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Bandos Island Resort

Bandos Island Resort is a scuba diving destination in the Maldives. The resort has 215 accommodations that range from Garden Villas to Sunset Water Villas. So, each room or villa has a flat screen cable tv, air conditioning and mini bar. Beach Villas have a bath tub and outdoor shower while Premium Villas have a jetted tub. The Bandos Island Resort Beach Pool Villas have an infinity pool. Moreover, the Sunset Water Villas have a private pool and direct lagoon access via a private staircase. Enjoy our blog article; The Maldives: A Garland of Islands in the Indian Ocean.

Bandos Island Resort Diving

Dive Bandos is the onsite scuba diving center. There are more than 40 dive sites to explore out here, but the first one should be the Bandos Island Resort House Reef. Manta Point and Banana Reef are also very popular along with most channels, passes, rocks, and caves. Moreover, the local islands are home to 1100 species of fish, 5 species of turtles, 187 species of coral, 145 species of crab, 48 species of shrimp, and 21 species of whales and dolphins. More importantly, there is an onsite Medical Clinic with a decompression chamber.

Attractions and Activities

At Bandos Island Resort, Gallery Restaurant offers buffet style dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Grill Bar has fresh seafood and grilled entrees. So, Sea Breeze is a café that offers a la carte Italian entrees, Indian curries, burgers, and pizzas. Umi Yaki uses Japanese style teppan hot plates with a dash of theatrical flipping and sizzling with its selections. Furthermore, at Bandos Island Resort you can enjoy an Intimate dinner on the beach, a Candle-Lit Dinner, or a Lobster Dinner for two. At sunset, the place to be is Huvan; the Sundeck bar at the end of the walkway covered tombolo. More importantly, Sand Bar is where you can find karaoke, live music, and discotheque events.

Above all, there is something quite relaxing about the swim up Pool bar. It could be the shade, the soft fragrant breeze, or the feeling of bubbles from the jetted stools; we are still testing our theories out. Keep in mind a visit to the Spa, jet skiing, kayaking, the fitness center,  a glass bottom boat tour, a tour of Malé, a whale shark expedition, a sand bank picnic, a sunset dolphin cruise, or other island hopping or snorkeling adventure.

 

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Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort

Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort is a scuba diving destination in St. Eustatius. The newly designed resort opened in September of 2021. They are located near Oranjested behind the Quill volcanic mountain. They have ocean views and mountain views. They have Junior suites and Superior suites. Each suite at Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort has a balcony or patio. Each unit also has a coffee maker, microwave, kitchenette, mini-fridge, toaster, dishwasher, and more. The private bathroom has a shower, hairdryer, and bathrobe. A wardrobe, flat screen TV, and seating area are also standard features. Free Wi-Fi. Enjoy our blog article on Sea Turtle’s; The Godfathers of All Dive Magazines?

Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort Diving

For scuba diving you may wish to visit Scubaqua Dive Center. They are the number one dive operator on the island. More importantly, they have Green Flash, a 36′ long boat, and Yellow boat, a 28′ long boat. In addition, there guided dive ratio is 6 divers to 1 dive master. They cater to experienced divers with personal attention to newer ones. Also, they have air and free nitrox available, and also do snorkeling tours. Finally, before you visit, you should know that all the marine waters around this dormant volcanic landscape are part of the protected Statia National Marine Park and a small fee of around $30 per year is required to dive this protected marine reserve.

Moreover, because of the volcanic nature of the island, expect to dive soft and hard coral encrusted lava fissures, pinnacles, and walls. There are 36 official dive sites all within 5-20 minutes by boat and some accessible by shore. Some sites to visit while staying at Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort include: Grand Canyon, Hangover, Barracuda, Drop Off, Mushroom Gardens, Aquarium and The Cave. For wreck dives there is the 327′ long cable layer Charles L. Brown (Charlie Brown). Furthermore, they have Double Wreck and Chien Tang.

Attractions and Activities

Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort is the onsite location of The Breeze Restaurant. Their chefs prepare delicious dishes lunch and 3-course cuisine for diner. There is also an onsite tennis court, a pool, children’s playground, fitness room, and gift center. Smoke Alley Beach and Lynch beach have great sand for laying down and getting tanned. Zeelandia is a black sand beach, so be sure and bring a beach towel. Crooks Castle beach is great for snorkeling. Be sure and keep a lookout for 17th century blue beads. For hiking, you can hike the Quill dormant volcano and step into the jungle filled crater.

