Scuba Diving

The Best Scuba Mask Straps

Before buying your first scuba mask strap, it is important to understand what makes a good mask strap. The design of a strap is essential. It should be comfortable and secure enough to keep the mask securely in place without affecting your hearing. The straps should be made of a strong material that will not be prone to breaking or ripping.

Waterlust Best Scuba Mask Straps

Waterlust Scuba Mask Straps are an eco-friendly alternative to rubber straps, and they are also comfortable to wear. Made from recycled plastic bottles, they are chlorine and sun-resistant. These straps are available in a variety of colors and designs. In addition to scuba gear, they are a great gift for the scuba enthusiast.

Aqua Lung Pacific

The Aqua Lung Pacific Scuba Mask Strap helps divers adjust their scuba masks comfortably. Its low-volume design is suitable for most face types. Its strap angle is highly adjustable, making it easy to equalize. This mask is also more affordable than other high-end options.

Cressi F1

The Cressi F1 scuba mask is a high-spec yet very affordable mask. Its streamlined design and square shape mimic a rental dive mask, making it easy to fit a variety of faces. It is also lightweight and folds flat for easy storage.

Mares X Vision

The Mares X Vision Scuba Mask Strat is a unique design that is great for use with corrective lenses. Its shape is wide and has a ribbed area around the nose to relieve pressure when you are underwater. This mask is perfect for deeper, longer dives and is available in a number of different colors.

Aqua Lung Reveal X1

The Aqua Lung Reveal X1 scuba mask strap has a single lens and is designed for comfort and fit. Its ultra-soft silicone construction, round innovative headband silicone strap, and Quick Release button system make for easy adjustment and leak-free wear. It is also the lightest mask on the market.

Sea Dive Oceanways Superview HD

The Sea Dive Oceanways Superview HD combines the comfort of an adjustable strap with advanced lens technology. Its teardrop-shaped lens is designed with Optical MultiCoat Technology to reduce harmful UV rays and harsh white light. The mask also has an adjustable strap that allows you to customize the fit to your face.

One of the key things to consider when choosing The Best Scuba Mask Straps is the material it’s made from. Straps made from materials like leather or neoprene are generally more comfortable and durable than those made from cloth or rubber.

Exploring Bali Diving Locations

For the diving devotee who is look for a rare and breathtaking paradise, Bali is definitely the place to go. Among other things, this dreamlike destination is renowned for its spectacular sceneries, the vivid greens of its rice terraces, the lively music of the gamelan, the remarkable release of a Balinese oil massage and the sumptuous babi guling. These brain-stimulating pursuits provide all the prompting necessary for adventurers to take a trip to paradise but there is so much more to enjoy. This includes exploring the finest Bali diving locations. This Indonesian island has everything that an adventurer could fantasize about. Colorful and mesmerizing coral reefs, encounters with fascinating sea creatures, cave diving, technical diving and muck diving with the help of traditional Balinese boat.

Regardless of skill level, divers can delight in incredible Bali diving. For the beginner, the most ideal diving sites include Padang Bay, Pulau Menjangan and Amed since there is only extremely light to no current at these locations. For the more advanced divers, Bali provides a lot more opportunities with various drift dives such as Nusa Lembongan, Candidasa and Nusa Penida. Occasionally, the current can become quite strong and mand dive sites are there that should be deeply respected and very carefully explored.

Bali Diving Spots

Highlighted below are two of the finest Bali diving spots:

• Amed

This quaint fisherman village is situated on the black sand coast to the east of Bali. For divers seeking a legitimate Balinese experience, this location is ideal. Whether you opt to go muck diving or wall diving, the appeal of diving in this location is its point of transfer from the beach to the site via a ride on a traditional jukung boat. This fisherman boat is highly popular in the Philippines and in Indonesia; however, it has its origin in Bali. It resembles a canoe with its three-sided sail and two outriggers; it is now also outfitted with a gasoline engine. Arrival at most diving sites involves taking a short boat trip. For a unique and unforgettable experience, start your Bali diving day with the delight of surfing at the surface of the water, while taking in the customs of the local fishermen.

