Lone Sharks: Diving With The Gentle Giants Of SE Asia
My face just beneath the surface of the sea, breathing rapidly through a snorkel after a hurried leap into the water, I looked where the guide was pointing but saw nothing. After half an hour on the Filipino outrigger, was this nothing but a false alarm? Then there it was, suddenly, a huge dark shape […]
Divers Down in Southeast Asia
When it comes to scuba diving, Southeast Asia offers world-class quality, easy accessibility, and value-for-money. Scuba divers the world over tend to agree. Here we summarise the ocean diving potential and reality in each of the 10 ASEAN nations. Brunei Darussalam: Scuba diving in Brunei is on the up. The small ASEAN nation boasts 4,500 hectares […]
Camiguin Calling
It is hard to imagine that the second smallest island in the Philippines has seven volcanoes, a few majestic waterfalls, pristine beaches, historical sites, and smaller islands surrounded by rich marine life and populated by genial island people. But here I am on a ferry heading to the Benoni Port, looking at the blue-ridged volcanic […]
Elephants Youll Never Forget
Any large animal could have trampled the plants beside the wooden walkway, but the footprints were unmistakable. Pygmy elephants wandered through our camp overnight, and we missed them. This was to be our last morning at Bilit Adventure Camp (tel. +60 89-533031; www.sepilokjungleresort.com; two-night package starts at US$115), one of several lodges overlooking the Kinabatangan River […]
A Look at Sihanoukville’s Scuba Scene
Cambodia’s coastline may be quite small compared to those of Thailand and the Philippines, but divers still have plenty to see – just visit the country’s diving hub of Sihanoukville and book an adventure from there. At Sihanoukville, you can engage the services of one of the city’s many dive centers, most of whom can […]
Getting Lost in the Calamianes Islands
Sailing into the quiet bay of Coron on the first day of 2009, I found myself counting life’s blessings as I gazed at the limestone islands and white sandy beaches, the northeasterly breezes blowing all my worries away. On the deck, budding photographers clicked away at the passing scenery while other holiday makers sunned themselves […]
Casting a Line in the Thousand Islands
Lucky Jakartans, they don’t have to go far from the city to enjoy the beach and other fruits of the sea. Just 45 km north of the coast, the Thousand Islands provide a complete change of tone from the city – about 70-plus coral islands harboring over 140 species of fish in its waters. Anglers […]
In the Land of Tuna
Long before this progressive city in the South propelled to fame as our world boxing champ’s hometown, General Santos City (“GenSan” to locals) had already established itself in the global map as a major player in the Philippine tuna industry. In the mid-70’s, the tuna boom was encouraged by the arrival of Japanese traders hunting for […]
Southeast Asia’s Wildlife and Where to Find It
Within its mangrove forests, tropical jungles and plains, Southeast Asia cradles an almost unimaginable diversity of wildlife. Animals endemic to the region encompass the large and the small, winged and web-footed, sharp-toothed predators and docile, herbivorous prey alike. This embarrassment of natural riches provides a travel experience on par with the region’s iconic temples and […]
Soft Adventure in Lao PDR
The Democratic Republic of Laos is a landlocked country that can’t boost of beaches, but otherwise is blessed with an abundance of natural and cultural resources and a dominantly rural, very hospitable population. No wonder over 3.6 million visitors flocked to the country in 2013[1], doubling the number of 2008. From those who stayed over […]