You can also do a history tour, or visit Fort Oranje, the St. Eustatius Historical Museum, or the Historical Foundation Museum. The Miriam Schmidt Botanical Gardens are a beautiful sight too.

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Grand Sea Explorer

Grand Sea Explorer is a 142ft long luxury scuba diving liveaboard vessel. The ship was built in 2009 and they typically do 7day/8-night trips off the coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. The vessel has 14 staterooms and can hold up to 28 divers. So, each guest stateroom has air conditioning, stereo, a personal fridge, and ensuite bathroom.  Moreover, they will allow private trips for a minimum of 22 divers. Wifi is free. Enjoy our blog article 110,000 Reasons to Go Liveaboard.

Grand Sea Explorer Diving.

Scuba diving is easy using up to 3 tenders and 3 guides. So, they predominantly visit the central areas Brother Islands, Daedalus, and Elphinstone. You may see soft corals, coral encrusted caves, hard corals, walls, and pinnacles. Grand Sea Explorer does up to 4 dives a day from May to September. From October to April when there are longer days of light you may do up to 5 dives a day. Furthermore, plan on seeing several species of sharks including thresher, hammerheads, oceanic white tips, and silver tips. Big brother is the site of two wrecks: the Numidia and the Aida. While aboard Grand Sea Explorer, Nitrox (enriched air) 32% is available for scuba diving guests Nitrox certified.

Attractions and Activities

Aboard Grand Sea Explorer enjoy three meals a day served buffet style. Snacks are available in the afternoon as well as pastries. Beverages served aboard include: coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks, beer and wine. Al-fresco dinning is on the upper deck. The main dining room is located next to the Salon or Lounge area on the main deck. Both of these areas are air conditioned for your comfort. In addition, the main deck is also where you will find the large dive deck, camera table, camera charging area and the dive platform. On the Top deck or Fly deck you can sun bathe between dives or peruse the seas from the shaded area. More importantly, you must have 30-50 dives logged before you embark here. It’s also wise to be nitrox certified as nitrox is free for diving guests.

Finally, you came all the way here, you might as well see the Pyramids of Cairo, temples at Luxor, or ancient statues along the Nile River. You’ll just have to fit some time in before or after going to Hurghada New Marina or Port Galib.

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The Sands at Grace Bay

The Sands at Grace Bay is a luxury resort located in the Turks & Caicos on Providenciales. More importantly, Grace Bay has 12 miles of white sandy beach and Scuba diving is just one of the many activities you may enjoy while staying here. So, the resort features six 3-story buildings with 114 suites. Junior suites have kitchenettes. 1-bedroom suites, two-bedroom suites, and 2-bedroom suites with den, have full kitchens. Air conditioning, fans, and in suite wifi are just some of the amenities. Enjoy our blog article on Turks & Caicos.

The Sands at Grace Bay Diving

Scuba Diving the walls of this destination is a must. In addition, the most experienced dive operator, Provo Turtle Divers, are just minutes east of Sands at Grace Bay. Moreover, you can typically do 2-3 dives a day in clear waters offering an abundance of sea life. Some popular dive sites you may wish to see include: The Amphitheater, Grand Canyon, Shark Hotel, and Coral Staircase. You can dive canyons, walls, pinnacles, and coral reefs. Some other popular dive sites you may wish to see while staying at The Sands at Grace Bay: Double D, Elephant Ear Canyon, Aquarium, Eagle Ray Pass, and The Crack.

Attraction and Activities

At Sands at Grace Bay, you are close to the Provo Golf club. Located in the Princess Alexandra National Park, you can ride jet skis, go windsurfing, parasailing, go on a catamaran trip take a submarine ride, or try kayaks and hobie cats. So, to relax, you can request an inhouse Spa treatment by Spa Tropique. More importantly, Hemingway’s Restaurant & bar is the onsite restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and diner is served overlooking the white sand beach. Moreover, there are several restaurants and shopping areas located nearby including those located at the Regent Village, Saltmills Plaza, and Ports of Call shopping plaza. The Casablanca Casino is not that far away either.

