Congratulations on becoming a certified diver! You now have access to an exciting underwater world. At Regaldive, we understand that it can seem a little daunting when you first qualify, and so we are here to offer you a helping hand and will continue to support you for as long as you need it. Remember, you're not alone, and on this page you will find guidance and a selection of common questions that other newly qualified divers have asked us. 

Click on the questions below to be taken straight to the answers and advice.

1. I have just passed my diving course and I want to go on a diving holiday - what is a diving holiday?

    

2. How do I know where to go? There is so much choice...

    

3. When I learnt to dive I was with a 'buddy' - now I am on my own. How can I go diving on my own?

    

4. I am qualified to dive in a buddy team, but I do not want to be on our own in the water yet. What do I do? 

    

5. What if I end up with a 'gung-ho' diver and I do not feel comfortable?

    

6. Everyone is so experienced...I find it a bit daunting.

    

7. Where can I find out more at my own pace, without any pressure around me?

    

8. During my course, I had all of my equipment given to me. At the moment, I do not own anything - what shall I do?

    

9. On the subject of dive shops, there is a club near me, but is it a different club to the one I did my diving with ( i.e. PADI / BSAC / SSAC ) - can I join them?

    

10. What if I do not manage to dive again for a while?

     

11. Why do I need to reserve my diving in advance? Surely I can just turn up?

     

12. What is the difference between shore diving and boat diving?

     

13. What is a liveaboard?

     

14. I've just qualified and want to do a liveaboard/dive some more 'challenging sites'

     

15. I have a few dives now, and have done a little more training and want to book a liveaboard, but I am on my own. Do I get the cabin to myself?

     

16. I'm concerned about my impact on the environment and want to be a 'green' diver? What can I do?
    

     

17. I want to do some more courses, but have not got time to do all the ones I think I need. Which one is the best one?

     

1. I have just passed my diving course and I want to go on a diving holiday - what is a diving holiday?

Regaldive has set up its trips based around the areas of the world that offer exciting places to dive, usually in fairly warm water, although cold water destinations also offer some amazing dive experiences. As a specialist dive tour operator, we can assist you in choosing where to go, arrange your flights, book you suitable accommodation, advise you on travel dive insurance, have someone meet you at the airport when you arrive, transport you to your place of stay and prebook your pleasure diving or dive course so that the dive resort is expecting you. All this with your money being safe under our ATOL bond and knowing you have someone to rely on should things go wrong.

You may decide to do a further course or book some pleasure dives (dives without any study). Each resort and place in the world works their diving differently for many reasons such as weather patterns, number of guests, type of diving offered or local sea conditions, so the dive packs that you are able to pre-book in each resort may be different.

2. How do I know where to go? There is so much choice...

Firstly, you may want to approach this as you would in choosing any other holiday, by asking yourself what do you like? Do you like busy resorts with a choice of night time activities as well? Do you like to be able to do other activities as well as diving? Do you like remote destinations that push your comfort zone or do you like to have all your mod cons around you? Do you like having lots of people or do you prefer more intimate resorts?

Once you have decided this, in tandem with your dive qualification and dive experience, plus a guide of how much you would like to spend, we will do our best to find a holiday that ticks as many of your boxes as we can.

3. When I learnt to dive I was with a 'buddy' - now I am on my own. How can I go diving on my own?

Many divers travel and go on holiday on their own; it is a great way to meet people. When you start your diving on holiday, the dive resort and your guide for the day will pair you with another diver, and as best they can with someone of similar qualification, experience and air consumption. If there are odd numbers, you may end up pairing with your dive guide.

4. I am qualified to dive in a buddy team, but I do not want to be on our own in the water yet. What do I do? 

For the majority of the dives that you ever do, unless you choose not to, you may follow the guide in the water to help you with navigation. You may not be right next to them, but in the water, on the same dive site, within view, so that you can easily locate them should you wish.

Circumstances according to each dive location will be different, but as a rule for divers without much experience, this is how the dive centres will want you to dive anyway, for your own safety. In many destinations you can hire a private guide at an additional cost.

However, please remember that you are responsible for you own dive and dive safety with your buddy when being guided and must not be afraid to speak up if you do not understand something or if something is unclear about the planned dive.

Also, accept that everyone at some point, no matter how experienced, will have 'bad' dives. For example, something as simple as ‘do not eat the garlic aubergine on Egyptian boats at lunchtime as I will pay for it for the rest of the day', to more serious problems. Usually an enormous amount is learnt from this one 'bad dive', than from 20 'good' dives.

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5. What if I end up with a 'gung-ho' diver and I do not feel comfortable?

In any circumstances where you have any concerns about your diving or dive buddy, it is best speak to your dive guide. Many people dive for many different reasons, and sometimes a buddy mismatch can occur. There is usually a way to resolve this which your guide will be in the best position to do so.

6. Everyone is so experienced... I find it a bit daunting.

Do not forget that everyone started somewhere. Many times the success to a great day's diving is going with like minded people who have a healthy, safe and fun attitude to their diving, regardless of how many dives they have, how many qualifications they have and what necessary tools and gadgets they have hanging on them! This is the majority of divers and most are there to relax and see some great things underwater, just as you are. Divers are generally quite a sociable bunch and one of the best ways to learn is to spend more time with them! 

7. Where can I find out more at my own pace, without any pressure around me?

A good idea is to pick up copies of diving magazines such as Scuba Diver and Scubaverse, available in most larger newsagents. These magazines offer something for everyone; you can learn more about equipment, what diving in the UK and abroad has to offer and many of your concerns and questions are covered in the advice and letters pages, plus many funny stories and a few sad ones too. You may also want to join an internet site such as Divernet; do remember however that the blogs offered on these sites may only offer opinions based on single personal experiences and do not always give the larger picture.

8. During my course, I had all of my equipment given to me but now I do not own anything - what shall I do?

All of the resorts we work with offer diving equipment for rent, which you may prefer until your have experience of a few more dives. You pay for your rental equipment in resort at the end of your diving. However, it may be a good idea to initially invest in a few key items such as mask, fins, wetsuit and dive computer which is more down to personal fit. Also, be prepared to make equipment 'mistakes', meaning that although a piece of equipment is perfectly good, it may just not suit your needs or body fit. People who have been diving for years still make the odd purchase which is not right for them.

If you go along to a local dive store near your home town, with a quality shop, there are people there to help you make your purchasing decisions. Try not to be overwhelmed and do not be afraid to say you are a new diver and may just be seeking some guidance at this stage.

9. There is a club near me, but is it a different club to the one I did my diving with (i.e. PADI / BSAC / SCOTSAC) - can I join them?

All of the diving agencies have reciprocal agreements, which recognise your dive qualification as full or part credit towards their dive qualifications. Diving in different places and different regions can vary greatly, so you should always build your experience under similar environments to that in which you learnt, or seek further training and advice. For example, diving in cold water in the UK (cold water counts as anything 21 degrees or less) can bring around different considerations to diving in hot environments, which also have their own considerations.

Most clubs will be more than happy to chat with you about what they can offer, how they run their diving and training and what you may get out of it, to see if it suitable for you. Chances are if you like the people, you'll like the club.

