Congratulations to Regaldive Guest Andrew Green on winning Sport Diver Photo of the Month with this incredible photo of a Mantis Shrimp taken on a Regaldive holiday to Siladen Island, Manado, North Sulawesi.

We met up with Andrew and his wife Jane at LIDS in February and they shared some of the incredible images of their diving holidays. Take a look at just a few of Andrew's amazing shots on the Regaldive Facebook page.

Andrew and Jane Green have been diving for 10 years and travel all over the world in pursuit of new diving experiences. Andrew first became interested in photography five years ago when he bought a Canon G9 which was great fun but he soon realised that he wanted to make the leap to an SLR. Andrew acquired a Nikon D7000 and Nauticam enclosure and Jane treated him to a days' one-to-one tuition with Martin Edge in Bournemouth and that took his picture quality and composition to another level.

Well he never looked back and now seeks diving holidays with the potential for the best photo opportunities! If you're a budding photographer, Andrew and Jane really recommend two centre holidays. They tend to select a location with bigger subjects for the first week and smaller the second week. A few words from Andrew:

"It's difficult to single out the most memorable sites because they have all been so wonderful - we are so privileged.  For pure photo opportunities, I think the Siladen Island Resort and Spa combination with Kungkungan Bay Resort in North Sulawesi is difficult to beat. In fact the fantastic location of Siladen Island gives a great mix of wide angle and close up on its own. Within at most 20 minutes you can be on the wonderful sheer walls of Bunaken Island or the muck dives on the Shores of Manado. However you just can't beat the Lembeh Straits for wonderful macro opportunities. During the first dive of our last visit we plunged into what looked like an uninteresting dive at TK III, only to be literally surrounded by Mimic and Wonderpuss Octopus everywhere you looked. They seemed to be fighting amongst themselves to give the best photo opportunity to us!

The Philippines was fantastic, with Malapascua having wonderful macro opportunities for Sea Horses, Mandarin Fish and giant Nudibranchs - a slight contradiction - along with the illusive Thresher Sharks of course. Alona Vida with its easy access to Balicasag was a great combination of close focus wide angle and macro photography. Similarly Dumaguete with its macro along the shore and wide angle at Apo Island was a super combination, with the added bonus of an off-gassing last day at Oslob to snorkel with the Whale Sharks. Couldn't wish for more really..."

So what's next for Andrew and Jane?

"Although we favour diving for macro opportunities, we would love to have the opportunity to dive with the giant oceanic mantas."

We can't wait to see the photos!!

Are you looking for an incredible diving holiday close to home? The Maltese Islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino offer award-winning diving in crystal clear waters and can be reached in as little as three hours flying time from the UK. Add to this incredible underwater topography and multiple wrecks, and it’s easy to see why these beautiful Mediterranean islands are such a hotspot for British divers.

The sheer diversity of dive sites that can be reached by boat and shore, and the suitability of many sites for divers of different experience levels, has secured the Islands’ reputation as a great all-round diving destination. Malta & Gozo are consistently voted in the top three diving destinations worldwide by readers of the British diving magazines Diver and Sport Diver.

Calm, sheltered bays, exceptional water clarity and easy shore access make for ideal conditions for beginners taking their first breaths underwater. Complex tunnels, caves and some outstanding ship, plane and submarine wrecks attract legions of experienced, deep and technical divers year after year.

Where to go

Regaldive offers divers the choice of a holiday on either Malta or Gozo:

Malta offers a cosmopolitan and lively stay, being the largest and most developed island of the three Maltese Isles. Malta’s history as a disputed land has led to an impressive collection of wrecks and the Island becoming known as the wreck capital of the Mediterranean. Dozens of wrecks, historic and artificial, mean that Malta is a key technical diving destination. However, the island is also an ideal place for beginners with plenty of sheltered coves to explore. Malta’s calm, warm waters also make for excellent visibility and superb conditions for underwater photography.

Discover Malta >

Equally photogenic, the smaller island of Gozo is an unspoilt paradise with a simple, rural charm. The action here is underwater where the spectacular scenery draws divers back to Gozo time and time again. Arches and tunnels have been carved out of the coastline and offer endless points of natural rugged beauty around its 27 mile coastline, coupled with tremendous underwater visibility. The Blue Hole is perhaps the most famous dive site of all the Islands and purportedly a favourite dive of Jacques Cousteau. There are many more caverns, tunnels and swim throughs, plus two artificial wrecks to explore at leisure, whilst Gozo is also popular with new divers, captivated by its charm.

Discover Gozo >

Above water attractions

The Maltese Islands offer plenty to keep visitors entertained after an exciting days’ diving. Guests can explore the ancient streets and stunning harbour of the World Heritage City of Valletta, named European Capital of Culture 2018. Malta's photogenic capital is renowned for its rich collection of prehistoric artefacts, the impressive Grand Master’s Palace and majestic St. John’s Cathedral. A visit to the 'Silent City' of Mdina is also a must.

