Overnight train trip to Düsseldorf (109€ return in a 6 bunks cabin) to visit
boot, the world's largest annual water sports fair (e-ticket 14€).
Having no important gear agenda this year, I actually had plenty of time to just stroll about and chat with several owners, managers & representatives of various resorts, located primarily in Indonesia, my favorite destination for recreational diving.
First up was
Selayar Dive Resort, which I've had on my wish list for a while already. Being off the main tourist paths, it's a bit harder to get to, which makes it even more attractive to me. Definitely an option for our next trip, maybe in combination with a short stay on Bali?
Another one on my critter list is
Lembeh Resort. They now also have a second place to stay further down south, near an abandoned gold mine, for some
normal reef diving and non-scuba activities higher up inland. Sounds like a very nice combo to me!
Anke from
Blue Bay Divers,
where we stayed back in 2007, proudly presented her brand new 30m long Pinisi-style wooden live-aboard, the KLM Sunshine. Just my kind of diving, let's go sailing :o)
For live-aboard lovers, the
MSY Seahorse looks pretty nice too... but with high class rates of about 400 USD/day too deep for my wallet.
Dreaming on, the exclusive
Wakatobi Dive Resort is now getting some
relatively affordable competition by the
Patuno Resort Wakatobi.
It's possible to book directly with all of the above mentioned resorts and most will also arrange local flights where necessary. Or you can trust the whole travel organization in the hands of e.g.
Aquaventure Tauchreisen, who smoothly arranged my
2010 trip. There tip to me now being
The Three P Holiday & Dive Resort on Romblon island in the Philippines... who knows?
Still high on my list is of course the
Nautilus Explorer with its great white encounters at Isla Guadalupe, manta ballets around Socorro Island and/or kelp forest diving with sea lions near San Benitos.
And for a bit of action closer by, I might check out
Atlantis Qualidive in nearby Austria this summer? [ see also:
Attersee Diving World ]
