Resort Diving

Updated April 13, 2022

This is the one hundred and seventy-fifth in a series of reviews of the best diving destinations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Anchorage, Alaska.  In addition to this series on diving destinations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you been diving in Anchorage before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving in Anchorage

Background

Located in South Central Alaska at the end of Cook Inlet, Anchorage first settled in 1914 is the largest city in Alaska with a population of over 290,000 which is 40% of the state’s total.  At this latitude, the days are long in summer and short in winter in a sub-arctic climate with relatively mild dry summers.  Although it has status as a major city, that hasn’t precluded the presence of wildlife like black and grizzly bears, moose, mountain goats, northern timber wolves, and beavers from the metropolitan area.  While tourism is important, the economy is driven by transportation, the military, government, and resource extraction, primarily petroleum.

Undersea World

The best scuba diving near Anchorage is in Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Peninsula to the south and Prince William Sound to the southwest.  Although only a short distance from Anchorage, save for wreck sites, undersea conditions are pristine and relatively untouched.  It’s true wilderness diving in most spots.

A 40-minute drive from Anchorage to the southeast, Whittier is the closest entry point to Prince William Sound.  Shore diving is available there at Smitty’s Cove, a protected area, with heaps of WWII wreckage, planes, industrial materials, cranes, and NOAA reef installations that are well encrusted providing a rich habitat for a variety of fish and invertebrates.

Other more natural areas can be reached by boat.  Seward, 2.5 hours away to the south, is the port to Resurrection Bay just to the east of the Kenai National Park.  On the shore are mountains, dense forests, streams, and glaciers, and wildlife you can see from the boat like 100 species of seabirds with cormorants, bald eagles, and puffins.  The undersea topography of walls, inlets, pinnacles, and small islands too has rich wildlife with kelp, and invertebrates including lion’s mane jellyfish, plumose anemones, sea stars, ascidians, tunicates, sponges, feather stars, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, giant Pacific octopuses, and King and Dungeness crabs.  Highlight fish are barndoor halibut, wolf eels, a variety of rockfish (quill-back, black, yelloweye, China), kelp greenling, and chum and humpy salmon.  In addition, the megafauna list is long with huge lingcod, sea otters, stellar sea lions, harbor seals, Dall’s porpoises, and the possibility of salmon sharks, orcas, and gray and humpback whales.

Seasons and Conditions

• Diving is possible all year in Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound.
• Air temperature average daily highs range from 23-65°F (-5-23°C) with the highs in July and the lows in January.
• The water temperature annual range is 36-55°F (2-13°C).  Divers will need drysuits, hoods, and gloves all year.
• With a “dry-summer sub-arctic” climate, most of the precipitation comes in the late summer.
• Currents are variable and can be strong at times due to large tidal changes.
• Visibility in summer is usually 30-40 feet (9-12 meters) and 50-80 feet (15-24 meters) in winter.
• There are sites suitable for all levels of diver from beginner to technical levels.  All will need drysuit skills. Several dive shops are in operation offering scuba diving classes, and equipment rental, sales, and service but only one makes full arrangements for tours to the dive sites, Dive Alaska.

For my reviews and information about cold water gear please click on the following post:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Alaska Liveaboards

None of the major liveaboard yachts travel to Resurrection Bay or Prince Edward Sound.  However, there are quite a few that cruise other Alaskan locations for adventure cruises.  Here are a few of the best vessels and links to descriptions, services, itineraries, and pricing.

Northern Dream, Alaska Adventure Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

Wilderness Explorer, Alaska Adventure Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

Kruzof Explorer, Alaska Adventure Liveaboards – Check the Price & Details

Selected Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound Dive Sites

Seward Sites

• Fox Island Y-754 Navy Barge Wreck:  5-90 feet (1.5-27 meters), 8 miles (13 kilometers) by boat from Seward, suffered fire damage and was beached, then in 1950 pushed back in and scuttled to become an artificial reef, the internal structure is unsafe for penetration, look for sea cucumbers, rockfish, and greenling, suitable for experienced levels (check out the video just above)
• Shearwater Cove (The Shackle):  10 miles (16 kilometers) by boat from Seward, 4-5 dive sites off the dock in front of the yurt accommodations, two facing walls with a variety of marine life, suitable for all levels
• Kayaker’s Cove:  40 feet (12 meters) maximum depth, 12 miles (19 kilometers) by boat from Seward, lots of kelp, rockfish, and lingcod, numerous macro critters, suitable for training and all levels
• Other sites:  Shark’s Tooth, Hidden Treasure, Mary’s Rock, Barwell Island, Lowell Point, The Ball Field, Sealife Center

Whittier Sites

• Smitty’s Cove: protected marine park with a great variety of World War II wreckage, industrial materials, cranes, planes, and NOAA artificial reef installations, visibility can be poor from late May to early September due to run-off, popular as a winter-time training site, suitable for all levels (check out the video below)
• Kittiwake Rookery: 130 feet (40 meters) maximum depth, 5-10 minute boat ride from Whittier, gradual decline that becomes a steep wall that turns into a canyon and becomes a steep wall starting at 100 feet (30 meters) extending to the abyss, rich encrusting invertebrates, nudibranchs, brittle stars, large sponges, and rockfish, suitable for experienced levels

Things to Do in Anchorage (aside from scuba diving)

As a modern city and the gateway to one of the few remaining natural areas of the world, there are loads of sights and activities in and around Anchorage.  Here are a few to consider:

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Alaska Zoo, Moose, Bear, and Wildlife Watching, Anchorage Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Glaciers, Chugach State Park, Meet Native People, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Train Tours, Hilltop Ski Area, Bicycle Touring, Ulu Factory, Seward Highway, Flight Tours, Anchorage Museum, Fishing, Kincaid Dunes, Whale Watching, Snow City Café, Panning for Gold, Saturday Market, Northern Lights, Dog Sledding, Arts and Shopping, Potter Marsh, Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, Downtown Anchorage Arts and Shopping, Bore Tides.

