Thailand and Bali may attract the big crowds, but this island offers better diving
The turquoise water hugs my wetsuit-clad body like a warm embrace, while a kaleidoscope of life explodes around me: a majestic turtle effortlessly glides by, casting a lazy glance in my direction; clownfish, tiny flames of orange, dart through swaying anemones, while below, coral gardens pulse with brilliant neon hues as sunlight dances through impossibly clear water.
A string of coral-fringed islands strewn across a vast expanse of the western Pacific, the Philippines is a place full of natural wonders. The second-largest archipelago on Earth, its captivating blend of idyllic islands and adventure-filled rainforests positions it as one of South-East Asia's greatest – yet still relatively undiscovered – treasures. And, below sea level, the country has even more to shout about.
Located at the centre of the 'Coral Triangle', the Philippines can legitimately lay claim to some of the best diving on the planet. From turtles and stingrays to sharks, there are more than 1200 documented species inhabiting its waters, alongside roughly 80 per cent of the world's known coral species. Added to its natural attractions is an abundance of wrecks and an underdeveloped tourism industry, which means that dive sites are both unspoilt and uncrowded. But with more than 7000 tropical islands to choose from, where do you begin?
Kick off your diving hit-list with Palawan. An easy 90-minute flight from Manila, the province is a maze of sparsely inhabited islands located between the South China and Sulu seas. The largest island (after which the province is named) has found increasing fame over the years, often appearing on lists of the 'most beautiful islands in the world'. Also on Palawan lies the UNESCO-recognised municipality, El Nido.
In El Nido, sparkling emerald lagoons surround towering islands of sheer limestone cliffs crowned with vivid green vegetation. Here, the ocean is your highway and divers are ferried between about 30 dive sites in traditional 'bangka' boats. Depth of the dives ranges from six to 30 metres-plus and there are some great spots for beginners.
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A few hours away by fast ferry lies Coron and its fascinating collection of WWII Japanese shipwrecks, which have been transformed into thriving coral reefs. The must-do dives include the Olympia Maru freighter, adorned with black coral and surrounded by giant puffer fish and swaying anemones, and the Irako – consistently rated as one of the best wreck dives in the world – where large groupers, impressive schools of tuna and yellowfin, camouflaged lionfish, and intriguing scorpionfish abound. Best of all, the area's sheltered waters ensure that these captivating wrecks are diveable year-round.
When it comes to picking a dive operator you'd be hard-pressed to find a better organisation than Scuba for Change – a social enterprise that works with local communities to help stop child exploitation and to empower women in developing countries. The not-for-profit operates dives from its centre in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Puerto Galera. Given that 100 per cent of its profits are reinvested into the organisation, you can dive with a clean conscience.
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The Age
13 hours ago
- The Age
Thailand and Bali may attract the big crowds, but this island offers better diving
This story is part of the July 13 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories. The turquoise water hugs my wetsuit-clad body like a warm embrace, while a kaleidoscope of life explodes around me: a majestic turtle effortlessly glides by, casting a lazy glance in my direction; clownfish, tiny flames of orange, dart through swaying anemones, while below, coral gardens pulse with brilliant neon hues as sunlight dances through impossibly clear water. A string of coral-fringed islands strewn across a vast expanse of the western Pacific, the Philippines is a place full of natural wonders. The second-largest archipelago on Earth, its captivating blend of idyllic islands and adventure-filled rainforests positions it as one of South-East Asia's greatest – yet still relatively undiscovered – treasures. And, below sea level, the country has even more to shout about. Located at the centre of the 'Coral Triangle', the Philippines can legitimately lay claim to some of the best diving on the planet. From turtles and stingrays to sharks, there are more than 1200 documented species inhabiting its waters, alongside roughly 80 per cent of the world's known coral species. Added to its natural attractions is an abundance of wrecks and an underdeveloped tourism industry, which means that dive sites are both unspoilt and uncrowded. But with more