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Blackbird Caye Resort

Blackbird Caye Resort is located on Turneffe Atoll off the coast of Belize. This PADI 5 star scuba diving resort has 20 oceanfront cabanas. They offer new Beach Villas, Deluxe Cabanas, Superior Cabanas, and Triplex Cabanas. Rooms typically are appointed with 1 king or 2 queen beds and all meals are included. Screened-in-balconies, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi at the bar are just a few of the local amenities. Enjoy our blog article on Belize and Un-Belizable Diving and Adventure.

Blackbird Caye Resort Diving

There are over 70 dive sites to choose from near Blackbird Caye Resort. So, from the onsite scuba diving center twenty dive sites are less than 35 minutes away. Furthermore, they typically do 3 boat charter dives a day or 2 guided snorkel excursions. There are also over 500 species of fish, 350 species of mollusk, and 65 species of stony coral out here. The famous 400ft deep Blue Hole is less than 60 minutes away straight east and experiencing it is included in your stay. Other well-known dive sites include Light House Reef and Elbow Reef to view large pelagics. You can also view large pelagics at Pelican Wall or visit a pod of dolphins in the middle of South Lagoon. More importantly, you have to comb Lindsey’s Back Porch or The Terrace for a glimpse of the rare white spotted toadfish.

Attractions and Activities

With a nearby air strip, you can fly right over to Blackbird Caye Resort or arrive by boat. Packages include 3 meals a day at the Blackbird Restaurant. They have complimentary paddle boards and Kayaks or you can just relax at the pool or rest in your hammock on the balcony. Birding is also popular here with over 75 species nesting, residing, or stopping by the nearby Crocs lagoon. The lagoon is also the place to see crocodiles and manatees with their young offspring. This is also a great place for weddings and group activities.

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Papua Paradise Eco Resort

Papua Paradise Eco Resort is a scuba diving destination. They are located on Birie Island in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. So, they have 26 overwater wooden bungalows. More importantly, the rooms reside right above and against the house reef. Now, the Superior Overwater Bungalows have queen beds, a veranda. the also come with an ensuite bathroom. However, the Deluxe Overwater bungalows are slightly larger. They have a king bed, and sundeck with sun beds. Oh, and mini-bar.  Above all, the Deluxe has a private semi-open bathroom. This bathroom comes complete with an outdoor rain style shower. All rooms at Papua Paradise Eco Resort come with an ocean view desk. Wifi is available in the dive center lounge. Also enjoy our blog articles on North Sulawesi Indonesia-Part One.

Papua Paradise Eco Resort Diving

Gangga Divers is the onsite scuba diving center. They have a fleet of 10 dive boats.  They are also a PADI 5 Star dive center. The dive center also has a marine library, class room, and locked storage room. Most importantly, they have an air-conditioned camera room with work stations. They also have rental gear and Nitrox up to 32% is available. 75% of all known coral species can be found near Papua Paradise Eco Resort. Moreover, there are over 1300 species of fish in the area. Expect to see mantas, turtles, cuttlefish, and sharks. Smaller fish such as mandarin fish, pipefish, and sea horses are quite common. . The House Reef has two snorkeling sites plus a dive site. The Passage dive trip includes two dives in the mangroves at Yangeffo. There are also trips to MansuarKri, and Fam Island.

Attractions and Activities

The Sea View is the restaurant at Papua Paradise Eco Resort. They offer buffet style European and Indian cuisine. Vegetables come mostly from local gardens and villages. Pasta and ravioli are made fresh onsite. As for activities, you might like snorkeling. You can also go kayaking or bird watching. Island excursions include Wilson’s Bird of Paradise tour. You might also like to visit the Batanta Island waterfalls.  The Arefi Village tour is a great cultural adventure. However, the Hornbill Island sunset cruise and the Mangrove River bird cruise are for the birds. Finally, you may also like to take a break and relax at the Spa in Paradise.