This video is a nice overview of what awaits.

Anchorage Transportation, Hotels, and Diving Services

Transportation

• Air – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) has direct connections on many major US and international carriers.
• Taxi – The Anchorage area is served by two main carriers.  There is a taxi stand at the arrivals level at the airport.
• Hotel Airport Shuttles are available to many of the Anchorage hotels.
• Car Rental – All the major rental agencies have outlets at the airport.
• Bus – Reasonably priced public buses have numerous routes around the city.  There is also a twice-daily bus service to Seward called the Park Connection during the summer months.
• Train – The Alaska Railroad moves natural resources and has a summer-time passenger service to points north of Anchorage and to Seward for access to Resurrection Bay and a spur to Whittier for access to Prince William Sound.

For more complete details on transportation options and tourist information, please go to Wikioyage-Anchorage.

Hotels and Diving

Lodging options in Anchorage run from $27-$325 per night.  There are only a few dive shops that rent, sell, or service equipment and conduct scuba diving classes.  At present one of them organizes guided boat tours.  Otherwise, for diving in Resurrection Bay or Prince William Sound, you will need to bring your own or rented equipment and charter a boat or hire a water taxi to take you to dive sites.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Anchorage Lodging

Photography in Anchorage

With the interesting underwater terrain, encrusting reef life, a variety of fish, macro critters, seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales, and beautiful shoreside targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and give scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on scuba diving in Anchorage interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated November 16, 2022

This is the one hundred and eighth in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Sardinia. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Sardinia before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving Sardinia Italy

Background

The second-largest island in the Mediterranean, Sardinia sits just south of Corsica, to the west of the Italian mainland, and north of Tunisia.  It is 250 km (156 miles) long and 100 km (62 miles) wide and has a varied terrain of mountains, woods, plains, rocky coasts, and sandy beaches.  With a population of 1.65 million, there is a lot of uninhabited territory.

Sardinia’s colorful history dates back to the Nuragic civilization in 1,500 BC.  Since then it has been fought over by the various regional powers and pirates over the centuries up through Fascist control in the 1940s.  In 1948 it finally attained its current status as an autonomous region of Italy.

Prior to the end of WWII, the exploitation of minerals was the primary driver of the economy.  After the war, it shifted from that to tourism which received a big boost in the 1960s when Aga Khan started the development of the Emerald Coast in the north.

Italian and several dialects of Sardinian are the primary languages.  In the cities, many can speak English but in more rural areas you will probably have better luck with French.

Undersea World

Sardinia is reputed to have the best diving in the Mediterranean, and for good reason.  There are caves and wrecks with significant penetration possibilities to satisfy technical divers and explorers of history and shallow reef dives suitable for beginners accessible from shore.

Most diving takes place on the east side with the west side exposed to westerly winds, though there are several excellent sites off the west coast.  Sardinian dive sites are numerous and varied.  Divers are graced with two marine protected areas (Archipelago of the Maddalena, and Marine Park of Lavezzi) with abundant marine life.  Around Sardinia are Punic/Roman ruins, World War II and more recent shipwrecks, and several maze-like caves.

The terrain has a nice mix of sandy sea beds, seagrass, and rocky formations that host a nice variety of marine life often in crystal-clear water.  Sponges, sea fans, and red corals provide habitat to macro life like nudibranchs, seahorses, pipefish, crabs, squid, octopus, moray eels, scorpionfish, and slipper lobster.

Other highlights include bream, grouper, barracuda, tuna, stingrays, eagle rays, Mediterranean bamboo sharks, dolphins, and mola mola (ocean sunfish) from March to June.

Seasons and Conditions

Sardinia has typical Mediterranean weather with hot, dry summers, and cooler wet winters.

The average daily air temperature hits annual highs in August of 24°C (75°F) and daily average annual lows of 8.5°C (47°F) in January.

Water temperature hits its annual high in August at 25°C (77°F) and a low in February of 13.5°C (56°F).  There is often a thermocline at around 12 meters (40 feet) that can take the temperature down 5-10° C.  A lot of marine life leaves the area in the winter season.

It is possible to dive all year, but the busiest time is during the summer months.  To avoid crowds it is advised to go in May, September, or October.

Keep in mind the season when planning your thermal gear.  At the coldest, a drysuit with a hood and gloves is probably preferable.

It is dry from June to September during the primary diving season.

Visibility ranges roughly from 10 to 40 meters (35 to 130 feet).

The current is usually mild except in the north where it can become strong on occasion.

Some of the sites are deep, particularly the wrecks, but there are sites suitable for all levels.