• Menjangan Island

The majority of the visitors to Bali go to the south tip of the island, in the trio of Kuta, Uluwatu and Denpasar. As a protected island, Menjangan is situated on the west end of Bali and has stayed practically untouched because of the remoteness of the location. You need to pay a small fee to gain access to the park. The region embarked on conservation endeavors since 1917 when the park was established and the coral and ecosystem in general have been flourishing.

Even in shallow waters, it offers spectacular colors. Therefore, it is an exceptional location for divers travelling together with non-divers who can also relish it while snorkeling. More advanced divers will be ecstatic to discover that Menjangan Island is also legendary for its wall and the visibility that can be perceptible to 50 meters sometimes.

Koh Phi Phi Diving

In Thailand, Koh Phi Phi is among the most cherished holiday resort destinations. This is not only because of the magnificent islands, beaches and bays made famous by ‘The Beach’ and other such movies, but because of the excellent Koh Phi Phi diving as well.

The islands are positioned in a national marine park and the dive sites on the Phi Phi islands considerably differ from the other destinations that are offered in Thailand. On these islands are spectacular limestone walls adorned with wholesome soft corals, dives culminating in shallow coral gardens and gorgonians branching out from the countless colorful walls. All manner of marine life romp among the sponges and soft corals. Green turtles are extremely common at the diving sites of the Phi Phi islands.

Koh Phi Phi diving escapades promise sightings of wonderful small creatures like seahorses, pipefish and razorfish and their larger cousins such as reef sharks, leopard sharks, turtles and crocodile long-toms. The mixture of accessible sites which is suitable of all skill levels, its delightful movie-set beaches and the easy-going charm of the destination make Koh Phi Phi a wonderful spot for divers and non-diving individuals as well.

Incredible Koh Phi Phi Diving Sites

Bida Nok

Bida Nok is deemed by many to be the finest location site in Phi Phi. This is a small cliff islet with walls that dramatically plunge into the ocean where they are decorated with sponges and soft corals creating a hodgepodge of green, yellow and purple. The reef is extraordinarily healthy and provides a home to various moray eels, bearded scorpionfish and bird wrasse, just to name a few. Frequent sightings of bigger fish are common with grey reef sharks and leopard sharks.

This area is known for its abundance of leopard sharks, particularly on the eastern end of the isle. Whitetip reef sharks and blacktip reef sharks are known to make appearances in the region. In addition, you should ensure that you do not startle bamboo sharks that might be concealing themselves in cracks or under rocks.

• Bida Nai

This is another gorgeous dive site that is full of fascinating underwater topography and creatures. As soon as you make your way into the water, you will be going into a swim-through crammed with thousands of small glassfish. There will be the opportunity to cruise over pastures of staghorn coral, keeping an eye out for leopard sharks and black tip sharks as well as hunting trevallies relishing the wealth of baitfish. You can end your dive in a lovely shallow reef where you will be entertained by crocodile long-toms, cuttlefish and squid throughout the safety stop.

• Loh Samah Bay

Positioned on the east side of Koh Phi Phi Le, Loh Samah Bay is a remarkable shallow dive, frequently used for night diving. The bay features an extensive hard coral garden that features loads of anemones at depths between 2 and 12m, which is perfect for snorkeling as well. Typically, the dive follows a small limestone island inside of the bay.

An Insight Into Scuba Diving Palawan

Diving is one of the most exciting things people can do around the globe. However, people must possess skills in this field if they plan to dive into underwaters. It is also fun to visit different diving sites and enjoy marine life in those places. And anyone around Palawan Island can also find strategic sites for diving. El Nido is a famous place in Palawan that has over 20 diving sites. So, what else will you want if you are a diver in this place? Here are the things you need to know about scuba diving Palawan.

Unique Things to Find in Palawan Diving sites

When you visit Palawan, Philippines, you see incredible things underwater. Life is beautiful in most of the diving sites in this location. Mainly, people who visit El Nido will see the beauty of marine life. They can encounter mammoth sharks feeding in these sites. More so fishes swimming in patterns to bring about the beauty of nature. Therefore, people need to spend their holidays in these scuba diving sites and have fun!

Discover Scuba Diving in Palawan

El Nido is one of the famous places people should not miss. When you plan for a holiday tour, ensure you give this place a priority. Life here is sweet for everyone. Whether you know how to dive underwater or not, you will enjoy the beauty of nature here. When you gain interest in diving, you will become a professional diver. You can visit some of the best diving sites around the world. Hence, have fun. But it would help if you started with Palawan sites for divers.