10. What if I do not manage to dive again for a while?

Depending on the length of time you have not dived, your qualification and experience, will depend slightly on your best option; it is best to ask. In most cases if you have not dived for 6 - 12 months, divers will need to do a form of refresher dive or Scuba Review / Skills Review, which involves a refresher on the theory, equipment, pool skills and an open water dive under the supervision of an instructor. This is generally completed in less than a day and as long as you ensure your instructor puts it in your log book and stamps it for you, this 'renews' your qualification. You may also choose to carry this out in the UK before you travel, so that you can maximise the time for pleasure dives while you are away.

If you are not overly confident in the water and have been out of the water for a while, even if it is not a necessity, you may choose to do such a review at the beginning of your holiday anyway.

11. Why do I need to reserve my diving in advance? Surely I can just turn up?

There are three main advantages to reserving your diving in advance.

Firstly, you can be confident that the dive centre you will be booked with is a safe and reputable dive centre in that destination.

Secondly, if you are travelling during a busy time (and remember that just because it is not a busy time in the UK to travel, does not apply to other nationalities from other countries), there is no guarantee that the dive centre will be able to offer you what you would like in the timescale you have in mind. This particularly applies to courses, where divers to instructor ratios change according to the type of course, the age of people participating, prevailing local conditions etc.

Thirdly, in the majority of cases, you will pay slightly less for your dive package when reserving in advance, due to the agreements we have in place with our longstanding suppliers. Sometimes, one forgets to take into account local taxes, bank charges, fixed local exchange rates and local credit card charges before calculating the true cost of what you are booking direct.

In short, it should give you more peace of mind.

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12. What is the difference between shore diving and boat diving?

Shore diving is any dive that takes place with you entering the water from land, rather than a boat. It may, for example, be from a fixed or floating jetty or from a sandy or rocky beach.

Boat diving means that dives are carried out from a boat. There are many different types of boats and the type of boat used will depend very much on the type of operation the dive centre runs, in conjunction with local dive sites and sea conditions. 

Some boat examples are:

Day boat: A boat that you may go out all day from and not return to shore in between dives. These boats typically have a toilet, are larger and have some form of cold, wet or sunny weather protection and there may be areas inside and outside which are designated dry areas, where you may not enter in your dive kit or immediately after swimming. You will also likely have your drinks and lunch served on board. This is a very common type of boat found operating in the Egyptian Red Sea and they can frequently be quite spacious.

RIB - Rigid Inflatable Boat: This is a boat with a hard bottom and inflatable 'sides', similar to the smaller RNLI boats you may be familiar with. This boat will generally be used for single dives, going back to shore before you complete a second dive, though not always. It may be used in circumstances where the dive sites are not far away, or where the boat is launched through rough surf. It can be used in many different circumstances.

A 'Tender': This is a boat that will operate from a larger boat, such as a liveaboard boat. It is used to get you to the sites that the larger boat you are on may not be able to access due to the shallowness of the sites, or more bumpy conditions. A tender can be any style boat, and will often be in the local style of a particular country, or a small RIB.

Hard wet boat: The boat will have a rigid frame, such as fibreglass, but be 'open' to the seas, so there will be no dry areas and often no toilet, but usually some type of partial sun protection. It is unlikely you will spend all day on the boat, but rather do single or 2-tank dives in a long morning or afternoon.

13. What is a liveaboard?

A liveaboard is a holiday where your accommodation is on the boat. The boat moves from dive site to dive site and you sleep moored up 'at sea', or sometimes sleep when the boat is motoring overnight.

14. I have just qualified and want to do a liveaboard / dive some more 'challenging sites'

It is highly recommended, and in some cases local law, that divers have a minimum qualification and minimum number of dives to undertake some liveaboards or certain dive sites and itineraries. We liken it to passing your driving test; you can drive and you have learnt to drive safely, but would you spend the first 5 days going around the M25 without high risk of damaging yourself and someone else?

On a liveaboard, the diving atmosphere can at first be overwhelming, particularly if you are on board with a large group of experienced divers. You may also not have had adequate chance to test your 'sea legs', an important part of enjoyment of this type of holiday.

There are some dive boats that operate simple, yet nicely varied itineraries, in the northern Red Sea where Open Water divers, or equivalent, may join once they have a minimum of 15 logged dives. Otherwise, to get the most from this type of holiday or locations where the sites are more challenging: to keep you safe and to not inadvertently affect the holiday of others, a good general guideline is to have your PADI Advanced Open water qualification or equivalent and to aim for at least 30 dives, if not a few more, before throwing yourself in at the deep end!

15. I have a few dives now, and have done a little more training and want to book a liveaboard, but I am on my own. Do I get the cabin to myself?

Boat owner’s work out their costs based on 2 passengers in a twin/double cabin; this means you will need to pay for the other bed if you would like to guarantee the cabin to yourself. Otherwise, the cabin will be sold to 'strangers' on male/male share or female/female share. You may be lucky and end up as the odd number and get the cabin to yourself anyway, but unfortunately we have no influence over this! Many divers travel and go on holiday on their own; it is a great way to meet people. Your boat guide will pair you with another diver, and as best they can with someone of similar qualification, age or experience.

16. I am concerned about the environment and want to be a 'green' diver? What can I do?

The best way to achieve this is through education of the environment you are diving in and to improve your skills through further training and experience. All the diving agencies, such as BSAC and PADI, offer some excellent courses specifically for this.

Also, speak to the dive guides working in the places you visit. If they have been there a while or are from the area, they will be able to tell you about concerns specific to their areas and help you avoid making the problem inadvertently worse or showing you how you can help.

Another thing you can actively do to reduce your individual impact on the environment is to take part in our carbon offsetting scheme. 

17. I want to do some more courses, but have not got time to do all the ones I think I need. Which one is the best one?

This will depend very much on what you would like to gain from your course, and where you will be doing it. For example, it may not be the best idea to carry out 'Boat Diver' speciality, in a resort where the majority of diving is shore based.

If you had to ask me to name one, that a newly qualified diver should aim for out of all the choices, I would say 'Peak Performance Buoyancy'; this course will pay dividends in ANY other course or diving that you do.

If you would like to talk over your diving holiday requirements then give us a call and we will be happy to offer advice and assist you in choosing the right holiday for your level of experience and requirements.

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You recently enjoyed a big dive trip to the Maldives. Where did your adventure take you? 

My Maldives diving itinerary included three islands and three Euro Divers dive centres over 14 days. Taking travelling and deco no-fly times into consideration, this gave me roughly three full days of diving at each resort. 

Euro-Divers suggested spending a few days at their flagship dive centre based on Vilamendhoo and then visiting Meeru, which is located much closer to the capital, Malé. I had also heard from a well-known dive travel expert that Eriyadu is very popular with the British market, so I thought this would also make a good choice. 

Most of the islands offer a house reef where divers can come and go as they please. The other choice is day boat diving. The standard schedule for day boats is two morning and one afternoon dive, and night dives upon request. There are also full-day excursions to see manta rays or whale sharks, which include three dives with lunch served onboard. 

Tell us about your journey to the Maldives

There are various flight options from the UK. Only one or two airlines fly direct; most require a connection. Flights are roughly 11 hours long, but this doesn’t account for any time spent waiting at airports.  

All international flights land at the capital, Malé. Then there's either a speed boat or seaplane transfer. For my choice of islands, Vilamendhoo was located in the South Ari Atoll and required a seaplane, but Meeru and Eriyadu were both in North Malé, so I only needed a speedboat transfer.   