There are more than 70 dive shops around the island that provide a range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

For information about cold water gear, please check out my review:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Liveaboard Diving

There are no major liveaboard yachts cruising Sardinia but there are some to other European sites:

Sadri Usta, Montenegro Liveaboard Adventure Cruise – Check the Price

MV Futura, Croatia Liveaboard Adventure Cruise – Check the Price

Norseman, Tuscan Archipelago Scuba Diving Liveaboard – Check the Price

Fethiye Diving Expeditions, Turkey Scuba Diving Liveaboard – Check the Price

For my reviews of other Mediterranean and Adriatic diving, please check out these posts:

• Best Scuba Diving Greece
• Best Scuba Diving Holidays Cyprus
• Montenegro Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving Croatia
• Best Scuba Diving Malta
• Best Scuba Diving on Crete
• Best Mediterranean Vacations Tuscan Archipelago Liveaboard

Selected Sardinia Dive Sites

Nereo’s Cave, Alghero: 15-30 meters (50-100 feet), series of tunnels, arches, and chambers extending 350 meters (1150 feet) inward, several entrances at 15, 18, and 30 meters (50, 60, and 100 feet) with nutrient-rich water flowing through, some walls covered in red coral and yellow cup coral, conger eels, hermit crabs, coral shrimp, and slipper lobsters, suitable for all levels depending on the penetration and depth attempted

Maddalena National Park, Maddalena Archipelago: 70 meters (230 feet) maximum depth, over 30 dive sites including the Angelica shipwreck, great visibility, sandy bottom with colorful rocks, rich marine life even in shallow water, attractions include eels, grouper, octopus, lobster, dorado, barracuda, suitable for all levels depending on the depth

Lavezzi (Grouper City), near Corsica, 24-30 meters (80-100 feet), big rocks covered in yellow cluster anemones and red soft coral, many huge friendly grouper, sea bass, snappers, jacks, and schools of barracuda, suitable for experienced level divers

Punta Levante, Teulada (off the southern tip): 40 meters (130 feet) maximum depth, steep granite walls with rich marine life, highlights include stingrays and electric rays, suitable for experienced level divers

Isonzo, Gulf of Cagliari: 40-55 meters (130-180 feet), 80-meter (260-foot) Italian cargo ship sunk by a British submarine in 1943, lies on its port side, penetration possibilities, currents possible, suitable for experienced and technical divers

Entella, Gulf of Cagliari: 9-15 meters (30-50 feet), Italian freighter in a convoy with the Isonzo sunk with a torpedo by a British submarine in 1943, sits on a sandy bottom, sustained lots of damage, lots of marine life, good for photography and night dives, suitable for all levels

Dino, Teulada (off the southern tip):  25 meters (83 feet), an Italian cargo ship sunk in a storm in 1973, sitting upright at a tilt on a sandy bed, the interior is full of fish and marine life, sea turtles, suitable for all levels

Grotta Niedda, Paradise Coast (northwest coast): 30 meters (100 feet): a network of caves, canyons, and tunnels, rich marine life including several coral species, lobster, shrimps, octopus, suitable for all levels

Things to Do in Sardinia (aside from scuba diving)

A fantastic seaside and landscape with a rich history and culture are the attractions of Sardinia.  These are samples of the highlights:  Porto Ferro, Cagliari (The Capital), Nuraghi (ancient beehive stone building), Trenino Verde (little green train), Fort Village Resort, Castelsardo (a village), Cazu Marzu (food), Variety of Wildlife, Mines, Local Food & Drink, Museo Archeologico Di Olbia, Garibaldi’s House on Caprera, Bike Touring, Bastione San Remy, Surfing/Kiteboarding, Tharros (Ancient Roman Streets), Parco Nazionale Archipelago Di La Maddalena, Su Gorroppu (Gorge), Porto Cervo (City of Glitz & Glamour).

The following video highlights more than 80 sites to see:

Sardinia Transportation, Hotels, Resorts, and Diving Services

Transportation

• Air – Airports near Cagliari, Olbia, and Alghero all handle traffic from Western Europe and domestic flights.
• Ferries – Ports on Sardinia that have ferry services are located in Cagliari in the south, Porto Torres in the north, and Olbia, Golfo Aranci, and Arbatax in the east.  Service is available to Sicily, Corsica, and Barcelona.
• Bus – There is a network of buses around the island between the main cities that are cheap and frequent.  Trips to smaller villages are less frequent.
• Trains run from Alghero to Sassari and from there down to Cagliari on a regular schedule.  Buses are faster.  There are also tourist trains using steam locomotives during the cooler seasons in rural areas and through the mountains.
• Car rental is available from several major agencies.  It is a convenient way to take in the scenery.  Traffic can be heavy during the late summer months and around tourist areas.
• Bicycle rental is possible and popular in several areas.
• Sailboats and Yachts – An extensive range of both are available, both bareboat and crewed, for charter.

For more complete details of tourist information, please go here:  Sardinia-Wikitravel

Hotels and Diving

There are many hundreds of hotel and lodging options around Sardinia starting at around $60 per night.  There are dozens of dive shops some of which are situated in or affiliated with lodging.  A range of services is available including equipment rental, diving certification classes, dive guides, and boat tours.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Sardinia Hotels, Resorts

Photography in Sardinia

With the beautiful reefs, a variety of fish, macro critters, historic wrecks, and scenic shoreside targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Sardinia scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Leafy Seadragon – Adelaide, South Australia (Photo Courtesy of TripAdvisor)

Updated March 20, 2022

This is the one hundred and fifty-second in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations around the world.  In this post, the focus is on Adelaide, Australia.  In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you been diving in Adelaide before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving in Adelaide

Background

Situated on the shoreline of the Gulf of St. Vincent to the west, just west of the Mt. Lofty Ranges, Adelaide is the capital of the state of South Australia.

