How The DTA Leaderboard Looks With One Month Remaning

There have been a lot of changes during the second month of the 2020 DIVE Travel Awards Vote – so it’s time to check in on the Top 25 scuba diving destinations, dive centres and resorts, and liveaboards as they enter the final month of voting

In the largest travel awards we’ve run to date, 108 different destinations, 329 liveaboards and almost 1100 different dive centres and resorts were nominated for an award during the opening months of May and June. The Top 25 nominees in each category went through to the final vote, which has been underway since the beginning of September.

We appreciate that this year has been extraordinarily difficult for the worldwide dive business; some have even questioned why we would run our travel awards in a year when travel has been so heavily restricted – but we wanted to keep the scuba diving conversation going and try and let our favourite operators know that people out there really still care, and many can’t wait to visit just as soon as it’s possible to do so.  

We’ve published the complete list of nominees at this link, but over the next month we’ll be looking to see who makes the Top 10 and win the award as best destination, dive centre or resort, and liveaboard in the world – and that, dear readers, is all down to you.

Here’s the current leaderboard as of 30 September (click here for last month’s update). Some operators have made large strides up the rankings thanks to extensive social media campaigns, but the competition is most intense in the last month in the run-up to the finish, and there is plenty of room for change between now and the vote closing at midnight (GMT) on the 31 October.

DIVE Travel Awards FAQ

My favourite was nominated but I can’t vote for them.

Each year, only the Top 25 in each category of nominations go through to the final vote. The Top 10 will receive recognition as the best dive centres in the world. We’d love to include everyone who made it onto the list, but that would be impossible. We’ve published a complete list of all the nominations at this link.

How can that operator have so many votes?

Some people take the awards more seriously than others. The vote is free and fair and open to all, and some operators will spread the word to as many people as they can. Plus, you’d be amazed at the loyalty some dive centres can command from their customers. 

Why have you combined some dive centres?

We wanted to give as many dive centres and resorts as possible the chance to succeed, rather than have a handful of big names dominate the competition. We appreciate that each dive centre is run by its own unique complement of staff, but this way more names will appear on the list. The duplicates have been named in the order they placed as nominees, and will receive the same recognition as winners if they are successful.

Why are you asking for my e-mail address?

Firstly and foremostly, to prevent fraud. Secondly, because it signs up you (if you consent, of course) to our completely free and very fantastic weekly newsletter!

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The DIVE Travel Awards 2020 Vote

How to enter:

1. Go to the box below and enter a valid e-mail address.
2. If you are using a shared computer and someone has already voted, you may need to click the ‘logout’ button underneath the picture in the voting module  –  .
3. Select your favourites from each category and press ‘continue’ to cast your vote. Select the next category and again pick your favourites.
4. If you are using a shared computer or iPad remember to ‘logout’ at the end so the next person can vote.

DIVE Travel Awards 2020

Small Print: We need an e-mail address to prove you’re not a robot. If you are not currently registered on our newsletter mailing list, once you have entered your e-mail address you will receive an automated e-mail asking if you’d like to join. We’d really appreciate it if you do, but we won’t hold it against you if you don’t (at least, not for very long, anyway!). If you do register, then you’ll receive our free weekly newsletter every Friday, plus we may send you occasional promotions or special offers, stories from our back-catalogues, travel news or competitions that are available exclusively to DIVE Magazine readers. We absolutely will not send your e-mail address to any third party without your express permission. Once you have registered you are free to unsubscribe, without penalty, at any time, using the links available in every message we send. 

Adam and Alex provide some advice about one of the unsung but critically important components of any imaging system: Memory cards. They discuss the types of cards available, how to select a card, and what you can do when they go wrong.

If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to the Wetpixel Live YouTube Channel. This will then notify you when additional episodes are posted in the future. It would also be great if you would consider adding your camera history to the comments section below the video.

Wetpixel Live is crammed full of hard-edged technical information and practical advice aimed at helping people create memorable images.

Not long ago, enriched air nitrox was something only cutting-edge technical divers used. Today, Enriched Air Diver is PADI®’s most popular specialty course. Here’s what you need to know about earning an enriched air certification and the pros and cons of diving nitrox.

What is nitrox?

Humans are accustomed to breathing air that’s approximately 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. Technically, any mixture of nitrogen and oxygen is nitrox – that includes the air you’re breathing right now.

In the scuba realm, “nitrox” (also known as enriched air nitrox and EANx) typically describes breathing gas that is 32-36 percent oxygen. More oxygen means less nitrogen, and that has some nice benefits.

As you learned in the Open Water Diver course®, nitrogen absorption is one of the things that limits our ability to explore underwater. Enriched air nitrox allows you to:

• Extend your bottom time
• Shorten surface intervals
• Dive deeper on repetitive dives

Is a nitrox certification “worth it”? 

If you fancy staying down longer and getting back in the water sooner, then yes; getting nitrox certified is worth it. You can take more photos, wave to more turtles, and spend more time exploring at depth.

