Latest News & Updates

Black Sand Dive Retreat 

We are now booking this amazing resort in North Sulawesi, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. Packages include cottage accommodations, meals, boat dives, unlimited shore dives on the house reef, free wi-fi, morning and afternoon snacks. A 7 night package with 17 dives (air fills) is $1400 USD per person double occupancy, or $1554 with nitrox fills. Contact us for availability.

Black Sand Dive Retreat is a small six-bungalow quality dive resort located on a sheltered bay in a natural setting on Lembeh Strait, Indonesia’s Exotic Critter Capital. We specialize in personalized service both above and below the water, offering an exceptional dive holiday experience for our discerning guests.

The Resort: Each of our six coconut-wood bungalows offers excellent views over Kambahu Bay and Lembeh Strait and is equipped with both a/c and a ceiling fan for your comfort, with complimentary drinking water, coffee and tea close at hand. Each unit also has a walk-in closet to keep your bags and belongings organized and out of the way as well as a walled open-air “Bali-style” garden bathroom with a hot water shower to help reheat you after long repetitive dives. The accommodation includes three meals per day in our well-appointed restaurant with excellent chefs serving a mix of International, Asian and Indonesian cuisine. Snacks are also available after morning and afternoon dives.  If you wish to get internet connection, our free-of-charge 24-hour wi-fi is available at the restaurant, which also has a well-stocked reference library as well as a TV Room in which guests can review their video footage, watch DVD films or international satellite television.

The Diving: Our strategic location means that most of Lembeh’s 40+ dive sites are within 5 minutes of the resort by speedboat. Our boats hold a maximum of 4 guests only. Our guides and GM have thousands of dives logged in the strait, which means that we know about and can find those special critters you desire. Nitrox is available and our spacious Dive Center has a dedicated camera room with individual charging stations. Right off our fine black sand beach is our spectacular House Reef, offering shallow, calm and current-free conditions on one of Lembeh’s very best sites. Open day and night, our guests commonly find marquee critters such as wonderpus, veined octopus, a number of frogfish species including the famed hairy frogfish, sea horses, devilfish, bobtail squid, bubble shells, monkeyfish, stargazers, stonefish, and numerous varieties of ghost pipefish, stingfish and waspfish, along with much more.

AMIRA Liveaboard - Indonesia

We have limited availability on the AMIRA in 2015. Contact us for current availability. Rates on charters below $4707 USD per person.

May 2015

•  Jewels of Indonesia 4-15 May 2015 - 11 Nights - One (1) Double/Twin Cabin and one (1) Single Cabin available

Itinerary from Sorong to Saumlaki > Raja Ampat, Misool, Koon, Manuk, Banda Sea to Tanimbar (Forgotten Islands)

• Forgotten Islands Exploration  18-29 May 2015 - 11 Nights - One (1) male share available 

Itinerary Forgotten Islands of Tanimbar - Banda Sea West > Pulau Babar, Pulau Sermata, Pulau Moa, Pulau Romang, Wetar, Alro, Pantar, Lembata, Adonara, Flores

June 2015

• Komodo  01-12 June 2015 - 11 Nights - Four (4) Double / Twin cabins available 

Itinerary from Maumere to Bali via Komodo region and Lesser Sunda Islands

Air Temperatures – Low to Upper 70s to Low 80s

Water Temperature – 78F

Overall Weather – At the start of the week winds came from the NNE at over 15 knots, and by mid-week they had reduced to 5 knots, only to increase again to 15 knots and swivel around to the NNW.  Skies offered alternating sun and clouds with some rain showers here and there.

Crew - Dive Instructor Anne-Marie was the dive guide, with Carlton (AKA Capt) as boat captain for the week.

Sightings – A positively monstrous size Spotted Eagle Ray came cruising by divers at close range along the Chasbow’s Corner wall on Monday.  Lighthouse Reef Atoll diving on Tuesday was spectacular, with lots of Nassau Groupers along the Half Moon Caye wall area with fat tummies for spawning.  Reef Sharks showed up as usual and showed keen interest in divers whom were taking photos of a Hawksbill Turtle munching on a sponge whom was completely unconcerned with the divers and cameras, or the Reef Sharks whizzing by.  Aquarium to Silver Cave on the western side of Long Caye was a lengthy drift dive covering both action-packed sites.  Reef Sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays, schools of Horse Eye Jack, numerous large Black Groups, and three Tarpon all made appearances.  The southeastern dives on Friday offered up a White Spotted Toadfish sighting.  Upon close inspection, there was a small Banded Coral Shrimp sitting just above the toadfish’s eye like a red and white eyebrow.  A lone large and muscular Crevalle Jack swam purposefully along the Jojos’s Split wall toward divers coming in close for inspection as it went by.  Each week brings expected sightings and surprises every time.  

Sunday 4 January

Winds at over 15 knots from NE.  Mostly cloudy with some sun.

Dive Sites:  #1 Black Pearl North - 60ft visibility / #2 Black Pearl South – 60ft visibility / #3 Amberhead – 60ft visibility

Monday 5 January

Wind speed at over 15 knots switching from NNE to due north.  Rains showers in the morning gave way to sun in the afternoon. 

