Marsa Alam, situated in the south-east of Egypt is the perfect destination of where to spend your Scuba holidays. The dive sites are located close by for all levels of divers, from beginner’s right up to the deepest technical diver. The sites are uncrowded in comparison to other dive areas such the Great Barrier reef. Equally all of the sites offer great snorkelling possibilities too for those whom are too young to dive or would rather stay close to the surface. Perhaps one of the most magnetic possibilities for Scuba holidays Marsa Alam is the possibility of getting up close to one of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, The Whale Shark.

Found commonly throughout April, May and June, whale sharks are gentle and often stay around divers for an extended period, showing more interest then fear by our presence.

The “Small Bay of the Market” (Marsa Shouni Soraya) has a distinctive shape offering a variety of dive sites ideal for new and experienced divers alike during their Scuba holidays. There is also a sheltered lagoon where baby eagle rays have been regularly spotted. The signature table corals harbour a massive array of life and its reefs are teeming with shrimps, scorpion fishes and barracuda. The bay has a resident hawksbill turtle and dolphins are regular visitors, Whale sharks are sometimes spotted just outside the bay also.

You can decide on a Scuba holidays in Marsa Alam throughout the year, however it is best during the summer months. Sometime around April to May the visibility is greatly reduced due to Plankton Bloom, but if you want to encounter whale sharks you must visit Marsa Alam by the beginning of summer and end of spring. Renowned for its diverse marine life and incredible coral reefs, Marsa Alam is a ruby by the Red Sea. I recently travelled to Marsa as one of Active Divings last minute Scuba holidays (087 123 11 122, http://.www.activediving.co.uk).

Throughout the year the average temperature remains in its thirties and forties. While the hottest month is August, the coolest month is January with the temperature dipping during the night. Generally windy, Marsa Alam witnesses a rough sea during November and the waves at times might be large. Featuring prominently in the tourist map of the world, Marsa Alam is fast becoming a hot spot for all tourists.

Diving is a very popular sport and everywhere in the world people especially all divers participate in the sport with much zest and vigor. Marsa Alam provides special diving facilities to all visitors, there are numerous diving spots here in Marsa Alam. The place is known to attract people from all over the world and people get thrilled to see the sea and thus cannot wait to explore the diving opportunities here. The Red Sea coast is a popular tourist destination here and provides excellent diving opportunities to all enthusiasts.

The clear blue waters of Red Sea, the coral reefs and the underwater wonders are all reasons why Scuba holidays are so popular to the destination. There are plenty of diving resorts, diving centres and camps that are all ready to help you out with your adventure! You can also opt for some certified courses on scuba diving in Marsa Alam predominantly offered by PADI.

You can go for scuba diving either from shore or you can also take the boats that take you on full day or half-day trips. There are plenty of excellent diving sites and some thrilling drop offs. Here are some popular diving sites in Marsa Alam for your Scuba holidays:

Marsa Mubarak
The largest and most versatile dive site accessible from Port Ghalib offers seven wildly different diving experiences offering the chance to see everything from puffer fishes to dugongs, giant green sea turtles to trunk fishes and everything in-between. Offering sea grass, pinnacles, coral gardens and reef walls this dive site offers a change of seeing just about all the flora and fauna the Red Sea has to offer.

Marsa Shouni Kebir
Offering some of the most picturesque dive sites in the southern Red Sea, the “Large Bay of the Market” is probably most famous for the massive variety of rays that call its sea grass plane home. Eagle, leopard, feather-tail, grey and thorny rays are all regularly spotted alongside a large school of golden trevallies and a menagerie of different snake eels. Turtles are abundant here and there is a great chance to meet “George”, a giant green sea turtle who sleeps in the same spot most mornings on the South Reef.

Ras El Torfa (Abu Syel)
A protected area for mooring along the dynamic fringing reef offers three very different dives with incredible topography and stunning corals, the highlight being and enormous ball of rock and coral perched at the end of an enormous coral tongue. Its location encourages pelagic and schooling fishes in enormous schools and white tip reef sharks and even mantas have been spotted here.

Marsa Morena
The “Bay of the Moray Eel” offers several widely contrasting dives from caves to pinnacles. The unique angle of the bay encourages greater than normal water movement encouraging an abundance of life and regular eagle ray and barracuda sightings, whilst its shallow sandy plateau holds rarities like the stargazer and velvet fish as well as a wealth of soles, flounders and torpedo rays.