Your first port of call was Vilamendhoo Island Resort. What were your first impressions? 

Vilamendhoo, one of the Maldives’ flagship divers’ islands, is located in the South Ari Atoll. Seaplane transfer is the most convenient option, although boat transfers are also available. The 4-star resort offers 194 rooms and a variety of restaurants and pools.  

I requested a room close to the dive centre, but then again, nowhere on the island is far away from it. The dive boat leaves at 8am on most days and the restaurant opens at 7.30am for breakfast, so there’s plenty of time for a feed before departure.  

The boat crew are really friendly and attentive, always ready to help out with equipment preparation, offering tea, coffee, water etc. After a hard day’s diving, the best place to be is at the sunset bar sipping cocktails. And repeat! 

What are the main attractions for divers at Vilamendhoo? 

The house reef is such a big attraction that some divers spend their entire stay exploring it and don’t even go boat diving. The excellent shore diving here is a convenient option for families or diver pairs, who can either go on their own or be guided at no extra charge.  

That said, there are also 50-plus boat dive sites, of which Kuda Rah is the most popular. The whale shark and manta boat trips tend to get booked up, so I recommend divers request these in advance. May to October is the low season, but June and July are popular months with families.   

Which dive sites did you most enjoy at Vilamendhoo? 

Our first dive site was Kuda Rah and Dive centre manager Mathias Hook paired me up with instructor Sarah Beelte. The current was absolutely ripping. Thousands upon thousands of yellow snappers swirled around the submerged pinnacle. I watched the reef sharks and whitetip sharks patrolling in the distance. That day, there were a few too many divers about for the ‘bubble-free’ shot I wanted, so we returned several days later. The current was just as ferocious, but I managed to crawl my way back to the yellow snappers and get a reasonable picture. 

At Miyaru Thila, we encountered a small hawksbill turtle that was totally disinterested in us and carried on munching on coral while raising its bottom in disgust! After five minutes, the turtle poked its head out and ambled over to another coral head, allowing me to get a close-up shot. 

The Kudimaa wreck was a welcome change after all those beautiful walls and reefs. The propeller is a good spot for photographs. I went inside the bridge, but there was no sign of the giant green moray which is often seen there. 

South Ari is well known for whale shark and manta ray encounters. There were no manta sightings at the cleaning stations when I arrived, but my visit had coincided with the change in monsoons, so this probably had an impact. I didn’t go on the full-day whale shark trip, but those who did had an exciting encounter with a whale shark and I was able to see the video later. This was a popular area for liveaboards. 

You then moved on to Meeru Island, how does this resort differ in character from Vilamendhoo? 

Meeru is one of the biggest islands in the Maldives. The 4-star resort, Meeru Island, offers 284 rooms, including an adults-only section, making this a good all-rounder for both couples and families. It's located a 45-minute speedboat transfer from the International Airport on Malé.  

My hot tub beach villa was ideally located just a 2-minute walk from the dive centre and a 3-minute walk from the boat jetty. The room was furnished to a high standard and I loved the open-air bathroom. This is a big island offering plenty of activities including golf, tennis and football. There are also multiple pools and restaurants to choose from. The quality and choice of food was excellent.   

Tell us about diving with ‘Dora the Explorer’ from Meeru

Meeru’s dive centre manager, Jeanine Van der Voort, paired me up with dive instructor Dorota Szadkowska aka ‘Dora the Explorer’. We had over 50 dive sites to choose from at Meeru, each with boat journey times between 15 minutes and an hour and three quarters.  

Before leaving for our first dive, Jeanine asked me if I could cope with some current while taking pictures, and I said yes, but at HP Reef it was absolutely ripping. Green and hawksbill turtles were ducking behind rocks and even the fish were reluctant to move when I got close. What a fantastic dive site, but on the day, just too much current to contend with.  

In Meeru, the main manta season falls between July and November, while the best underwater visibility is between January to April.   

The top dive site, Aquarium, was absolutely on fire! There was quite a strong current, but I still managed to get into position for photos. Throughout the dive, I had plenty of marine life encounters, including hawksbill and green turtles, whitetip sharks, puffers, shoals of snappers, butterflies, sweetlips and much more. Definitely Meeru’s best site for photographers. 

The wreck at West Rock was a big hit with me and it’s only a 15-minute boat journey from Meeru. Jeanine said this site is as often used for night dives. The wreck sits upright and intact. I began my tour at the bow, entering a doorway which opens out onto the stairway. The room to the left was full of glassfish. It’s possible to go up the stairs and enter the bridge. This is a big open space. I didn’t see any lionfish lurking, but I’m sure they were around somewhere. It’s also possible to explore the cargo hold and the engine room. Dora posed on one of the toilets!  

I hardly saw another liveaboard during my stay at Meeru, and in most cases, we were the only boat at the dive sites.  

Eriyadu Island Resort is a perennial favourite with Regaldivers. What did you think of it?  

Eriyadu is a 45-minute speedboat transfer from the International Airport on Malé. During my visit, around one-third of the resort’s clientele were British. I think this 4-star resort is a good choice for both divers and snorkellers. It only takes about 10 minutes to walk around the entire island.  

I stayed in one of the rooms located in a block. It was a reasonable standard, but not luxury, and I had direct access to the beach from the rear sliding doors. The resort has a swimming pool, decked bar overlooking the jetty, and a cosy little beach bar. I particularly enjoyed drinking cocktails at the decked bar in the evenings while watching juvenile blacktip sharks patrolling the shallows and herons flying overhead. During my stay, I had a look inside the deluxe villas which seem to offer more comfort and seclusion for those willing to pay a bit extra. 

What were your most memorable diving experiences at Eriyadu? 

Dive manager Lisa De Jong agreed to ‘chaperone’ me during my brief stay. Lisa said Eriyadu offers 30-46 different dive sites, with boat journey times from 15 minutes to an hour.  

The most memorable dives for me were Lucky Rock and Finger Point. Lucky Rock was full of batfish. They can be quite intimidating. Wherever I went, there were multiple batfish following me. Dive guide, Raihan, found a leaf fish, but it was too small for my wide-angle lens. At Finger Point, there was plenty of marine activity throughout the whole dive, including white tip sharks, pufferfish, lionfish and a huge jellyfish. This was definitely one of my favourite dive sites. 

At Kagi Kuda Kandu we encountered a squadron of eagle rays, but they were a little skittish, so I couldn’t get close enough for a good picture. At the end of the dive, we found a huge nurse shark underneath a ledge. 

Lisa said they had recently seen four mantas at Bodu Hithi, about an hour’s boat ride away. There are two cleaning stations positioned a few hundred metres apart, one at around 30m and another at around 10m. Although we went to both, we weren’t lucky enough to see mantas this time.   

How was Eriyadu’s house reef? 

The island is really geared up for house reef diving. Lisa said: ‘The whole island is a shore diving site’. There are five entry points around the island where cylinders are dropped off for the divers and the local currents are minimal.

I didn’t get a chance to check it out myself, but Lisa assured me that sharks, rays, turtles and anemone fish are commonly sighted. Night snorkelling in the house reef was a big seller. I used to sit and watch the torch beams from the comfort of the bar every night. 

What were your overall impressions of Euro Divers?

