BEST SCUBA DIVING HOLIDAYS IN ASIA

Diving hero Jacques Cousteau called Sipadan in Borneo an ‘untouched piece of art’. Home to 3,000 species of marine life, these tropical waters, which are filled with turtles, are a must-visit for divers.Take The Plunge: Stay at Mabul Water Bungalows. Here you can enjoy unlimited jetty diving from the Mabul House Reef. You can also join a dive master for three dives a day on Mabul, Sipadan or Kapalai Island.

You can’t talk about the best diving holidays without mentioning Raja Ampat in Indonesia. This sprawling archipelago of 1,500 islands is famed for its coral reefs teeming with sea life.Take The Plunge: Make sure that you find the best dive site every time by chartering The Damai. Discover the manta ray cleaning station need Air Borek, dive with the wobbegong shark in Pulau Yanggelo and find giant scallops near the Wayag Islands. When you are ready to relax, kick back on a private beach and enjoy a few cocktails.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palawan in the Philippines is home to turtles, dugongs and dazzling reefs.It was named the world’s most beautiful island and it’s not hard to see why.Take The Plunge: Book into Amanpulo on nearby Pamalican Island. This barefoot chic retreat is the perfect place to relax after a day exploring the deep.

Grab your fins and head to the Baa Atoll in the Maldives. It’s one of the few UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves (the other three being the Galapagos, Komodo Islands and Uluru). Expect to see turtles, manta rays and whale sharks.Take The Plunge: Divers will love Anantara Kihavah Maldives and its nod to all things aquatic. From the overwater spa to the underwater restaurant, and the fact that five different species of turtles choose it reefs to feed and rest.

The diving in Komodo Island is said to rival some of the world’s best sites. Dolphins, sharks, manta rays and huge schools of fish can be found in tropical waters. Whether you are looking for drift diving, wall diving or just want to cruise around on the reef, you will be able to find it here.Take The Plunge: Enjoy a cruise upon the Amanwana’s traditional Phinisi boat Amandira or its coastal cruiser Amanikan. Your choice of chartered boat will wind its way through the archipelago and give you the chance to discover untouched reefs, Komodo’s pink sand and even spy a dragon or two.