Scuba Dive Travel - Global Conditions - Part 3

Southeast Asia

Some of the world's top dive locations as well as tourist destinations are located in Southeast Asia. For those unaware of the countries which constitute as part of Southeast Asia the list is as follows:
• Brunei
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• East Timor

As well as a list of smaller islands.

The reason for the scuba diving and tourism factors being so high in these locations is due to the vast amounts of small islands which make up many of the above listed countries. Indonesia for example is comprised of over 17 000 islands. Majority of these islands are uninhabited, but can offer some great scuba diving along their coastal regions. In the previous article we discussed vacationing in Europe and enjoying the scuba diving presented there, but if you are from Europe you are likely tired of the same old atmosphere and if you desire to have a vacation with some new surroundings Southeast Asia may be just the place for you. Picture white sandy beaches and small boats lined up along the coastlines, no thick smog and tall skyscrapers, but rather quaint little bungalows and green trees with flowing backdrops of hills. This is what is offered in many parts of Southeast Asia, as a tropical paradise dream comes to life.

The countries of Southeast Asia lie in the extremely warm waters of the Western Pacific Ocean which amazingly remain fairly constant all year round with temperatures barely dropping below 25`C in many parts. Due to these warm waters they are the only location on earth where Typhoons (hurricanes) are experienced all throughout the year and do not have a particular season. Despite the high annual rainfall it is of tropical origin and scuba diving in the rain in waters of near 30`C is not in any way unpleasant. The waters of Southeast Asia in general are subject to some good visibility which tends to vary between 10-20 meters in most cases, more than ideal for scuba diving.

Marine life in Southeast Asia is as wonderful as the scenery outside the water, if not better. Whether you are a macro underwater photographer looking for the perfect shot among brilliant coloured corals or wanting to experience fish life you'd only seen in photographs Southeast Asia will accommodate. Coral life is rich and thrives in the warm waters, table corals are especially abundant in areas, coupled with colourful fish- creating an underwater heaven. There are places where during some seasons when water temperatures become too warm, coral bleaching has been recorded.

Below is a list of just some of the fish life you can encounter in Southeast Asia:
• Clownfish
• Rhinopias Scorpion Fish
• Weedy File Fish
• Moray Eels
• Nudibranches
• Blennies
• Box Fish
• Pygmy Seahorses
• Frog Fish
• Cuttle Fish
• Stargazers
• Lionfish
• Rays
• Turtles
And much, much more!

Overall for those wanting a get-away from the hustle and bustle of city life or those who just want a change of scenery from suburban life, Southeast Asia is definitely worth looking into for a holiday and don't forget your scuba gear! And for those not wanting to travel with their gear- do not worry, dive shops thrive in Southeast Asia.

Oceania

Oceania consists of numerous islands and the actual territories of many of the islands that make up Oceania are in dispute because of their proximity to other geographic locations. For example there are some of Indonesia's 17 000+ islands which border next to islands which are declared as being part of Oceania, though Indonesia is seen as a Southeast Asian country. The largest single landmass in Oceania is Australia with an area of 7 686 850 square kilometers, it also has the largest population- in excess of 20 million people. The area of Oceania is commonly comprised of the four following areas: Australia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Due to the large population of Australia and somewhat New Zealand, great scuba diving conditions are located just in the backyard of many scuba divers.

One of the highlights to scuba diving in Oceania is the Great Barrier Reef which lies just off the north east of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef boasts some of the best scuba diving in the world and is the single-most renowned scuba diving location. For more information on the Great Barrier Reef be sure to read The Article on Reef Systems.

A list of some of the best scuba diving locations in Oceania is as follows:
• Australia
• Fiji
• Federal States of Micronesia
• New Zealand
• Solomon Islands
• French Polynesia
• Papua New Guinea

Scuba diving in Oceania has plenty to offer as some of the world’s greatest coral and reef formations are coupled by amazing marine life. There are plenty of white sandy beaches which stretch around many of the islands. Diving in Australia brings one the option of diving along a coast line with evidence of city life, or the other option of heading offshore to the Great Barrier Reef where the diver is left in solitude with the fish life.

The waters of Oceania are generally warm and the further north in Oceania you are diving the warmer the waters are as you head into the tropics, the southern parts of Australia see temperatures as low as 12 to 15 degrees Celsius while northern parts of Australia’s coastline generally witnesses sea surface temperatures in the mid-twenties, these waters often feed the development of tropical cyclones which occur in the summer months. The sea temperatures are as close to perfect as one can get near the Great Barrier Reef and is one of the reasons for the amazing coral life which is present in this area.

The vast amounts of marine life in Oceania could make up an article on its own and divers can expect beautiful tropical fish and rich colourful corals should they be diving the northern coast of Australia and onwards, but divers in the south of Australia can expect to swim with some large game fish and plenty of sharks. Though the corals may not be as bright, the fish not as beautiful and the waters not as warm, both the northern and southern areas of Oceania offer some spectacular scuba diving.