Euro-Divers are one of the biggest and best dive operators in the Maldives, and you can book a holiday with them through Regaldive. They've funnelled more than 50 years of diving experience into making the whole diving process as enjoyable as possible, from checking in and equipment hire to the quality of the dive guides and the boat crew. It doesn’t matter which centre you visit, they all pretty much offer the same standards and procedures. The Euro-Divers green and yellow rash vests sold in the shops also looked very stylish! 

It was great to see the boat crew helping guests with their BCDs and changing cylinders over, and this wasn’t done just for my benefit. There were always comprehensive dive briefings explaining the sites, along with possible marine life encounters, current direction and safety precautions. Even though I wasn’t a ‘normal’ customer they would still wait for me to climb the ladder first before leaving the water at the end of a dive. Very professional indeed.

Who would you say resort diving in the Maldives is suitable for?

These days I think resort diving is a good option for everybody. Families can all dive together on the house reef or parents can use the in-house creche, taking it in turns to do two morning dives and spending the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Couples and singles have the option of doing two morning dives and an afternoon dive as well as a night dive if they want to, or they can book onto a full-day manta or whale shark excursion, which offer three dives. There was usually only one dive boat at each dive site, and it wasn’t always full to capacity. 

Most dive centres offer between 30 – 50 sites with a number of manta cleaning stations included. Being land-based is a good option for those who wish to enjoy other activities, including tennis, golf and football, as well as a choice of bars, restaurants and swimming pools. 

Summary  

The three resorts I visited were very different in many ways. Vilamendhoo, at South Ari, is the place to be for whale sharks and mantas. The island also has a superb house reef, which is popular with divers and snorkellers, and the food and accommodation were of a high standard.  

Meeru is a 45-minute speedboat ride from Malé. It’s a bigger island but offers more facilities, including an adults-only bar and restaurant. Most of the time we were the only boat at the dive sites and there were fewer divers onboard, but of course, this is season-dependent. I managed to get some great shots of Meeru’s marine life, including a leopard shark, and at the resort the choice and quality of food was excellent.  

Eriyadu, the smallest of the three, was more intimate and rustic. We were also the only dive boat at most of the dive sites and there weren’t too many other divers to worry about. The house reef was totally geared up for snorkellers and divers, offering multiple entry/exit points and cylinders delivered ready for use. The night snorkelling was also very popular.  

Yes, I do have a favourite resort but that would be telling! 

To find out more about our diving holidays to the Maldives you can speak to our friendly, expert dive team.

Malta, and its little neighbours, Gozo & Comino, have been ‘go to’ scuba destinations since the early 90s and had an active diving community long before that. Malta is the shore diving location of Europe, if not globally, and the passionate diving industry experts who serve these islands are the ones to thank for the facilities it has today. During my recent visit, I had the opportunity to experience both the incredible dive sites and the amazing people behind getting divers in the water. 

Before we get cracking, I want to cover local pronunciation to save anyone else the embarrassment of ordering a Cisk beer and pronouncing it ‘Sisk’. In Maltese, ‘c’ is ‘ch’ and ‘x’ is ‘sh’. You can now walk into any Maltese bar and proudly order a pint of Cisk and tell them you’re staying in Xlendi with full confidence.  

Flying into Malta is simple from the UK; there are options with both charter and scheduled airlines. On landing, my first stop was St Paul's Bay, on the north-western side of the island, which offers spectacular sunsets. There I would be diving with our long-time partners Maltaqua. St Paul's Bay is a bustling town with restaurants, cafés, and bars, and the National Aquarium, which is housed in the Bugibba. I know I sound mad, recommending this to divers, but the food and ambience are lovely, so it's well worth a visit.  Sands self-catering apartments are situated around the corner from the dive centre, about a 10-minute walk from the seafront. The Doubletree is wonderful for those who want a catered option, whereas Villa Michael is ideal for small groups and families who want a seafront location and to be in the midst of the action. 

Now back to the diving, one of the main diving areas in Malta is the Cirkewwa (Chir-kehwa) Marine Park. This is right on the northern tip, tucked away around the corner from the ferry terminal. This area was Malta’s first marine park and has been heavily advocated for by the Maltese diving industry. In return, facilities have been provided by the government to not only make diving more accessible, but also safer, cleaner, and less environmentally impactful. Malta’s rocky landscapes can be tricky underfoot, but here steps have been discreetly cut into the entry/exit points, railings and hand-support points have been added, there are wide concrete benches to assist in kitting up, there are dive maps to help with briefings, and there are even toilets, showers, and an excellent snack van.  

Housing the wrecks of the P29 and the Rozi tugboat, the training area of Susie’s Pool and the beautiful geological feature of the Cirkewwa Arch, this area alone has enough sites for a few days of diving and the facilities make diving here a vastly more enjoyable experience. The Maltaqua team were incredibly knowledgeable and patient with me, guiding me through not only the dive but entry and exit techniques too.  

During our dives, we spotted schools of silver jacks, a sting ray, and black damsels, and hit both wrecks and the arch. At the start of June, the water was a fresh 20°C but I (who gets cold in the bath) was comfortable in my trilaminate drysuit, and my buddy was good with a 5mm and hood vest on. The visibility was great, allowing endless views of the panda grass dancing under the sun’s rays.  

Many say that Gozo is what Malta was 20 or 30 years ago; small towns predominantly surrounded by stone-walled agricultural land and hidden gems of seaside bays. Although less visited, Gozo has over 40 dive sites and has been supported in a similar fashion. In the stunning bay of Xlendi (you’ve got this!) is Gozo Dive St Andrews. This operation has been in the industry for over three decades and has played a big role in diving tourism development along the way, alongside others.  

While diving with them, I covered the renowned Blue Hole and collapsed arch, as well as the Inland Sea. These sites are only dive-able when then conditions are right, so we were lucky the wind changed direction on our last diving day.  

Now, we know the beautiful, azure-kissed Blue Hole, encircled by limestone that looks like it was baked in God’s own Mediterranean kitchen, but what people don’t talk about is the entry/exit point. It’s tough! But again, facilities have been put in place to make it easier and safer. This includes two railed staircases and a path with steps which have been cut into the boulders for you have to cross - even with equipment on, it’s a possible route for the vast majority of people.  

Gozo Dive St Andrews were incredibly supportive and thorough in our brief, talking about different techniques and options. I felt I was in very safe hands. For those who can’t cross the boulders, there are tourist boats which pass through the Azure Window, for a small supplement you can rent one of these and access the site via boat instead ... easy! The site of the collapsed arch is breathtaking: gigantic boulders tower in the crystal-clear water and are truly humbling. As you return to the Blue Hole its beauty shines, sunbeams enter the pool-sized opening at the surface and cascade through the water and the submerged arch sitting at 8-15m. The geological architecture is astounding. We were even treated to a visit from an octopus, which is always a win. 

 Xlendi is an idyllic bay, and everything is within a few minutes' walk (although some of it is up a steep hill). There are a variety of restaurant options, and there are generous designated swimming bays, in addition to good public transport links. The St Patrick's and San Andrea Hotels offer comfortable and modest accommodation on the waterfront, just a few steps from Gozo Dive St Andrews.  

Malta and Gozo continue to improve their diving facilities year-on-year, creating sites to suit divers of all levels. The friendly islands have a rich cultural history and numerous attractions which are well worth exploring when out of the water.  