When South Australia was founded as a British colony in 1836 the indigenous Kauna people in the Adelaide area numbered 300.  Unlike many of the other cities in Australia, the original western settlers weren’t prisoners, rather they were looking for religious tolerance.

Today with a population of 1.3 million out of 1.677 million in the whole state, Adelaide is the fifth largest Australian city.  Known for being centrally located among wine-growing regions, there is a diversified economy with health care and social assistance the largest employment sectors and manufacturing and the defense industry following.

Like other major Australian cities, there is a vibrant cosmopolitan culture with 32% of the citizens born overseas.

For more cultural, historical, and demographic information, please go to Wikipedia-Adelaide.

Undersea World

With cool to mild winters and hot dry summers, Adelaide has hundreds of places to dive in St. Vincent Bay and around Kangaroo Island.  The uncrowded dive sites are set on diverse reefs on which 80% of the marine life is endemic.

Marine highlights include sea lions, southern right whales, bottlenose dolphins, leafy seadragons, little penguins, and giant cuttlefish.

There are 20 divable jetties that will delight macro photographers and over 800 shipwrecks many of which are shallow with conditions suitable for all levels of diving skill, and others that will satisfy even advanced and technical divers.

The jetties and wrecks along with offshore sites like the Troubridge Shoals, Maritime Heritage Trails, and numerous protected areas, have a diversity of corals, sponges, tunicates, and other encrusting invertebrates on a varied rocky undersea terrain with numerous species of kelp and plant life.

Other marine life to look for are nudibranchs, starfish, hermit crabs, crayfish, strongfish, old wives, bullseyes, goatfish, leatherjackets, ornate cowfish, boarfish, bream, porcupine puffers, flatheads, triggerfish, guitarfish, stingrays, cownose rays, and wobbegongs.

Although the water is much cooler in winter, the diving is still great with the benefit of improved visibility during that season.

Seasons and Conditions

Diving is possible all year in Adelaide.

• Air temperature average daily highs reach 28°C (82°F) in January and dip to 14°C (57°F) in July.
• Adelaide has a rainier season from May through October when it rains 13-16 days a month for totals of 50-70mm (2-2.75 inches) per month.
• The water temperature reaches highs of 18-20°C (64-68°F) from December through March with the lows in August and September of 15°C (59°F).  During the warmest times, at least a 7mm wetsuit is needed.  When the water is at its coolest, many will use a 7mm wetsuit or a drysuit with a hood and gloves.
• Currents are often mild but moderate to strong drift is possible on some sites.
• Visibility generally ranges from 5-20 meters (16-68 feet).  Under some conditions, it can be worse.
• There are sites suitable for all levels of diver from beginner to advanced levels.  A number of dive shops are in operation that can provide a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

For information about cold water gear, please check out my review:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Australia Liveaboard Diving

There are no major liveaboard yachts cruising the Adelaide area but there are some going to other areas in Australia including the Great Barrier Reef, Rowley Shoals, Neptune Island, and Ningaloo Reef.  Here are my reviews on Australian diving and some of the liveaboard yachts diving Australian sites:

• Townsville Australia Diving
• Scuba Diving the Whitsundays Australia
• Scuba Diving Port Douglas Australia
• Scuba Diving Cairns Australia
• Scuba Diving the Whitsundays Australia
• Gold Coast Scuba Diving Australia
• Brisbane Australia Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving in Melbourne Australia
• Best Scuba Diving Sydney Australia
• Best Scuba Diving Perth Australia
• Scuba Diving Tasmania
• Scuba Diving Western Australia Ningaloo Reef Liveaboard
• Best Diving Australia Liveaboards

MV Scubapro I, Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard – Check the Price

MV Odyssey, Rowley Shoals Liveaboard Diving – Check the Price

Princess II, Neptune Island Shark Cage Diving Liveaboard – Check the Price

Shore Thing, Ningaloo Reef Liveaboard – Check the Price

 

Selected Adelaide Diving Sites

Rapid Bay Jetty: 6-10 meters (20-33 feet), Fleurieu Peninsula site 1.5 hours south of Adelaide, 2 jetties, one new one with land access and an old wooden one easily reachable from the new one 20 meters (68 feet) away, well developed reef in and around the piles and surrounding rubble, rich marine life with sponges, soft corals, kelp, and other plants, tunicates, sea stars, nudibranchs, leafy and weedy seadragons mimicking the plants, scad, pygmy leatherjackets, resident black rays, and dolphins cruising the bay, suitable for all levels of diver, check out the video at the top

Edinburgh Jetty: 6-10 meters (20-33 feet), Yorke Peninsula site 3 hours west of Adelaide, easy access with ladders and platforms, well encrusted with corals, sponges, bryozoans, and tunicates, seagrass meadows, other marine life includes eels, spider crabs, shrimp, dumpling squid, pyjama squid, scallops, tubeworms, octopus, blue-ringed octopus, leafy seadragons, seahorses, cuttlefish, frogfish, catsharks, Port Jackson sharks, and lots of schooling fish like bullseyes, yellowtail, and mullet, suitable for all levels of diver