Gozo is home to the world’s oldest free-standing structures, the Ggantija Temples, which pre-date even the pyramids. Also worth a visit is the picturesque hilltop citadel of Victoria (Rabat). For a true Maltese experience however, take a walk or cycle ride around the pretty villages and find plenty of hidden treasures – medieval churches, fresh local cuisine, private sandy coves, and a warm Mediterranean welcome at every turn.

Situated between Malta and Gozo, the tiny Island of Comino is just 3.5 square kilometres and car free. This Island paradise offers a lovely diversion and peaceful day visit with some of the archipelago’s prettiest coves and quiet beaches.

When to go

The Maltese archipelago is renowned for its mild climate boasting 300+ days of sunshine throughout the year and hot, dry summers. With water temperatures ranging from 15 - 25°C throughout the year, most divers opt to visit Malta during the main diving season from May to October to take advantage of calm, warmer waters that offer ideal diving conditions.

Getting there

Malta is very easy to get to from the UK with daily scheduled flights from London Heathrow and Gatwick, plus a choice of charter flights available. The flying time is little more than three hours, making these Islands an ideal choice for a short break. Regaldive offers a range of accommodation on both Malta and Gozo to suit all budgets. Choose from dive centre managed apartments for the best value and convenience, or boutique hotels for extra comforts and added style. Visitors can travel between the Islands via a regular ferry service with the journey from Malta to Gozo taking just 25 minutes.

Experience the Maltese Islands… 

Contact the Regaldive specialist team on 01353 659999 and let us help you discover this award-winning dive destination this Summer.

The Dive Show special offers and Malta Holiday Competition are now closed.

With just a few days to go until the London International Dive Show (LIDS), the Regaldive Team is gearing up for an exciting weekend at Excel with a holiday to Gozo up for grabs, as well as tempting worldwide special offers*, many available from today!

Visit the Regaldive stand 412 at LIDS and enter our competition to win a holiday for two people to the beautiful Maltese Island of Gozo. The prize consists of two return flights from London Heathrow to Malta courtesy of Air Malta and the Malta Tourism Authority, transfers, seven nights bed and breakfast accommodation for two people sharing a double / twin room at the lovely St. Patricks Hotel in Xlendi, Gozo, ten dives with St. Andrew’s Divers Cove and a sightseeing tour of the Islands.**

Further afield, divers looking for a liveaboard holiday can benefit from some massive savings including up to 40% off last minute trips aboard S/Y Fiji Siren. Save an incredible £1,150pp on the ten night Beyond the Bligh itinerary departing on 19 February 2015, whilst a seven night trip on 2 March 2015 is discounted by £831pp to just £1,246pp. This boat only package includes seven or ten nights on a full board basis, diving (three to four boat dives per day), rental equipment, air/nitrox tanks and weights. Flights are not included but can be arranged by Regaldive. Up to 40% savings are also available on selected trips aboard S/Y Truk Siren. Call us for details.

Divers can also save on other ‘trip of a lifetime’ liveaboard holidays including up to £500pp off Galapagos liveaboards and up to £500pp on Indonesian liveaboards including the stunning sailing yacht Dewi Nusantara. Divers booking on the last few 2015 spaces aboard this luxurious vessel can also qualify for free Nitrox, worth $200pp per trip.

Closer to home, how about the Red Sea's perfect combination of great value for money twinned with guaranteed great diving. Seven night trips aboard the popular Red Sea liveaboard M/Y Asmaa start from just £799 per person, including return flights, transfers, full board accommodation, six days’ diving, air/nitrox tanks (two free nitrox fills per day), weights and Marine Park fees.

Divers looking for land-based diving can benefit from boat diving for just £26 per day in El Gouna and Sharm El Sheikh, and £29 per day in Marsa Alam and Hamata. This great value offer is available when booking with Regaldive for diving with Emperor Divers at any time during 2015. No date exclusions apply but diving must be booked by 27 February 2015. Divers can also benefit from a choice of free and half price diving deals on offer at other Red Sea resorts on selected departure dates.

Finally, the 2015 LIDS show will also be the first time that we share our stand with the Grenada Tourism Authority. Grenada and Carriacou experts will be on hand on stand 412 throughout the weekend to share their destination knowledge, diving tips and a number of exclusive show offers for holidays to the Spice Island of the Caribbean. Divers booking with Regaldive on the show weekend and before 27 February 2015 can save up to more than £300pp on Grenada diving holidays and benefit from free and half price diving deals, as well as free nights at selected hotels.

For further information, or to book, visit us at LIDS on stand 412 or call the Regaldive Team on 01353 659999.

