Best Travel Deals

MV Spoilsport – Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

MV Spoilsport, a highly awarded boat operated by Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, is a 100ft long scuba diving liveaboard vessel located in Cairns Australia. The Twin hull vessel was built in 1989 and was renovated in 2019. The twin hull design gives the vessel maximum stability and passengers maximum comfort. So, the vessel has 14 cabins onboard for a total of 28 guests. 4 Premium cabins and 4 Standard cabins have ocean view windows and ensuite bathrooms. 4 Club rooms with twin bunk beds come with ensuite bathrooms, and the 2 Budget cabins with twin bunk beds have a shared bathroom. All cabins are air-conditioned and serviced daily. Enjoy our blog article on Australia Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.

MV Spoilsport Diving

They use 2 rigged inflatable boats for scuba diving activities. Plan on seeing up to 1,500 species of fish, 6 species of turtles, and some 400 species of coral. The size of animal life ranges from small shrimp up to Minke whales. Some of the excursions include 5 nights/ 18 dives in the Coral Sea and Cod Hole. MV Spoilsport has 7 night/26 dive trips to explore the Coral Sea. Moreover, they have other exploration trips depending on the time of year to Yongala and the Coral Sea, Minke Expeditions, and 7 night green turtle rookery trips. To top it all off, they have Far North Coral Sea trips to Bougainville, Osprey, Ribbon Reefs, and Ashmore.

If you get a chance to go scuba diving on MV Spoilsport and the weather is right, you have to visit Osprey Reef.  This atoll resting on a seamount has ten dive sites with North Horn being the most famous for feeding sharks and sightings of giant potato cod measuring up to 6ft long. There are more than a dozen different sharks in the area including hammerheads, silkies, nurse sharks, silvertips, and reef sharks. Australia is home to 125 species of sharks. Lizard Island itself is a great place to do a night dive. You can also do day trips to some dozen dive sights including Cod Hole on the northern end of Ribbon Reef on #10 reef.

Attractions and Activities

While aboard Mike Ball Dive Expeditions MV Spoilsport, enjoy 3 chef prepared meals a day plus snacks and fresh fruit. Wine and soft drinks are served with an Aussie BBQ and other tasty international dinners. There is a sundeck for working on a tan. A camera table, rebreather station, and a photo/video station are available on the dive deck. You can also relax in the lounge area or the alfresco deck adjacent to the Galley Bar. Keep in mind you may wish to add on a few days in Cairns to visit a rainforest, the Australian outback, go hot air ballooning, or go white water rafting. Ultimately, if you fly in through Brisbane or Sydney, then you need even more time for a proper walk about or picture with a Koala.

Best Travel Deals

Scubaspa Maldives

Scubaspa Maldives comprise a fleet of vessels located in the Maldives. Yin and Yang are two identical 165ft long luxury scuba diving yachts. So, they were built in 2013, and renovated in 2015. Each ship can hold 40 guests. Manta Suites and Dolphin Suites with oval panoramic windows are located on the main deck.  The Cowrie suite and the sea star suites with portlights are on the lower deck. Moreover, each suite has air conditioning, ensuite bathrooms with shower, room for storage, safety deposit box and wifi. Enjoy our blog article on The Maldives: A Garland of Islands in the Indian Ocean

Scubaspa Maldives Diving

Both yachts are PADI 5-star scuba diving resorts and teach intro to advance diver courses. Diving is done from one of the two 60ft long dhoni (dive boats). Local reef ecosystems include channels, overhangs, drop offs, shallow coastal and deeper underwater islands called Thila. More importantly, there are 187 corals, 1050 fish, 400 mollusks, and hundreds of crustacean species. Scubaspa Maldives guests will be rewarded wherever they choose to dive. So, whale sharks and manta rays are top attractions for Ari and North Male Atoll. Manta Point dive site showcases manta ray cleaning stations. South Male Atoll channels attract many pelagic fish. Rasdhoo Atoll is famous for Scalloped Hammerhead sharks. Also, Aduuls Atoll has Turtle Point with increasing numbers of turtles, white/black tip reef sharks and eagle rays. Lastly, Baa Atoll has brilliant carpets of swaying soft corals with an abundance of reef fish. Nitrox is available.