Abu Dabab Reefs
With a beautiful coral garden, dramatic cave system and a small wreck the Abu Dabab reef system truly has it all. Several large Napoleon wrasse patrol its reefs and some enormous moray eels guard its coral blocks. Its exposed northern reefs are abundant with fish attracting large pelagics including sharks.

Marsa Abu Dabab
A world famous selection of dive sites boasting an unbelievable number of giant turtles as well as the chance to spot Dugongs and Guitar sharks. A must for anyone visiting the southern Red Sea the bay has now closed to boats and access from the shore now offers a much more peaceful and relaxed diving experience.

Elphinstone
A large cigar-shaped offshore reef that offers wall diving that is both exhilarating and spectacular with regular sightings of large pelagics including oceanic whitetip sharks, tuna and barracuda as well as hammerheads, napoleons and turtles; all drawn to the reef by its strong currents and abundance of fish life.

Sha’ab Samadai
A short ride by bus and boat from Port Ghalib is Sha’ab Samadai, a horseshoe shaped reef known locally as Dolphin House. Offering truly spectacular diving including the awe inspiring cathedral swim-through and a remarkable collection of hard and soft coral, anemone cities and a resident napoleon wrasse this can be a highlight of your stay. The reef is also used regularly by a pod of spinner dolphins and there can be an opportunity to snorkel with them between dives.

Make the most out of your Scuba holidays in Marsa Alam and enrol yourself on a PADI Open Water course with Active Diving before you leave to make the most out of your Scuba holidays this summer (087 123 11 122, http://www.activediving.co.uk)

Author: Emma Parker (22/08/08)

That’s all for now on Scuba holidays

Marsa Alam, situated on the south of Egypt’s east coast offering the perfect destination for divers to complete their PADI advanced course. The dive sites are located close by for all levels of divers, from beginner’s right up to the deepest technical diver. The sites are uncrowded in comparison to other dive areas such the Great Barrier reef. Equally all of the sites offer great snorkelling possibilities too for those whom are too young to dive or would rather stay close to the surface. Perhaps one of the most magnetic possibilities for scuba diving in Marsa Alam is the possibility of getting up close to one of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, The Whale Shark.

Found regularly in the red sea and off the coast of South Africa those travelling to complete their PADI advanced course will be most likely to come into contact with one of these amazing creatures. The whale sharks are gentle and often stay around divers for an extended period, showing more interest then fear by our presence.

The “Small Bay of the Market” (Marsa Shouni Soraya) has a distinctive shape offering a variety of dive sites ideal for new and experienced divers alike. There is also a sheltered lagoon where baby eagle rays have been regularly spotted. The signature table corals harbour a massive array of life and its reefs are teeming with shrimps, scorpion fishes and barracuda. The bay has a resident hawksbill turtle and dolphins are regular visitors, Whale sharks are sometimes spotted just outside the bay also.

The PADI advanced course will teach you to navigate during the night and whilst deep diving, you will also have the opportunity to choose from a boat dive, drift dive, dry suit dive, multilevel dive, search and recover dive, underwater naturalist dive, underwater photography dive, wreck diving or an altitude dive as part of your elective training dives.

The PADI advanced course in Marsa Alam is an experience that every diver should go through, the conditions are perfect throughout the year. Sometime around April to May the visibility is greatly reduced due to Plankton Bloom, but if you want to encounter whale sharks you must visit Marsa Alam by the beginning of summer and end of spring. Renowned for its diverse marine life and incredible coral reefs, Marsa Alam is a ruby by the Red Sea. I recently travelled to Marsa as a last minute deal with http://.www.activediving.co.uk I was torn as to whether to visit Dahab or Marsa Alam, for my wanting to see Whale Sharks, Marsa was highly recommended and they didn’t disappoint.

One of the best dives I did in Marsa Alam just after I had completed my PADI advanced course was when four massive whale sharks chased a huge bait ball that stretched from 5 metres depth down to 22 metres. Young fish, when threatened, can sometimes be corralled by predators into a tight swirling ball that is forced to the surface in order to permit easy pickings – Large bait balls can turn the sea black. There are many who will swear that the 30th July 2008 saw the best days diving that they have ever experienced. Whale sharks can grow up to 12 metres in length, these were between 5 and 8 metres.

It is assumed that this years exceptionally prolific plankton bloom in the northern Red Sea has brought whale sharks to the area in much larger numbers than in living memory. On the same day whale sharks were also seen just off the beach in Taba – at the northern extremity of the Red Sea. There have also been many more sightings of plankton-eating manta rays than in previous years. These sightings have mainly been on the local sites rather than those further away in Tiran or Ras Mohammed.