* and ** - subject to Terms and Conditions - please see here

Regaldive Team Member John shares his memories of his pre-Christmas trip to the stunning Caribbean island of Tobago...

Just before Christmas I had a lovely week on the beautiful Island of Tobago.  Enjoying the sun, sea and sights of the Caribbean was so much nicer than rushing around packed shops back home in search of last minute gifts.

Tobago is an island with two distinct dive styles and it makes a great choice for a twin centre holiday. Visitors opting to dive the Caribbean coast will find lovely fringing reefs and a lack of current that is well-suited to less experienced divers. In contrast, the Atlantic coastline is famed for pounding currents and plankton-rich water which attracts large pelagics and some of the best conditions for drift diving to be found anywhere.

After stepping off the BA flight that goes via St Lucia we first stayed for a couple of nights at the Crown Point end of the island. Most Regaldive guests start their twin centre holiday here at the popular Toucan Inn and although I have visited Tobago before, this was my first time to stay in this area. The location of Crown Point means access to both the Caribbean and Atlantic coastlines, although most of the dives here seem to be of a relaxed variety.

The diving started the following day with a nice little wreck called the Maverick which sits upright on the sand at 25m. The structure is covered in life and has quite an easy swim through with lots to keep the macro photographer occupied.  A nice relaxing reef dive followed afterwards with plenty of interesting life around including a giant porcupine fish and pretty flamingo tongue sea snails.

The next full day on the island was a non-diving day and an island tour was arranged. The hustle and bustle of the island’s capital, Scarborough was followed by a drive up the north coast along the winding coast road, taking in the nicely-located Grafton Beach Resort on the way. A bit further along the coast, we stopped to admire the lovely views across Englishman’s Bay. It’s great to see somewhere so beautiful that’s not had modern development imposed upon it.  The centre of the island is mountainous and covered in rainforest, the oldest protected rainforest in the Western Hemisphere.  Fortunately, back in 1764 the Tobagonian’s realised the rainforest’s worth as the main water source for the island and it is home to many picturesque waterfalls. 

The rainforest is definitely worth a visit and one of the few things I would recommend giving up a day’s diving for. It’s amazing how the forest is so thick and lush within just a few feet of the road and although we only walked for an hour or two, I could have spent a lot longer. If you are a bird enthusiast the time to go is early in the morning, a feast for both the ears and eyes apparently.  There are still plenty of birds about later in the day and it was also unusual to see a large crab going about his business, miles from the sea.

Rounding the top of the island revealed plenty more interesting coastline and villages.  At the end of the day we arrived at the small village of Speyside and checked into the Nabucco's Resort Speyside Inn. A great favourite with Regaldive guests it was fantastic to meet the team there in person at last, a very friendly lot, making for a great atmosphere.  A lovely view out into the bay from your room too!

The dive centre is on site at the Speyside Inn, so turning up to dive is quite relaxed, although the diving is considered slightly more advanced than down at the Crown Point end of the island. We had two great drift dives in the Atlantic waters around the island of Little Tobago, with plenty to see including an incredible brain coral, supposedly the largest in the world. I chose not to snooze between dives as I didn’t want to miss the spectacular views of the islands from the dive boat on the way to and from the dive sites. 

A quick look around the Blue Waters Inn followed in the afternoon. This hotel is quite new to the Regaldive programme but I’m sure will become a favourite with our guests. Having just completed a refurbishment, the resort looks very smart with modern design touches and high level, luxury service as standard. The well organised dive centre is also on site and boasts new dive boats and equipment too.

All too soon it was time to head back to Crown Point, although I enjoyed the variety of diving on offer here. Quite fittingly the highlight for me was the very last dive of the week, a site called Cove Ledge on the Atlantic side. A nice slow drift dive with turtles, half a dozen nurse sharks and my best octopus encounter in nearly 400 dives. 

Thanks to the Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Board, the Tobago Division of Tourism and Transportation and Regaldive for the opportunity to join this trip and the chance to visit beautiful Tobago. I hope to come back again soon!

For more photos of John's trip, visit the Regaldive Facebook page >

Where in Europe can you swim with wild dolphins or look a mesmerising blue shark in the eye? Divers looking for spectacular marine encounters no longer need to travel halfway around the world with the discovery of the breathtaking Azores archipelago. These nine unique islands, virtually untouched by tourism but this week voted No.1 Global Sustainable Destination of 2014, offer world class diving opportunities in less than four hours flying time from the UK.

Unique Biodiversity

The archipelago’s remote mid-Atlantic location, perfectly positioned between the nutrient-rich currents from the north and the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream, allows for a unique biodiversity. Divers visiting the Azores can hope to encounter a vast range of oceanic species including rare blue and mako sharks, spotted, bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, manta and devil rays and occasional whale sharks, as well as five kinds of turtle.