Attractions and Activities

The chefs onboard Scubaspa Maldives prepare 3 buffet meals daily unless they are cooking a BBQ feast on a deserted island. They cook international favorites and local cuisine as well as lobster to order and fresh seafood. Above all, these two sister ships are uniquely designed with Spas with 6 treatment rooms. You might say that they are a fleet of floating 5-star luxury spa resorts. So, they work with individuals, and you can also get a couples massage. When not diving or getting a message, you might like to relax in a lounger or sit in a hot tub. There is a mini fitness center and yoga classes are offered by a yoga master. There is also an open air cinema.

They also have special charters available for 7 night or 4-night holidays, trips to the Deep South, Far North, Central Atolls, as well as cruises for those that love shark week, love whale sharks, love mantas week, freediving week, Christmas and New Years week, solo travelers cruise, weddings, anniversaries, last minute cruises, and much more.

Best Travel Deals

Namale Resort

Namale Resort is a scuba diving destination on the north island of Vanua Levu. There are 22 private bures and villas set out on a 525-acre former coconut plantation. There are garden bures, ocean view bures, Honeymoon bures, villas, and Luxury grand villas with 2 bedrooms. It’s the perfect adults only get away. Furthermore, if you need more privacy, you can rent out the entire Namale Resort. So, each accommodation has complimentary wifi, private deck, and mini fridge. Enjoy our blog article on Experience the Fiji Firewalkers of Beqa Island.

Namale Resort Diving

Namale Dive is the onsite scuba diving center. The Namale Pearl is parked at the private cove and waiting to take you almost anywhere in this region of the soft coral capital. Here, you can arrange multiple day 2-tank packages. In addition, rental gear and enriched air are also available. Some of the top destinations near the Namale Resort are the Namena Marine Reserve, Purple Gardens, Lepper’s Wall, and more. So, most divers visit here to view the kaleidoscope of several hundred soft coral species colors. However, Ribbon eels, clownfish, and juvenile coral trout along with 1,000 other species of fish put on a daily colorful display. Oh, and don’t forget the 500 species of uniquely shaped and colored mollusks. Finally, the turtles, sharks, and sea snakes avail themselves for the perfect photo/image opportunity.

Attractions and Activities

For indoor options, Namale Resort has a Spa, fitness center, an oceanfront basketball court, billiards, darts, a bowling alley, and private lounges. To enjoy time outside, there are two resort pools, hot tubs, a 9-hole golf course, and a tennis and volleyball area. Outside, you can go kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking, or go on a reef walk. Tours to waterfalls, villages, game fishing, and sandbar picnics are also arranged.

Best Travel Deals

Dreams Cozumel Cape

Dreams Cozumel Cape Resort and Spa in Mexico is an all-inclusive scuba diving resort. They offer 154 guest rooms or suites with Garden, Pool, or Ocean views. Enjoy 24 hour room service or multiple restaurants and bars. Rooms also have a balcony, mini-bar, flat screen TV with satellite channels and wifi even in public areas. Enjoy our blog article Destination Spotlight: Cozumel, Mexico.

Dreams Cozumel Cape Diving

Juan Leca’s Dive House and dedicated dive training pool are onsite. As a PADI 5 star scuba diving facility and they do intro to scuba up to specialty scuba courses.  They also do night dives as well as 2 tank boat trips to some 18 dive sites. From Dreams Cozumel Cape you can view over 300 species of fish and over 100 species of coral. Stingrays, groupers, barracuda, turtles, nurse sharks, spiny lobsters, and eels are everywhere. You’ll have the chance to do explore walls, pinnacles, and tunnels. Most importantly, many of the dive sites near Dreams Cozumel Cape are easy drift dives. Dive boats commonly drop divers off. Afterwards, the boats drift with the bubbles until the divers resurface. Some of the popular dive sites include Santa Rosa, Al Cedrals, The Caves at Palancar Reef, San Francisco, La Francesa, the Bricks. Oh, and don forget the Plane wreck! In addition, you can also dive at nearby Chankanaab National Marine Park.

