timyeo - Bluewater Dive Travel

timyeo

timyeo

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Reviews (33)

Scuba Diving in the Maldives

5
5
5
5

This is my 2nd trip to the Maldives doing the central atolls itinerary and the diving blew my mind this time (I just did Raja 2 months before this trip). The soft coral gardens were so colorful with reds, oranges, yellows and blue colors. There were also dives with table coral gardens stretching as far as the eye can see.
For marine life, we saw lots of sharks (blacktip, whitetip, grey reef, guitarfish, nurse, tiger), mantas, whaleshark, massive rays, dogtooth tuna, big schools of blue-striped snappers, bannerfish and red toothed triggerfish. There were lots of batfish, sweetlips, soldierfish, giant travellys, morays, and anemonefish.
The water was a very comfortable 82-85F and no one complained about feeling cold.
The Maldives covers a big area and you can cover a larger area with more varied dives from a liveaboard versus resort based. Liveaboard diving here is also very affordable and most of them are very nice. If you have not done a liveaboard before, the Maldives is the perfect place to do your first.

Visited on 03/2024 - Submitted on 03/30/2024
Read all Scuba Diving in the Maldives Dive Travel reviews

M/Y White Pearl

5
5
5
4

Wow! What a gorgeous boat. If you are looking for luxury in the Maldives, the White Pearl is the best value! The cabins are huge with lots of storage space. The windows are massive and views are incredible. The shower is large and also has a large window to look out onto the ocean. Water is hot and pressure is very strong.
The dining area is nicely designed and always kept cool as a nice common hideout during the afternoon heat.
The bar and jacuzzi area is so well laid out with lots of chairs that can easily accommodate everyone on board with room to spare. The bar looks like it could be in a hotel. There are 2 jacuzzis. One is shaded and one in the sun. Water temperatures in the jacuzzi is very comfortable.
The camera room doubles up as a TV room and it is right next to the amazing spa room. There is enough camera table space to accommodate 6 full DSLR setups, or about a dozen smaller setups. There are plenty of outlets so no need to fight over them. You can plug in America or European plugs into the sockets.
The deck where most of the cabins are also has a laundry room that guests can use at any time. There are 4 sets of washers and dryers in the room.
The sky deck is one of my favorite places to hang out. It is so spacious and has a large covered area if you need some shade. There are enough seats to accommodate 40+ people!
The dhoni (dive boat) where you will be diving from is very open and has plenty of space. It does not feel cramped like most other dhonis in the Maldives because there are no compressors or air banks on the dhoni. Tanks are filled on the main liveaboard and then brought over to the dhoni. A lot of work for the crew, but great for guests. The sun deck on the dhoni has bean bag chairs to hang out on during the short rides to and from the dive site.
The local and international crew is great. They are all very friendly and hardworking but at the same time professional.
The food is plentiful and well executed and all meals are served buffet style. The only reason I dropped the food one star is because desserts was lacking. Fruits are always available after meals and my scale will thank me when I get home.
We did 18 dives in the weeklong Central Atolls itinerary and that included 2 night dives. The diving schedule is very relaxed with plenty of time between dives to nap. The chosen dive sites were excellent and the pre dive briefings were detailed.
Apart from diving, there are watersport activities like jet ski, stand up paddle boarding and a waterslide.
Overall an excellent boat and experience.

Visited on 03/2024 - Submitted on 03/30/2024
Read all M/Y White Pearl Dive Liveaboard reviews

Cooks Bay Hotel & Suites Moorea

5
5
5
5

This is a new hotel that opened up in 2023. Rooms are large and modern with a kitchen and separate bedroom. The views from the rooms, the pool, and especially the restaurant are incredible. Food in the restaurant is excellent, and one of the best things to do in Moorea is to go for Happy Hour in the restaurant and enjoy the sunset.
The hotel is also very convenient. There were multiple food places to try within a walking distance from the hotel. The town is also walkable, maybe 20 minutes.

Visited on 10/2023 - Submitted on 02/09/2024
Read all Cooks Bay Hotel & Suites Moorea Dive Resort reviews

Solitude Lembeh Dive Resort

5
5
5
5

Solitude Lembeh is an excellent dive resort. The resort and dive staff are very friendly and they have thought of everything to make your stay comfortable. The transfers are easy and they even brought water and a snack box for the hour long ride from the airport. Meal times are a blast as the menu is extensive with both local and western dishes. After your scrumptious meal, you choose what you want for your next meal. Lunches and dinners include a starter, main and a dessert. They even arranged a BBQ and a song and dance on our last night as we came with a group.
The camera room is large and has at least 20 camera stations. There is an infinity pool next to the restaurant/bar, and there is also a spa which offers very reasonably priced massages.
The dive operation is excellent with great guides and good air fills. The dive boats are fast with one of their boats having two 200hp engines and the other boat having two 150hp engines. After the dive, a hot face towel is presented to everyone, which is an amazing touch. Water, fruit and bath towels are also available on the dive boat. All surface intervals are done back at the resort which is great.

