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 …
Scuba diving in Okinawa: a first-timer guide
The Okinawa Prefecture, in the southernmost province of Japan, counts three main archipelagos: the Okinawa Islands, the Miyako Islands and the Yaeyamaislands, forming all together the Ryukyu Islands. I know it can be confusing but try to differentiate Okinawa Island, the Okinawa Islands, the Okinawa Prefecture! Before becoming a Japanese Prefecture in 1879, Okinawa used to be an independent country: the Ryukyu Kingdom. From …
My Izu Peninsula: slow travel & scuba diving in Japan
If there was one sure thing, it was I didn’t want my sabbatical year to be a marathon made of must-do tours, hopping from town to town on every single day and rushing to make sure I had seen everything. I felt so stressed during the last weeks before my departure. I had to prepare and clean my flat for my future tenant, pack …
My top 3 tips to go plastic-free on your next scuba diving holiday
Make Holidays Greener is ABTA’s annual campaign in partnership with Travelife for hotels and accommodations to encourage us all to take positive social and environmental actions while on holiday, which will not only contribute to you having a great holiday but also help to ensure your favourite destination is preserved for years to come. This year, their campaign is focusing on plastic and encouraging …
Diving detours in the other south of France: Sète & Thau Lagoon
After my trip to Millau in Aveyron, I had to return to Montpellier to catch my train back to Paris. Instead of going back home right away, I thought it was the opportunity to go scuba diving in Thau Lagoon again by going back to Sète. The picturesque harbour between the Mediterranean coast and Thau Lagoon is only 20 minutes away from Montpellier. 8 …
Diving detours in the other south of France: Millau & The Gorges du Tarn
Every time you saw me taking a train to the “South” to escape Paris I was either going diving in Marseille or Toulon, heading to some of the finest diving in France, including Calanques National Park and Port-Cros National Park. It is quite funny to note that every time someone refers to the “South” in France, we generally mean French Riviera and Provence exclusively. …
Scuba diving in France: things to know before you go
Like many things, the French like to do it differently. Scuba diving is, unfortunately, one of those things that don’t work in the same way the rest of the world does. This article is not meant to judge whether it is a good thing. It is a practical guide if you intend to visit France with scuba diving in mind or if you live …
How I almost gave up writing about Ocean Conservation
Do you know the legend of the hummingbird? One day a terrible fire broke out in a forest. Frightened, all the animals fled their homes and ran out of the forest. As they came to the edge of a stream, they stopped to watch the fire and they were feeling very discouraged and powerless. They were all bemoaning the destruction of their homes. Every …
The perfect scuba diving bag doesn’t exist?
#NeverWithoutMyGear. It took me only a year after my open water certification to understand how much I hated renting scuba diving gear in dive centres: never the right size, questionable maintenance, bad habits of other scuba divers (you know what I’m talking about), you name it. Before I went on my first big scuba diving adventure of 5 weeks around Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, I …