Diving Southeast Asia

by Espinosa, David

• ISBN13: 9780794600761
• ISBN10: 079460076X
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-15
• Publisher: Periplus Editions

Summary

A Guide to the Best Dive Sites in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand with E-mail links, contacts, maps, and description of each site plus how to get there and when to go.

Author Biography

David Espinosa has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Latin America and Europe. He based in Singapore and is the Features Editor for Asian Diver magazine.

Heneage Mitchell has lived in and dived these islands since 1983, Mitchell runs a dive school and is the publisher of Philippine Diver magazine.

Kal Muller has spent two decades writing and photographing in Indonesia. He pioneered diving in Indonesia with the best-selling Diving Indonesia (Periplus Editions).

Fiona Nichols is a freelance writer who worked in Southeast Asia for a decade, diving these waters regularly.

John Williams dove the Bahamas, Mexico, and the South Pacific before settling in Phuket more than a decade ago. He currently runs a respected dive operation on Kata Beach.

Photographers:
Charles Anderson, Michael Aw, Gary Bell, Ashley Boyd, Clay Bryce, Lynn Funkhouser, Jack Jackson, Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock, Kal Muller, Fiona Nichols, Mike Severns, Roger Steene, Shaun Teirney, Takamasa Tonozuka, Scott Tuason and Robert Yin.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Diving Southeast Asia	15	(8)
A Bounty of Reefs, Wrecks, and Coral Gardens
Indonesia
Introduction	23	(3)
Diving in Indonesia
A Vast and Largely Unexplored Archipelago for Divers
Derawan and Sangalaki	26	(1)
Mantas, Turtles and a Mysterious Lake
Map --- Derawan and Sangalaki	26	(3)
Sulawesi	29
World-class Walls and Outstanding Fish Life
Map --- Manado Bay	28	(8)
Tulamben	36
This is the Liberty Wreck Legend
Map --- Bali	34	(3)
Map --- Tulamben	37	(1)
Nusa Penida	38	(1)
Abundant Pelagics and Some Fierce Currents
Map --- Nusa Penida and Lembongan	38	(2)
Amed	40	(1)
Fish Lover's Heaven
Map --- Cemeluk (Amed)	41	(1)
Menjangan	42	(1)
Clear Water and Walls off Bali's Westernmost Tip
Map --- Menjangan Island	42	(2)
Candi Dasa and Padangbai	44	(1)
Spectacular, Bone-chilling Dives on Offshore Reefs
Map --- Candi Dasa and Padangbai	45	(1)
Secret Bay (Gili Manuk)	46	(2)
Much Ado about Something
East of Bali	48	(3)
Island Hopping in Style
Komodo	51	(2)
Dragons and Jurassic Gyroscopes
Map --- Komodo	53	(3)
Alor	56	(2)
The East's Dream Destination
The Northeast	58	(5)
Good if you can get there
Live-aboards	63	(6)
Diving Indonesia's Most Remote Sites
Malaysia
Introduction	69	(3)
Diving in Malaysia
Where Rainforest Meets Reef
Sipadan	72	(1)
Memorable Diving from an Oceanic Isle East of Borneo
Map --- Sipadan	73	(3)
Layang-Layang and Kota Kinabalu	76	(1)
Diving off Sabah's Northwest Coast
Map --- Layang-Layang	77	(1)
Map --- Abdul Rahman Tunku Park	77	(2)
Terengganu	79	(1)
The Best Diving from Peninsular Malaysia
Map --- Terengganu	80	(2)
Tioman and Aur	82	(1)
Playground for Divers and Holidaymakers
Map --- Tioman and Aur	83	(1)
Langkawi	84	(1)
Diving the Marine Reserve at Pulau Payar
Map --- Pulau Payar	85	(4)