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Gangga Island Resort

Gangga Island Resort & Spa is a scuba diving destination. They are northeast of Manado in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Pulau Gangga, or Gangga Island, is near Bangka Island. They have 30 well-appointed rustic wooden bungalows. The majority of the bungalows are right next to the beach. Most Superior Villas have a double bed with draped mosquito nets. The rooms have a desk, complimentary wifi, satellite tv, and a mini-bar. All bungalows have an ensuite bathroom. The Deluxe Bungalows are similarly furnished, but have an additional veranda with a day bed. Enjoy our blog article on North Sulawesi Indonesia Part One and Part Two.

Gangga Island Resort Diving

Gangga Divers is the onsite scuba diving center. They are also a PADI 5 Star dive center. So, they have a fleet of several boats. Typically, they take out 4 divers on the faster boats.  The largest boat holds 12-15 divers. The longest dive trip is a 3-tank excursion. On this trip they offer a lunch box and afternoon tea. They also provide snacks. The Bunaken National Marine Park is within easy distance to Gangga Island Resort. The list of possible dive sites out here is enormous. So, wall dives around the Bunaken National Marine Park may be deep. More importantly, the area contains 390 species of coral and over 2000 species of fish. So, you may see seahorses, frogfish, sharks, and whale sharks. You might also see dugongs too. In addition, near Gangga Island Resort, chambered nautiluses rise up from depth at night.

Down below 100m, a brown species of coelacanth lobe fin fish somehow thrives. They  hide in caves and under overhangs. So, they were thought extinct for some 65 million years until seen in a fish market. Above all, nearby Bangka Island is home to pinnacles, drift dives, and muck dives. Some of the local larger creatures include: pilot whales, dugongs, sharks, and dolphins.

Attractions and Activities

At Gangga Island Resort, Tuturuga Restaurant is the place for breakfast buffet style. Lunch and dinner are ordered by menu. They offer International cuisine, as well as feature Indonesian favorites with emphasis on freshly caught fish.  As for activities, you can try fishing with local fisherman. Moreover, you can play billiards, volley ball, or table tennis. Now, the snorkeling is great, but lounging near the salt water infinity pool is divine. You may also like to visit the Minahasa Highlands. Excursions to Tangkoko National Parks, private tours to outer islands, and volcano trekking are also available. The resort is also the home of Pasung Spa.

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Royal Sea Aquarium Resort

Royal Sea Aquarium Resort is a scuba diving destination with 30 fully furnished villas. The resort is in Willemstad, Curacao and has 3 main types of rooms. They have a Double Junior Suite with a kitchenette for 2 adults plus 1 child. With full kitchen and 2 murphy beds they have the One Bedroom Ocean View. Lastly, for parties of up to 6 people they offer Two Bedroom Master Suites with two bathrooms. All villas have air conditioning and flat screen tv’s. Enjoy our blog article on Curacao, Can We Say Choices?

Royal Sea Aquarium Resort Diving

Ocean Encounters is the largest scuba diving school in Curacao. They are literally a few minutes away by foot. Even better, they are 100ft away if you swim across the inland waterway. Moreover, are a one stop dive shop, servicing all your rental, retail, or learning needs. Each morning, they provide one tank or two tank dive excursions to some 50 dive sites. While staying at Royal Sea Aquarium Resort you can schedule night boat dives. You may like to try a florescent night dive, a lion fish dives, or even a trip to Mushroom Forest and Blue Room of Klien CuracaoEast Point. Guided tour shore dives are also conducted right from the LionsDive Beach Resort’s beach. Finally, they have a coral restoration course.

Some of the popular local dive sites include: Basora, Rediho, Watamula, Shark Cave, Alice in Wonderland, Hell’s Corner, Airplane wreck, and Superior Producer Wreck.

Attractions and Activities

The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort is home to Laman Restaurant. Here, they offer international dishes, choice seafood selections, and Italian cuisine. More importantly, there are many other restaurants nearby in case you don’t want to stay in and cook. As for activities, you can arrange an animal encounter dive next-door at the Dolphin Academy and Curacao Sea Aquarium. The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort has an adult pool, a children’s pool and a wading pool. Nearby, you can also go kayaking, sail boarding, snorkeling, or enjoy other water sports. Moreover, there is even a submarine ride you can take (Curasub) down to 1,000ft deep. You might also like taking a shuttle into the Punda district of Willemstad for duty free and shopping. Then again, you can just relax and  watch the dolphins swim by from your lounger or balcony.