Natalie from Red Sea Diving College said “it was an amazing underwater event, with tuna darting into the bait ball… the whale sharks were all around us and at one point I was in the vortex of the bait ball with millions of fish around me – it was as if the heavens had darkened.”

Throughout the year the average temperature remains in its thirties and forties. While the hottest month is August, the coolest month is January with temperature dipping during the night. Generally windy, Marsa Alam witnesses a rough sea during November and the waves at times might be large. Featuring prominently in the tourist map of the world, Marsa Alam is fast becoming a hot spot for all tourists and divers alike looking to complete their PADI advanced course or begin diving altogether.

There are plenty of excellent diving sites and some thrilling drop offs once you have completed your PADI advanced course. Some of the most popular dive sites from Marsa Alam include:

-   Samadai: This is a crescent shaped offshore reef that is also known as the Dolphin House because you can find plenty of dolphins in the sheltered waters of the lagoon. Seeing the feats of the spinner dolphins can be quite exciting!

-   Abu Dabab: If Samadai is the place to see dolphins, then Abu Dabab is famous for the dugongs. It’s really a pleasure to watch these dugongs playing around.

-   Elphinstone Reef: This site may be a bit dangerous for the inexperienced swimmers. The currents are strong enough and for those who are seeking for some real adventure this would be the   - red sea dream dive!

To find out more about completing your PADI advanced course in Dahab, Lanzarote or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (06/09/08)

That’s all for now on completing your PADI advanced course

Around a hundred miles from the coast of Africa, Lanzarote is one of the most popular islands for European holidaymakers, not just for the traditional summer weeks but for winter too, as the weather for the island – often in the 70’s even in December and January – make it the ideal destination for tourists from Northern Europe to head to especially for family diving holidays to escape the winter blues.

Lanzarote, at 37 miles long and 12 miles wide, has much to offer visitors of all ages, very popular for family diving holidays especially. Due to the location of the island and volcanic eruptions as recent as the 19th century, people often describe parts of the island as lunar. Some say it gives them the feeling of being in another world – ideal for some films and for NASA whom test some of their moon vehicles on the island. Hollywood and NASAs occasional presence on the island offer wonderful nuggets of knowledge to share with children whilst exploring both the island and the underwater world.

A good well publicised movie can really have an impact on the location’s tourist industry – and the news that Penelope Cruz had arrived in Lanzarote to film for two weeks was greeted enthusiastically by the Lanzarote holiday industry, the island caters primarily to those on family diving holidays therefore the mixture of underwater and land based activities are endless to keep even the most active families busy.

Punta de Papagayo, a series of wild beaches of fine white sand produce a sensation of shimmering brightness that can be found in the extreme south of the island. At the edge of a volcanic ash covered landscape, the silence seizes this jagged and inhospitable coast. These beaches are considered the best in Lanzarote, families with small children find this an exciting way to teach their children about the planets and how each area of a planet can differ from others. Punta de Papagayo is ideal for family diving holidays as you can both snorkel and dive if your children aren’t old enough to fully complete their PADI open water course.

The wonderful climate throughout the year is conducive to a variety of sports activities, perfect to family diving holidays during the school holidays over Christmas, summer, Easter and October. Take your pick of golf, diving, horse riding, tennis and windsurfing.

And being able to relax on the beach and catch some rays over the Christmas and New Year festivities is enough in itself to tempt many to take a holiday in Lanzarote then.
But now a leading internet site has confirmed what many holidaymakers to Lanzarote already knew – that not only are the beaches great but one Lanzarote beach ranks among the best in the world.

Lanzarote is perfect for family diving holidays because it caters for everyone, those looking for a quiet holiday with diving and relaxing in the evening to those looking to get involved in the local culture whilst discovering completely new diving experiences. There are multiple travel agents able to offer you a range of family diving holidays, in my experience Active Diving offer one of the best packages, being able to offer a plethora of dive courses both BSAC and PADI.

To find out more about how family diving holidays in The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (05/09/08)

That’s all for now on family diving holidays

The name Lanzarote is the direct translation into Spanish of Lancelot (Lancelloto).At the time of Marcello’s arrival a king, Zonzamas, ruled the Island. The name is still borne by the ruins of his palace which stood on a plateau near San Bartolome, considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the Canary Islands. San Bartolome is located a short car journey from where activediving is located in Costa Teguise.

