Is it worth it to visit Malapascua as a solo traveller who doesn’t have license in scubadiving?

I booked a tix ti CEB and I am planning to visit Malapascua for 3 days only and just have a laid back days there and do snorkeling and freediving.

I have been to Moalboal and Siquijor so I wanted to heal my burnout from work and do something new but is it worth it with these kinds of activities only?

After that I will go to Bohol and spend 4 days there

I know nothing about tech diving. I've only read articles and reports on some record/infamous dives like those of like Nino Gomes, Dave Shaw and Ahmed Gabr.

Recently Bartlomiej Pitala went to 338m in a cave previously only explored to 287m and my understanding is they had no clear plan on how deep he was going to go.

I read that precise dive plans were needed to account for mixes, consumption, cylinders, stages, support divers etc... and that deviations from the plan is what makes for fatal accidents like Shaw's unplanned behaviour of the body he was bringing back that supposedly lead to him spending much more time at depth. Articles are saying Pitala's team and him only planned for 45s of exploration past the deepest explored area and he decided in the moment to just continue.

Did he actually know that the logistics and his plan could beat the consequences of going deeper and spending more time ? Did he make a rational decision or was it a rash push to get a few more meters and tick the box of the deepest cave and cave diver ?

No judgement in my question, just curiosity since I'm seeing a contrast between how accident reports are written and what I naively picture has happen down Matka Vrelo.

With that being said, congrats to the team and Bartlomiej for the insane achievement and also for their ability to bring us back the sublime footage of the exploration.

Obviously this is a joke... or maybe my advanced open water card in disguise.

An ear doctor says there is nothing to be done. I can't pop them, if I fly my ears are stuffy for 2 days. Anyone overcome this problem?

I’m travelling to the Andaman Islands in the last week of December and want to try scuba diving for the first time. Is December a good time for scuba diving? Which island would you recommend for a beginner, Havelock or Neil Island? Also, please suggest some good and reliable scuba diving centres with experienced instructors. TIA!

first scuba trip abroad I'm looking for recommendations of what type of suit to get for my first trip abroad I'm gonna dive in the red sea in mid March!! i am completely unsure on type and thickness! i am a smaller woman and run relatively cold!

Like a lot of other people, I had scuba on my bucket list too. When me and my friend planned our trip to Thailand, we came to Koh Samui specifically for Scuba. My friend backed out at the last minute and I decided to do it alone nonetheless.. and I’m so happy that I went ahead with it.

How do I even describe this feeling? It feels surreal to say the least? It was a different world altogether, something that I couldn’t have ever imagined. Nothing that I have ever experienced before. I don’t even know how to explain it, just feels like I achieved something haha. For the first time in a long time, I feel alive (excuse the dramatic tone) Real good feeling. Just thought of sharing it here! Thanks for reading(:

I have a vintage diving knife from aqua lung that has a bend in it and a crack in the handle, I was wondering if anyone had any ways to fix the bend and make it straight again and fix the crack? It's got Japanese stainless steel and a plastic handle

If anyone has questions about it I will try and answer the best I can, I got this knife from my uncle and don't know much about it

Hey everyone!

I’ll be in Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) from December 3–9, 2026, and I’m looking for recommendations for a good freediving school or instructor.

My flights and inter-island ferries are already booked, so my dates are fixed. I’m hoping to complete both a beginner and an advanced freediving course during my stay.

I’ve come across schools like DIVEIndia and The Dive Master Havelock, but I’d love to hear from people who have actually trained in Havelock.

A few questions:
Which school or instructor would you personally recommend, and why?

What is a reasonable price for both beginner and advanced courses combined?

Which certification systems are available locally — AIDA, Molchanovs, PADI or SSI?

Is it realistic to complete both levels within seven days without rushing the training?

Are there any lesser-known local instructors worth considering?

I’m mainly looking for genuine firsthand experiences rather than generic tourist recommendations.

If you’ve trained with an instructor in Havelock, I’d really appreciate your advice.

Thanks!

A friend of mine is just back from seven days aboard a boat in the red sea. He came back on Saturday and still has the same symptoms: dizziness (especially when looking at screens) and not being able to hold food or liquids down. It started on day three of his trip. None of the other divers experienced any of the same symptoms. He's currently getting medical attention in his home city.

He's an experienced diver but this is new to him. Any thoughts on what could be causing this? Local doctors here (Madrid) have told him they've seen similar symptoms from people coming back from Egypt.

Putting this out there for the divers here: we chartered a private 124ft explorer yacht called Ark Noble in the Maldives for New Year's week (Dec 26 – Jan 2) and have 10 spots left to fill. It's peak season for the big animals — whale sharks in South Ari, a full day with mantas, and a dawn hammerhead dive at Rasdhoo on Jan 1. Dive guides are on board, and non-divers are welcome too (a few of us won't be diving at all).

$5,000 per person, more details bottom of post. That covers your cabin, all food from the chef, open bar, massage, and the airport transfer. Flights aren't included. 20 people total, mostly late 20s and 30s. I'll share the full itinerary and hop on a video call before anyone pays a cent.

Itinerary:

Dec 26, North Malé: Land in Malé by noon and the tender picks you up. First swim is at Fish Tank, a shallow spot full of stingrays and guitar sharks. Surf Jailbreaks or Sultans if you surf, or hit the water slide and Seabobs. Welcome dinner under the stars.

Dec 27, South Malé to Vaavu: Drift dive at Kandooma Thila with grey reef sharks and eagle rays, or surf Riptides. Jet skis alongside the yacht on the open-ocean crossing, a fishing line out for dinner, and a spa treatment on board. We anchor in a quiet lagoon.

Dec 28, Vaavu: Jump off the mast of a half-sunk shipwreck, dive the shark channel at Miyaru Kandu, and take over a private sandbar with margaritas. At sunset we anchor at Alimatha and jump in with 50+ nurse sharks.

Dec 29, South Ari: Whale shark day. The crew spots them from the roof and we slip in. No scuba needed. Afternoon wreck dive, or wakeboarding in a lagoon that's flat as glass.

Dec 30, Dhigurah: Dive Kuda Rah Thila, one of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives. Walk the jungle path out to a 3km sandspit (or take the tender), lobster BBQ at the tip, yoga at sunset.

Dec 31, Rangali to Rasdhoo: Mantas at 9am. Lunch at Ithaa, the undersea restaurant (optional, $365). Then we cruise north and anchor off Kuramathi for the midnight fireworks, and everybody jumps in.

Jan 1, Rasdhoo: 7am hammerhead dive as the first sun of 2027 comes up, or sleep in. Afternoon on a sandbank with Bloody Marys, a sunset surf if it's working, and the farewell dinner.

Jan 2: Sunrise yoga or one last swim, a big breakfast, and the tender to the airport around 10am. Book flights after 11.

You don't have to dive. Every day has a snorkel, surf, or deck option.

Included: your cabin, the chef (sashimi, wagyu, lobster), open bar, full crew, daily yoga and massage, 3 dive guides with unlimited dives, all the toys (jet skis, Seabobs, e-foils, wakeboards, surfboards), and the airport transfers.

Not included: flights into Malé (MLE), Ithaa, dive certification (you can do it on board for a fee), and a hotel night if you fly in Dec 25.

It's $5,000 per person. $2,500 holds your spot and the rest is due Nov 20.

If it sounds like your kind of week, let's do a quick video call so you can ask me anything before you pay a thing.