X-RAY Mag #32 | X-Ray International Dive Magazine

Our friends at X-Ray Mag have released a new issue, available for download.

Some of the main feature and hightlights in this issue include

Sabah, Malaysia. A joint production by Andrea and Antonella Ferrari, Tim Hochgrebe of underwater.com.au and Peter and Gunild Symes.

Reefs & Rainforests by A & A Ferrari :: Pulau Lankayan - Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area - Sepilok Orangutans - Kinabatangan River - Danum Valley Conservation Area.

Sipadan revisited. Tim Hochgrebe and Peter Symes takes a closer look at Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai and check out the latest developments in the region.

Profile: Clement Lee. X-Ray Mag asks Borneo Divers' CEO, Sabah Tourism board member and multiple award winner Clement Lee some questions about the past, present and future.

Kids Love Scuba: Reaching out to a new generation of divers. Gunild Symes talks to Syed Abd Rahman, director of Kids Scuba in Malaysia.

You can download the new issue here

X-RAY Mag #32 | X-Ray International Dive Magazine

New DivePhotoGuide.com Launching Next Week at DEMA! :: DivePhotoGuide.com - The Underwater Photo & Video Portal

Hang on to your hats folks, you're going to be in for a treat next week.

The team at DPG has been working feverishly for months on a bold new website. But this isn't just a new website, this is a major overhaul with a number of new features that we have been dying to add to the site for over a year or so.

In fact we are totally reinventing DPG. So much so that we have decided to retire the DPG turtle. Yes that's right, the world's most successful turtle underwater photographer is retiring. He's worked really hard for us for the last few years, and we're sending him off in style. He'll be doing what we all do when we retire - spending more time diving and shooting underwater photography. It's hard work being a logo! Surely you'll see him pop back up here and there.

The new website incorporates the feedback from you, our readers, and the industry. We are super excited about it, and really look forward to hearing what you think!

In the meantime, please bear with us as we will not post much content until the new launch during DEMA.

New DivePhotoGuide.com Launching Next Week at DEMA! :: DivePhotoGuide.com - The Underwater Photo & Video Portal

New signs ready to be distributed to all supporting marinas, resorts and fishing boats in Fiji.

From the album:

"Shark Free Marina Initiative in Fiji" by Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project

New signs ready to be distributed to all supporting marinas, resorts and fishing boats in Fiji. Funding was provided by Project AWARE! The dock signs are printed and laminated on 0.080 Marine Grade aluminum to ensure resistance against the elements.
http://www.sharkfreemarinas.com/

Facebook | Fiji Shark Conservation and Awareness Project's Photos - Shark Free Marina Initiative in Fiji

Diving in Fiji: DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre

DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre
Originally uploaded by Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort.

Diving in Fiji: DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre

Diving in Fiji: Bryde’s Whales seen the other day off Solo, north of Kadavu

A pod of at least 8 Bryde’s Whales seen the other day off Solo, north of Kadavu...

Diving in Fiji: Bryde’s Whales seen the other day off Solo, north of Kadavu

3-day Super Sale Across Asia Pacific

http://www.accorhotelsasia.com/supersale

• One million hotel rooms at amazing rate across Asia Pacific
  Travelers will be able to take advantage of savings when they book on-line between 27 - 30 October 2009. Over one million room nights will be on sale, with rates starting as low as US$30 per night.
  
  Book your travel & holidays now for stays between December 09 to April 10
  
  The country list include Thailand, Korea, China, Japan, HK, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, Bali.
  
  Different rates apply for Accor's various brands, with Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, All Seasons and Ibis hotels participating, providing a vast range of affordable options.
  
  The Accor '3-day Super Sale' coincides with record-low air fares across the Asia Pacific region, allowing travelers to enjoy some of the world's most exciting cities at bargain rates.
  
  
• About Accor:
  Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:
  
  - Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;
  
  - Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management

Country Name	Price	Currency	SGD	USD	EURO
Australia	99	AUD	123	87	60
Bali	75	USD	106	75	51
China	399	CNY	82	58	40
Ibis China	248	CNY	51	36	25
Fiji	99	FJD	72	51	35
Hong Kong	650	HKD	118	84	57
India	3,360	INR	99	70	48
Indonesia	490,000	IDR	72	51	35
Japan	9,990	JPY	157	112	76
Laos	48	USD	68	48	33
Malaysia	175	MYR	71	51	35
New Zealand	99	NZD	101	71	49
Singapore	98	SGD	98	69	47
South Korea	97,000	KRW	116	82	56
Taiwan	1,999	TWD	88	62	43
Thailand	1,700	THB	72	51	35
Ibis Thailand	1,000	THB	42	30	20
Vietnam	50	USD	71	50	34

SOFITEL FIJI RESORT & SPA

Subtle sophistication and laidback luxury awaits you at Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa.

