A perfect wave is the result of countless natural factors working in harmony. The shape of the seabed or coral reef, the movement of sand, the prevailing winds and tides – all contribute to creating the waves that we, as surfers, travel across the globe to experience. But you don’t have to travel far to…
If you’ve ever had the privilege of seeing or swimming alongside whale sharks, you’ll understand what an incredible experience it is. Even just thinking about it sends shivers of joy through our bodies! Despite growing to more than 12 metres (40 feet) in length, the world’s largest fish moves through the water with effortless ease. Seeing…
When I touched down in Sorong, it had been almost 20 years since I’d visited Raja Ampat and I’d been obsessed with getting back there for years. My first time was in the early 2000s as a young backpacker, eager to see as many Indonesian islands as possible with only a tiny budget at my…
If you’re anything like us, coral reefs are your chosen “playground” – a place you venture to get away from the world and the stresses of modern-day life. They are places of extraordinary natural beauty and we’re always left with a newfound appreciation for the world we live in after an action-packed reef dive. But…
My early scuba diving years focused (mostly) on exploring coral reefs. As someone new to the underwater world, they felt like a sensory overload in terms of colour and species diversity. Over the years, that interest shifted to include wrecks and caves – underwater environments that, for me, required a slower, more curiosity-driven approach. More…
When we think about protecting our oceans, coral reefs tend to steal the spotlight. They’re colourful, charismatic and home to around a quarter of all marine species. But according to marine scientists, one of the most effective ways to protect coral reefs may actually begin on land…or, more accurately, where the land meets the sea….
Every time I’m analysing my Nitrox tanks on dive trips, an air diver asks me: “Is getting a Nitrox certification worth it?” The short answer? For me, yes – it gives you options and opens up more (read: longer) dive opportunities. To be honest, I’m pretty late to the Nitrox game. For many years, I…
As scuba junkies, we’re big believers that diving is more than just a sport or hobby – it’s an opportunity to explore a hidden world filled with incredible beauty and unfathomable adventures. Beneath the ocean’s surface, we’ve experienced moments of surreal peace, unexpected discovery and a connection with nature that’s difficult to describe in words. …
For the last decade, sustainable tourism has been a buzz word and it’s something we talk about a lot here at EcoOceanEscapes. It reflects a global concern around climate change and mitigating the negative impacts of our travel obsession. Sustainable travel is largely framed around minimising damage by doing things like reducing plastic waste, opting…
From reef taxes and visitor caps to Indigenous stewardship, a growing number of destinations are proving that tourism doesn’t have to destroy coral ecosystems – it can help restore them instead. Despite occupying less than 1% of the ocean floor, coral reefs support roughly a quarter of all marine life – a statistic we find…well…staggering!…