The Philippines
Introduction	89	(1)
Diving in the Philippines
Hundreds of Sites and a Well-developed Dive Industry
Map --- The Philippines	90	(1)
Map --- Visayas	91	(3)
La Union	94	(1)
Calm Waters and Pleasant Beaches
Map --- La Union	94	(2)
Subic Bay	96	(1)
A Choice of Wrecks in a Perfect Natural Harbor
Map --- Subic Bay	97	(1)
Nasugbu	98	(1)
Easily Accessible from the Capital
Map --- Nasugbu	99	(1)
Anilao	100	(1)
Birthplace of Philippine Scuba
Map --- Anilao	101	(3)
Verde Island	104	(1)
A Fabulous Wall and Good Corals
Map --- Batangas	105	(1)
Puerto Galera	106	(1)
Diving from a Popular Holiday Resort
Map --- Puerto Galera	106	(3)
Sibuyan Sea	109	(1)
Outstanding Sights in the Tablas Straits
Map --- Marinduque & Tablas Straits	110	(2)
Boracay	112	(1)
Stunning Beaches with First-class Dive Sites Nearby
Map --- Boracay	113	(1)
Mactan	114	(1)
A Popular Resort with Fair Diving
Map --- Mactan	114	(2)
North Cebu	116	(1)
A Less Crowded Alternative to the Southern Resorts
Map --- Malapascua	117	(1)
Southern Leyte	118	(1)
Whalesharks, Walls & Water Falls
Map --- Southern Leyte	118	(2)
Moalboal & Pescador	120	(1)
A Small but Superb Site Away from the Crowds
Map --- Moalboal	121	(1)
Bohol	122	(1)
Great Diving off Cabilao, Panglao and Balicasag
Map --- Bohol	122	(2)
Apo Reef	124	(1)
A Speck in the Midst of the South China Sea
Map --- Apo Reef	125	(1)
Sumilon	126	(2)
A Species-rich Marine Sanctuary
Coron Bay	128	(1)
Exploring a World of Wrecks off Busuanga Island
Map --- Coron Bay	129	(3)
El Nido	132	(1)
Fabulous Seascapes and Year-round Diving
Map --- El Nido	133	(1)
Puerto Princesa	134	(1)
Honda Bay, Taytay and Port Barton
Map --- Port Barton	134	(1)
Map --- Honda Bay	135	(1)
Davao	136	(1)
General Santos City
Map --- General Santos	136	(1)
Map --- Davao	137	(1)
The Sulu Sea	138	(2)
Diving the Reefs of Tubbataha, Jessie Beazley and Basterra
Map --- Jessie Beazley & Tubbataha	140	(7)
Thailand
Introduction	147	(1)
Diving in Thailand
A Kingdom Straddling Two Seas
Map --- Southern Thailand	148	(3)
Map --- Similan Islands	151	(1)
Similan Islands	152	(4)
Nine Gems Offering Some of Asia's Best Diving
The Mergui Archipelago	156	(2)
A Huge Unpopulated Group of Islands and Reefs
Map --- Mergui Archipelago and Burma Banks	158	(4)
Ko Tachai & Richelieu Rock	162	(1)
Plus the Sites at Ko Bon and Ko Surin
Map --- Andaman Sea Sites	163	(1)
Racha Noi & Racha Yai	164	(1)
Fun Diving from Phuket's West Coast and Islands to the South
Map --- Racha Noi & Racha Yai	165
Shark Point	154	(13)
Shark Point, Anemone Reef and King Cruiser: Excellent Day Diving
Map --- Shark Point	167	(2)
Phi Phi Islands	169	(1)
Beaches, Bommies and Birds' Nests
Map --- Phi Phi Islands	169	(3)
Trang	172	(1)
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang: Two Jewels of the South
Map --- Trang	172	(4)
Ko Samui	176	(1)
Dive Courses and Idyllic Beaches
Map --- Ko Samui	177	(1)
Ko Tao	178	(1)
Lazy Lifestyle and Good Diving
Map --- Ko Tao	179	(1)
Pattaya & Ko Chang	180	(1)
Fun Resort with Some Interesting Diving Options
Map --- Pattaya	181	(3)
Practicalities
Contents	184	(2)
Indonesia	186	(13)
Malaysia	199	(5)
The Philippines	204	(15)
Singapore	219	(3)
Thailand	222	(14)
Appendix
Further Reading	236	(2)
Index	238	(1)
Map Index	239