Folklore Music is the traditional music of the Canary Islands. The main musical instrument in Folklore music is the timple, a ukelele-style instrument possibly introduced into the islands by Berber slaves.

activediving in Lanzarote can offer some of the best diving in the Northern Hemisphere, with over 500 species of fish, many wrecks, underwater volcanic caves, good visibility (10 – 30 meters) and water temperatures ranging from 18 to 23 degrees, it is easy to see why. Many of the popular dive sites are easily accessible with both shore and boat diving possible. activediving can offer a range of dive sites and a wealth of local knowledge.

All of our diving spots are some of the most beautiful and thrilling around the island, as you get to relive the experience of Lanzarote´s natural disasters from the last volcano eruption that took place thousands of years ago, to ship wrecks as if they happened only yesterday. Each of the 25 dive sites which activediving use through the week will introduce you to new and exciting things, structures and forms of the lava which has run into the ocean creating, caves, grots, canyons and reefs which go far over 40 metres in depth. During your diving your likely to encounter black corals and endless amounts of Anemones in may different types of colours and forms.

The team in Lanzarote and activediving put a lot of interest in having only small groups of divers based on experience level and on the choice of each diver; you will always have a stress free experience as well as being and safe with activediving. Every diver will have an unforgettable view of the mysterious underwater world here on the island of Lanzarote with activediving.

The Fascinating Volcano-Reefs of Lanzarote are a natural miracle; activediving will show you their magic and more. Their Ecosystem shows an incredible amount of underwater life from Rays, Barracudas, Angel Sharks, Trumpet Fish, Bonitos and many more species of fish which you can see everyday! The water Temperatures are normally between 18 and 24ºc, as a result activediving offer diving all year round.

Our diving options cater for the novice to the experienced, activediving offer some of the best diver training facilities in Lanzarote at our modern diver-training centre, and some of the most spectacular dive locations in the canaries. This combined with our outstanding product quality, excellent safety standards, professional service and our all inclusive pricing policy prove there is truly is no better company with which to learn to dive or to advance your diving skills.

Highlights of Diving in Lanzarote include:

• Fish
  Close encounters with grouper, barracuda, angelshark, and rays. It is also possible to see Hammerhead Sharks off the small island of Los Lobos (located between Lanzarote and neighbouring Fuerteventura).
• Caves
  There are many underwater caves such as the ‘Cathedral’.
• Wrecks
  There are many old wrecks located around the coast of Lanzarote as well as a specially created Marine Park (created by sinking several boats) just off the coast at Puerto del Carmen.
• Reefs
  The reefs around Lanzarote are teeming with marine life such as Octopus, Anemone, Cuttlefish and Sea Horses Red Coral.

To find out more about travelling activediving in Lanzarote, Sharm el Sheikh or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (05/09/08)

That’s all for now on diving in Lanzarote with activediving

Sharm is considered one of the best scuba diving destinations in the world, competing with the great barrier reef. The marine life on offer is endless and accessible across the coast however for many people the thought of scuba diving is enough to frighten them out of their wits, Clunky clobber, open water, sharks — scuba-diving ticks all of these boxes. However at the same time the draw of the ocean is difficult to ignore, the thought of swimming with dolphins and fish of every colour can draw anyone into a world of mystery and wonder.

Many people learn whilst on holiday in the Maldives or the Great Barrier Reef however with the increase in cheaper flights to Europe Sharm el Sheikh is increasingly replacing beach holidays for UK travellers to learn to dive. A television presenter for GMTV was one of these people, claiming to be hydro, claustro and sharkophobic she was happy to say “Thanks, but no thanks” when diving was offered to her however with some special persuasion whilst filming in Sharm two years ago she decided to give it a go.

Accosted by the hotel diving instructor she was shown “some the most extraordinary images” taken right in front of her hotel, “it was impossible not to be impressed. Seeing marine life in books and on television is fascinating. Seeing things that are swimming beneath the waves in front of your hotel beach somehow makes them more tangible”. She finally decided to enrol on a padi beginners course.

Before she could see these images in real life there were 3 obstacles she needed to overcome; the fear of open water; a mask and breathing through a tube, and of course, the sharks. The padi beginners course would help her achieve this whilst easing all beginners into the water at their own pace. She was adamant that however much logic told her that great whites do not live in the seas around Mauritius “what if one got blown off course from Cape Town?”. A Life coach, Pete Cohen helped the presenter get to the bottom of her phobias, he simply posed the question: “Were you born with a fear of large expanses of water, small spaces and big fish?” The answer, naturally enough, was no. “You learnt them,” he said. “Picked them up from society and now you simply play them out in your daily life, and scuba- diving brings all three crashing together. You can dive; you just have to unlearn your fears.”