Port Hughes Jetty: 6-10 meters (20-33 feet), Yorke Peninsula site, 1.5 hours northwest of Adelaide, easy stairway to the water, popular macro photography site, piles well encrusted in sponges, and hard and soft corals, schools of old wives and mackerel, rich macro life includes seahorses, dumpling squid, pygmy cuttlefish, frogfish, nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs, and many others, suitable for all levels of diver

Devil’s Elbow: 8-10 meters (25-33 feet), 15 minutes by boat from Glenelg in the metro area, 2 shelves attaching at a 90-degree angle like an elbow, to the south are walls with rocky bommies below providing good habitat for macro critters like nudibranchs, good soft and hard coral growth, other highlights are blue devils, cuttlefish, bullseyes, wrasses, moonlighter and zebra perch, hula fish, silver drummers, old wives, and Hutchinson’s boarfish, suitable for all levels of diver, check out the video above

Aldinga Drop Off: 5-21 meters (16-70 feet), Fleurieu Peninsula site, 1 hour south of Glenelg, 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) offshore in the Aldinga Beach Aquatic Reserve, drop off with overhangs, caverns, and crevices, reef of gorgonians, soft corals, bryozoans, tunicates, and zoanthids, highlights are sea stars, nudibranchs, blue devils, cuttlefish, perch and boarfish, large schools of resident drummers, sweep, kingfish, and old wives, also groupers, bullseyes, and harlequin fish, at the base look for rays and wobbegongs in the sand, from November to March big schools of snapper are running that are followed by white pointer sharks which may be aggressive, nearby is the Aldinga Pinnacles site where the pinnacles come within a couple of meters of the surface depending on the tide, suitable for experienced level divers

Glenelg Dredge:  15-21 meters (50-70 feet), 20 minutes by boat from Glenelg in the metro area, 42-meter (138-foot) Dutch self-propelled cutter suction dredge scuttled in 1983 to become an artificial reef, lies upright largely intact, many penetration possibilities, rich encrusting corals, sponges, and plant life, many species of fish like brown spotted and long-snouted boarfish, leatherjackets, dusky morwong, bullseyes, old wives, long-finned pike, blue devils, rock ling, cuttlefish, carpet sharks, and not often spotted saw sharks, 30 meters (100 feet) away is a hopper barge, the Glenelg Barge scuttled in 1984, that can be visited on the same dive, suitable for experienced level divers, check out the video below

HMAS Hobart: 15-30 meters (50-100 feet), Fleurieu Peninsula site, 4 kilometers (2.5 miles off Rapid Bay), 1 hour south of Adelaide, 133-meter (436-foot) guided-missile destroyer that saw 3 tours of duty in Vietnam in 1968, scuttled in 2002 to become an artificial reef, lying upright largely intact, lots of penetration possibilities, many original fittings, toilets, tables, sinks, etc. are still in place, well encrusted with corals, sponges, and other invertebrates, outside look for schools of snapper, whiting, boarfish, and bearded cod, inside and out there are crabs, blennies, bullseyes, and leatherjackets, considered a great wreck for training and multilevel dives, suitable for advanced level and technical divers, check out the video below

Things to Do in Adelaide (aside from scuba diving)

Adelaide is an interesting city with fascinating historical and cultural sites to go along with beautiful natural scenery and wildlife.  Here are some of the sights and activities to consider:  Rundle Mall, River Torrens, Adelaide Central Market, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Cobbler Creek Recreation Park, Glenelg (seaside resort), Himeji Garden, Cobler Creek Recreation Park, National Wine Centre, The Jam Factory, Carrick Hill, National Railway Museum, River Walk, Heritage Walking Tour, Cleland Conservation Park, Street Art Walking Trail, North Terrace Cultural Precinct, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Zoo, Chinatown, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Museum.

This video is a nice introduction and overview of what Adelaide has to offer.

Adelaide Transportation, Hotels, & Diving Services

Transportation

Air – Located 7 kilometers (4 miles) west of downtown is Adelaide International Airport (ADL).  Direct connections to major domestic cities and many international destinations are possible.  There is only one terminal handling domestic and international flights.  To get into the city JetBuses operate every 15 minutes throughout the day.  Outside the terminal, you can catch a taxi and inside the terminal major rental agencies can set you up with a rental.

Train – Great Southern Rail runs long-distance service to many locations. It is slow and more expensive than bus or plane and more of an experience than just transport.  There is also the Overland service running a 10 hour seated transit to Melbourne. V/Line also has a combined bus/train link to Melbourne.

Bus – Greyhound Australia provides services to Melbourne, Sydney, and Alice Springs.

Around Town

• Metro Buses, Trains, and Tram – Adelaide has a convenient multifaceted public transportation system for the immediate metropolitan area.  It includes the Adelaide Metro bus system with a number of lines, a limited tram service, and the 4-line Adelaide Metro train service.
• Taxi – Metered service is available from several companies.
• Car rental is available at the airport and in the central city area in several locations from several major rental agencies.  Public transport outside of the metro area is very limited making car rental much more convenient.

For more intricate details related to the transportation options and other tourist information, go to Wikitravel-Adelaide.