Many divers wait too long to try nitrox. They don’t realise the benefits of an enriched air certification until they’re on holiday. Imagine this scenario:

There you are, on the second day of your diving adventure. Your first dive was deep, below 30 metres/100 feet. After a relaxing surface interval, you’re eager for dive two – a wreck.

During the briefing, the divemaster tells divers on air to mind their depth and don’t go deeper than the wreck’s main deck. Enriched air divers, however, can explore the entirety of the ship. You watch with envy as the nitrox divers drop to the bottom, follow a stingray conga line, and discover buried treasure.

All joking aside, if you plan to do a multi-day dive trip, a liveaboard, etc., do yourself a favor and get nitrox certified. Nitrox allows you to spend more time at depth compared to diving on air, which means you’ll get a lot more out of your diving holiday.

Even if you’re only making one dive, but it’s deeper than 15 metres/50 feet, nitrox is beneficial. Consider this:

• If you plan a dive to 21 metres/70 feet on air, your maximum no-stop limit is 40 minutes.
• If you’re diving 32 percent enriched air, the no-stop limit is 60 minutes
  (unless you use up the air in your tank before then).

What are the pros and cons of nitrox diving?

If enriched air is so great, why doesn’t everyone use nitrox all the time? Good question, there are a few reasons:

• Cost – enriched air tank fills typically cost more than regular air fills
• Depth limitations – the maximum depth limit for nitrox is different than air and depends on the blend (something you’ll learn as part of your nitrox certification).
• Availability – not every dive shop offers enriched air
• Cylinder requirements – you need a dedicated cylinder for enriched air fills

Start Your Nitrox Certification Online

Getting nitrox certified only takes a few hours. You can complete most of your nitrox training online. A short, in-person session with a PADI Instructor where you’ll practise analysing air (and a few other things,) is all it takes to finish up. There are two optional dives.

You may have heard the nitrox course is challenging and you have to use multiple dive tables – not anymore. PADI’s nitrox course was updated several years ago. Now you use a dive computer for most everything.

A Few More Reasons to Get a PADI Nitrox Certification

Start your nitrox certification today by enrolling in Enriched Air Diver online. Questions? Contact your local PADI dive shop.

Further Reading

PADI Enriched Air Diver Course Overview

4 Reasons Why Enriched Air Nitrox Should Be Your Next Specialty

The 11 Best Nitrox Diving Destinations

Meyer Optic Görlitz are shipping their new version of the Trioplan 50mm f/2.8. Available in Canon, Nikon, Sony and MFT (among others) mounts, the lens is sharp at distance, but also allows for soap bubble bokeh when used at shorter distances.

The Trioplan 50 f2.8 II is available to order now, priced at around €876.34.

From Meyer Optic Görlitz

Trioplan 50 f2.8 II

THE ALL-ROUNDER WITH THE SPECIAL TRIOPLAN-BOKEH

Our Trioplan 50 f2.8 II has been redesigned from scratch. A new mechanical design based on the Trioplan 100 f2.8 II now offers photographers an excellent handling of the 50mm focal length from the Trioplan family. By optimizing the optical design, it is now possible to focus on infinite sharpness even at aperture f2.8 and thus nothing stands in the way of versatile use. Of course, the Trioplan 50 f2.8 II also draws the famous soapbubble bokeh and at shorter distances a light swirl is created in the bokeh of the image. Like all current Meyer Optik Görlitz lenses, the Trioplan 50 f2.8 II was also designed for full format, but can of course also be used on APS-C cameras.

HISTORICAL MODEL IN A NEW GUISE

Through the use of high-quality materials and the latest manufacturing technologies, the more than 100-year history of the Trioplan 50 has been cast into modern moulds. Of course, the character of the Trioplan 50 was taken into account and implemented accordingly. Our Trioplan 50 f2.8 II offers photographers an individual picture language and at the same time the versatile possibilities of a 50mm focal length. Of course the Trioplan 50 is manufactured for the most common mounts of modern cameras: Canon EF, Nikon F, Fuji X, Sony E, Pentax K, M42, Micro-Four-Thirds, Leica M and Leica L.

THE UNIQUE STYLE OF TRIOPLAN

In addition to the well-known soap bubble bokeh, which is created most strongly in backlight situations, the Trioplan 50 f2.8 II draws a light swirl at close range. The versatility of a 50mm focal length or a so-called “normal lens” makes the Trioplan Bokeh suitable for many applications such as street/reportage, portrait and nature photography. Due to the natural-looking viewing angle at 50mm fixed focal lengths, the certain something is missing in some photographs and that’s exactly what the Trioplan with its wonderful Bokeh can contribute. By using macro-rings, you can profit from the special bokeh of the Trioplan 50 f2.8 II even in the macro range.