In order to get out the fear of diving it’s most sensible to give snorkelling a go either as part of a padi beginners course or before you enrol, banishing all thoughts of sharks and any threatening ideology. It’s not nearly as scary as you might think, after this an attempt at breathing through full scuba apparatus in a pool would be recommended. There is a lot of gear that comes with scuba diving however learning as part of a padi beginners course you will learn in bite-size chunks in a safe environment.

You will discover that the tank really does supply air evenly just like breathing on land and that the mouthpiece is actually rather comfortable, equally you will learn what to do if your mask becomes dislodged and fills up with water. The instructor of the padi beginners course will always be around to give you guidance and explain how everything works.

Once you have got over those issues as part of your padi beginners course you will then be ready to attempt either an open water dive of a dive within a local lagoon for example if you have a house reef which is particularly common in Egypt. Once you reach the dive site if on boat its likely you will be required to roll back off the boat, this is nowhere near as scary as you might think, once splashing in the water the marine world will become available to you. The first underwater experience in open water is likely to be a memory you will never forget.

Once under the water with the rest of the members of your padi beginners course you will notice the lack of sharks and hungry beasts coming to get you, but you will notice the mesmerizing multi-coloured fish swimming happily past you as if you’re not even there looking more extraordinary than any of Versace’s wilder designs. It is impossible not to be bowled over by the 360degree beauty around you, the intricate coral, the soaring rock structures, the unbelievable eels being cleaned by little prawns, and simply the utter peace of being there, hearing your own rhythmic breathing. The constant concentration on breathing and visual stimulation creates an environment that’s difficult to compete with, highlighting why scuba is so often compared to yoga.

When it gets to the time to ascent, you won’t want to leave – the experience is the most relaxing thing you will ever do and your first thought will be “When can I do it again?”

Learning to dive in Sharm is perfect for those whom are nervous or keen to see all sorts of marine life from the initial submersion. To find out more about how you can take part in a padi beginners course across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (22/08/08)

That’s all for now on how you the padi beginners course

Marsa Alam is a wonderful destination for Diving in Egypt as a solo traveller; most of the dives on offer are shore based, often as part of a house reef within your accommodation. Each hotel refers to the dives sites with different names so its best to stick to the first name you hear for the reef you’re diving in.

Diving in Egypt has been popular over the last twenty years however it is only very recently whereby Marsa alam has became a prime diving destination. Although the wealth of the underwater marine life has been a constant source of underwater scenery it has only recently began to benefit from its natural beauty. Located on the west coast of the Red Sea, the small fishing village has managed to keep its quaint surroundings whilst also benefiting from the wealth that diving tourism can bring. Diving in Egypt is second to non, compared with the barrier reef on the amount of underwater activity and marine life visiting the area your Diving in Egypt will be perhaps the best you will ever witness. The majority of diving visitors go back time and time again to attempt a new dive site or revisit popular sites such as Elphinestone reef, the Thislegorm and Samadai (dolphin reef).

Diving in Egypt is an absolute pleasure, the average temperatures during the winter months (October to March) range from 18 to 35 degrees Celsius and during the summer months (April to September) from 20 to 45 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the Red Sea at Marsa Alam during the year ranges from 22 to 29 degrees Celsius.

As a solo traveller Marsa Alam is perfect for those looking for a relaxed authentic experience of Diving in Egypt, the people are friendly and not pushy when it comes to selling extra activities. The benefit of travelling solo in Marsa Alam allows you to concentrate on the diving at hand whilst relaxing in the evening with other divers whom you have met during the day or just enjoying your own company. Whichever you choose, you will always have the option to take part or to stay on the sidelines and make the most of your holiday. Diving in Egypt is really the most astounding journey you will make within 5 hours of the UK.

The top dive site in Marsa Alam, and perhaps throughout the Diving in Egypt is Elphinestone Reef. About 30km north of Marsa Alam, 12km offshore this reef comes up from a depth of 130m. One of the better spots for pelagic fishes when Diving in Egypt. The north has different beautiful plateaus at 2Om 35m and 40m. At the edge of the plateau if you look down in the deep blue it’s possible to see hammerhead sharks so watch your depth!!  After the plateaus, drift on the east side of the reef and don’t forget to look in the blue and up. An encounter with big pelagic including oceanic white tip shark (carcharhinus longimanus) is possible, please bare in mind this dive is for experienced divers only.