Coastal dive sites offer the chance to discover friendly dusky groupers, octopus and morays lurking under rocks and tiny, colourful nudibranch. Beaked whales, sperm whales, blue whales, humpbacks and false killer whales can all be spotted from the surface making any boat ride to a dive site an exhilarating adventure.

Volcanic Geological Wonders

Over the centuries, the landscape of the Azores has been etched and carved out by volcanic lava streams resulting in a unique backdrop to the incredible nature above and below water. Divers have the chance to explore labyrinthine tunnels, bubbling hydrothermal vents, canyons, caves and arches, which provide ideal photo opportunities in the clear waters. Several impressive wrecks and a ship graveyard at the Underwater Archaeological Park on Terceira encourage further discovery.

Blue Sharks and Other Highlights

It is the chance to dive with one of the ocean’s fastest fish, the captivating blue shark, which first entices most divers to the Azores. A stay on the mountainous island of Pico offers the best chance to meet small groups of these naturally inquisitive sharks at the renowned Condor Seamount. Manta rays, morays, stingrays, groupers, wrasse, parrotfish, triggerfish and damselfish are also encountered here.

Pico also affords divers easy access to Princess Alice Bank, the most famous seamount of the Azores. A lengthy boat ride is rewarded with a majestic underwater mountain falling to some 500m whose 35m tip is packed with groups of devil rays, barracuda and schools of thousands of tuna swirling in the strong currents.

Diving and More!

Equally spectacular on land, divers can immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage and wide diversity of the Azorean islands. With each island having its own unique charm, non-diving days can be spent hiking through picturesque landscapes, climbing to waterfalls and towering volcanoes, exploring the islands’ maritime history, or simply relaxing in hot springs.

When and where to go…

Diving is at its best in the Azores during the main Summer season from May to October and Regaldive recommend that you book as early as possible to ensure availability. With flexible scheduled and charter flights, the archipelago is particularly well suited to twin centre combinations. Regaldive will plan your itinerary for the optimum experience of this exciting destination.

Choose a combination from:

The Green Island - Sao Miguel

Part of the Eastern group of islands, Sao Miguel is a fantastic introduction to the Azores. Explore the islet of Vila Franca, swim across bubbling hydrothermal vents and discover the wreck of the 100m cargo ship MV Dori. On land, enjoy Terra Nostra Gardens, hot springs, and the cosmopolitan marina of Ponta Delgada.

The Island of the Sun - Santa Maria

Laying claim as the oldest, flattest, warmest and sunniest island, Santa Maria offers the closest proximity to the challenging dive sites of Ilheus das Formigas and Dollabarat Banks. These sea mounts guarantee exhilarating dives and pelagic encounters. Dwell on history and follow in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus on land.

The Grey Island - Pico

Pico’s volcanic tip at 2351m dominates the beautiful land and seascape of the central island group. Pico’s deep waters and proximity to the mid-Atlantic ridge offer the best sightings of blue sharks, as well as the famed Princess Alice Bank. The island’s UNESCO protected 15th century vineyards offer a distraction above water.

Azores holidays start from just £699pp for a seven night package including return flights, bed and breakfast accommodation (twin share) and transfers. Diving starts from £125pp for a four dive pack.

Experience the Azores.... Contact the Regaldive team on 01353 659 999

With liveaboard diving holidays continuing to grow in popularity, we have added two more liveaboards to our extensive worldwide programme...

Atlantis Azores is a spacious 16 person liveaboard perfectly designed for the needs of divers. With high standards of service and cuisine, this vessel already attracts a high number of repeat guests. Atlantis Azores follows a seasonal schedule of four different itineraries to ensure divers experience the best of the Philippines underwater whenever they travel.

Running from March to June, the Tubbataha Reef itinerary is one of the most popular trips – six days diving in remote, pristine National Park waters that are one of Asia's best diving spots and on the 'wish list' for many keen divers. Tubbataha is home to no less than 573 species of fish, 373 species of corals, 11 species of sharks, 12 species of dolphins and whales and hawksbill and green sea turtles.

Divers can explore the wonders of Tubbataha aboard Atlantis Azores from £2,434 per person to include seven nights’ cabin share, all meals / snacks, local soft drinks and some alcohol and up to five dives per day, tanks and weights. Flights are not included but can be arranged through Regaldive.

Regaldive also feature seven night trips on board Atlantis Azores to the Visayas and Malapascua Island. Longer 10 or 12 night itineraries on the route Malapascua – Cebu offer the chance to dive multiple world class dive destinations which would take weeks to dive from land. With certain trips departing from the liveaboard’s sister resort Atlantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete, the Atlantis Azores is easily combined with a land-based stay to maximise your Philippines holiday.

