The photos here are from a trip in late 2017. I was able to connect with a group of divers/underwater photographers at Scuba Seraya in Tulamben, Bali. The opportunities for photography in this area is practically unlimited, particularly with respect to macro subjects.
Later, I was able to spend nearly an entire day walking around Kuta and Seminyak ahead of my flight back to the United States. Bali has changed a lot since my first trip there in 2005, yet it still inspires feelings of such calm and I always look forward to going back again and again. Some of my favorite places to stay and dive are Padang Bai and Tulamben.
I start planning my next trip as soon as I get back home, to the places I didn't get to or things I didn't get to see while I was there. My plan for the next rip is to dive in Menjangan and take a side trip to Yogyakarta to see the Buddhist temple at dawn.
Dumaguete, Philippines 2017
This trip to Dumaguete was my first to the Philippines. It was a lovely time both underwater and on the trips around the island. Salaya is a luxury beachfront dive and yoga resort situated in Dauin, just 15km south of Dumaguete City. The beach is black sand which is a beautiful backdrop for the marine life thriving in the sanctuary. The dive sites offer sandy bottoms and coral reefs as well as wall diving. Another big plus is the turtle sanctuary at Apo Island that has long been listed among the top ten dive sites of the world.
The Mainit, Masaplod and the Poblacion sanctuaries protect the surrounding sea. Some of the marine animals to look for underwater are Wonderpus, bluering octopus, ocellate and mimic octopus, Ambon scorpion fish and flamboyant cuttlefish. These coral reefs are also home to bump-head parrotfish and several species of frogfish.
Yet another amazing experience was snorkeling with the Whale Sharks at Oslob. Ironically, the fishermen who used to hunt Whale Sharks have now adopted them and it is evident how awed they are by them! They are magnificent animals and the seven that came close to shore the morning I was there were juveniles, about 20 feet in length. Photographing and quite frankly just being in the water with the biggest fish in the sea was a thrill. The experience is one that I recommend.