Daedalus Island is a small island with a light house about 55 sea miles offshore. Because of the long distance from the shore this dive site is mainly dived from liveaboard boats. The north and west part are best. Encounters with big pelagic and hammerhead sharks are on the menu. This is done as a drift dive and therefore it is important to follow your fellow divers and to use the surface marker buoy, this is a relatively common experience whilst Diving in Egypt, as a result ensure you are aware of the currents.

Diving in Egypt offers exceptionally clear water, a wealth of marine life and a wonderfully quaint destination to visit for authentic Egypt, an experience whether your travelling solo or within a group – a must for all divers.

To find out more about travelling solo whilst Diving in Egypt, Lanzarote or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (30/08/08)

That’s all for now on Diving in Egypt

Durban is a big subtropical city in the north-eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. It has been a major port since the 1850s and is home to the largest concentration of Indian-descended people in the country. Today the city is better known as a scuba holiday destination with authentic underwater scenes and a happening nightlife.

High up on the east coast, Durban is South Africa’s sub-tropical beach getaway. The city centre overlooks a long, golden beach that is probably the single most culturally diverse spot in Africa. Here you will find frolicking families of every hue, busy executives out for a quick lunchtime jog, elegant sari-clad matrons strolling across sand, buff surfers running into the waves, and bead-bedecked sangomas collecting therapeutic sea water in bottles.

Durban is actually all about the beach and the ocean, perfect for a scuba holiday. It is home to South Africa’s only surfing museum, and is one of the most surf-friendly cities in the world. Frustrated wage slaves can look out of their office windows onto awesome breaks – and then shed the tie and jacket or the high heels and paddle out straight after work. Durban is the closest seaport to Johannesburg and is also an integral part of the city. Durban Bay is one of the better natural harbours on the coastline offering some of the greatest underwater sights for a scuba holiday in South Africa.

Accommodation in Durban itself is conveniently concentrated along the beachfront or Golden Mile, close to the Durban central business district. Slick, high rise Durban hotels with sea views and swimming pools proliferate along this lively strip. Another area that’s close to the beachfront and CBD with more hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts and affordable self-catering apartments and villas are the leafy suburbs of Berea and Morningside, well endowed with exceptional restaurants and shopping malls. It is highly advisable to book accommodation in advance during peak season (December and January) as a popular scuba holiday destination the accommodation near the dive centres is quickly booked up.

For a beginner’s scuba holiday Durban might not be the best destination, especially for a solo traveller, the annual Sardine migration is the pinnacle of diving in south Africa whereby divers follow the sardines on their journey along the coast whilst being poached by various underwater predators. Although snorkelers can take part in this experience to get the full benefit of the trip its worth becoming a competent scuba diver in advance. Solo travellers whom are already experienced divers however will lavish this experience under the water and the comraderie which comes hand in hand above the water.

Durban is in the middle of a vast sugar-growing area that was originally worked by indentured labourers from India, many of whom stayed, started businesses and built homes.  Durban has the largest population of Indians outside of India.  There is a vibrant Eastern feel to the city, a huge spice market, decorative mosques, fantastic temples and – best of all – great food. You’ll find dozens of good curry restaurants and you just have to try a bunny chow while you’re there. It’s a half or quarter loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with curry. Eaten with the hands in the street, it’s an obligatory Durban experience.
There are lots to do in and around Durban City when your not under the water as part of your scuba holiday. Many people just park off on the beach, especially on the North Coast, or South Coast, both of which are within an hour’s drive of the city, and there are loads of restaurants, some excellent theatre and music, and wild and funky nightlife.

Durban’s cultural attractions are perhaps its most appealing diversions. There are Zulu cultural villages to visit, township tours and visits to mosques or the beautiful Temple of Understanding, which has an excellent, inexpensive vegetarian restaurant.
Another interesting spot to visit is Inanda, which was the birthplace of both the Shembe religion and Natal Native Congress, which later became the African National Congress. It was also where Mahatma Ghandi, who lived there at the same time these two other movements were starting, pioneered the concept of Satyagrah, or passive resistance. Truly, a little crucible of world history.

If i´m honest however the amount of time you will dedicate to above the water activities will be limited, you will be so absorbed by the quality of the diving that you will end up spending the majority of your scuba holiday on a boat or under the water.