Scuba Diving School in El Nido, Philippines

When you want to enjoy in El Nido, you must possess diving skills. That means you must have received adequate training in this field. Given that most people understand how to swim, they engage further in deep-water diving. Therefore, they possess vast skills in the underground water diving. And you will realize that most people have established scuba diving training schools in Palawan. If you love diving in deep waters, consider joining one of the training schools in this location.

Are There Refresher Courses for Scuba Divers in Palawan?

Yes. People who have the necessary skills in this field can extend their lessons in training facilities. Most instructors in scuba diving schools specialize in training already trained students. That means they help trainees advance in this field. If you want to become a professional diver, consider refresher courses. You will find them in various institutions that offer scuba diver training. Perhaps, you will manage to horny your skills as a diver and become among the top worldwide.

What Next?

Many individuals are divers around the globe. They engage in diving activities in various scuba diving sites. When you want to engage in these activities, you must acquire the necessary skills. But it is also essential to tour sites in El Nido. You will see exciting marine creatures in the Philippines to make your tour successful. Read the information provided in this article. Hence, learn more about scuba diving in Palawan.

Scuba Diving Palawan – An Excellent Diving Experience

In the Philippines, Palawan island is one of the most beautiful islands and is one of the world’s greatest Scuba diving Palawan. Palawan is at Southwest of the capital city of Manila. If you go there at Palawan, surely you will enjoy scuba diving options there for sea-lovers.

Marine Life on Palawan

Some places in Palawan have an abundant and diverse marine ecosystem. You will see reef fish such as sweetlips, clownfish, parrotfish, damselfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, and pipefish. You can also see the grouper and snapper. If you are in luck, you might meet a sea turtle, moray eel, or manta ray. Sometimes, you can see large clubs of mackerel, batfish, and barracuda.

Diving in Palawan

Palawan offers a great selection of dive sites where the reefs are alive and colorful. You can dive in the only PADI certified dive center in Puerto Princesa, and with a team of top diving pros, you can dive without any safety concerns. El Nido has white sand beaches, emerald waters, and spectacular coral reefs beneath the north of Palawan. You can enjoy the wide variety of underwater scenery, and if you can dive in small groups. You can also get up close with turtles. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is in the heart of the Sulu Sea, the Philippines’ best diving spot. Again, this place is one of the most biodiverse diving spots on earth. The country’s wealthiest marine biodiversity is the Pristine coral reefs, which is in Palawan. Tubbataha has about 600 species of fishes and 360 species of corals. The region has a beautiful marine life includes three species of dolphins and whales, eleven species of sharks, one nesting hawksbill, and green sea turtles.

Diving Conditions

A usual liveaboard trip to Tubbataha would depart from Puerto Princesa. The navigation takes roughly 10 hours. 10 to 35 meters, depending on the tides, you can see 32 feet to 114 feet. This site is suitable for scuba diving and snorkelers. It will help if you have a skill level that should be intermediate to advanced because the scuba diving experience will allow you to have more fun.

Check for Requirements

In some sites, there may be a requirement to have a PADI license to do scuba diving. You can check for all those sites that will allow you to dive with a scuba diving instructor without any license requirements. If the thrill of scuba diving is something that tempts you to master the skill of scuba diving, you will find many scuba diving schools in Palawan as well. These schools offer all scuba diving skills from basic to expert level. You can take these classes and learn how to scuba dive and then appear for your scuba diving certification tests.

Scuba diving is becoming a worldwide popular recreational activity. With so many islands and fantastic dive spots, deciding on the best place to dive in the Philippines is no easy task. Scuba diving Palawan is one of the best options and something for you to check out if you like scuba diving adventures.

Important Features Of A Scuba Mask

If you enjoy diving, wearing the best scuba mask straps can give you a bit of motivation. You will also enjoy the activity more with colorful neoprene straps. Luckily, you don’t have to endure tangled hair with twisted headbands because the current scuba masks are incredibly comfortable to wear.