Dive Sites:  #1 Terrace – 60ft visibility / #2 Chasbow’s Corner – 60ft visibility / #3 Elkin’s Bay – 60ft

Tuesday 6 January

Winds at just over 10 knots from the NNE.  Mostly sunny conditions all day. 

Dive Sites:  #1 Blue Hole – 30 then 80ft visibility / #2 Half Moon Caye Wall – 60ft visibility / #3 Aquarium to Silver Cave - 50ft visibility

Wednesday 7 January

Winds dropped to 5 knots, and skies were mostly sunny with some clouds. 

Dive Sites:  #1 Wishbone – 70ft visibility / #2 Front Door – 70ft visibility / #3 Night Dive at Northern Bogue

Thursday 8 January

Winds back up to 15 knots from the NNE, then switching to NNW.  Rain showers on and off, revealing patches of sun. 

Dive Sites:  #1 Creekozene South – 60ft visibility / #2 Pine Ridge – 60ft visibility / #3 Lobster Bay - 60ft visibility

Friday 9 January

Light variable winds increased to 10 knots from the NW by mid-morning.  Overcast conditions with passing rain showers gave way to sun in the early afternoon. 

Dive Sites:  #1 The Elbow – 50ft visibility / #2 Jojo’s Split – 70ft visibility / #3 Chrissea’s Place - 70ft visibility

Yap and Palau - Best of Micronesia, 14 Days

May 2-16, 2015  $3,599

We are now offering an amazing special from Chris at Palau Dive Adventures (Palau) and Bill at Manta Ray Bay Resort (Yap). This 2 islands, 1 trip special gets you diving the best of Micronesia.

** Available only for 12 people during the given dates at this one-time special rate...!

** One week at Manta Ray Bay Resort, Yap and once week at Palau Royal Resort...!

** Complimentary room upgrades, 7 nights in each country, 3 dives per dive day...!

** Includes breakfast and lunch on dive days, nitrox, Wi-Fi, late check out, and ground transfers...!

** Palau includes a Peleliu tour, jellyfish lake and 13 dives...!

$3,599 per person Contact us for additional details. We can arrange flights on United or China Airlines.

May 2-9, 2015 Yap / May 9-16 Palau  Space limited to 12 divers…! Act fast.

Isis Cruiser Maldives Liveaboard

 Buy One, Get One FREE - Limited Dates

The Isis Cruiser Maldives is offering a great BOGO (buy one, get one FREE) deal on limited dates.

Special offer:BOOK ONE GET ONE FREE!   Contact us for availability.Price inclusive of

• A PADI Certified Dive Master or Instructor ( or both) will guide all Divers on each cruise
• No refunds will be entitled for any unused dives
• If a client wishes to arrange any certification, this should be informed at the time of booking
• Divers must present proof of dive certification and logbook
• If needed any additional dive equipment can be rented from the vessel with prior notice before arrival
• To avoid last minute disappointment we request to advice us rental equipment sizes minimum 10 days before arrival

We are pleased to be booking the Ocean Hunter Palau fleet. Their main vessel is the Ocean Hunter III. Ocean Hunter III has 3 standard cabins, 3 deluxe cabins and 2 master staterooms all with private bath and a/c, and accommodates up to 16 guests with personal attention and plenty of space. There is a large dining room and a comfortable salon with sofas and an entertainment system. The salon also contains a high quality espresso machine. Alternatively you can relax in the jacuzzis on the spacious sun deck. Furthermore, Ocean Hunter III is designed for professional underwater photography, TV and Film production, with a sizeable working area, 110, 220 and 415 volt electrical outlets and extra storage space. Ocean Hunter III offers powerful PC’s for movie and video editing with download, email and cd burning services.

Prices start at $3495 for 7 night charters, standard cabins 2 and 5; $4990 for 10 night charters, standard cabins 2 and 5.  

Matava Eco Resort   January Special   2nd Guest 75% OFF   Fiji…. Untouched

Dewi Nusantara Last Remaining Berths for 2015 - Save $1200

We have limited availability for remaining berths for 2015 on selected charters. Save $800 on the charter plus get FREE nitrox, a $200 value. Total savings $1000 per person plus we will offer an additional $200 per person agent's discount. Contact us for additional information. 

Utopia Village Utila Flash Sale

Get to the Bay Islands, Honduras and take advantage of this FLASH SALE from Utopia Village. Are you ready for a whale shark encounter…? Book fast…!

This offer valid for weeks of January 17, 2015 and January 31, 2015. Last minute deal for certified divers and those who have always aspired to learn how to dive.

• Get a PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water course for FREE
• Book one diver package at the regular rate of $1900 and your buddy is $950 or 50% OFF.
• And book with us and get an additional Agent's discount.

We have been advised by the Raja Ampat park authorities that the Raja Ampat park tag fee has been increased by $40 USD. The fee is now $225 USD.

We appreciate your support of this fee system. Conservation of Raja Ampat's spectacular marine habitats and biodiversiity requires long term funding. In addition, the local communities who own these reefs need to see direct benefits of tourism through community programs that will improve their quality of life.

Raja Ampat is blessed with some of the highest marine biodiversity and healthiest coral reefs in the world. In order to protect this unique biodiversity, Raja Ampat has 7 nationally mandated and locally managed marine protected areas (MPAs). As with any park or reserve, conservation and tourism management cost money. The previous park fees were introduced in 2008 and with all things, costs increase.