Scuba Diving with Rasdhoo Dive Centre on Rasdhoo Island, Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives

Scuba Diving with Rasdhoo Dive Centre and staying on a local island on the Maldives

White tip sharks and grey reef sharks can be guaranteed if you go diving at Rasdhoo Atoll

It is now possible to travel the Maldives on a budget and stay in a local guesthouse

In 2010, when I was working as a scuba dive instructor in a resort on the Maldives I was wondering why it´s not possible to travel the Maldives in a cheaper way. There are many divers out there who don´t need the luxury of a 5-star resort. Not being able to book a bed in a basic accommodation like a homestay, hostel or guesthouse, prevents them from going on a scuba dive holiday to this amazing dive destiny. 

Recently, I figured out that there are some local islands on the Maldives where guesthouses and homestays have been opened. This makes it possible to travel the Maldives on a budget and experience the local culture! I decided to check it out for my fellow ´splashpackers´ and share my experience about it.

Sustainable eco projects on Koh Phi Phi Islands

The big difference made by Blue View Divers and other companies on the Phi Phi Islands

This article might help you with ideas for sustainable and eco friendly projects and activities, or which organisation to work with. Maybe you´re working for a dive centre, run or own a dive center or want to help as a traveller to protect the environment and reduce plastic and other waste, no matter where you are in the world. The Phi Phi Islands in the Andaman Sea in Thailand have some very interesting projects going on which are applicable everywhere and you can read all about it in this article.

How to become a scuba dive instructor?

Working around the world as a dive instructor - Part 1

Part 1: How to become a diving instructor?

Are you wondering how it is to live and work as a diving instructor all over the world or do you have questions in regards to taking the ´go pro´ step and becoming an instructor yourself? This and one of my next articles, might help to shine some light on it and if you have questions, please feel free to ask me anything by using the comment box in the end! I hope to be able to help other people who are looking to become a diving instructor by sharing my experience of working as a scuba dive instructor in 5 different countries and 4 different continents. In this article I will share how I became a diving instructor: from zero to hero!

Working as a dive instructor on Dominican Republic

My story: from an Open Water Diver to PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer

Travel Blog Update: Island Hopping the Andaman Sea - Part 3

Island Hopping the Andaman Sea - Part 3: Koh Lipe - Koh Bulon Leh - Koh Libong - Koh Jum

The island hopping continues..

Wether or not you have been reading my previous posts of island hopping from Phuket to Koh Lanta, and to Koh Mook, Koh Lipe and Langkawi, in this travel blog update you can read how my travels continue. After a short stop on Koh Lipe I take you to the more remote islands of Ko Bulon Leh, Ko Libong and Ko Jum (also called Ko Pu). They are all located a bit off the beaten track in the Andaman Sea. Read on to experience this adventure with me!

Scuba Diving with Blue View Divers on Koh Phi Phi

Blue View Divers: an eco friendly and environmental conscious dive center on Phi Phi Islands

Anemonefish, photo by Blue View Divers

It´s not easy to pick a dive centre on Phi Phi Islands

There are many dive centers on Koh Phi Phi Don. Upon arriving on Ko Phi Phi I was overwhelmed by the amount of dive centres on this island. To be honest, I felt a bit dissapointed in the way certain dive centers out there are mainly focussed on the numbers without caring for the oceans or the island. Because I was still working on my article about scuba diving on Koh Lipe, I suddenly figured out that this eco-conscious dive centre on Ko Lipe has a sister company diving center, called Blue View Divers, on Koh Phi Phi! After I found out about Blue View Divers and all the sustainable projects and environmental friendly organisations they are involved in, my choice in regards to with whom to go diving on Phi Phi was instantly made!

Travel Blog Update: Island Hopping the Andaman Sea - Part 2

Island Hopping the Andaman Sea - part 2:  Koh Mook (Ko Muk) - Koh Lipe - Langkawi

Arriving on the island of Koh Mook

The island hopping in Thailand is well organised!

Island hopping on Thailand is pretty good organised. I like the system they use for the ferries. As soon as they pick you up from your accommodation or holiday home, they ask you which island you´re going to and you get a sticker in a certain colour pasted on your t-shirt and backpack. Sometimes the same boat stops at a variety of islands or you need to swop your boat on an island and this way all the staff you´re dealing with for the day knows what to do with you or your luggage. Also, I like the fact that they use one standard price per person for going to your accommodation once you arrive on your island or for the taxi longtail boat to your island, in case you need one. No negotiation about prices or the feeling that you got ripped off. Everything is clear and fair. I will soon write a full article with practical travel information about hopping around the Andaman Sea, but this article is a new travel blog update with my personal experience so I will try to stick to that :-)

Diving with Adang Sea Divers & Eco Lodge on Koh Lipe

Environmental Conscious Concept of ´Adang Sea Divers & Eco Lodge´

Healthy corals and clear visibility around Ko Lipe

Happy with the Eco Lodge on Koh Lipe

When I first arrived on the island of Ko Lipe, located in the Andaman Sea in the South of Thailand, I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of tourists on this small island, especially after just coming from the quiet island of Koh Mook. Arriving on the 30th of December, this was also the busiest time of the year for Koh Lipe.

Looking at the size of the island and the amount of tourists, I was very pleased to have my stay booked in the Eco Lodge of Adang Sea Divers. In contradiction to most other accommodations on Ko Lipe, this eco lodge is situated just out of town with some trees and nature surrounding the bungalows and rooms. The eco accommodation has been built in an ecological responsible way, and surprisingly there are only a couple of other accommodations on Koh Lipe which have been built in the same way.