To find out more about going on a scuba holiday to Durban, Lanzarote or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (29/08/08)

That’s all for now on travelling to Durban for a scuba holiday

Dahab is an up and coming destination for European Divers, offering a plethora of dive sites from wrecks to lava swim throughs. However for many people the thought of scuba diving is enough to frighten them out of their wits, Clunky clobber, open water, sharks — scuba-diving ticks all of these boxes. However at the same time the draw of the ocean is difficult to ignore, the thought of swimming with dolphins and fish of every colour can draw anyone into a world of mystery and wonder.

Many people learn whilst on holiday in the Maldives or the Great Barrier Reef however with the increase in cheaper flights to Europe Dahab is becoming a more common place for UK travellers to learn to dive. A television presenter for GMTV was one of these people, claiming to be hydro, claustro and sharkophobic she was happy to say “Thanks, but no thanks” when diving was offered to her however with some special persuasion whilst filming in The Red Sea two years ago she decided to give it a go.

Accosted by the hotel diving instructor she was shown “some the most extraordinary images” taken right in front of her hotel, “it was impossible not to be impressed. Seeing marine life in books and on television is fascinating. Seeing things that are swimming beneath the waves in front of your hotel beach somehow makes them more tangible”. She finally decided to enrol on a padi beginners course.

Before she could see these images in real life there were 3 obstacles she needed to overcome; the fear of open water; a mask and breathing through a tube, and of course, the sharks. The padi beginners course would help her achieve this whilst easing all beginners into the water at their own pace. She was adamant that however much logic told her that great whites do not live in the seas around Mauritius “what if one got blown off course from Cape Town?”. A Life coach, Pete Cohen helped the presenter get to the bottom of her phobias, he simply posed the question: “Were you born with a fear of large expanses of water, small spaces and big fish?” The answer, naturally enough, was no. “You learnt them,” he said. “Picked them up from society and now you simply play them out in your daily life, and scuba- diving brings all three crashing together. You can dive; you just have to unlearn your fears.”

In order to get out the fear of diving it’s most sensible to give snorkelling a go either as part of a padi beginners course or before you enrol, banishing all thoughts of sharks and any threatening ideology. It’s not nearly as scary as you might think, after this an attempt at breathing through full scuba apparatus in a pool would be recommended. There is a lot of gear that comes with scuba diving however learning as part of a padi beginners course you will learn in bite-size chunks in a safe environment.

You will discover that the tank really does supply air evenly just like breathing on land and that the mouthpiece is actually rather comfortable, equally you will learn what to do if your mask becomes dislodged and fills up with water. The instructor of the padi beginners course will always be around to give you guidance and explain how everything works.

Once you have got over those issues as part of your padi beginners course you will then be ready to attempt either an open water dive of a dive within a local lagoon for example if you have a house reef which is particularly common in Egypt. Once you reach the dive site if on boat its likely you will be required to roll back off the boat, this is nowhere near as scary as you might think, once splashing in the water the marine world will become available to you. The first underwater experience in open water is likely to be a memory you will never forget.

Once under the water with the rest of the members of your padi beginners course you will notice the lack of sharks and hungry beasts coming to get you, but you will notice the mesmerizing multi-coloured fish swimming happily past you as if you’re not even there looking more extraordinary than any of Versace’s wilder designs. It is impossible not to be bowled over by the 360degree beauty around you, the intricate coral, the soaring rock structures, the unbelievable eels being cleaned by little prawns, and simply the utter peace of being there, hearing your own rhythmic breathing. The constant concentration on breathing and visual stimulation creates an environment that’s difficult to compete with, highlighting why scuba is so often compared to yoga.

When it gets to the time to ascent, you won’t want to leave – the experience is the most relaxing thing you will ever do and your first thought will be “When can I do it again?”

Dahab is a magical destination with the wonder of the red sea on its door step, offering a more romantic version of Egypt than the likes of Sharm it is perfect for travellers looking to relax and step out of the modern world.

To find out more about how you can take part in a padi beginners course across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (22/08/08)

That’s all for now on how you the padi beginners course

Lanzarote, unbeknown to some is one of the best diving destinations in Europe, lanzarote diving can offer you a wealth of experiences irrelevant of your diving qualifications. Although closer in proximity to Africa than mainland Spain this Spanish island offers everything from wrecks to volcanic swimthroughs. No longer the lanzagrotty which it has often been referred to in the past this destination has become one of the most attractive amongst the canary islands, offering undisturbed volcanic landscapes speckled with white buildings and some of the most prolific diving experiences available within 5 hours of the UK.