For me, Malta and Gozo are the top diving destinations in Europe, and I can’t thank the dive centres enough!  

Find out more about diving holidays in Malta and Gozo, or get in touch with our dive team. 

One of Regaldive's most popular holiday destinations, the Maldives is a picture-postcard paradise. Above water, stunningly beautiful white sand beaches which epitomise relaxation contrast with the exhilirating underwater realm that offers some of the finest diving to be found anywhere in the world. Adrenaline-charged drifts, amazing quantities of colourful fish and chance encounters with pelagics - mantas, whale sharks and shark species - are the order of the day here; and with the island nation of the Maldives covering some 35,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean, what better way to explore than by liveaboard.

Joining a liveaboard safari really does give you the flexibility to experience Maldives diving at its best if you can abandon the island castaway dream. Maldives diving is completely defined by currents and liveaboard itineraries are designed to take advantage of seasonal fluctuations to take in the sites that offer the best diving at that moment in time. Add to this the fact that you can visit a number of different atolls on a single itinerary, some with little or no tourism development, and you can see why a liveaboard option is a great choice for divers who are mostly interested in diving... and diving only.

Regaldive offer a choice of liveaboard vessels in the Maldives catering to a diverse range of budgets and diving needs. If you're thinking of a luxury boat with plenty of space and all mod-cons, take a look at MV Carpe Diem. This beautiful 35m boat has its own fully equipped diving dhoni and caters to just 20 guests on each trip. Carpe Diem offers a choice of seven or 10 night itineraries throughout the year that are uniquely designed around the prevailing currents, seasons and pelagic migration patterns.

During the winter season (November - May) most of the trips start and end in Male and concentrate on Ari Atoll with either an extension to the South or to the North. The Southern extensions to Felidhu and Meemu atolls or further are mostly known for their channel dives to see lots of sharks and are best chosen by experienced divers. The Northern extension to Baa, Lhaviyani and Noonu atolls concentrate more on a large variety of fish and good coral life.

During the summer season (July - October) Carpe Diem continues with its usual trips to Ari Atoll and also follows special 7 and 10 night dive trips to Baa and Raa atoll. The main focus on visiting Baa atoll during this period is to observe the famous manta rays while feeding in the marine protected Hanifaru Bay. This unihabited island has become one of the hottest places on the planet to witness manta rays in their hundreds, who are attracted to feed by the mass plankton blooming between the months of May and November. It is due to this phenomenon that Hanifaru Bay has become known as the world’s largest manta ray feeding destination.

Want to find out more? Watch this incredible video of Carpe Diem in action in the Maldives and call Regaldive on 01353 659999 to book your place!

The journey to Marsa Alam

I flew to Marsa Alam on a direct flight from London Gatwick - the first available since the pandemic! After just five hours, I landed at the airport and was quickly picked up by an Emperor Divers representative and driven to my hotel. Everything was smooth as silk.

The reinstatement of direct flights to this region between November and April really helps to make this wonderful area accessible once again.

First impressions

I had a friendly welcome from the staff on my arrival at Wadi Sabarah Lodge. It is a beautiful resort, with rooms constructed on different levels along a slope which descends to the beach. The resort aims to accommodate guests aged 12 and older, so the pool area is a relaxing place to unwind. Overall, the atmosphere is so calm and chilled, you can forget the hubbub of the outside world entirely. 

Wadi Sabarah’s architecture is simple but well-designed, with the resort calling on time-honoured Bedouin techniques to ensure a naturally cool and pleasant environment. I felt as though I was walking into a Luxor temple. The interior design, pottery, art and Egyptian artefacts evoke a sense of the exotic, setting this resort apart; particularly in the library and lobby.

My room was located on the beach level and had a private terrace. Despite being a standard room, it was very spacious and conveniently located. The interior had wooden furniture in a natural style, and I was provided with a refillable glass bottle. 

A Unique Offering 

Wadi Sabarah is designed to be in harmony with nature and is built by local masons from repurposed fossilised coral limestone. A solar grid powers the lodge, and they use reverse osmosis, and filter water from desalinated seawater.

The coffee was the best I have ever tried at a resort and the local cuisine was delicious. 

There’s plenty to do beyond diving, such as day trips to Luxor and sunset jeep safaris (which I loved!) I especially enjoyed being out in nature as the sun set and the colour of the rock changed before my eyes. 

I also explored the botanical garden at the heart of the resort - it is like a green oasis in the desert. The gardens house over 2000 plants, including over 40 local species, and guests can take a free tour with Dr Irina Springuel. Irina shared a wealth of knowledge about desert plants and traditional medicine. Guests can even scan QR codes to learn more about the plants during a self-guided walk. 

But of course, I was there for the diving, which brings me to the incredible brand-new onsite dive centre, run by Emperor Divers.

Emperor Divers were so fun and professional 

During my stay at Wadi Sabarah, I enjoyed many dives with the PADI 5-star dive centre. The highly professional team has extensive local diving experience and guided all the dives very well. They were well-organised, delivered good briefings and were very committed to diver safety.

However, what really impressed me was the programme of marine talks. At 6.30pm every evening, the Emperor Divers team hosts a 30-minute educational presentation at Wadi Sabarah. The talks were informative and fun, giving an insight into the marine life you are likely to encounter when diving in the Red Sea, such as oceanic whitetip sharks, dugongs, and moray eels. You won’t want to miss them!

My most memorable dives in Marsa Alam

One of my highlights was definitely enjoying my first-ever dugong encounter at Marsa Mubarak! Emperor operates daily boat tours to this shallow dive site. I followed my dive master as we searched for dugong in the seagrass meadows. We were very lucky and quickly caught sight of one chowing down on some seagrass. We also had spectacular turtle sightings while we were diving there.

Another highlight came after taking a 20-minute speedboat ride out to the famed Elphinstone Reef. Elphinstone is a 375-metre-long reef with sheer drop-offs and steep walls. That morning there was a gentle current so I enjoyed a relaxing dive. Although we didn’t see any of the famous oceanic whitetip or scalloped hammerhead sharks on this occasion, we had some amazing sightings - huge schools of barracudas, travellies and tuna, along with Napoleon fish and lionfish. The visibility was so good I could have been diving in the Maldives!  

So, is Marsa Alam suitable for divers of all levels?

I’d say anyone can dive here. There is a beautiful shallow reef at Abu Dabbab beach for children and beginners. Wadi Sabarah’s coastline has a pristine fringe reef, so you can have a fantastic experience without even leaving the resort.

Experienced divers can head over to Oasis Dive Resort and explore the waters there with or without a guide. I also highly recommend the wreck dives and a drift dive at Elphinstone for seasoned divers.

Why stay in Marsa Alam?

Marsa Alam is less touristy than Hurghada. With lovely resorts away from the crowds, you can enjoy the sun and sea by yourself. 

Between November and April, you can take a direct flight from the UK to Marsa Alam. Staying in Marsa Alam you spend less time travelling to and from your resort, which means more time underwater. I enjoyed daily boat trips to a wide range of beautiful dive sites.

For me, the best parts of my trip were the incredible dugong encounter and my fabulous stay at Wadi Sabarah. 

Please get in touch to find out more about staying at Wadi Sabarah Lodge or booking any of our Red Sea diving holidays.

