Archive for February, 2012
It took quite a bit of time to save up, but I finally have enough money to visit Australia and Vanuatu. I’m an avid diver, so being able to see the Great Barrier Reef up close and personal will be a life changing experience, I’m sure. The first place I want to dive is Heron Island, which is a coral island that rises above the Great Barrier Reef.
Next, with my diving regulator firmly in place, I will dive the depths surrounding Vanuatu. For those who are currently scratching their heads, Vanuatu is a small island nation between New Zealand and Southeast Asia. It is prized by divers for its clear warm water, caves, swim-throughs, lava towers, wrecks, and marine life.
Last January, I decided to kick the winter blues and booked a Caribbean cruise. The particular cruise I chose made stops at several prime diving locations, including Cozumel and Belize. The Island of Cozumel, off the Mexican Mayan coast, is surrounded by reefs and clear water. I only had an afternoon to explore the swim-throughs, but divers with more time on their hands can check out 19 fantastic scuba diving areas.
As a tourist destination, Belize is not my favorite country. The extreme poverty of many of its citizens is obvious as soon as you set foot outside the cruise ship port area. Instead, I’d advise you to take your diving knives along with you and explore the Belize Barrier reef. It has stunning marine life, although visibility can be poor on the leeside of atolls.