Puerto del Carmen for lanzarote diving offers a plethora of experiences, many of the dive schools dive here frequently to seek out the somewhat mythical seahorses visible beneath the waters surface. Many of the divers visiting Lanzarote come out to complete their PADI Open Water course or their advanced course in anticipation for further dives in the UK or as a preliminary destination before larger destinations such as the Red Sea or the Great Barrier Reef.

The setting for lanzarote diving is pristine, year-round sunshine and an incredibly relaxed atmosphere, the island being predominantly populated by watersports lovers, everything from windsurfing to diving. The volcanic landscape, historically used by NASA to test their moon buggies brings the years first grape harvest in mid august, starting the rest of the European countries wine seasons.

Recently the island has been propelled into the spotlight as a result of Hollywood film sets utilizing the landscape to create stories of jail breaks as part of the story of Henri “Papillon” Charrière, who was condemned to life on Devil’s Island, off French Guiana, for a crime he did not commit and staged countless failed escape attempts before finally making it to freedom. Similarly Penelope Cruz spent time here in June 2008 filming a film relating to the islands premier artists, César Manrique. Manrique being the reason the island has held its authenticity through the denial of high rise buildings and ensuring each building keeps to the white and green/blue colour scheme. The blue water and sky offer a clarity against the white buildings which is rarely achieved in holiday destinations, lanzarote diving allows you to see not only the bold colours above the water but those beneath also.

lanzarote diving in my opinion should be the premier reasoning for visiting the island, the plethora of marine life available is magical, the year-round climate ensures that the lanzarote diving is always pleasurable whether it’s a last minute booking in February or the summer holiday you’ve been dreaming of all year long.

To find out more about how you can take part in lanzarote diving or other destinations such as The Red Sea and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (23/08/08)

That’s all for now on lanzarote diving

Lanzarote, located off the west coast of Africa is one of the most popular islands for tourism in the Canaries, a popular destination for both on the water and under the water sports seekers. As a solo traveller you should hold no fear about exploring this wonderful island. Lanzarote is a warm destination in both temperature and atmosphere; the people are welcoming and proud of their volcanic island, with its biosphere status boosting its image further. The diving on the island is some of the best in Europe; Active Diving can offer insight into some of the islands history and underwater legend.

Lanzarote is the perfect destination for solo travellers, Active Diving ensure that there is a strong community vibe upon arrival right through to departure. We have the Active Centre located on Las Cucharas beach which acts as a meeting point for divers as well as a core place to share stories, drink a beer and watch the world go by after a hard day under the water.

As a solo traveller, Costa Teguise, where Active Diving is based, is the perfect area of Lanzarote to stay. Costa Teguise offers a lot less hustle and bustle compared to the main resort Puerto del Carmen, allowing you to get absorbed in the relatively small community and get to know the other divers.

The accommodation available across Costa Teguise when travelling with Active Diving is all of a similar standard; some apartments are located in central Costa whereas others are a 15 minute walk to the centre of the area. No matter where you stay however you’re no more than a 15 minute walk or €3 taxi ride from good restaurants and bars. High quality accommodation is available however most travellers looking to dive are uninterested in their accommodation as most of their time is spent at the dive school or under the water.

Extra activities on offer on top of diving include Windsurfing (The windsurfing world championships are held every year in Costa Teguise during July), Surfing, Mountain biking, Trekking and Kitesurfing. During your time in Lanzarote with Active Diving you will most likely meet other guests taking part in some of these activities and they will share their experiences from throughout their holiday. Lanzarote is a real adventure destination where you will meet like minded individuals looking for adventure whilst sampling new sports and experiences from learning to Scuba Dive to achieving their divemaster, the options are endless.

Its becoming increasingly popular for visitors to learn to speak Spanish whilst on the island, Active Diving offer a crash course in Spanish around your diving so that you can competently order food, give directions and start basic conversations in Spanish during your time on the island.

All in all Lanzarote is a perfectly safe and welcome place for solo travellers, offering a holiday destination for some of the best diving in Europe whilst discovering a new landscape and commonly making long term friends through the Active Diving community here on the island.

To find out more about travelling solo with Active Diving in Lanzarote, The Red Sea or South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (29/08/08)

That’s all for now on how you the travelling solo with Active Diving