Attractions and Activities

At Dreams Cozumel Cape Resort and Spa, not only do you have access to four restaurants and two beach bars, but you also have access and privileges at the two sister resorts. So, Secrets Aura Cozumel and Sunscape Sabor Cozumel are just a few steps away. After a swim in the pool, snorkeling, biking, kayaking, the fitness center, or resting on a lounge chair, you may wish to go into town. The Dolphinaris, and the Kaokao Chocolate Factory are popular tourist destinations, but don’t miss the Mayan Show back at the resort.

Best Travel Deals

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.

 

Best Travel Deals

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.

Best Travel Deals

Iberostar Cozumel

Iberostar Cozumel is an all-inclusive  resort on the scuba diving island of Cozumel in Mexico. The resort features 293 guest rooms. In total they have 12 categories of double rooms and suites. They have secret garden views, pool views, ocean views, near pool, and ocean front rooms. They also have palm thatched roof bungalow-style suite ocean view rooms. All this ensures that there is a guest room to fit just about any desire. More importantly, Iberostar Cozumel is a 5 Star all-inclusive resort. Each accommodation comes complete with an in-room mini bar, air conditioning, and bathroom with shower. Furthermore, each unit has a flat screen tv, and a coffee maker. Best of all, each accommodation has a private balcony with hammock.  Enjoy our blog article on Cozumel Mexico, Always A Top Dive Destination.

Iberostar Cozumel Diving

Dressel Divers is the onsite scuba diving center but other dive operators can be specified. They use two boats to do two tanks and one tank dives daily as well as offering a night dive. The destination depends on weather and currents.  So, at Iberostar Cozumel, the local shoreline is rocky. Therefore, all dives here are done by boat. Fortunately, this works well because most local diving is drift diving. More importantly, most dive sites visited are less than 10 minutes away.  So, from Iberostar Cozumel expect to see some of the 300 species of fish and over 100 types of corals. However, you may use the stairs near the far end on the elongated dock to go snorkeling. Stingrays, grouper, barracuda, turtles, nurse sharks, and spiny lobsters are everywhere. You may also have the chance to do wall dives, explore pinnacles and tunnels.

Some of the popular scuba diving sites include: Santa Rosa, Al Cedrals, Palancar Garden, San Francisco, La Francesa, and the Plane Wreck. In addition, you also might like to spend a day diving at nearby Chankanaab National Marine Park.

Attractions and Activities

The Iberostar Cozumel international buffet has nightly themes. Some popular themes include: Italian, Mexican, and American cuisine. Cantina Las Dos Marias offers Mexican and American ala carte meals. So, reservations are recommended here. Moreover, LA Pagoda offers cold and hot ala cart dinning featuring Asian cuisine. Here, reservations are required. So, dishes range from Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. There are some dress codes for the ala carte venues. Drinks can be served at the El Patio lobby bar, La Perla pool bar, and La Cieba Beach Bar. In addition, at the Theatre Bar, they have nightly entertainment. The spa, fitness center, and sauna are all located onsite. There are two pools for adults and one for kids at Iberostar Cozumel.

Lucy’s Kid Club is also available for kids 4-12. During the day you can try kayaks, catamarans, and windsurfers for the first hour free. Dedicated loungers are located in a special shallow area of one of the pools. The nearest sand beach is San Francisco Beach located south about half a mile away. Peacocks, Parrots, Flamingos, and Iguanas appear to have the right away on all secluded paths.

Best Travel Deals

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.

Best Travel Deals

Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort

Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort has 60 luxurious villas and studios perfect for scuba diving enthusiasts staying on the southern end of Roatan Island. Roatan is just offshore and north of the Honduras mainland. In all, they have 8 different styles of accommodations ranging from 2-bedroom Beach Front Villas to Pool Side Studios. All rooms come with air conditioning. You may also prefer a kitchenette or full kitchen and much more. The resort is all-inclusive, but they also have a Premium all-inclusive plan which features even more dining options. Enjoy our blog article on The Bay Islands, Roatan, Utila, Guanaja, and More.

Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort Diving

Onsite is the Mayan Divers dive center. They have four scuba diving boats ready to take you around the island of Roatan. You can even do a day charter over to nearby Utila Island. Beside all the typical Caribbean fish, lobsters, coral, octopus, and turtles, guest sometimes encounter whale sharks. So, some of the dive sites include: Aquarium, El Aguila wreck, Turtle Crossing, and Black Hills Seamount as well as other reefs and seamounts. Typically, they offer two morning dives, an afternoon dive and or a night dive. You can also do shore diving right in front of the Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort. You may wish to hire a divemaster guide so you don’t miss viewing a single sea creature.

Rental gear/kits are available, but reserve ahead. More importantly, they also teach specialty courses such as open water diver through wreck diver, night diver, enriched air diver, and underwater photography just to name a few specialties.

Attractions and Activities

While staying at Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort You can also snorkel off shore or swim in one of two freshwater pools. Moreover, you might also like to try kayaking or paddle boarding. After a day of great scuba diving, you may wish to lounge in chairs, sit in the jacuzzi, or visit the spa. They have a Pirates Kid Club to keep those 12 and under busy. They also have night entertainment. So, Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort has 5 bars. They also have a total of 4 restaurants. The Balam is buffet style and open breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Macao, located next to the pool, serves comfort food such as burgers, pizza, and Honduran Tacos. If you choose the Premium all-inclusive package you can also enjoy lunch and dinner ala carte Caribbean food at Calkets. So, ala carte fusion food is served at San Simon Beach Club.

Above all, you are close to outside excursions such as zip lining, animal encounters, or dolphin and mangrove excursions. Finally, shuttle service can take you to and from the airport or downtown.

Best Travel Deals

Grand Park Royal Cozumel

Grand Park Royal is a scuba dive destination in Cozumel Mexico. They have 342 rooms and a private beachfront. This is an all-inclusive resort with Deluxe rooms with either a garden or ocean view. The rooms have wifi available, furnished balconies, mini-bars, and hairdryer. Flat screen TVs have cable channels. 24hr room service is also available. Enjoy our blog article on Cozumel Mexico, Always a Top Dive Destination.

Grand Park Royal Diving

Aqua World is the onsite scuba diving center. They also do snorkeling tours and may combine this tour with diving tours. Moreover, they do submarine rides and glass bottom boat tours. Finally, they also work with cruise ships and join them in with the snorkel and dive tours. They have their own jetty/dock and other charter boat operators pay to stop and pick up or drop off passengers. Snorkeling supplies may be limited by demand. It’s best to bring your own gear, as your own gear almost always fits best. Now, one street away, or a short walk away from Grand Park Royal there are more than half a dozen boutique dive shops.

For those dive shops rating between 5-4.8 stars out of 5, you might like to dive with Aldora Divers, Dive Boutique, Dive with Martin Dive Shop, Jungle Divers, Roberta’s Dive Shack, and Living Underwater. You might say, that depending on when and where you want to dive, there is a local dive boat ready to schedule and take you there. Above all, there are some 250 species of fish on or around Palancar Reef.

Attractions and Activities

At Grand Park Royal, they have 2 a la carte evening restaurants: El Mexicano and El Italiano. La Veranda is the onsite buffet restaurant serving breakfast lunch and dinner. El Carbeño is open for lunch and dinner. Café Solé offers pastries and coffee for breakfast. Grad Park Royal is also known for their tacos and other snacks by the poolside at the Bikini Bar, and El Marlín Azul bar. As for drinks, they have five bars including 2-swim up bars, sports bar, and lobby bar. Oh, and don’t forget the nightly entertainment at the open-air amphitheater. A private underpass leads you across the street to the private beach area and Paradise Reef. Here, you can rest in a lounger near two pools, enjoy a hot tub, snorkel, or play volley ball.

Finally, the Royal Village Shopping Center, Atlantis Submarines, and Hard Rock Café are a short walk away down the street.

Maduro Memberships and Accreditations