Maldives liveaboards are a top holiday choice for Regaldive guests and it’s easy to see why. With so much seasonal variation in currents and therefore marine life, liveaboards ensure divers get to dive where the best underwater action is at any moment in time.

New to Regaldive for 2015 is the luxury M/V Carpe Vita, sister vessel to the popular M/V Carpe Diem. The 20 berth Carpe Vita is well-appointed and the use of a diving dhoni ensures divers have plenty of space to relax on board between dives. Additional touches such as the on-board hot tub, fine dining and optional suite upgrades offer guests a little extra luxury.

Seven night itineraries aboard M/V Carpe Vita explore the waters around Male and the central atolls, with extensions on the 10 night trips to northerly Baa and Raa, or south to Ari and Felidhu atolls. Deep South Shark trips operate during the peak high season of February and March. For 2015, Regaldive guests will also have the chance to be amongst the few who have dived the far north of the Maldives on board M/V Carpe Vita’s first exploratory trips to the remote northern atolls.

Regaldive guests can benefit from an introductory saving of £200 on selected trips plus free Nitrox aboard M/V Carpe Vita. A seven night liveaboard holiday costs from £2,259 per person departing on 11th or 18th January 2015 to include return flights, transfers, seven nights’ cabin share, full board, snacks, soft drinks and some alcohol and up to four dives daily including tanks and weights.

For further information please call the Regaldive Team on 01353 659 999.

I‘ve just returned from my first liveaboard trip to the Maldives aboard the lovely MV Sharifa. After a couple of years organising Maldives holidays for Regaldive customers I eventually got the chance to experience it for myself, and what an experience it was!

The diving started in North Male Atoll and I knew it was going to be a good week when we were buzzed by a couple of blacktip reef sharks on the very first dive. Also a friendly turtle and about five different types of moray eel made it a great check dive.  The second dive didn’t disappoint either, with our first manta ray and being checked out by a curious dolphin.

Then we moved on to South and North Ari Atolls, where all the rest of the weeks diving took place. South Ari Atoll is also the place to see whale sharks if you are lucky, as we where. When we arrived at a well -known whale shark location there were a few resort boats about, with quite a few people in the water. So we waited for them to leave and had a whale shark to ourselves, with two quite close encounters whilst snorkelling.

If I thought that was good, then far better was to come. I’ve done nearly 400 dives now, but during this week I had a dive that’s gone straight into my top three dives ever - a night dive with mantas! The crew put a bright light to shine into the water at the back of the boat, which draws in plankton, like moths to a light. Of course the mantas are clever and know this, so come in for a feast. Just watching them from the boat is enthralling, but far better was to come.

After descending, we knelt on the sand in about 9m, three metres away from a cluster of dive torches. Within seconds a 3m manta was gliding though the light with his mouth wide open, doing back flips and going around again. Soon he was joined by two others. The best part was when they swam close to the light and headed straight towards us, with a great view into their open mouths, pulling up at the last moment and almost skimming the top of our heads. Luckily, there was just about enough light to get some stills and video of a fantastic experience. 

One night dive is the norm on Maldives liveaboards, but we were lucky enough to do a second.  This was a dive down to the reef on the flat top of a sea mount at 15m. It soon became evident that all the reefs’ predators were out on the hunt.  With whitetips zipping about, free swimming morays and a couple of large stingrays it was difficult to know which direction to shine your torch.  I felt like I was participating in one of those TV documentaries I’ve watched so many times. 

The Maldives is certainly is a great place for diving if you like the big stuff.  Enough grey reef, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, mantas, turtles, morays and big predatory fish to keep everyone happy. I checked my log book and estimated that we saw sharks or mantas on 90% of our dives. If a Maldives liveaboard is not on your dive wish-list already, it really should be!

John Butland, Regaldive

See photos of John's Trip on the Regaldive Facebook page >

Thank you to Magdalena Fielden, owner of True Blue Bay Boutique Resort for this account of the first Grenada Chocolate Festival!

Last week the small island of Grenada in the Caribbean celebrated very successfully their first Chocolate Festival. Grenada Cocoa and Chocolate are making a name around the world for being one of the best organic and ethically produced chocolates and cocoa. The Festival was created, designed and organized by Magdalena Fielden, owner of True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, Honorary Consul of Mexico in Grenada and great fan of Grenadian Chocolate. Mrs. Fielden was inspired by Mott Green, creator of the now renowned Grenada Chocolate Factory and his devotion to produce a sustainable, ethical chocolate that involved the whole community. The festival was also supported by the Grenada Chocolate Factory, Belmont Estate, the Mexican Embassy for the OECS and Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort.

