9780794600761

A Guide to the Best Dive Sites in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand with E-mail links, contacts, maps, and description of each site plus how to get there and when to go.

David Espinosa has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Latin America and Europe. He based in Singapore and is the Features Editor for Asian Diver magazine.

Heneage Mitchell has lived in and dived these islands since 1983, Mitchell runs a dive school and is the publisher of Philippine Diver magazine.

Kal Muller has spent two decades writing and photographing in Indonesia. He pioneered diving in Indonesia with the best-selling Diving Indonesia (Periplus Editions).

Fiona Nichols is a freelance writer who worked in Southeast Asia for a decade, diving these waters regularly.

John Williams dove the Bahamas, Mexico, and the South Pacific before settling in Phuket more than a decade ago. He currently runs a respected dive operation on Kata Beach.

Photographers:
Charles Anderson, Michael Aw, Gary Bell, Ashley Boyd, Clay Bryce, Lynn Funkhouser, Jack Jackson, Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock, Kal Muller, Fiona Nichols, Mike Severns, Roger Steene, Shaun Teirney, Takamasa Tonozuka, Scott Tuason and Robert Yin.

Introduction

Diving Southeast Asia

15

(8)

A Bounty of Reefs, Wrecks, and Coral Gardens

Indonesia

Introduction

23

(3)

Diving in Indonesia

A Vast and Largely Unexplored Archipelago for Divers

Derawan and Sangalaki

26

(1)

Mantas, Turtles and a Mysterious Lake

Map --- Derawan and Sangalaki

26

(3)

Sulawesi

29

World-class Walls and Outstanding Fish Life

Map --- Manado Bay

28

(8)

Tulamben

36

This is the Liberty Wreck Legend

Map --- Bali

34

(3)

Map --- Tulamben

37

(1)

Nusa Penida

38

(1)

Abundant Pelagics and Some Fierce Currents

Map --- Nusa Penida and Lembongan

38

(2)

Amed

40

(1)

Fish Lover's Heaven

Map --- Cemeluk (Amed)

41

(1)

Menjangan

42

(1)

Clear Water and Walls off Bali's Westernmost Tip

Map --- Menjangan Island

42

(2)

Candi Dasa and Padangbai

44

(1)

Spectacular, Bone-chilling Dives on Offshore Reefs

Map --- Candi Dasa and Padangbai

45

(1)

Secret Bay (Gili Manuk)

46

(2)

Much Ado about Something

East of Bali

48

(3)

Island Hopping in Style

Komodo

51

(2)

Dragons and Jurassic Gyroscopes

Map --- Komodo

53

(3)

Alor

56

(2)

The East's Dream Destination

The Northeast

58

(5)

Good if you can get there

Live-aboards

63

(6)

Diving Indonesia's Most Remote Sites

Malaysia

Introduction

69

(3)

Diving in Malaysia

Where Rainforest Meets Reef

Sipadan

72

(1)

Memorable Diving from an Oceanic Isle East of Borneo

Map --- Sipadan

73

(3)

Layang-Layang and Kota Kinabalu

76

(1)

Diving off Sabah's Northwest Coast

Map --- Layang-Layang

77

(1)

Map --- Abdul Rahman Tunku Park

77

(2)

Terengganu

79

(1)

The Best Diving from Peninsular Malaysia

Map --- Terengganu

80

(2)

Tioman and Aur

82

(1)

Playground for Divers and Holidaymakers

Map --- Tioman and Aur

83

(1)

Langkawi

84

(1)

Diving the Marine Reserve at Pulau Payar

Map --- Pulau Payar

85

(4)

The Philippines

Introduction

89

(1)

Diving in the Philippines

Hundreds of Sites and a Well-developed Dive Industry

Map --- The Philippines

90

(1)

Map --- Visayas

91

(3)

La Union

94

(1)

Calm Waters and Pleasant Beaches

Map --- La Union

94

(2)

Subic Bay

96

(1)

A Choice of Wrecks in a Perfect Natural Harbor

Map --- Subic Bay

97

(1)