Infusing Sofitel’s French influences with exotic Fijian customs, the resort blends tradition with the most modern technologies for a tropical retreat that really does offer it all.

A private waterfront location and the Pacific’s largest lagoon-style pool are a prelude to the sanctuary that is Sofitel Fiji’s stylish range of rooms and suites, each with a private balcony or terrace.

World class dining, a sublime International Day Spa, and an unsurpassed range of adrenalin pumping activities make for an unforgettable experience. The resort’s premier event and conference facilities, including a stunning ballroom and beachfront chapel, set Sofitel apart in a league of its own.

Click here for offer!

Diving couple find Fiji facinating - Fiji Times Online

A FINNISH couple travelled halfway around the world to spend their honeymoon in New Zealand but plummeting temperatures brought them to Fiji instead.

Jani Latinen, 28, and Eeva-Maria Rituanen, 27, landed in Fiji last Friday and boarded the Captain Cook Cruises boat Reef Escape for a three-day cruise around the southern Yasawa islands.

"We had a fabulous time despite the overcast weather and intermittent showers.

"The scuba diving and snorkelling was phenomenal.

"We have never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world," they said.

Before coming to Fiji, the couple who now reside in Luxembourg, said they did not know anything about Fiji apart from Fiji Water.

"New Zealand was nice but too cold. Someone suggested Fiji and, acting on a whim, we booked our flight and came.

"It was the best decision we have made by far.

"We still can't get over the friendliness of the people and the relatively untouched beauty of the islands," said wide-eyed Jani.

The newly-wed couple were so impressed that they have promised to return to our shores in the near future.

"We will definitely be visiting Fiji again.There is so much culture and more interesting places to see and places to dive here," they said.

Diving couple find Fiji facinating - Fiji Times Online

Matava named as Ultimate Eco Escape

KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS – 22 September 2009 – Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco-Adventure Resort is proud to be named as one of the world’s Ultimate Eco Escapes by SPORT DIVER Magazine, the official publication of PADI Diving Society’s in September 2009 issue.

“DOING THE RIGHT thing isn’t always easy. But as destinations across the globe continue to adopt innovative ways to conserve resources and protect the reefs and animals we love, choosing to help the planet becomes less chore-like and more pleasurable. Get active by swimming alongside whale sharks to help collect data, or help remove the killer that’s slowly claiming Micronesian reefs. Or, simply relax, retreating to eco-minded sanctuaries where solar-heating and local gardens help reduce global impacts. Whether heading to Utila, Vieques, Dominica, Fiji, Kangaroo Island or Yap, doing the right thing just got easier. ”

“We are extremely honoured that Sport Diver Magazine has selected us to feature in their front page cover story for the September 2009 issue” said Matava Director and PADI Instructor Development Staff instructor Stuart Gow. “After 6 years of hard work and commitment to our strict environmental policies, it is rewarding to be recognised by such a large and influentioal dive publication ”

Sport Diver Magazine is the official publication of the PADI Diving Society and is one of the largest dive publications in the world.

Mr Gow finished by saying “Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco-Adventure Resort has again proved that it is indeed among the leaders in environmental education worldwide, and this latest article further solidifies our position as an example of “how resorts can operate AND help maintain and improve the surrounding environment.”

Sport Diver Magazine is the official publication of the PADI Diving Society in the Americas, published by Bonnier Corporation.

PADI Diving Society is a lifestyle organization for people who love the water. Whether you’re a dedicated snorkeler or avid diver, beginner or pro, the PADI Diving Society will help you get the most from your active aquatic lifestyle.

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava – Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 12 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views

Mad Fish Dive Centre is our on-site PADI Dive Centre offering the best of diving in the South Pacific.

www.Matava.com www.Scuba-Diving-Fiji.com

www.eco-tropicalresorts.com

Diving in Fiji: DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre 7 Oct 2009

DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre 7 Oct 2009
Originally uploaded by Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort.

DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre 7 Oct 2009

DIVE ME, new dive boat being built in Navua, Fiji for Mad Fish Dive Centre 7 Oct 2009

A unique experience - TripAdvisor

This place makes you forget about the rest of the world. The staff & management are so friendly, the views are amazing, but you have to put in mind that an enviornment friendly resort means its running on solar energy power, so dont expect ACs or fans, just clean pure air !

I'll be visiting Matava Resort again in the upcoming fishing season for sure.

A unique experience - Review of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, Kadavu Island, Fiji - TripAdvisor