Category: Adventure
The USAT Liberty Shipwreck: 11 reasons why it became Bali #1 dive site
Beyond its lush nature and serene temples, Bali is a treasure trove of diving spots. Among its underwater gems, one shines brighter than the others: the USAT Liberty Shipwreck. This World War II remnant has captivated divers from all over the world since the 1980s. When diving in Bali, a trip to its northeast coast is a must for any passionate scuba diver, free …
Diving in Malta: my top 5 dive sites all around the island
Malta might be the smallest country in the European Union, but the southern Mediterranean archipelago has earned the title of the scuba diving capital of Europe. And it was by building up its dive map since the 1970s. Besides clear blue waters all year, the Maltese islands offer one of Europe’s largest densities of shipwrecks and scenic cavern systems. Until recently, I would have …
Diving in the Galapagos: a first-timer guide
The Galapagos Islands are a dream, a promise, an overwhelming expectation. The Galapagos Islands deliver. But don’t believe it will come easy. The Galapagos are the Olympics of scuba diving. You’ll face turbine-like currents and chilling water temperatures. The diving conditions of the Ecuadorian archipelago of the Pacific will test all your diving training. Honestly, I didn’t feel 10 years was too much to …
Diving in Coiba, the Panamanian pearl of the Pacific
It was my first big adventure in Panama. A month later, after living in Panama City, I was already back. Coiba Island is the largest island on the Pacific coast of Central America. With 38 other islands and islets over a marine area of more than 1,700 km², they form the Coiba National Park. Officially created in 2004, it became a UNESCO World Heritage …
Marquesas Islands: 5 awesome things to do on a short visit
There was something familiar in the air. Were these green mountains plunging into the Pacific Ocean the only reason I fell for the Marquesas Islands? It could be the Mana Polynesian people often refer to when explaining the strong connection they have with their islands. It translates to force or spirit. Whatever its true nature, the Mana of the Marquesas Islands gave me a …
Diving in Fakarava shark paradise, French Polynesia
Before setting foot for the first time on Tahiti and its islands, diving in Fakarava sounded to me like the ultimate shark experience in Polynesia. I was then initially concerned if it wouldn’t be too crowded. Located in the Tuamotu Islands, Fakarava is the second-largest atoll of French Polynesia after Rangiroa, measuring 60 km long by 21 km wide. However, I soon discovered Rangiroa …
Manihi, diving off the beaten track in the Tuamotu Islands
The Tuamotu Archipelago is one of the 5 main archipelagos of French Polynesia. It covers a gigantic area of 800,000 km² while having a total land surface which hardly exceeds 850 km². The 76 atolls of the Tuamotu are ancient volcanoes that collapsed millions of years ago leaving only behind a ring of sand with a lagoon in the middle. The Tuamotu could be …
Diving Yonaguni: Mission Hammerhead Sharks
After my first trip to Okinawa in June last year, I decided to delay my visit to the islands of Yonaguni and Ishigaki to the beginning of this year. Knowing that winter is not the best season for diving Yonaguni because of the winds and currents, why would I do this? The reason I went so early in the season was to see the hammerhead …