than 7000 tropical islands to choose from, where do you begin? Kick off your diving hit-list with Palawan. An easy 90-minute flight from Manila, the province is a maze of sparsely inhabited islands located between the South China and Sulu seas. The largest island (after which the province is named) has found increasing fame over the years, often appearing on lists of the 'most beautiful islands in the world'. Also on Palawan lies the UNESCO-recognised municipality, El Nido. In El Nido, sparkling emerald lagoons surround towering islands of sheer limestone cliffs crowned with vivid green vegetation. Here, the ocean is your highway and divers are ferried between about 30 dive sites in traditional 'bangka' boats. Depth of the dives ranges from six to 30 metres-plus and there are some great spots for beginners. Loading A few hours away by fast ferry lies Coron and its fascinating collection of WWII Japanese shipwrecks, which have been transformed into thriving coral reefs. The must-do dives include the Olympia Maru freighter, adorned with black coral and surrounded by giant puffer fish and swaying anemones, and the Irako – consistently rated as one of the best wreck dives in the world – where large groupers, impressive schools of tuna and yellowfin, camouflaged lionfish, and intriguing scorpionfish abound. Best of all, the area's sheltered waters ensure that these captivating wrecks are diveable year-round. When it comes to picking a dive operator you'd be hard-pressed to find a better organisation than Scuba for Change – a social enterprise that works with local communities to help stop child exploitation and to empower women in developing countries. The not-for-profit operates dives from its centre in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Puerto Galera. Given that 100 per cent of its profits are reinvested into the organisation, you can dive with a clean conscience.
Sydney Morning Herald
13 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Thailand and Bali may attract the big crowds, but this island offers better diving
This story is part of the July 13 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories. The turquoise water hugs my wetsuit-clad body like a warm embrace, while a kaleidoscope of life explodes around me: a majestic turtle effortlessly glides by, casting a lazy glance in my direction; clownfish, tiny flames of orange, dart through swaying anemones, while below, coral gardens pulse with brilliant neon hues as sunlight dances through impossibly clear water. A string of coral-fringed islands strewn across a vast expanse of the western Pacific, the Philippines is a place full of natural wonders. The second-largest archipelago on Earth, its captivating blend of idyllic islands and adventure-filled rainforests positions it as one of South-East Asia's greatest – yet still relatively undiscovered – treasures. And, below sea level, the country has even more to shout about. Located at the centre of the 'Coral Triangle', the Philippines can legitimately lay claim to some of the best diving on the planet. From turtles and stingrays to sharks, there are more than 1200 documented species inhabiting its waters, alongside roughly 80 per cent of the world's known coral species. Added to its natural attractions is an abundance of wrecks and an underdeveloped tourism industry, which means that dive sites are both unspoilt and uncrowded. But with more than 7000 tropical islands to choose from, where do you begin? Kick off your diving hit-list with Palawan. An easy 90-minute flight from Manila, the province is a maze of sparsely inhabited islands located between the South China and Sulu seas. The largest island (after which the province is named) has found increasing fame over the years, often appearing on lists of the 'most beautiful islands in the world'. Also on Palawan lies the UNESCO-recognised municipality, El Nido. In El Nido, sparkling emerald lagoons surround towering islands of sheer limestone cliffs crowned with vivid green vegetation. Here, the ocean is your highway and divers are ferried between about 30 dive sites in traditional 'bangka' boats. Depth of the dives ranges from six to 30 metres-plus and there are some great spots for beginners. Loading A few hours away by fast ferry lies Coron and its fascinating collection of WWII Japanese shipwrecks, which have been transformed into thriving coral reefs. The must-do dives include the Olympia Maru freighter, adorned with black coral and surrounded by giant puffer fish and swaying anemones, and the Irako – consistently rated as one of the best wreck dives in the world – where large groupers, impressive schools of tuna and yellowfin, camouflaged lionfish, and intriguing scorpionfish abound. Best of all, the area's sheltered waters ensure that these captivating wrecks are diveable year-round. When it comes to picking a dive operator you'd be hard-pressed to find a better organisation than Scuba for Change – a social enterprise that works with local communities to help stop child exploitation and to empower women in developing countries. The not-for-profit operates dives from its centre in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Puerto Galera. Given that 100 per cent of its profits are reinvested into the organisation, you can dive with a clean conscience.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Asia is flush with ancient marvels, but nothing matches these caves