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Jungle Bay Dominica

Jungle Bay Dominica has 30 ecofriendly luxury villas above the village of Soufriere and near the scuba diving park known as Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Preserve. Villa suites offer king size beds and jungle spa bathrooms with raindrop shower heads. The rooms have a minifridge as well as biodegradable bath products. Spectacular views of the ocean, jungle and tropical gardens surround you. Enjoy our blog article on Dominica The Nature Island.

Jungle Bay Dominica Diving

Nature Island Dives is located next to Soufriere Bay and offer guided boat dives. So, they do 1 tank, 2 tank, and night dives. In addition, they offer open water and specialty classes, as well as an underwater photography class and tours. They also perform Lionfish Control, which might explain why their onsite restaurant Bottom Time Café, offers such savory lionfish sandwiches. The Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve which you can view from Jungle Bay Dominica is located inside an ancient submerged volcanic crater.

There are many dive sites in and around this area. The most interesting dive has to be Champagne Reef with an endless supply of sulfuric bubbles. Swiss Cheese, Scotts Head Pinnacle, and Dangleben’s Pinnacle have swim throughs. Crater’s Edge is a dive site where you can view sea turtle, sea horses, and turtles on the inside perimeter and large pelagics on the outside of the crater rim that descends down some 700ft deep.

Attractions and Activities

Jungle Bay Dominica has an adventure package that includes all meals at the Calabash restaurant and non-alcoholic drinks. The resort has an infinity pool, hot jacuzzi, and loungers. They also have Spa pampering and yoga classes. The resort is a 20-minute walk to Champagne Reef. Jungle Bay Dominica is a great place for corporate retreats, escape weddings, and honeymoons.

More importantly, this is the Nature Island. So, prepare to do some birding to view the endemic Sisserou & Jaco Parrots. Above all, you have to take a guided hike into the old growth rain forests. There are also 365 rivers and 12 waterfalls to see. So, you can also go waterfall repelling and canyoning. More importantly, Boiling lake is the 2nd largest boiling lake in the world. Sea Kayaking is big here too. Finally, there are 20 marine mammal species out here from spotted dolphins to sperm whales, so whale watching is big too.

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Papagayo Beach Resort

Papagayo Beach Resort is a scuba diving destination in Willemstad, Curacao. The resort has a large manmade swimming lagoon over at the Beach Club, and is a 3-minute walk to Jan Thiel Beach & Bay. They have 2-bedroom villas with garden rooms, 2-bedroom villas with ocean views, 3bedroom villas, and even a Royal Suite Villa. The luxury villas have AC flat screen tv’s and open plan kitchens. Enjoy our blog article: Curacao. Can We Say Choices?

Papagayo Beach Resort Diving

Dive Center Scuba Do is the local scuba diving place to go. They are a short walk away at Jan Thiel Beach near Zanzibar, the restaurant with amazing ribs. Dive Center Scuba Do offers multiple guided and non-guided shore dives. Depending on the day, they do drift dives from Barbara Beach to Directors Bay, and Directors Bay to Tugboat. You can do full day diving to West Point to Cas Abou. Moreover, they do boat diving over at East Point, Klein Curacao, and other west coast beaches. Finally, they do wreck diving on the 115ft deep, 400-ton Superior Producer or on the 15ft deep Tugboat. They also teach PADI courses including many specialty courses such as Lionfish Hunter, wreck diver, deep diver, drift diver, and night diver, to name a few. Expect to see turtles, stingrays, dolphins, eels, sponges, soft corals, hard corals, and a plethora of happy fish.

Attractions and Activities

Papagayo Beach Resort has its own restaurant.  Furthermore, 11 other restaurants are within a short stroll from most villas including the Beach Café near the Beach Plaza and Beach Club. The Beach Plaza is home of the Van Den Twerl Supermarket as well as several gift and clothing shops. Laman Spa and Wellness and Diamond Beach Casino are also located in this area. Thursday nights you can dine and dance, Friday nights are for live music and later DJs. Mojito’s and Bites is another hot place to dance and enjoy night clubbing. At adjacent Blue Coast Water Sports, you might like to try a hydro-flight or jet ski during the day or just become a lounger next to the lagoon at the Beach Club and vigorously work on a tan.

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