Hotels and Diving

In Adelaide, there are at least 240 lodging options starting from as low as $10 per night and a number of dive shops in operation.  They offer a full range of services that include equipment rental, diving certification classes, dive guides, and boat tours.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange a booking for the lodging.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on their site.  The rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Adelaide Lodging

Photography in Adelaide

With the colorful coral reefs, a variety of fish, rays, dolphins, sea lions, wrecks, and intriguing onshore targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed
• Best Waterproof Cameras

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and give scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Adelaide scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated November 20, 2022

This is the fifteenth in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Anda, Bohol, Philippines.

In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard dive locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards / Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Anda before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving Anda Bohol

Background

Anda is located on the southwest coastline of Bohol Province in the Visayas region of the Philippines.  Although more remote than the more famous Bohol dive destinations of Panglao, Balicasag, and Cabilao Islands, it is reasonably easy to access.  Flights and ferries from Cebu to Tagbilaran are frequent.  From there a two-hour overland voyage across a beautiful forested landscape is all that is necessary to get to the beachside resorts of Anda.

Undersea World

From the white sand beaches of Guindulman to Anda is a 14-km (8.75-mile) fringing reef most of which includes a wall to 30 meters (100 feet) in depth.  In the shallows just offshore is a rich hard coral garden that is excellent for scuba diving or snorkeling.  From 5-10 meters (16-35 feet) the gentle slope becomes a vertical wall covered in hard and soft corals, sponges, bommies, and sea fans.

The biodiversity is amazing.  There is a resident whale shark, dolphins, one site with 30 turtles, and huge bumphead parrotfish.  Probably the biggest claim to fame for Anda, though, is the great variety of macro life and muck diving.  A list of exotic critters of note includes pygmy seahorses in their gorgonians, scorpionfish, frogfish, nudibranchs, mandarin fish, wonderpus, mimic and coconut octopus, flying gurnards, dragon sea moths, Napoleon snake eels, sea cucumber crabs, longhorn cowfish, dragon shrimp, zebra crabs, Xenia soft coral crabs, wire coral crabs, and Coleman shrimp.

Seasons and Conditions

The best time to dive in Anda is from November to May when the winds come from the northeast, there is little or no rain, and a smooth surface.  From June to November the winds are from the southwest, the surface is choppier and it is the rainy season.  Typhoons usually bypass Anda.  October is the wettest month and April the driest.

Air temperature daily highs range from 25-32°C (78-90°F) with the hottest time in July and August.

Water temperature is also fairly warm all the time with a range of 25-32°C (78-86°F).  A lycra suit may be all that you need for skin protection.  The greatest thermal protection required for most is a 3 mm wetsuit.

Visibility is 20 meters (68 feet) or greater most of the time and the current is generally mild.

There is diving suitable for all skill levels and excellent areas for training and beginners.

Selected Popular Anda Dive Sites

Wonderwall: steep wall with many nooks and crannies to 25 meters (83 feet), speedboat wreck at the bottom in the sand, macro life including pygmy seahorses and mandarin fish

Coco White: wall from 4-30 meters (12-100 feet), good macro life including nudibranchs and orangutan crabs, Spanish mackerel, wide cave at 27 meters (90 feet)

Lumayag (near Coco White): famous for huge schools of jacks off the wall from 10 meters (35 feet) on down

Snappers Cave: wall from 4-30 meters (12-100 feet), a cave at 25 meters (83 feet), named for snappers that used to be there, now gone, several chambers, box shrimp in the cave, pygmy seahorses in gorgonians outside the cave

Paradise Gardens: coral garden 2-5 meters (6-16 feet), wall to 20 meters (68 feet), seahorses, a colony of 20-40 turtles nest nearby, occasional blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, giant trevallies

Neptune’s House: a cave at 31 meters (103 feet), blue-spotted stingrays

Titanic Rocks: (near eastern mangrove area on the map) 8-18 meter (25-60 feet), pinnacles with nudibranchs, shrimp, and other macro critters

Bacong: steep wall to 20 meters, rich corals, sea fans, seahorses, stonefish, turtles, large resident bumphead parrotfish

Vergin: two walls to 27 meters (90 feet) with a sandy bottom, rich reef, turtles, and triggerfish

Dap Dap: rich corals in 3-5 meters (10-16 feet), wall to 20 meters (68 feet), big variety of marine life

For other posts about Philippines diving, please check out these popular articles:

• Scuba Diving Romblon Philippines
• Scuba Diving Camiguin Philippines Review
• Scuba Diving Siquijor Island Philippines Review
• Scuba Diving Dumaguete Philippines Review
• Philippines Puerto Princesa Scuba Diving Review
• Best Diving Philippines Visayas Liveaboards
• Philippines Moalboal Scuba Diving Review
• Best Liveaboard Scuba Diving Philippines (Malapascua and the Visayas)
• Best Diving Bohol Philippines – Panglao Island Resorts
• Best Liveaboard Diving – Tubbataha Reefs National Park
• Best Coron Wrecks & Apo Reef Liveaboards
• Best Scuba Diving Philippines Subic Bay Wrecks 
• Best Scuba Diving Puerto Galera Philippines
• Best Scuba Diving Holidays Boracay Philippines
• Best Scuba Diving Philippines Sogod Bay
• Philippines Best Diving Mactan Island
• Best Philippines Diving Bacuit Bay El Nido
• Best Diving Philippines Anilao Batangas
• Best Scuba Diving Resorts Malapascua

Anda Bohol Accommodation and Dive Shops

Currently, none of the major liveaboard yachts cruising the Philippines make trips to Anda.  Fortunately, there are a number of resorts and hotels there ranging from budget to luxury.  Many of them are equipped with dive shops.  Otherwise, there are several quality diving operations nearby.  This website is a good source for the available options and can arrange a booking:

• Anda Bohol Resorts

It is suggested to ask your hotel to advise you on arrangements from Tagbilaran to Anda.  They can help organize the most comfortable means.