Visited on 01/2024 - Submitted on 01/16/2024
Read all Solitude Lembeh Dive Resort Dive Resort reviews

Emperor Harmoni

5
5
5
5

The Emperor Harmoni was built from scratch and started her maiden voyage in 2022. She is a beautiful vessel and is very large and spacious with plenty of common areas to hang out. The cabins are large, the water pressure is strong and the water is hot. Food is excellent and plentiful. The dive deck is large and there are 4 hot showers for after the dive. There are also 2 toilets on the dive deck. Guide ratios are 4:1 and there are 3 zodiacs so only your group is on the zodiac and there is plenty of space. There are 2 camera tables (one on the dive area, and the other in the galley) and plenty of outlets so there is no need to charge batteries in the rooms.
Everything is included in the cost of the trip (Nitrox, marine park fees, fuel surcharge) so there are no surprises at check out. The only thing you pay for is on board expenses and gratuity.
Overall an excellent vessel and very well run.

Visited on 01/2024 - Submitted on 01/16/2024
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Latitude Encounters - Mexico

5
5
5
5

The best in Baja California for marine wildlife safaris. Whether you want to see sharks, turtles, dolphins, whales, marlins, orcas, mobulas etc, Latitude Encounters offers guests the best chances to see them. Their boats are big and comfortable and their guides are excellent. Very knowledgeable, professional and personable. Highly recommended for marine wildlife safaris.

Visited on 05/2021 - Submitted on 10/31/2023
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Diving in the Red Sea

5
5
5
5

This is my 2nd trip to the Red Sea and it didn’t disappoint again. I did both the southern itinerary for reefs and big animals and the northern itinerary for wrecks and it was one of the best 2 weeks of diving I’ve done.
We did not see many sharks, or any mantas or whale sharks this time, but the reefs of the southern itinerary are some of the healthiest and most colorful in the world. Lots of massive soft coral gardens inhabited with all kinds of tropical reef fish. The best reefs are Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone and these can only be accessed via liveaboard.
In the northern itinerary, there are so many wrecks that any wreck diving enthusiast will be very happy. The famous Thistlegorm wreck is the highlight, and the best way to dive it is from a liveaboard so you can plan the dives around the arrival of the multitude of day boats. The reefs in the north are also really nice with a mix of soft and hard corals and large gorgonian fans.
Because most sites in the northern itinerary can also be dived from land-based resorts, the sites are more crowded than the southern itineraries.

Visited on 06/2023 - Submitted on 06/26/2023
Read all Diving in the Red Sea Dive Travel reviews

Red Sea Aggressor II

4
5
5
5

The Red Sea Aggressor II does the northern Red Sea itinerary which is great for wreck diving enthusiasts. The boat itself isn’t new, but it is well maintained and we did not envy other boats that were anchored next to us. Everything worked exceptionally well on the boat and no one encountered any issues on the boat.
There is no camera room, but there are two camera tables on the dive deck and lots of cubby holes for photographers to put their electronics in. There are lots of electrical outlets all over the boat for charging as well.
The best thing about this boat is the crew. They really made the trip for us. The cruise director is one of the best that I have encountered (I’ve done over 20 liveaboards) and he makes the trip really fun for everyone, including his crew. The guests and the crew were all having fun during the week. It is. It only really fun, but there is also a strong focus on safety. The dive crew are all very experienced divers in the Red Sea and excellent at what they do.
We also have the flexibility to dive with the divemaster or buddy up and go do our own dives. The dive briefings are very detailed so it gave us a lot of confidence to separate from the group and go off on our own to explore. For divers who prefer to dive with the divemaster, the groups are smaller because some divers would rather plan and do their own dive. Everyone wins!
Overall the crew really made the trip for us and we had a really good time on the boat. Highly recommend!

Visited on 05/2023 - Submitted on 06/26/2023
Read all Red Sea Aggressor II Dive Liveaboard reviews

Red Sea Aggressor IV

4
5
5
4

This is a new and very nice boat sailing in the Red Sea southern itinerary. There are 5 different levels to the boat and lots of space for all the guests to spread out. Most of the diving is done from zodiacs, but some times from the mothership. There is no camera room, but there are 2 camera tables on the dive deck and cubbies holes for the photographers to store all their electronics. There lots of electrical outlets all over the boat for charging electronics, and there is plenty of space in the lounge area, dining area or bar area to set up camera systems.
The cruise director and crew are excellent. They are very experienced and professional. The menu changes daily and the food is tasty. Divers with dietary restrictions will have no problems on the boat.
Nice warm towels are draped over your shoulders once your BCD is off your back. What a treat! The crew on the dive deck are really helpful with getting your gear on and off. Air and Nitrox fills are good and consistent. There are also robes in each cabin which is nice to put on in between dives.
We also have the flexibility to dive with the divemaster or buddy up and go do our own dives. The dive briefings are very detailed so it gave us a lot of confidence to separate from the group and go off on our own to explore. For divers who prefer to dive with the divemaster, the groups are smaller because some divers would rather plan and do their own dive. Everyone wins!
Overall great boat, excellent service and highly recommend.

Visited on 05/2023 - Submitted on 06/26/2023
Read all Red Sea Aggressor IV Dive Liveaboard reviews

San Ignacio Lagoon

5
5
5
5

Wow! This is one of the best places in the world to interact with whales. Gray whales migrate into the bay every year to mate, and give birth and guests can pet them and kiss them. We were not chasing the whales. We simply motored next to them, cut the engine, and they chose to swim over to us and stick their heads out of the water looking to interact with us. This is a great trip for the whole family. We are not allowed in the water so non-divers can enjoy this trip as much as divers.

Visited on 04/2023 - Submitted on 05/24/2023
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