Another visitor uses FaceTime to show a loved one the inside of the cave. She also sings a hymn to mark her visit. I had only been to one cave, but already the trip felt worthwhile. The devotion of these visitors shows a journey to Ajanta is more pilgrimage than tourist stop; these structures date back more than millennia but are alive with culture and meaning today. At one point I watched a Thai monk in saffron robes record a video post about Ajanta for his TikTok feed. The caves of Ajanta were excavated from the basalt and granite cliff in two phases, the first in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC and another in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. The site was abandoned for centuries until a British hunting party stumbled on the caves while in pursuit of a tiger in 1819. The variety of structures is striking. My first stop at Cave 26 was a worship hall (called a chaitya) but the majority of Ajanta's structures are austere monasteries (called viharas) with symmetrical square layouts. Some of these ancient monasteries have multiple stories and wide pillared balconies; one had a dozen monk cells each with two stone beds. The cultural spectacle of Ajanta is enhanced by its landscape; the forested valley of the Waghora River which runs below the caves is a spectacular backdrop for visitors as they explore. Near the centre of the Ajanta complex is a prayer hall with a large stupa known as Cave 10; it is one of the three oldest excavations, dating to about 100 BC. Historians have concluded this cave contains the oldest surviving Buddhist paintings, including images from the life of the Buddha. It is also, perhaps, the world's earliest known place of congregational worship. A nearby cluster of caves that date from around 600 AD are adorned with vibrant frescos. These mostly narrate stories of the Buddha's previous incarnations known as the Jataka tales. UNESCO's description of Ajanta caves says its paintings and sculptures have 'had a considerable artistic influence.' These early masterpieces foreshadow centuries of Buddhist art now found in many nations across Asia. In some of the caves, staff wearing masks and white coats undertake preservation work on the paintings. Those with the most extensive murals have canvas shades to reduce sunlight and temperature control systems to help preserve the works inside. As the sun climbs at Ajanta, the crowds grow. Most visitors have come from across India to experience this remarkable part of their national heritage. But Ajanta is not an isolated wonder. Only 100 kilometres south-west are the Ellora caves, another impressive complex of 34 ancient monasteries and temples dug side by side into a basalt cliff. The monuments at Ellora, which are spread over two kilometres, were mostly constructed later than Ajanta's – between about 600AD and 1000AD – but are the product of three religious traditions of ancient India: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Ellora's centrepiece is the astonishing Kailasha temple excavated in the 8th century. Archaeologists believe this enormous structure – over 90 metres long, 53 metres wide and 30 metres high – was sculpted from a single rock and took several generations to complete. Three huge trenches were bored into the cliff face using hammer and chisel before the temple and its surrounds could be shaped. The complex (also known as Cave 16) has all the elements of Hindu temple including a central shrine, a gateway, surrounding cloisters and subsidiary shrines. In the courtyard are life-sized stone elephants and two towering, intricately carved pillars. The rich decorations include giant deities, amorous couples and panels depicting scenes from Hindu epics. Near the Kailasha temple is the Teen Tal, a three-story Buddhist monastery also carved into the rock face in the 8th century. Visitors can climb an internal staircase to its spacious stone verandahs and view impressive sculpture galleries on each level. Day trips by taxi can be taken to both Ajanta and Ellora from the city of Aurangabad, which has a variety of hotels and good transport connections to major Indian cities including Mumbai and Delhi.
