| This article describes some of the better dive sites in | | | | was hit badly by a Tsunami 2006. Nine granite islands |
| South East Asia. As a scuba diver, you will probably | | | | made up the Similan islands. These islands are |
| know that scuba diving in South East Asia has always | | | | covered by luxuriant tropical rainforests surrounded by |
| been very popular because of its vast species of | | | | pristine white beaches and turquoise blue water. |
| marine life and rich diversity of colorful corals. | | | | This area is a protected national park. Below the |
| As a matter of fact, there are many world class dive | | | | water lie a sprawling underwater garden of deep |
| sites in this region and with its excellent underwater | | | | canyons, coral gardens, huge granite boulders, caves |
| visibility, South East Asia is indeed a scuba diver's | | | | and walls. Liveaboard scuba diving is the norm here. |
| haven. So, here are some of the top dive sites in | | | | Sipadan Island in Malaysia was made famous by |
| South East Asia many of which I have dived in several | | | | Jacques Cousteau's documentary entitled Ghost Of |
| times. | | | | The Sea Turtles. This is an oceanic island which is not |
| We shall start with Indonesia and of course, the island | | | | connected to any continental shelf that rises about |
| of Bali cannot be left out. Perhaps the most dived site | | | | 2000 ft on an awesome limestone pinnacle and |
| in Bali is the Liberty wreck. The wreck was a US army | | | | mushrooms out at the surface. |
| logistic ship sunk by Japanese submarine torpedoes | | | | Many dive magazines have named Sipadan as one of |
| during the last world war. | | | | the best dive sites in the world and reported to have |
| Liberty wreck lies in the depth of about 10m (32ft) to | | | | the largest variety of soft corals in the world. At |
| 30m (100ft) over 120m (385ft) of the sea bed. Divers | | | | Sipadan, scuba divers will encounter exciting drift dives, |
| can see guns, toilets, ship anchor chain among other | | | | fascinating coral formations, turtles, lobsters, |
| things of a typical shipwreck. The wreck is heavily | | | | barracudas and even various species of sharks. |
| encrusted with corals and brightly decorated with | | | | Manado, northen Sulawesi, Indonesia is the gateway to |
| gorgonian sea fans and sea anemones. | | | | world class dive spots in the Bunaken National Park. |
| Scuba divers will also encounter large schools of | | | | Muck diving, meaning diving for little critters on the |
| trevally and more than 400 species of marine fishes | | | | seabed in Manado bay is the norm here. In this part of |
| and even exotic colonies of elusive garden eels. | | | | Indonesia, you will encounter exhilarating wall dives, |
| Similan island in Thailand is another interesting dive site. | | | | drop offs, huge napoleon wrasse, reef sharks and also |
| Similan is located off the coast of Khao Lak which | | | | another shipwreck. |