Asia's Best Dive Sites

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http://exmag.sg/travel/the-best-dive-spots-in-asia - Expat Men

Asia's best dive sites

Posted on Tue, Mar 26 2013

Camera, mask and BCD at the ready, here are Asias best dive spots.

Picknmix Proximity: Similan Islands, Thailand

Named after sembilan, the Malay word for nine (the number of granite islands in the

archipelago), the Similan Islands lie 84km north-west of Phuket. Accessible only by boat

(usually by liveaboard though some companies offer day trips via fast speedboat), the

islands are virtually uninhabited and the sea life is fantastic. During the dive season from

November to May, there are frequent sightings of manta rays and also the occasional whale

shark. Add to this turtles, leopard sharks, barracuda and the usual tropical-reef suspects,

and youre in for a treat. If you are on a liveaboard dive boat, go north up to Richelieu

Rock, the best dive in the area. On the way, stop at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai for a possible

manta experience.

What to see: Manta rays, leopard sharks, barracuda and tropical reef life

Depth: 6m 30m

The bubble from: Jane Marsden, avid SE Asia Diver

Beginner Wreck Diving: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

Not dived a wreck before? Check out Liberty, an American Arm Transport Ship that was

torpedo by a Japanese sub in the second World War. A simple shore entry (as long as thesea is fairly calm) and giant barracuda will greet you at the rudder signalling great things to

come. Cruise down the coral-encrusted bow of the wreck with keen eyes or the right guide,

to spot rare pygmy sea horses or ghost pipefish. On full-moon days there are often mola

mola (sunfish) sightings at the wreck, adding another dimension to one of Balis most

popular dive sites. Whale sharks have also been spotted at the drop-off at the opposite end

of the bay.

What to see: US WWII Transport Ship and mola mola

Depth: 6m 28mThe bubble From: Jane Marsden, avid SE Asia Diver

Robust Shark Seekers: Candidasa, Gili, Indonesia
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Conditions can vary at Candidasa; with strong currents, its for advanced divers only but

theyll be rewarded with sightings of some of the bigger marine life like the mola mola. Two

popular sites are Mimpang and Tepekong islands. Mimpang (Shark Point) is comprised of

a series of underwater and out-of-the-water pinnacles. As the name suggests, there are

often sharks found lying on the sandy bottom or taking advantage of the current washing

over.

According to local legend, Tepekong Island was once inhabited by gods who took the form

of goats. Luckily these goats stayed munching on dry land and left the islands waters to

thrive. Underwater, the rock formations are dramatic and include a fantastic swim-through

that starts at around 26m and goes up to around 18m.

What to see: Reef sharks, mola mola and tropical reef life

Depth: 18m 26m

The bubble From: Amanda Whiting atCrystal Dive

A Bit of Everything: Shark Island, Koh Tao, Thailand

Named after its resemblance to a dorsal fin, Shark Island offers beautiful corals and

abundant fish life. As well as the occasional leopard shark, youll find blue spotted rays,

starry pufferfish and titan triggerfish as well as shoals lingering near fish junction on the

northern end of the site. The best way to see all sites in and around Koh Tao is to book a

place on a liveaboard so you can visit the sites day-trippers dont dive.

What to see: Leopard shark,blue spotted ray and tropical reef life

Depth: 5m 20m

The bubble From: Gary Savins at GS Diving

Something Spectacular: Sipadan, Malaysia

Youll need some patience and a bit of luck to dive the famous Sipadan. The islands

officials only allow 120 divers to visit each day so its worth booking a five-day trip so your

chances of being granted a permit are higher. The bounty will be worth the wait though, as

school baraccuda, mating hawksbill and greenback turtles, manta rays, big-eye trevally and

hammerhead sharks are waiting. Its best between April and December when visibility can

reach up to 50 meters.What to see: Turtles, barracuda, rays, sharks and an abundance of tropical reef life

Depth: 12m 40m

Wreck Heaven: Palawan, The Phillipines

Divers go to Coron for three reasons: wrecks, wrecks and more wrecks. On 24 September

in 1944, American bombers sank 24 Japanese vessels; 12 are diveable today. The wrecks

are intact so diving them feels like visiting an underwater war museum with hard and soft

corals benefiting from the carnage.

What to see: Japanese war ship, oil tanker, provision ship and freighters

Depth: 6m 30m
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Bragging Rights

Considered the apex of diving in the Philippines, Tubbataha Reef Natural Park is a

100,000 hectare marine sanctuary and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Divers can expect to

see an unspoiled array of corals, from humongous seas fans and barrel sponges, to massive

fields of hard coral.

When it comes to fish life, think big. Big schools of jacks and barracudas, turtles andsharks are quite common with Hammerheads, Leopard and Guitar sharks making an

occasional. Being out of the way, Tubbatha diving is done exclusively from liveaboards

during the dry months from March to early June and can offer visibility of up to 50 meters.

What to see:A vast expanse of unspoilt tropical marine life and hammerhead and

leopard sharks

Depth: 15m 70m

The bubble from: Yvette Lee atDiscover Fleet and M/Y Vasco

Ray Rubbernecking: Malapascua, The Philippines

Monad Shoal is one of the only places in the world you are almost guaranteed to spot the

long-tailed thresher shark. Home to many cleaning stations, the underwater island on the

edge of a 200m drop-off is regularly visited by manta, devil and eagle rays.

What to see: Thresher sharks and manta, devil and eagle rays

Depth: 26m 200m+

Doing it like they do on the Discovery Channel

Gato Island regulars say, You come to Malapascua to see the thresher sharks, but you

leave remembering Gato. The place is teaming with banded sea snakes, cuttlefish (often

mating), larger and pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, scorpion fish, porcupine fish,

harlequin shrimp and smashing mantis shrimp. Away from the reef you can see schools of

squid and big-mouthed mackerel attracted by the baitballs.

What to see: Mating cuttlefish, nudibranch and scorpion fish

Depth: 12m 30m

The bubble from: Andrea Agarwal owner ofThresher Shark Divers

Coral Gardening: Sulawesi, Indonesia
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Asia's Best Dive Sites