Sardinia

The shortest journey on our list; divers from the UK can reach the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia in just over 2 hours. The north-eastern shores offer exceptional scuba diving, but La Maddalena archipelago is the jewel in Sardinia’s crown with 60 islands and islets to discover. Explore stunning underwater scenery with rugged caves, overhangs, swim-throughs and abundant marine life. Sardinia is also a favourite with wreck divers who are attracted by the 102-metre cargo ship Angelika and the sunken remains of a World War II bomber plane.

Diving here is suitable for all abilities, with around 40 diverse dive sites to choose from. We recommend you stay on the Emerald Coast at the Hotel Piccada or La Vecchia Fonte.

Malta & Gozo

A 3-hour nonstop flight will transport you to the spectacular Maltese archipelago. Malta is one of the best diving destinations in Europe with a wide variety of diving experiences - from wrecks, reefs and caves to the famous Blue Hole. 

Malta is the perfect place to develop your diving skills, as the dive sites range from beginner-friendly shallow shore dives to challenging technical wreck dives. You can also take a taxi and a ferry from Malta International Airport to Gozo, where intriguing caves, arches and tunnels are just waiting to be explored. We offer two types of accommodation in Malta & Gozo - choose between comfortable self-catering apartments and beautiful beachfront hotels.

Azores

Divers are drawn to this remote archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean by the dramatic volcanic topography and potential for encounters with the world’s largest marine species. You can fly from the UK to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island in approximately 4 hours. Flights often touch down in Lisbon, making it possible to explore the Portuguese capital as part of your trip. 

Diving highlights in the Azores include the Dollabarat Banks, the steep slopes of Pico and the chance to explore canyons, tunnels and underwater arches for octopus, subtropical fish and other marine species. Even more thrilling, you can sometimes hear dolphins and whales while diving! 

Lanzarote

Take a 4-hour direct flight to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It’s an ideal destination for diving, beautiful beaches and winter sun! Lanzarote delivers delightful diving experiences thanks to year-round warm water temperatures, great visibility and breathtaking underwater landscapes. The volcanic formations include fascinating lava tubes and caves, while the sponges, anemones and corals are thriving with octopuses, rays, seahorses and various fish. 

Stay in bright apartment complexes or bungalows just a stone’s throw from the popular Safari dive centre at Playa Chica.

Madeira

Enjoy lush landscapes and beautiful diving on the subtropical island of Madeira, off the north coast of Africa. Garajau Marine Park is very popular with divers who enjoy the park’s volcanic topography, impressive drop-offs and bountiful marine life. Barracuda, dolphin, moray eel, shrimp, octopus, damsel fish, wrasse and friendly dusky groupers are frequently seen here, but lucky divers may also encounter butterfly rays, manta rays or endangered monk seals. 

A flight from the UK to Funchal (Madeira’s capital) is around 4 hours. Madeira offers something for everyone, with wrecks to explore, excellent snorkelling opportunities and plenty of topside adventures. We recommend the 4-star Dom Pedro Madeira, a tranquil beachfront hotel with magnificent sea views.

Egypt (Red Sea)

Regular direct flights from the UK to the popular diving hubs Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh take less than 5 hours, while seasonal direct flights to Marsa Alam (November to April) open up the lesser-visited delights of the Southern Red Sea. A wide range of budget-friendly and luxury resorts are available, or you could join a liveaboard to access the more remote sites.

The Red Sea has it all: beautiful coral reefs, historic wrecks, perfect diving conditions, breathtaking wall dives, big fish action and a dazzling variety of fish. Explore world-famous dive sites while experiencing crystal-clear visibility for up to 50 metres - ideal for underwater photography. Ras Mohamed, the Brothers, Dolphin House and Elphinstone Reef are must-sees that regularly top best dive site lists. 

Oman

Direct flights from the UK to Oman’s capital Muscat take approximately 7 hours. From there, you can access an Arabian wonderland featuring dramatic underwater caves, rocky outcrops and drop-offs, the fascinating Al Munassir wreck and the famed Daymaniyat Islands (a 45-minute boat ride away). 

The Daymaniyat Islands are renowned for having the best diving opportunities in the Middle East, with clear turquoise waters, virtually untouched coral reefs and exciting marine life that includes tropical fish, eagle rays, sea turtles, reef sharks, various cetaceans and migratory whale sharks (July to September). Choose from luxurious hotels or embark on a liveaboard adventure on the spacious Oman Explorer.

Just over 10 hours …

The Caribbean 

The Caribbean is perfect for a laid-back holiday with spectacular diving. The flight times are a little longer (around 9 to 11 hours) but it's well worth it. St Kitts, Saba or Statia are excellent choices with wrecks, thriving marine parks and deep sea mounts to explore. As flights often touchdown in Antigua or St Lucia, you could also opt to combine Caribbean islands for a longer holiday. 

Mexico

Take a 10-hour direct flight to Cancún on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Mexico offers unique diving experiences, particularly the chance to explore freshwater underwater limestone caverns, known as Cenotes, and the Planacar Reef protected marine park. Experience exciting drift dives and turtle encounters, or explore a range of awe-inspiring dive sites around Cozumel, the Socorro Islands and Riviera Maya. A Mexico diving holiday also pairs well with stays in the Caribbean. View a range of accommodation and liveaboard options. 

These destinations are ideal for a convenient diving break. Speak to our dive team for more information, or read our blog on the top 10 diving destinations with direct flights from the UK.

Socorro

Dive with the friendliest and most enormous mantas on the planet, in addition to bottlenose dolphin and hammerhead, silky, Galapagos and whale sharks in Socorro, on Mexico's west coast.

Nautilus Under Sea

14 Mar 2026 - 8 nights

2 Apr 2027 - 8 nights

26 Mar 2027 - 8 nights

Nautilus Explorer

23 Feb 2026 - 8 nights

27 Nov 2026 - 8 nights

Indonesia 

In the heart of the coral triangle Indonesian Liveaboards have something for every diver. Breathtaking drifts, kaleidoscopic corals, magical manta encounters, careful critter spotting, take your pick!

Emperor Harmoni

13 May 2026 - 9 nights

24 May 2026 - 9 nights

Cocos Islands 

A rugged, yet green and verdant island that is surrounded by deep waters populated by Whale Sharks, Schooling Hammerhead Sharks, White-tip Sharks, Tuna, Manta Rays & three species of Turtle. Dolphins are often seen and the odd whale if you are lucky!

Cocos Island Aggressor

18 Oct 2025 - 10 nights

Galapagos

Diving in the Galapagos features on every diver's bucket list. Dive with whale sharks, walls of scalloped hammerheads, manta and eagle ray, marine iguana, Galapagos sea lion and penguins.

Keep watching this page for exclusive liveaboard departures to the Galapagos, or view all our liveaboard holidays to the Galapagos!

Maldives

Servant to the ebb and flow of the seasonal currents, the Maldives makes an exceptional all year round diving destination. These off the beaten track itineraries get you as close as possible to the action at time of travel.

Seascape

3 Sep 2025

Find all of our dedicated departures by looking out for ** EXCLUSIVE! ** in the itinerary notes.

Contact our expert team to book your next liveaboard diving holiday.