The week of celebrations started on Monday August 18th themed “Getting in the mood for Chocolate” with a visit to Crayfish Bay Organic Farm located near the town of Victoria on the West Coast of Grenada. There visitors experienced a historical tour of the beautiful estate conducted by owner Kim Russell, his wife Lylette  and his farm manager Yvonneand learned about organic farming and making delicious Iced Cocoa Tea with fresh coconut milk from scratch. Later on, a few miles down the road at Rosemount Estate, Mr and Mrs Duncan, the Estate owners prepared a delicious farmer’s lunch and show us around their flower, herb and tropical fruit plantation. The day ended at the Art and Soul Gallery owned by local artist Susan Mains and her family, where professional and new island artists showcased their cocoa inspired artwork. From beautiful batiks to extraordinary paintings and sculptures, this amazing exhibition showed very successfully for two weeks.

Tuesday continued at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort with the theme “Chocolate Indulgence”. It started with a Yoga-Chocolate Mediation session at Sankalpa Yoga Studio instructed by teacher Malaika Brooks. After a yoga routine, yogis learned a meditating way to appreciate the texture, smell and taste of chocolate and hot cocoa tea. A chocolate inspired breakfast designed by Chef Gary Birkett at Dodgy Dock Restaurant was served after the meditation; this was followed by a hands-on workshop conducted by expert Mexican Chocolatier, Architect and creator of the Mucho-Chocolate Museum in Mexico City, Ana Rita Garcia Lascurain sponsored by the Mexican Embassy for the OECS. Ana Rita taught an audience of kids and adults about “The Healthy Benefits of Chocolate” and how to make chocolate skin treatments using only natural ingredients like avocado, vanilla and cocoa butter. Families enjoyed making and applying the treatments to each other, and some of the kids discovered very quickly that the mixtures where edible and tasted delicious. Blue Heaven Spa located at True Blue, announced the offering of a series of chocolate facials and body treatments that would be available for the whole of August and September. Tuesday ended with a fabulous “Sunset Chocolate Champagne Cruise”, sailing the beautiful crystal blue waters of Grand Anse and Saint George’s harbour.

Wednesday started at the well-established and pioneer on Agrotourism, Belmont Estate. The group of chocolate fans where welcomed by owner Shadel Nyack Compton and directed to the Estate museum to the opening of a very emotional art exhibition containing pieces created by artists living on the plantations to the North of the island. The love of farming and especially cocoa farming was perfectly portrayed in the work shown at this exhibition. Each artist had the opportunity to explain his or her work and one even read some poetry specially composed for the event. After the exhibition, the “Bean to Bar” tour started by visiting the plantation and learning about cocoa farming and cocoa processing on the estate. Then guests visited the Grenada Chocolate Factory and received a special tour by manager Edmon about the making of chocolate bars.

Later on guests were invited to experience a delicious lunch featuring Chocolate dishes back at the estate where they were entertained by local drummers and demonstrations of the traditional cocoa dancing and walking the cocoa.  A delicious brief workshop about making bon bons was offered by the Grenada Chocolate Company before leaving the estate. In the afternoon, back at True Blue at Dodgy Dock Restaurant, bartender Akim conducted a Rum and Chocolate Tasting session showcasing all local rums including the famous “Under the Counter” traditional Grenadian rum sold at the local rum shops. A surprise chocolate fountain with lots of goodies to dip in chocolate was enjoyed by all.

Thursday was time to “Cook with Chocolate” a cooking class was prepared by True Blue Bay Resort’s popular cooks Esther and Omega showcasing a chocolate lunch after the class. Ester and Omega where at their best making all laugh when preparing a delicious chocolate sauce to be served with fish or pork. Later that afternoon, craft chocolatiers and professional chefs competed for the best amateur and professional chocolate sweets title and some very talented local and international chefs were discovered. Chocolatier Ana Rita did a demonstration on how the Mayas make the first chocolate drinks and all got to enjoy the delicious Mexican version of cocoa tea.

Friday morning was a rest day to enjoy the beach and visit the local spice market and Saint Georges town. At sunset, families and couples meet at Mount Cinnamon Beach Cabana to enjoy a spectacular beach bonfire and danced barefooted on the beach to the sound of local drummers, all enjoying delicious and affordable chocolate dishes and drinks created by chefs from well-known local restaurants.

Saturday was  “Glamour Day”, at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, starting with the first Arts and Crafts Chocolate Bazaar where around 30 local artists, artisans and fashion designers showcased their creations inspired by chocolate, cocoa and other locals spices like nutmeg. Chocolatier Ana Rita worked her magic again and conducted a talk about “The History of Chocolate”. She taught kids how to crush cocoa beans the old fashioned way using a “Metate” (a Mexican mortar used by the first tribes that populated Mexico) and taught them how to make simple chocolate paste and invited them to taste and appreciate the aroma of freshly crushed cocoa beans. Cocoa and chocolate beverages and food where served at Dodgy Dock Restaurant with festive music. But the highlight of the day was the glamorous and colourful fashion show organize by Marie Fielden showing designs by Modesty Grenada, Art Fabrik, and Veronica’s Vision. The clothing designs where exceptional and will be available at Art Fabrik, Too Kachi Boutique and Veronica’s Vision Boutiques from September.