A land tour of the Tarsier Sanctuary and Chocolate Hills is a must-do.

Anda Photo Opportunities

With the macro life, beautiful, diverse coral reef, and lots of fish, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of diving cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Anda scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving there.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<

Updated November 16, 2022

This is the one hundred and third in a series of reviews of the best dive resort locations worldwide.  In this post, the focus is on Cyprus. In addition to this series on dive resort locations, the best worldwide liveaboard diving locations and services are reviewed in their own series.  To check them out, or others in this series, click on Liveaboards/Resorts on the menu at the top and choose a title from the list.

Have you ever been diving in Cyprus before?  If so, I’d love to know about your experience.  What dive shop or liveaboard did you use?  Which dive spots are the best and what are the conditions there regarding the visibility, current, water temperature, sealife attractions, etc.?  Please post your response in the comments section at the bottom and we’ll all learn something we can use.

Scuba Diving in Cyprus 

Background

Located south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, behind only Sicily and Sardinia in area.

With a population of around 1.2 million, the Republic of Cyprus is recognized by the United Nations as a single nation.  In fact, though, the northern 35% of the country is controlled by Turkey and calls itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  There is an UN-controlled Green Zone as a buffer between the Turkish and Greek areas as well as two UK-controlled bases.

The airport in Nicosia, the largest city, previously the major airport in the country, is in the UN buffer zone and out of use since 1974.  There are some protocols about entry and exit points into the country, but today it is fairly easy to make the necessary arrangements.

While there is a certain historic animus between the two groups, they share many cultural values and practices.  Greek Cypriots make up 77% of the population and Turkish Cypriots 18%.

There are two mountain ranges with a central plain separating them.  Mount Olympus is the tallest peak at 1,952 meters (6,404 feet).

The 2012 Eurozone banking crisis had a major economic effect resulting in substantial foreign aid to assist recovery.  The economy is based on offshore businesses, financial services, shipping, and tourism, and recently natural gas exploration has come into the picture.

Undersea World

Diving in Cyprus is renowned for its crystal clear water, gentle sea conditions, attractive reefs and marine life, and a number of wrecks.

Some of the sites can be accessed right off a sandy beach or rocky coastline and others require a boat to reach the varied undersea terrain that includes caves and ancient archaeological features and artifacts.

There are grassy areas and richly encrusted rocky outcrops with a nice array of Mediterranean life like flounder, cornetfish, wrasses, cuttlefish, octopus, nudibranchs, snails, bream, triggerfish, grouper, barracuda, and turtles.

Some of the wrecks found the seafloor through scuttling to create artificial reefs and others occurred through more natural circumstances with the highlight of the Zenobia wreck near Larnaca.

The Amphorae Caves off Paphos are another highlight with ancient pottery within.

Dive locations and facilities are situated around the island in Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Polis, Kyrenia, Famagusta, and Paralimni/Protaras.

Seasons and Conditions

The best time for diving in Cyprus is from March through November.

• Air temperature is moderate to warm all year with daily averages from 11°C (52°F) in January to 27°C (80°F) in July and August.
• Water temperature consistently stays from 17 to 27°C (63-80°F) during the March through November dive season.  Divers should be prepared to wear 7 mm wetsuits or drysuits with a hood and gloves when the water is at its coolest.
• The dry season pretty much corresponds with the diving season.  Surface conditions are smooth until the winter storms whip up the sea and disturb visibility.
• Visibility is normally in a range of 20-35 meters (68-120 feet) during the dry season and a few meters less during the rains.
• Currents are generally not a factor.
• There are sites suitable for all levels of diver. At least 50 dive shops are in operation around the island located near the popular dive sites.  They offer a full range of diving coursework, equipment rental, guiding, and boat cruises.

For information about cold water gear, please check out my review:

• Best Cold Water Scuba Diving Equipment

Liveaboard Diving

There are no major liveaboard yachts cruising Cyprus but there are some others to European sites:

Sadri Usta, Montenegro Liveaboard Adventure Cruise – Check the Price

MV Futura, Croatia Liveaboard Adventure Cruise – Check the Price

Norseman, Tuscan Archipelago Scuba Diving Liveaboard – Check the Price

Fethiye Diving Expeditions, Turkey Scuba Diving Liveaboard – Check the Price

For my reviews of other Mediterranean and Adriatic diving, please check out these posts:

• Montenegro Scuba Diving
• Scuba Diving Croatia
• Best Scuba Diving Malta
• Best Scuba Diving on Crete
• Best Mediterranean Vacations Tuscan Archipelago Liveaboard