(Updated: Aug 2025)

January: Experience Maldives Magic

The Maldives is excellent all year round, but January sees the start of the best diving months. Liveaboards are regularly heading out towards sensational sites in the Southern atolls, including Manta Point, Cocoa Thila, The Victory Wreck and Banana Reef. On these action-packed itineraries, you have the chance to see impressive pelagic fauna, such as grey and whitetip reef sharks, turtles, eagle and manta rays, and whale sharks.

You also get the best diving conditions in the Central Maldives, with water temperatures in the high 20s centigrade and clear views of the fantastic marine life, rock pinnacles, caves, canyons and thriving coral reefs.

The flat sea in January makes whale sharks easier to spot from a boat when they're swimming near the surface, maximising your opportunities for diving or snorkelling encounters. In the South Ari Atoll, Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa and Boutique Beach are excellent resorts offering amazing dive safaris and boat diving trips to the famous thilas. 

February: Bucket-list Diving at Raja Ampat

If you’re keen to visit the world-famous Raja Ampat, then February is an excellent time to go. The archipelago’s 200 dive sites are best explored by liveaboard and February is right in the middle of the peak liveaboard season (December to April). Raja Ampat’s stunning seascapes are teeming with marine life, from healthy coral reefs to colourful critters and large pelagics. 

In February the weather is usually favourable, with low rainfall and warm sea and air temperatures. This makes liveaboard journeys more comfortable, as seas are calmer, and good underwater visibility lets you enjoy the spectacular marine biodiversity, colourful corals and sea fans, and volcanic underwater landscapes to the full. 

March: Wrecks at Chuuk Lagoon in the Central Pacific

Known as ‘Truk Lagoon’ in the diving community, this is arguably the best wreck diving destination in the world with over 60 sunken WWII Japanese ships to discover. Although you can dive here any month of the year, the best diving conditions occur in the dry season (November to April), when on a rainless day visibility in the lagoon can reach up to 40 metres. 

March is a good choice because the favourable conditions tend to provide the most rewarding and enjoyable wreck diving experience.

April: Big Fish in the Southern Red Sea

The Southern Red Sea is a paradise for divers. Not only are the dive sites less crowded than in the north, but a thrilling range of ‘big fish’ species await you. With fewer divers here, the diving experience remains pristine. If you travel in spring you should strike a good balance between sea and land conditions, with relatively calm seas, plenty of sunshine and pleasantly hot air temperatures (averaging 31°C).

Marsa Alam, the well-established gateway to the Southern Red Sea, is now easily accessible again via direct flights from the UK. If you prefer resort-based diving, we recommend Wadi Sabarah, in Port Ghalib, which is ideally located for boat trips to popular dive sites, like Dolphin House, and has an on-site Emperor Divers dive centre. In the evenings, you can enjoy captivating marine biology presentations.  

Liveaboards give you access to the most remote and sought-after dive sites, such as Elba Reef, St. John's Reef, the Brothers, Daedalus and Fury Shoals. Depending on your chosen itinerary, you may encounter hammerhead or oceanic whitetip sharks, bumphead parrot fish, tuna, turtles, dolphins, or various rays. You can also explore sunken ships, marine parks and coral-encrusted walls.

May: Shore Diving in Bonaire

Bonaire, in the Caribbean, is yet another destination which offers exceptional diving all year round. Easy shore diving is the real draw here, but this destination also features pristine reefs, a protected marine park, fascinating shipwrecks, and abundant marine life - it’s no wonder divers love this place. Although there’s really no bad time to dive in Bonaire, we’ve recommended May because it’s such great value for money. In May you can enjoy amazing diving and consistent sunshine but with fewer crowds and at cheaper rates. 

The multi-award-winning Buddy Dive Resort is one of Regaldive’s most popular hotels, with welcoming staff and oceanfront apartments and studios. Check out their special offers to save even more money!

June: Explore the Indonesian Archipelago

This is a fantastic time to visit many of Indonesia’s diving hotspots, such as Kalimantan, Raja Ampat, and Alor, but Bunaken is a particular favourite of ours. In June, you can enjoy ideal weather conditions and excellent visibility of the volcanic topography and healthy reefs fringing Bunaken Island, not to mention turtles galore! 

The Bunaken National Marine Park is loved by underwater photographers and is an exceptional location for wall and drift diving, with steep coral walls and sightings ranging from barracuda, jacks, Napoleon wrasse, reef sharks and sea snakes. 

For a really fun trip, why not combine Bunaken with the Lembeh Strait or Banka? The Lembeh Strait is one of the world’s best muck diving destinations, while Bangka has stunning pinnacles, healthy coral reefs, exciting drift dives and fascinating marine life.

Favourite resorts amongst Regaldivers are Siladen Resort & Spa and Murex Manado, both offering daily dives to the Bunaken marine park, while Dive into Lembeh and White Sands Beach Resort are popular options in Lembeh.

July: Ocean Giants in the Azores

There's only a short window in the year when you can enjoy the fabulous diving opportunities in the Azores. Due to the archipelago’s position in the mid-Atlantic, the core diving season runs from June to mid-September, when sea conditions allow. July to October is also the best time for marine encounters with seasonal visitors. 

The diving experience offers plenty, especially for divers with a little more experience - from encountering playful dolphins to diving with large whale sharks. If you’re lucky, you may also hear the calls of humpback and sperm whales while diving. One of the best dive sites is Princess Alice Bank, an underwater sea mount which is famous for encounters with mobula rays, makos and blue sharks during the summer months. For experienced divers, the Formigas islets are highly recommended. The marine reserve offers amazing visibility, big fish action and fascinating underwater caves. This is often combined with the stunning site of Dollabarat, a beautiful submerged mountain which attracts rays and sharks. 

August: Galapagos Whale Shark Encounters

A Galapagos liveaboard adventure is perfect for summer or autumn. One of the best reasons to visit in August is the presence of numerous, huge, and often pregnant whale sharks at Wolf and Darwin. Between July and October, nutrient-rich currents attract whale sharks and other plankton feeders, such as migratory melon-headed and humpback whales. Your thrilling encounters could also include rays, dolphins, mola mola, hammerhead sharks and Galapagos specialities such as fur seals and penguins!

Image by Jenny Waack

If September works better for you, you can join our exclusive, expert-led Galapagos Whale Shark Expedition with renowned whale shark researcher Sofía Green Iturralde (departs 23 Sep 2024).

September: Maldives Manta Ray Extravaganza

Hanifaru Bay’s annual manta ray aggregation peaks around the September full moon. It's the largest known gathering of reef manta rays on the planet and this phenomenon occurs when plankton-rich waters from the Indian Ocean are drawn into the reef (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve). The ethereal manta rays arrive in vast numbers, gliding gracefully through the water as a plankton feeding frenzy ensues. 

Marine media specialist and conservationist, Danny Copeland, leads an exclusive group tour in the northern atolls of the Maldives, where, along with the manta rays, you could encounter whale sharks, reef sharks, turtles, and Napolean wrasse. 

11 Sep 2024: Maldives Manta Ray Extravaganza 

October: Wrecks and Reefs in the North Red Sea

The North Red Sea is known for spectacular reefs and famous wrecks, especially near popular Sharm El-Sheikh. You can dive here any time, but for the best all-around experience, choose spring (March to May) or autumn (September to November). You’ll have plenty of sunshine and good diving conditions but avoid the peak temperatures of Egyptian summer. 