The Strap System

The best scuba mask straps are easy to adjust. The buckle system on modern systems can mount on the skirt and not the frame. There are many benefits of such a model such as improved range of motion when positioning the strap. Again, the buckle can fold flat against the lens to allow easy packing and storage. People with long hair need a mask strap wrapper to minimize hair breakage and entanglement.

Skirts

Quality skirts come in silicone material but with different thicknesses and pliability. Generally, quality skirts mold effortlessly according to face layout. They are like a second skin and create a watertight and comfy seal. Some models come with different facial textures for the cheeks and forehead to improve the seal and the comfort.

Avoid plastic masks offered at cheap prices but resemble the quality silicone masks. They seem like good deals but you will eventually toss them away. The last things you want on your face are rashes and leakages when diving. The good thing about silicone masks is that you can choose between black and clear skirts. Most underwater photographers prefer opaque skirts because they block reflective rays. Clear masks, on the other side, allow sufficient light which is a good thing when diving in green water or shadowed areas. They also provide better peripheral views. These are ideal for beginners since they are less claustrophobic.

Purge Valve

If you smile a lot while diving or have a moustache, you might find it hard to clear water from the mask. In this case, a mask purge valve can help in sealing. The valve is mounted below the nose pockets and keeps water from accumulating inside. Make sure it is fixed at the lowest point so you can breathe out while the mask remains in place to force the leaking water out.

Being a vital piece of scuba diving and snorkeling, a mask should be easy and quick to work with even when you have your gloves on. By creating airspace on your face, it allows you to focus while under water. You also want your nose and enclosed as you descend deeper. With good vision through a mask, you will have more fun in the underwater world.

Best Scuba Diving Sites In Koh Tao, Thailand

Are you planning to go scuba diving during your vacation and aren’t settled on the location? If so, then consider Koh Tao in Thailand. This destination has dive sites that are usually easy and shallow, making them perfect for both experienced and inexperienced divers. Let’s not forget its low currents and good visibility both of which make Koh Tao the best destination to start scuba diving. Beginners will also love this divers paradise because it has the largest number of PADI diving courses offered at relatively low prices in Thailand.

Even though there are only 24 dive sites in Koh Tao, most of them are ranked among the best in the Gulf of Thailand. In this piece, we will list some of the best sites to go scuba diving Koh Tao.

Sail Rock

Also called, Hin Bai, Sail Rock is one of the best diving sites in the Gulf of Thailand. The depth of water at this location is 40 meters, has a visibility of between 15-35 meters, and experiences weak to medium currents all year round. These conditions make Sail Rock perfect for all divers. The only downside to this dive site is its location. To access it, you’ll have to take a 2 hours boat ride from Koh Tao. Diving at this site gives you the opportunity to swim with a huge variety of marine life, such as the chevron barracudas, king mackerel, manta rays, whale sharks, giant groupers, and large tuna among sea dwellers.

Chumphon Pinnacle

Located north-northwest of Koh Tao is Chumphom Pinnacle. This location is composed of four anemone-covered pinnacles and is also one of the most famous dive sites in Koh Tao. You can access this dive site by boat from Sairee beach. This beach is rich in marine life and offer very good visibility most of the time, so you will love it. Another reason why Chumphon Pinnacle is ranked as the most popular dive site in Koh Tao is the fact that divers get the chance to dive with sea creatures such as the big eye jack, trevally, bat fishes, barracuda, and giant groupers all year round, and with cobias, remoras, and whale sharks from March to May, and August to October.

South West Pinnacle

Another site to visit for scuba diving in Koh Tao is South West Pinnacle. This site is perfect for open water diving that is why most dive shops in Koh Tao bring their students here for the 3rd dive during their open water course. As the name suggests, South West Pinnacle comprises of many small pinnacles with a larger one in the center. Diving at this site should give you the opportunity to swim with a variety of creatures including leopard sharks, yellow tail barracudas, groupers, and scorpion fish. If you are lucky enough, you might spite whale sharks, and in rare occasions, whales.

White Rock

White Rock is another great dive site in Koh Tao. It is easily accessible from Sairee beach and you can get there in just 10 minutes by boat. This site is popular for the fourth dive of the open water (PADI level 1) and also for night dives. Some of the marine creature you can meet includes barracudas, blue spotted stingrays triggerfish, Moray eels, and angel fish.