Selected Cyprus Dive Sites

Zenobia Wreck, Larnaca: 17-43 meters (68-141 feet), 178-meter (584-foot) Swedish ferry sunk on her maiden voyage off Larnaca in 1980, largely intact, propellers in place, lying on her port side on a rocky and sandy seabed, easy penetration of the ship’s cafeteria and huge holds, 100 trucks still on board chained to the hold and suspended from the walls, schooling barracuda and tuna, big grouper, experienced and technical level

Amphorae Caves, Paphos: 5-12 meters (16-40 feet), many gullies and caves with encrusted ancient clay storage jars (amphorae), some stuck in the ceilings of caves, all levels

The Canyon, Cape Greko National Park, Ayia Napa near Paralimni/Prostaras: 22 meters (73 feet), accessible from shore, beneath the cliffside, rocky formations, rich marine life, stingrays, experienced level

Jubilee Shoals, Avdimou, Limassol: 60 meters (200 feet) maximum depth, a wall with caves, a tunnel, and accompanying pinnacles, drop-off from 20-60 meters (68-200 feet), macro life including octopus and moray eels, jacks, and tuna along the wall, experienced and technical levels

Manidjin Island, Paphos: 6-25 meters (20-83 feet), small island 10 minutes from Coral Bay Harbor, a wall with a cave and swim-through, the cave encrusted with calciferous algae, often there are schools of yellowfin barracuda, experienced level

Devil’s Head, Akamas Peninsula, Polis: 11 meters (38 feet), caves and interconnecting tunnels, lots of marine life, including green and leatherback turtles during the summer, all levels

Green Bay, Protaras: 10 meters (35 feet), statues and columns, a feeding station with lots of marine life, good training area, all levels

Costandis Wreck, Limassol: 24 meters (80 feet), Soviet trawler built in 1989 and scuttled in 2014 to create an artificial reef, marine life is still developing, conveniently just offshore from the Imperial Crowne Plaza Hotel, big open area swim-throughs, all levels

Lady Thetis Wreck, Limassol: 18 meters (60 feet), Cypriot passenger ship scuttled to become an artificial reef in 2014, many easy swim-throughs, marine life is still developing, currently a habitat for damselfish, bream, and grouper, all levels

The Chapel, Ayia Napa near Paralimni/Prostaras: 30 meters (100 feet), shore access, a wall with sponges, octopus, scorpionfish, old amphorae are also there, experienced level

Cyprus Things to Do (aside from scuba diving)

Cyprus is bathed in history with many historic sites along with scenic beauty and cultural aspects to enjoy.  Here is a list of considerations:  Adonis Baths, Church of St. Lazarus, Stavro Vouni Monastery, Paphos Mosaics, Cape Greco, Millomeris Waterfalls, Avakas Gorge, Hala Sultan Tekke, Kykkos Monastery, Amathus, The Archaeological Museum of Limassol, Limassol Castle, Kolossi Castle, Limassol Zoo, Cyprus Museum, Choirokoitia, Pafos Zoo, Pierides Museum, Protaran Ocean Aquarium, Thalassa Petra tou Romiou, Kato Paphos Archaeological Park, Medieval Castle of Paphos, Tombs of the Kings, Leventis Gallery, and don’t forget food, drink, and nightlife.

This video shows some intriguing spots and gives a nice overview of options for a visitor.

Cyprus Transportation, Hotels, and Diving Services

Transportation

• Air – Larnaca International Airport is the entry point for flights from around Eastern and Western Europe and many Middle East Capitals.  There are no flights from the south to the north within Cyprus.  There is a public bus from the airport to central Larnaca.  There is also a domestic airport in Paphos.  Shuttles run from both airports directly to Nicosia and Limassol.
• Boat – A few ferries run between the ports in the south to Greece and Crete.  There is a ferry to Turkey running from Kyrenia.
• Buses – Cyprus has a comprehensive bus system all around the country.
• Shared Taxis run from 6 or 7 am and stop service at 5 or 6 pm.  They will take you from point to point anywhere within city limits.
• Cars are available for rent.  Beware of incompetent and careless drivers and poorly marked roads.  Driving is on the left.
• Bicycling is popular on motorways and on mountain routes.  Routes marked with the letter “A” indicate bicycling is prohibited.

For more complete details of tourist information, please go here:  Cyprus – Wikitravel

Hotels and Diving

There are hundreds of hotel and lodging options of all levels in Cyprus starting at around $15 per night.  At last count, there were 50 dive shops around the island.  A number of them are located in or affiliated with resorts and offer a range of services including equipment rental, diving certification classes, dive guides, and boat tours.

The website linked below has the details and can arrange the booking.  You can easily find the location on the map provided on this site.  Their rates are guaranteed to be the lowest and it is free to cancel or change dates.

• Cyprus Hotels, Resorts

Cyprus Photos

With the beautiful reefs, a variety of fish, wrecks, macro critters, and scenic shoreside targets, as well, there are many excellent photo opportunities.  For information and reviews of dive cameras, click here:

• Best Underwater Cameras Compared and Reviewed

Scuba Diving Trip Insurance

A cushion for emergencies provides peace of mind when on vacation.  I recommend this diving insurance as they have worldwide coverage and provide scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Feedback and Comments

I hope you found this post on Cyprus scuba diving interesting and useful. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments section.  I’d love to know of any experience you have diving in Cyprus.  If there is no comments section directly below, click here:  >>comments<<