Member's favourite destinations

Thought it would be good to hear from other members as to where their favourite dive spots are.

With such a well travelled membership, I'm sure we could compile a list of the very best underwater photography destinations in the world.

Post your favourite place here, and a little bit on why you love it so much

Steve

I'll kick this off

South Ari Atoll in the Maldives gets my vote as my current favourite.

This is because:

- you've got large pelagics such as Mantas and Whalesharks if you go at the right time of the year

- some pristine reefs that team with fish life

- easy access from islands so you can still come back to a hotel room at the end of the day

- great photo opportunities from seascapes to macro, you can pick and choose your subject

- many good dive centres who are used to photographers

- I know the area very well

Things I don't like about this place:

- too many divers

- Bad fishing practices (finning) are starting to take a major toll

Steve

The Philippines is the best spot I have found yet.

Puerto Galera has almost every type of dive you can ask for, very good all year round, even in typhoon season. Great for macro.

Subic Bay not too far from Manila has many opportunities for wreck diving.

Anilao, two hours south of Manila has very good diving, not too challenging.

Dumaguete has very nice macro opportunities and I have witnesed my one and only whale shark there.

One spot I have not dive yet is Coron, with many many many japanese WW2 wrecks all in a very close proximity.

The people is extremely friendly and the exchange make this country super affordable.

As soon as I finish diving every island in that country I will be posting a complete dive travel guide. Just another 4,000 islands to go.

Hugo

Bonaire for relaxed divng where you can really concentrate on taking pictures

Grand Cayman's Babylon dive site for awesome coral structures; or Bloody Bay wall on Little Cayman.

Jackson Reef off Sharm El-Sheikh (Egyptian Red Sea) for sunny, well fish-populated reef.

Sipadan for turtles

Moorea for blacktips

and Steve is right about South Ari Atoll

Hi

It depends on what you are looking for... My choice:

-Galapagos for big stuff

-Bunaken&Lembeh for everyihing except big stuff

-Rangiroa&Fakarava for sharks

Cheers

Matetes

Simply in order of my inclination to return there:

1. Raja Ampat - profuse life and still (for now) largely unspoiled/undived

2. Komodo - Great macro, plus huge schools of fish in some locations (note: better vis around Sept. when water is cooler than Feb-March when warmer)

3. PNG: Kimbe Bay (and other areas dived by MV FeBrina, e.g., Fathers Reef, Kavieng) - some excellent macro, plus some big stuff - just a great mix of great diving.

4. Galapagos - great big stuff underwater (e.g., dolphins, sea lions, hammerheads), and amazing topside activity walking among the "wild"life

5. Palau - relatively easier access (than above sites), beautiful area with some sharks, good macro, nice soft corals and Jellyfish Lake

6. Maldives - profuse fish life, beautiful soft corals

7. PNG: Milne Bay area (as dived by MV Chertan) - great muck diving

8. PNG: Loloata Resort (near Port Moresby) - world class diving 1/2 hour from the Moresby airport

9. Caymans - very easy access (from U.S.), nice walls, some unusual sites (Tarpon Alley, Stingray City), and lots of turtles

10. Cocos - hammerheads galore

11. Socorro - mantas galore

12. Sea of Cortez - sea lions galore

13. Red Sea (South of Hurgada) - Nice soft corals and exotic fish, but every major dive site is mobbed with divers/liveaboards

14. St. Vincent (but only if I go with Deb Fugitt, who knows where all the critters are! ) - great macro (seahorses, froggies, etc.)

15. Turks & Caicos - very easy access (from U.S.), and surprisingly good diving

Places I never plan to go again (at least for diving):

1. Florida Keys (Bimini and Turks & Caicos are almost as easily accessible, and far better diving)

2. Roatan (totally "fished out" - why go there, when you could easily go to the Caymans or Belize instead?)

I agree with Bruce about Roatan. I've been there a few weeks ago (my thrid visit, the secon one was six years ago) and no fishes at all... I don't know what is going on there but fishes are gone... to say something....

Matetes