Book now: 8 ideas for diving holidays

Mixing in the Maldives

Regal Dive is offering “learn to dive” and “family weeks” in August to encourage existing divers and those new to the sport to spend some time in the water together in the Maldives. The offerings include what the operator calls affordable dive certification, and liveaboard trips that don’t exclude younger divers or snorkelers.

An example is a 10-day liveaboard trip around remote atolls in the hope of encounters with manta rays, sharks, turtles, dolphins and whale sharks. The 31m Keana can accommodate up to 18 guests in upper deck cabins and the voyage costs £3,015 per person, while children under 11 pay £2,735. Departure is not far away though, on 8 August.

For beginners: five days later a seven-day trip on the Grandma begins. Guests will have completed their dive theory course before boarding, so they can complete the dives leading to the Open Water Diver certification on board, and then be ready to explore Vaavu Atoll, with the opportunity to spot sharks.

Meanwhile, experienced divers can enjoy more challenging dive sites from the liveaboard dhoni. This trip costs from £2,400pp and £2,210 for 11 year olds and under, including flights. Departs on 13th August, with bookings made through Regal Dive.

Palau liveaboard trip savings

Dive Worldwide is offering a discount of over 21% off October 17 departures for a week of diving in the Pacific Ocean from Palau Aggressor II liveaboard, bringing the price down from £5,675 pp to £4,475.

Three ocean currents converge in Palau’s waters, bringing what the tour operator describes as “some of the most diverse and dazzling marine life in the world, along with a fascinating range of wreck dives.”

The 33m liveaboard accommodates up to 18 passengers in nine cabins and is priced based on two people sharing. It includes seven nights full board, 25 dives, three nights in Palau, one night in Manila and return flights from the UK. Details from Dive Worldwide.

Time to taste Porto Santo

There’s still plenty of time to visit Porto Santo this summer, says Portugal Dive, referring to the Atlantic island in the Madeira group that has become increasingly popular with divers in recent years. The climate is pleasant all year round, in any case.

The company has packages for two people from 1,680 euros per person (£1,410) for an eight-day holiday with 10 dives over five days, flying into Porto Santo International Airport and staying seven nights in a hotel or apartment on the island.

The “Diving from Porto Santo Island” package pairs you with what are called expert diving centres and includes exploring “vibrant coral reefs, shipwrecks and rocky underwater beds teeming with marine life” that are easily accessible from those centres, the operator says.

Other attractions include the 9km of golden sand beach and the many natural areas to explore. You can also stay on Madeira itself, where diving is plentiful.

Disconnecting in the Bahamas

Club Med Columbus Isle is located on San Salvador in the Out Islands, a marine reserve protected by the Bahamian government since 2002. It is the island’s only all-inclusive resort, offering pristine beaches, “world-famous” diving, wellness experiences, kids’ clubs and much more.

“With no other large hotels in the area, guests will have a sense of seclusion, privacy and disconnection,” we’re told, which sounds promising for those who like to disconnect completely on holiday. There are no large buildings, just two-storey bungalows, and divers are promised 35 sites accessible via partner dive centre Only Blue Diving’s new hybrid-electric boat.

Family fun at Atlantis

The two Atlantis beach dive resorts in the Philippines are offering special deals for this year’s ‘Family Week’, including free stays, free meals and free diving for kids (one free child per paying adult).

Puerto Galera Resort, located in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, offers accessible diving, diverse coral reefs and exotic marine life, while Dumaguete, in the Visayas region, is home to a wide variety of macro species and offers access to the Dauin Marine Sanctuary and Apo Island.

On selected dates in August, November and December, a seven-night stay at Atlantis Puerto Galera costs £3,593 per person and £1,375 per teenager, including flights, through Regal Dive, while the equivalent at Atlantis Dumaguete costs £3,895 and £1,475 respectively.

Magic package

Elsewhere in the Philippines, stay at either of the two Magic Resorts before the end of October and you’ll get a second pre-booked dive package for free. It’s also good news for solo travellers, who can get 50% off their room rate.

Magic Island, with its 10 bungalows near Moalboal in Cebu, is only available in October due to renovation and maintenance works, but Magic Ocean near Anda in Bohol is available throughout the promotional period.

Book early for Sardine Run

The Sardine Run, where huge schools of predatory fish make their perilous annual journey north from the Agulhas Bank, has come and gone off the South African coast this summer, but you can still enjoy the excitement and anticipation by booking your spot now for next year’s natural spectacle.

Big Animals runs week-long expeditions from 12th to 18th July during peak season, but you can also opt to book the full two-week experience for more action.

The KwaZulu Natal Province trip is led by Amos Nachoum, the award-winning wildlife and underwater photographer with over 45 years of experience. You will stay at N’taba River Lodge and on daily sea trips you can hope for close-up interactions with dolphins herding sardines, sharks in hunting mode and diving birds. Nachoum will provide guidance on how to make the most of your cameras.

The one-week trip costs US$6,300 pp (£4,860 for a twin share), but the two-week trip offers a 25% discount, bringing the trip to $9,600 pp (£7,410).

Snorkeling at the Outrigger

Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort in the Maldives’ South Ari Atoll wants to make sure that no one is left out when it comes to exploring its house reef, as not everyone in your party is ready to dive right away. The reef is accessible directly from the beach or overwater villas, or via five channels spread across the island.

According to the resort, the chance of spotting whale sharks or manta rays is always there. Beginner lessons cost US$80 (£62), an hour of instructor-led house reef snorkelling costs $70 and a $90 snorkelling safari takes you on a boat trip to a more remote location. There’s also guided night snorkelling ($110) and the next step is Discover Scuba Diving ($195) or a private scuba diving experience ($225).

Also on Divernet: Tall tails of Malapascua, Book now: 6 ideas for wildlife diving trips, Vanuatu beyond the Cool edgeCharter your own EYOS expedition – in Melanesia, Dive trip: from Musandam to Muscat