Nasugbu

98

(1)

Easily Accessible from the Capital

Map --- Nasugbu

99

(1)

Anilao

100

(1)

Birthplace of Philippine Scuba

Map --- Anilao

101

(3)

Verde Island

104

(1)

A Fabulous Wall and Good Corals

Map --- Batangas

105

(1)

Puerto Galera

106

(1)

Diving from a Popular Holiday Resort

Map --- Puerto Galera

106

(3)

Sibuyan Sea

109

(1)

Outstanding Sights in the Tablas Straits

Map --- Marinduque & Tablas Straits

110

(2)

Boracay

112

(1)

Stunning Beaches with First-class Dive Sites Nearby

Map --- Boracay

113

(1)

Mactan

114

(1)

A Popular Resort with Fair Diving

Map --- Mactan

114

(2)

North Cebu

116

(1)

A Less Crowded Alternative to the Southern Resorts

Map --- Malapascua

117

(1)

Southern Leyte

118

(1)

Whalesharks, Walls & Water Falls

Map --- Southern Leyte

118

(2)

Moalboal & Pescador

120

(1)

A Small but Superb Site Away from the Crowds

Map --- Moalboal

121

(1)

Bohol

122

(1)

Great Diving off Cabilao, Panglao and Balicasag

Map --- Bohol

122

(2)

Apo Reef

124

(1)

A Speck in the Midst of the South China Sea

Map --- Apo Reef

125

(1)

Sumilon

126

(2)

A Species-rich Marine Sanctuary

Coron Bay

128

(1)

Exploring a World of Wrecks off Busuanga Island

Map --- Coron Bay

129

(3)

El Nido

132

(1)

Fabulous Seascapes and Year-round Diving

Map --- El Nido

133

(1)

Puerto Princesa

134

(1)

Honda Bay, Taytay and Port Barton

Map --- Port Barton

134

(1)

Map --- Honda Bay

135

(1)

Davao

136

(1)

General Santos City

Map --- General Santos

136

(1)

Map --- Davao

137

(1)

The Sulu Sea

138

(2)

Diving the Reefs of Tubbataha, Jessie Beazley and Basterra

Map --- Jessie Beazley & Tubbataha

140

(7)

Thailand

Introduction

147

(1)

Diving in Thailand

A Kingdom Straddling Two Seas

Map --- Southern Thailand

148

(3)

Map --- Similan Islands

151

(1)

Similan Islands

152

(4)

Nine Gems Offering Some of Asia's Best Diving

The Mergui Archipelago

156

(2)

A Huge Unpopulated Group of Islands and Reefs

Map --- Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks

158

(4)

Ko Tachai & Richelieu Rock

162

(1)

Plus the Sites at Ko Bon and Ko Surin

Map --- Andaman Sea Sites

163

(1)

Racha Noi & Racha Yai

164

(1)

Fun Diving from Phuket's West Coast and Islands to the South

Map --- Racha Noi & Racha Yai

165

Shark Point

154

(13)

Shark Point, Anemone Reef and King Cruiser: Excellent Day Diving

Map --- Shark Point

167

(2)

Phi Phi Islands

169

(1)

Beaches, Bommies and Birds' Nests

Map --- Phi Phi Islands

169

(3)

Trang

172

(1)

Hin Daeng and Hin Muang: Two Jewels of the South

Map --- Trang

172

(4)

Ko Samui

176

(1)

Dive Courses and Idyllic Beaches

Map --- Ko Samui

177

(1)

Ko Tao

178

(1)

Lazy Lifestyle and Good Diving

Map --- Ko Tao

179

(1)

Pattaya & Ko Chang

180

(1)

Fun Resort with Some Interesting Diving Options

Map --- Pattaya

181

(3)

Practicalities

Contents

184

(2)

Indonesia

186

(13)

Malaysia

199

(5)

The Philippines

204

(15)

Singapore

219

(3)

Thailand

222

(14)

Appendix

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Diving Southeast Asia

Diving Southeast Asia

079460076X

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials