting up and staffing their kitchen. I suspect these people were poached from a Michelin star candidate.

Traveled solo and stayed at Sunset House for 4 days with them, it felt like home right away! The front desk staff and restaurant staff make you feel welcome as soon as you step inside. The dive staff are amazing, they are super attentive to the the divers and care to establish a relationship with everyone, they all learn the divers' names and are genuinely happy to work there. You get a dive locker with a lock assigned where you keep your gear throughout your stay, and they have wheelbarrows that you can use to take the gear down to the dock. The boats are big and comfortable, the dive and boat briefings are super thorough and well done. Shore diving is available any time of the day, you just need to check out a tank before the dive center closes and go with your buddy or sign up for the scheduled night dive. Diving the Kittiwake was amazing! You get to dive in and around it, it's a shallow dive but so interesting and full of life! The reefs are full of fish and the wall is very impressive to look at dropping down hundreds of meters down! Lots of tiny critters, stay close to the dive instructors, they will show them to you throughout the whole dive! Half of the dive is guided, half is free to discover the area. They have a limit of 750 PSI or 60 minute bottom time, it goes by so fast! The rooms are big, with a safe, mini fridge, and coffee machine, they are either facing the garden or the ocean, the views are amazing from the balconies and the beds are super comfortable. Both restaurants on site have delicious food and even locals go eat there! Being so close to the airport and town makes it a great place to get off the plane and start diving ASAP! It's comfortable, clean, convenient, has a great vibe and the sunsets are stunning!