The day ended with a sold out gourmet “Charity Auction Chocolate Dinner” at Mount Cinnamon Restaurant where Chef Gary Birkett from Dodgy Dock Restaurant, True Blue Bay Resort served the first course consisting of a Cajun and smoked duo of mahi mahi with white chocolate hummus and sweet and sour vegetables. Chef Nehanda Campbell from Le Phare Bleu served the main course consisting of chocolate spiced duck breast with wilted fennel & orange carrot salad and cardamom pure and Chef Andrew Sloley from Mount Cinnamon Resort served an outstanding dessert called Chocolate Decadence, a mousse, caramelized bananas, almond nut chocolate biscuit.

The silent style auction was a great success as several well know local businesses donated items like dive courses, day passes, jewelry, tailored made designed clothing, yoga classes, airline tickets, massages and gift certificates. All monies raised for dinner and auction came to a total amount of approximately EC$ 16,000 and will be donated to create a new Library and sick bay for Vendome Primary School in Grenada. 

Sunday the last day of the festival was celebrated by families back at Belmont Estate where fun kids activities like dancing, walking the cocoa and scooping cocoa beans out of pods were enjoyed by kids and parents. A delicious Grenadian Style Lunch with live Caribbean music was served and a small farmers and vendors market was interesting to visit. Of course no one left without paying a visit to the Bon Bon shop and stocking up with Bon Bons created by the Grenada Chocolate Company and Chocolate Goat Cheese from the Grenada Goat Dairy Project, a beautiful ending to a week of Pure Chocolate excitement.

The first Grenada Chocolate Fest concluded being a great success for all, participants, farmers, vendors and artists. Mrs Fielden looks forward to making it into an annual event that will benefit different sectors of Grenada’s community and entice future farmers and chocolatiers amongst the youth of Grenada. Dates have not yet been determined for the next year but hope to announce them soon.
Looking forward to enjoying some chocolate with you next year!

See a selection of photos from the Grenada Chocolate Festival on the Regaldive Facebook page

For more, please visit www.chocolate.truebluebay.com or Facebook.

If you're inspired, the Chocolate Treat Package is available from Regaldive throughout the year at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort. Three days of sweet treats for chocoholics. Ideal for non-divers or those who want some indulgent days off from diving! Contact Regaldive to find out more.

Can diving in Palau get any more spectacular? Yes! The diving in Palau is amazing throughout the year but divers booking on selected trips aboard S/Y Palau Siren that coincide with the Full Moon and New Moon dates of the lunar cycle can experience something truly incredible.

Witness thousands of Bumphead Parrotfish and Red Snapper spawning, attracting multiple exciting shark encounters with preying Oceanic Blacktips and Bull Sharks. Indulge in pioneering 'Blackwater' diving – night diving in the pitch black of night in deep water, watching one of the largest migrations on earth as all manner of weird and wonderful creatures from the depths head closer to the surface to feed. From post larval fish to Cephalopods, many smaller than your finger nail, these amazing dives present some of weirdest creatures you are ever likely to see without a submarine.

These extra special dive experiences are available on selected dates aboard the Palau Siren and hosted by expert marine scientist Paul Collins and award-winning photo-pro Richard Barnden of Unique Dive Expeditions and Sam’s Tours Palau. The team have spent much of the last four years studying the full and new moon cycles and their effect on the marine life, establishing where and when they occur on the reefs in Palau.

These special trips really do offer the chance of some unique and once in a lifetime diving. Paul and Richard will also deliver a number of presentations aboard the Palau Siren during the course of the trip, covering the ecology of these spectacular events and how to photograph them.

Guests will be split into two teams of eight, with one team each day diving with Richard and Paul during these spectacular events. This ensures the maximum experience for all guests and means minimal interference for this most magnificent natural phenomenon.

There is no additional supplement for this extraordinary adventure but guests should note that these dives are only for the experienced diver as there can often be very strong currents at the sites where the action is happening.

The proposed dates for these special trips are 13 – 20 February, 25 April – 5 May, 24 May – 3 June and 19 – 26 October 2015. Places are strictly limited so if you are interested please contact us as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Call us on 01353 659 999 to check availability.

There’s no doubt that diving makes you hungry and the vast swathes of food polished off at lunchtime on any dive boat are proof of that. And with the average 45 minute dive session burning over 500 calories, there’s no such thing as over-indulgence on a dive holiday. Many of Regaldive’s destinations are known for having great food but divers looking for the best diving and dining should head to the Caribbean...

