Showing posts with label dive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dive. Show all posts

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Can't go wrong on Koh Rong

Just imagine a strip of pristine, powder-soft white sand and clear, blue, warm water. Put that next to modest shacks, hammocks swinging in the breeze, barbeque's grilling the latest catch of the day and soft island music in the background. This is idyllic Koh Rong Island, 25km off the coast of Sihanoukville in Cambodia located in the Gulf of Thailand.

This island has been some-what untouched. There are no motorized vehicles....well, just no roads on this whole island. Although, the Cambodian government are looking to start building this area more. I do prefer how natural and un-westernised it is so I would recommend getting there now before it does become just another big tourist spot.

There are different areas on the island to stay at with varying levels of accommodation and owned by different operators. We stayed in the area more known as Monkey Island as this is where the Monkey Island resort operates. On this strip there are a variety of accommodation options but my two favorites were Coco's Bungalow Resort and Treehouse Bungalows (see my accommodation tab). It's hard to describe just how beautiful this place is, such paradise. I'll just let my pictures do the talking.

It is best to try prebook your ferry a couple days beforehand to get the boat time that suits you best. There are two boats out a day, one at around 8am and one at about 1pm. The ferry takes about 2 hours to get across as you are just riding on a slow, basic wooden motor-boat. May take a little longer if the wind is there and there's a bit of a swell....best to have some sea-sickness pills ready just in case. A ferry ticket costs $20 return. Return times from the island is either 10am or 2pm from memory.

We managed to book all our accommodation and ferry tickets through Koh Rong Dive Centre as they operated and owned this part of the island. They were well organised, professional and very accommodating. As the name states you can also book your water activities with them too. This is definitely a great place to unwind and relax for a week or three, if that is what you're looking for.











Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Dive Sites and Snorkeling Spots

I am still working towards getting my PADI certification, but until I have the time to be able to do this course properly I'll just keep on doing the introduction dives for now.

Introduction dives are a good way to start off if you're nervous about jumping into a full course straight away. It'll give you the basic instructions on buoyancy, air control and the underwater hand signals you need.

I've been to five spots so far and hope to add more to this as time goes. Although, the few spots I have been to have been amazing diving and snorkeling sites with abundant underwater life.

All these dive shops were PADI members and rated with 5 stars.

* FIJI - Mantaray Island
When I went here, this was operated by Reef Safari. Now the island runs their own dive shop called Mantaray Dive- http://www.stayinfiji.com/accommodation/diving.htm

This has been my favorite spot so far. So, so, so many different types of fish and it was at its best at about 830 in the morning. If you remember that scene from Finding Nemo where he takes his son to school and there are just schools and schools of fish swimming about...it was exactly like that but more! (Sorry, that was the best way of describing how it was!)


*SAMOA- Aqua Samoa at Aggie Greys Hotel and Resort
This was in their dive site called the 'Fish Bowl', about a 20 minute boat ride from the harbour.
http://www.aquasamoa.com/


*NORTHLAND, NEW ZEALAND- Poor Knights Island
This site was named by Jacques-Yves Cousteau as one of the top-ten dive sites in the world. Not too shabby for lil 'ol NZ.
http://www.aperfectday.co.nz/


*GREAT BARRIER REEF, Australia
If you can, definitely do a sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands and tell your captain that he MUST stop at Whitehaven Beach. This is only THE BEST beach I have ever been to yet (you can read a little more on my post about Adventure Tours Australia). Powder, white sand and baby reef sharks and stingrays in the shallower waters. It takes about a half hour hike to get from the beach entrance to where this beach is located (nearly on opposites sides of the island).
http://www.explorewhitsundays.com/content/sail-dive


*GILI TRAWANGAN, Indonesia
While I only snorkeled here, this island and Gili Air are well known for its coral reefs right off the coast which will be perfect for diving as well. Each time I entered the water, I was lucky enough to be able to swim with a big sea turtle which made my stay here even more special. The currents here are a little strong so you do have to be a little careful and wary of being taken with the tide.