The DIVER Travel Planner

FAR EAST
Malaysia
Marine life: Sipadan, off Borneo, and Malaysia's east-coast islands have reefs teeming with fish life. Turtles, large shoals of fish and pelagics including hammerhead, sharks, manta rays and whale sharks are often encountered.
Type of diving: Suits beginners to advanced. Sipadan has fringing reefs and a coral wall which drops thousands of feet, while peninsular Malaysia's islands have reefs and rock outcrops plus some deep wrecks for technical divers. Nitrox facilities are limited.
Major diving areas: Sipadan's drop-off coral wall attracts divers from all over the world. Other sites include Barracuda Point, the Hanging Gardens and Turtle Cavern, with its skeletal remains of turtles. The Redang Archipelago's coral-encrusted Big Seamount is reputed to be peninsular Malaysia's best dive site. Tioman's main resorts are best dived at night when marine traffic stops. Live-aboards sail from some areas although they are now banned from Sipadan.
Cost: Moderate to expensive.
Seasons/climate: Tropical without excessive temperatures, cooler at night. East Malaysia's monsoon season is from November to February, when centres on the Perhentian Islands close down. The main diving season is mid-February to mid-December, with April to September the best time, especially for turtles.
What to wear: Out of the water - light tropical clothing. In the water - lightweight wetsuit or Lycra suit.
Hazards: Normal reef hazards. Restrictions on diver numbers to protect Sipadan's reefs have been promised by the Malaysian government but not yet enforced.
Currency: The Malaysian ringgit. Ł1=R6.22 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: Typhoid, polio and hepatitis A recommended. Malaria risk.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: 13-hour flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur for peninsular Malaysia's islands. Journeys to Sipadan can involve an overnight in Kota Kinabalu, on Sabah.
Tipping: A 10 per cent service charge is commonly added to restaurant bills. Taxi drivers are not tipped.
Information: Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (0171 930 7932). Website - www.malaysia.org.uk.
Tour operators include: Hayes and Jarvis, Explorers Tours, Regal Diving, Goldenjoy, Scuba Safaris, Aquatours, explor Dive the World, Trek & Dive, Sure Dive, Divequest, Jebsens Scuba Travel.

Thailand
Marine life: Dive sites around Phuket offer a rich diversity, including whitetip sharks, rays, snappers and turtles. The Similan Islands have some of the best diving in Asia, with hard and soft corals as well as tropical and pelagic fish. Thailand's coral has been adversely affected by climatic changes over the last few years.
Type of diving: For beginners to advanced. Day-trip dive boats and live-aboards operate from Phuket.
Major diving areas: Phuket's sites include Phi Phi Island, the Racha Island group and Shark Point Marine Sanctuary. Further afield, live-aboards visit the Andaman Sea's Similan and Surin islands and the Burma Banks.
Cost: Moderate.
Seasons/climate: Hot, particularly from mid-February to June. The south-west monsoon from May to October brings heavy rain and heavy seas and can restrict diving.
What to wear: Out of the water - light tropical clothing. In the water - lightweight wetsuit or Lycra suit.
Hazards: Normal reef hazards.
Currency: The baht. Ł1=Bt61.50 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: Typhoid, polio and hepatitis A recommended. Malaria risk.
Visa required: For stays over 30 days only.
Getting there: Flights to Phuket take about 27 hours.
Tipping: A 10 per cent service charge is commonly added to restaurant bills. Taxi drivers are not tipped.
Information: Tourism Authority of Thailand (0171 499 7679). Website - www. tourismthailand.org.
Tour operators include: Hayes and Jarvis, Scuba Safaris, Divequest, Explorers Tours, Goldenjoy, Sure Dive, Oonasdivers.

Indonesia
Marine life: Indonesia's islands have world-class diving, with walls covered in soft and hard corals and sponges, with prolific reef-fish life plus reef and hammerhead sharks, turtles, giant groupers, rays and barracuda. Almost a quarter of the world's coral reefs are here, many of them rarely, if ever, dived.
Type of diving: For beginners to advanced. Day-trip dive boats and live-aboards operate in and around Indonesia's 13,000 islands.
Major diving areas: Bali has diving off its north-east coast. Neighbouring Lombok's main diving area is the Gili islands. Manado on Sulawesi has coral reefs and drop-offs, and there is also diving from other islands including Flores, Ambon and Derawan. Live-aboards venture into the Sangihe-Talaud Archipelago, the Moluccan Islands, Komodo and the Alor Islands.
Cost: Expensive.
Seasons/climate: Tropical with temperatures of around 30ĄC year-round. The south-east monsoon cuts visibility from June to August, but the main rains come with the north-west monsoon from December to March, when heavy seas can restrict diving.
What to wear: Out of the water - light tropical clothing. In the water - lightweight wetsuit or Lycra suit.
Hazards: Normal reef hazards.
Currency: The rupiah. Ł1=Rp13,500 approx.
Electricity supply: Generally 110V.
Inoculations: Typhoid, polio and hepatitis A recommended. Malaria risk.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights via Bangkok or Singapore. Flight time to Bali is 24 hours.
Tipping: Not compulsory, but 10 per cent is customary. Tipping in dollars is appreciated as local currency has devalued greatly.
Information: Indonesian Embassy (0171 499 7661). Website - www.tourismindonesia.com.
Tour operators include: Hayes and Jarvis, Explorers Tours, Crusader Travel, Sure Dive, Scubaway, Divequest, Club Med, Jebsens Scuba Travel.

Philippines
Marine life: The Philippines has one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. Its tropical waters are enriched by currents from Japan, the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Celebes Sea and abound with species of fish, shells, invertebrates and other forms of marine life. It has 800 species of corals. However, cyanide and dynamite fishing in the past and today have caused extensive damage to some reefs, and climatic changes have also caused damage to coral.
Type of diving: For beginners to advanced. There are dive resorts throughout the archipelago and live-aboards operate in and around its 7000 islands.
Major diving areas: Cebu, Bohol, Anilao, El Nido, Busuanga, Dakak, Davao and Dumaguete.
Cost: Expensive.
Seasons/climate: March to May is hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 22-32ĄC. June to October is rainy, with some areas prone to typhoons. November to February is cool with temperatures from 22-28ĄC. September to April are the best months to visit Cebu, outside the typhoon belt.
What to wear: Out of the water - light tropical clothing. In the water - lightweight wetsuit or Lycra suit.
Hazards: Normal reef hazards.
Currency: The peso. Ł1=PP63 approx.
Electricity supply: 220V.
Inoculations: Typhoid, polio and hepatitis A recommended. Malaria risk.
Visa required: No.
Getting there: Flights to Manila take 18 hours. Flight time to Cebu is 23-24 hours.
Tipping: 10 per cent is customary.
Information: Philippine Department of Tourism (0171 499 5443). Website - www.tourism.gov.ph.
Tour operators include: Explorers Tours, Sure Dive, Jebsens Scuba Travel.

Appeared in DIVER - June 1999