Shark and Yolanda Reef, in the Ras Mohammed National Park, is one of the top 10 dives in the world. Beginning at Anemone City, currents take you on an exciting drift dive to Shark Reef’s sheer drop-off, from where you’re immersed in a ‘fish soup’ as you pass as you pass Yolanda Reef’s impressive pinnacles, before discovering a sunken Greek merchant ship. SS Thistlegorm - a 128-metre British cargo ship which was sunk in a German air attack during World War Two - is another world-leading dive site, found in the Strait of Gubal.

November: Spectacular Sightings in Socorro 

November marks the start of Socorro’s diving season in Mexico, which runs through to June. Liveaboards will be visiting the exhilarating Revillagigedo Islands (Socorro), which are known for sightings of large pelagic life and endemic tropical fish. 

The most famous residents are friendly giant Pacific manta rays, with wingspans as wide as 7 metres! However, these waters are also frequented by dolphins, humpback whales, 7 species of shark, and predatory fish such as wahoo and Yellowfin tuna.  

December: Christmas in the Coral Triangle  

The Philippines is the perfect destination for December, with thriving coral reefs and some of the richest marine biodiversity on the planet. December to April is the dry season, so you can expect warm weather, low rainfall, calm waters and good visibility. 

At Malapascua, you can experience daily encounters with intriguing thresher sharks. Evolution Dive Resort is a fantastic base from which to explore some of the best diving the Philippines has to offer. From its beachfront location in Malapascua, you can reach Monad Shoal’s Shark Point, The Tapilon wreck, and an enthralling mix of big fish, swim-throughs, and great macro sites.

Other places of interest are Moalboal, which attracts mesmerising sardine baitballs, the WWII wrecks of Coron Bay, and Dauin which is one of the best spots in the world for macro and muck diving. And that’s just the start!

To find out more about any of our diving holidays, contact our friendly Regaldive Team. You can also use our trip search to browse all our liveaboard departures or resorts that we feature and browse our latest special offers.

At Regaldive we are committed to offering you the best possible value for money on all our diving holidays. That's why we offer you a price match promise.

To guarantee we are offering you a great price, we will match the cost of ANY identical diving holiday received from another tour operator.  That way you can be sure to book your holiday at the best possible price.

Get in contact with us today for a brilliant value diving holiday to one of our more than 25 top diving destinations worldwide! 

Our Price Match Promise is subject to the following terms and conditions:

• The holiday quote being compared must be from an ATOL bonded diving tour operator.
• The quote must be for an ATOL bonded package including, as a minimum, flights, accommodation, and diving.
•  The quote must be identical, including: dates, holiday duration, destination, flights, airline, number of passengers, accommodation, room type, board basis, diving operator & package and other services/ taxes and additional fees.
• The comparison quote must be received in writing.
• The quote must be dated and received within 24 hours of our quotation.
• If we have reason to believe the competitor quote is incorrect or inaccurate, we reserve the right to review the accuracy of the quotation.
• Please note that where we match a competitor's price, no additional discounts will apply. 

Contact our friendly Regaldive team today on 01353 659999 to book your next dive holiday.

In September, I flew into Hewanaorra airport in the far south of St Lucia in what should have been the middle of the wet, windy, even stormy “hurricane season”. The visibility from the plane window was superb as we cruised down the leeward side of the island, giving us a prime view of the famous Piton peaks. An intense, undulating green, dotted with colourful villages, contrasted against a deep turquoise sea and bright blue sky, set the scene for a vibrant week.

In terms of land area - even tiny Cozumel is bigger! You can drive the length of St Lucia in under two hours, taking in both windward and leeward sides. Having lived in Tobago, it almost felt like coming home – the strong Carib and Arawak history, along with African and colonial influences set against a lush, floral backdrop. In St Lucia, the unique French influence stands this nation apart; it’s apparent in the place names, the language and the exciting French Creole Heritage Month in October.

I was looking forward to diving – not having been in the Caribbean since moving to the Asia Pacific region, and was anticipating a very different aquatic experience.

All the diving is situated along the leeward side of the island, so is sheltered, mostly calm, and the water, thanks to the occasional current, is crystal clear with great visibility. There really is something for all snorkellers and divers – from shore diving for beginners and night dives, to dramatic walls, swift currents, and shallow plateaus home to an abundance of vivid reef fish, healthy hard and soft coral, eel and crab, to the elusive frogfish and scorpionfish, as well as turtles. There are even a few wrecks to explore, and almost all dive sites are above 30 metres. 

To the north (out of Rodney Bay with Dive St Lucia) you’ll get the chance of rays and larger fish as the Caribbean gives way to the Atlantic. Dive sites here are mere minutes by boat and, all at around 10-18 metres, vary between wreck, wall, boulder and grass. There's enough to see here for several days’ diving. If you wish to stay in the lively far North of the island, with its choice of budget accommodation, you needn’t miss out on great diving. The dive operator is based out of Rodney Bay, makes regular trips southward to the main dive sites.

Further south, towered over by the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Pitons – two volcanic summits emerging over 750 metres from the sea – are a multitude of underwater sites. Here the walls of the Pitons plunge over 400 metres into the depths, but again the dives are all available to recreational divers.

There are colourful dive sites at Anse Chastenet, Keyhole Pinnacles, Superman’s Flight (named after a scene in the film), Piton Wall and Coral Gardens, and you can find myriad lobster, crab, fans, barrel sponge, feather star, eel, spotted boxfish and other reef species. Thanks to a concerted effort to reduce the number of invasive lionfish, alongside a comprehensive coral rewilding project, the reefs here are vibrant and full of life. On one of the dives, I was happy to hang motionless watching a vivid mass of striped yellow and black sergeant majors busily nibbling reef algae: by far the largest group I’ve ever come across!

After your morning dives, there are a plethora of topside adventures to be had, easily accessible from any of the accommodation choices. I experienced an exciting ATV ride into the hills, taking in an abandoned sugar mill. I ambled on a guided nature walk discovering indigenous flora and fauna, ventured by mountain bike into the jungle and made my very own chocolate bar (the strenuous way in a mortar and pestle – the only time we had some cooling rain in the entire week! Check out the Chocolate festival in December!).

You could also explore the coast by sea kayak, swim in waterfalls, indulge yourself in volcanic mud baths, get pampered at the many spas, learn about rum distilling and sample the many flavours, try out St Lucian cooking with its spices, or combine your scuba visit with the October Creole Heritage Month, and even climb The Pitons for an incredible view if you’re feeling athletic (and like waking up early). And I haven’t even mentioned the volcanic beaches! Worthy of TV’s “The Bachelor” and “Married at First Sight”, the scope for romantic relaxation is high on St Lucia’s list of things to enjoy.

I experienced a total of seven dives during my week in St Lucia and was not only pleasantly surprised by the variety of sites and marine life, but also left feeling that there was much, much more to see and do, both under and overwater.

The choice of accommodation ranges from budget-friendly to ‘the sky’s-the-limit’ all in luxury, and everything in between. With affordable year-round, 9-hour direct flights from London with British Airways, you could have breakfast at Gatwick and be sipping a rum cocktail (from a freshly-lopped coconut) on a Caribbean beach at sunset. In the words of the St Lucia Tourist Board: “Let her inspire you”. She most certainly will. 

To find out more about diving in St Lucia you can speak to our expert team today!