Grenada

Divers with a sweet tooth will be spoilt for choice on the Spice Island of Grenada where chocolate has made its mark on everything from cocoa tea to spa treatments. Visit between 18th and 24th August 2014 and join in Grenada’s first ever Chocolate Festival. Guests staying at the beautiful True Blue Bay Resort can enjoy a daily breakfast with chocolate specials, visit the Chocolate Factory and attend a multitude of chocolate themed cooking and tasting events.

Perfect for non-diving friends and family, the Chocolate Festival programme is also designed to allow plenty of time to ensure visitors can get their daily diving fix. Divers can burn off the calories from their indulgence by venturing below the water to Grenada’s 50 plus dive sites including the Bianca C and Hema 1 wrecks, adrenaline charged drift dives and an underwater sculpture park.

A seven night stay at the True Blue Bay Resort, departing on 17th August 2014, costs from £1,539 per person to include return flights, transfers and B&B accommodation. The Chocolate Festival Program costs an additional £125 per person and an eight dive, dive pack costs from £233 per person. True Blue Bay is something of a foodie heaven, also boasting the award-winning Dodgy Dock Restaurant and Lounge Bar, a unique waterfront venue well-known for its Caribbean with a Mexican twist cuisine, and spectacular sunsets.

Finally, visitors to Grenada can add a little spice to their trip with a visit to one of the many nutmeg processing plants on the island. As the second largest exporter of nutmeg in the world, spices account for a large part of the Grenadian economy and you can also see cinnamon, cloves, ginger and other spices being farmed here. Toast your holiday with a delicious rum cocktail or two in the Caribbean tradition but watch out for the local tipples which can be up to 80% proof!

Bonaire

Home to diving freedom is Bonaire, the top shore diving destination in the Caribbean and one where even the car licence plates proclaim this ‘Divers’ Paradise’. Part of the Dutch Antilles in the Southern Caribbean, Bonaire imports much of its food from other countries but has developed a reputation over recent years for excellent cuisine with a mixture of local and international flavours. Bonaire is also a regular winner of the Taste of the Caribbean competition where teams of chefs from 20 different Caribbean countries compete against each other for the title of Caribbean Chef of the Year.

Divers staying at the popular oceanfront Buddy Dive Resort benefit from superb access to the house reef with steps leading directly down to the sea and the many underwater photography opportunities that Bonaire is famed for. Conveniently located above the dive dock, 'Ingridients' is one of the best gourmet restaurants on the island. Here, every dish is prepared using fresh local ingredients to reflect a new style with a Mediterranean / European twist. Meals can be enjoyed watching the dive action below, or enjoying the amazing panoramic ocean view and sunsets.

Monday night is Lion Fish Night! They might look beautiful underwater but non-native lionfish have become a huge problem in much of the Caribbean where they breed faster than rabbits and can reduce native marine creatures by 90% within a matter of weeks. In Bonaire, as on many other Caribbean islands, lionfish are most definitely on the menu as a sustainable and environmentally-friendly food choice, and taste delicious too!

A seven night stay at Buddy Dive Resort in Bonaire costs from £1,427 per person to include return flights, transfers and B&B accommodation. A six days unlimited shore diving pack costs from £95 per person.

Tobago

Laid back Tobago is all about diversity – on land, and underwater. One of Regaldive’s most popular destinations, Tobago’s position, sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, allows for a stunning combination of dive sites and diving styles.

The Guyana current flows around the Altantic coast and the northern tip of Tobago providing some of the most spectacular drift diving in the Caribbean and attracting sharks, turtles and rays, as well as super-charged corals. The Caribbean coast benefits from the influence of the Orinoco River, whose nutrient rich waters support an abundance of marine life. The reefs are generally more sheltered here and boast colourful and thriving fish stocks and also the wreck of the Maverick, a former car ferry sunk in 1997 that lies in 30m.

Above water, Tobago is a similar melting pot in terms of culture and cuisine. A rich mix of African, Indian, Chinese, European and Middle Eastern influences informs everything from street food to fine dining. Fans of Indian food in particular will find much to tempt their taste buds here including the famed ‘Doubles’ sandwich (a filling of curried chickpeas and spicy sauce between two pieces of fried flatbread) that regularly tops best sandwich lists around the world.

A seven night stay at the Grafton Beach Resort on the north coast of Tobago costs from £839 per person to include return flights, transfers and B&B accommodation. A five day dive pack (10 dives) costs from £237 per person. This lovely resort is new to the Regaldive programme and offers a superb location on a hillside overlooking palm-fringed Stonehaven Bay. It’s also minutes away from one of Tobago’s best-known restaurants, the Seahorse Inn, which is as recommended for its incredible beachside setting, as for its fresh seafood and fine fare.

Call the Regaldive Team on 01353 659 999 to find out more.