Off the western coast of Thailand lie 52 islands that make up the archipelago of Koh Lanta. The largest islands, Koh Lanta Yai (big) and Koh Lanta Noi (little) are a tropical haven where travelers and tourists come to relax and unwind. Mountains covered in lush rainforest form a dramatic backdrop to 17 miles (27 km) of coastline, dotted with white, sandy beaches and mangroves. But Koh Lanta’s idyllic landscape isn’t the only draw — what lies beneath the ocean attracts scuba divers from around the world. Crystal-clear, warm waters offer great visibility, vivid colors, varied dive sites, and abundant marine life. From new divers to those with thousands of dives, the best scuba diving in Koh Lanta offers something everyone.

Koh Rok

Nineteen miles (30 km) to the south of Koh Lanta are th two sister islands that comprise Koh Rok. Located in the Mu Koh Lanta National Marine Park, Koh Rok has some of the most pristine coral you will see in Thailand. The reef on the western side of the island slopes down to a sandy bottom at 65 feet (20 m) where you can see blue-spotted Kuhl’s stingrays.

The reef consists of hard corals where nudibranchs, octopus, moray eels, and lots of small fish hang out. Blacktip reef sharks are often active in the area around dusk and dawn.

The eastern tip of Koh Lanta features soft corals with huge gorgonian sea fans, coral trees, and sponges. Feeding turtles are the highlight here and you may spot pelagic fish like mackerel and cobia. Koh Rok really offers everything a diver wants.

Koh Haa

Five large rocks make up Koh Haa, 15.5 miles (25 km) west of Koh Lanta. There are 10 different dive sites around the islands, each offering different topography and features that snorkelers and divers of all levels will enjoy.

Koh Haa Lagoon

Perfect for beginners is the lagoon at the center of Koh Haa. Depths range from 10 feet (3 m) on the inside to 40 feet (12 m) on the outside of the lagoon. Excellent visibility offers divers the chance to spot countless species including banded sea snakes, yellow boxfish, lionfish, butterflyfish, squid, stingrays, trumpetfish, and octopus. The lagoon is also a favorite with macro photographers looking for elusive seahorses, nudibranchs, frogfish, ghost pipefish, shrimp, and seamoths.

Koh Haa Yai

The largest of the Koh Haa islands is a playground for advanced divers with numerous caves, caverns, and swim-throughs. The largest cavern is known as The Cathedral, where natural light filters through the water, illuminating huge, ancient stalactites that hang from the ceiling. It’s possible to surface inside The Cathedral so you can really take in this magical sight. Many of the swim-throughs and caves are easily accessible for experienced divers, however some are not, and only specially trained cave divers should attempt entry.

Around Koh Haa Yai you will find leafy ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, and spiny lobsters hiding in cracks and crevices. Whale sharks often visit the island in April, you may be lucky enough to see whales passing by on their yearly migration.

Hin Muang

A firm favorite with divers in Koh Lanta is Hin Muang, which means purple rock. This fully submerged pinnacle boasts the tallest vertical wall in Thailand, descending to over 197 feet (60 m).

The pinnacle is densely covered in purple soft corals with large white, red, and orange sea fans. Hin Muang is all about the bigger fish, with leopard and gray reef sharks hanging out in the deep, accompanied by huge schools of barracuda, tuna, and jackfish. Keep an eye out for smaller critters hiding among the anemones in the shallows. Don’t forget to look out in the blue where manta rays frequently fly through the water.

Conditions at Hin Muang are unpredictable. Strong currents and deep depths make it suitable for experienced divers only. But if you can stomach the rough 2.5-hour boat ride, Hin Muang is a dive not to be missed.

Koh Waen

An hour speedboat journey brings you to the small, uninhabited island of Koh Waen. The diving around the island has loads to offer with plenty of overhangs and caves to explore. Giant porcupinefish, moray eels, nurse sharks, and stingrays take shelter here. Schools of yellowtail snappers and barracuda surround huge boulders, covered in sponges, corals, and anemones.

Train Wreck

Koh Waen is also home to one of the most unique dive sites in the region. In 2015, Thai authorities sank a train to create an artificial reef. Since then its 20 wagons have become home to thousands of reef fish.

Yellow fusiliers, pufferfish, porcupinefish, and nudibranchs hide in and around the wagons. It’s not unusual to find nurse sharks underneath the wreck and stingrays in the surrounding sands. Schools of yellowtail and chevron barracuda prowl the area, hunting for prey. With a maximum depth of 60 feet (18 m) this is one train wreck every level of diver can enjoy.

When is the best time to go scuba diving in Koh Lanta?

Water temperatures vary slightly between 82 and 87 F (28 to 31 degrees C) during the year, making Koh Lanta a year-round diving destination. October to April is high season with December and January being the busiest times of the year.

During the low season (May to October), westerly monsoon winds blow in from the Indian Ocean bringing rain and the occasional thunderstorm. However, even though the weather is unpredictable, you can also expect long periods of sunshine and calm seas. Dive shops will vary their schedules during this time as some sites will be inaccessible, especially Hin Muang.

If you want to avoid the crowds, consider visiting Koh Lanta between February and April. This is also the best time to spot manta rays and whale sharks. Whatever time you choose to visit Koh Lanta, you are sure to enjoy all the diving these islands have to offer.