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Which Way To The Similan Islands? |
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Written by Sheldon Hey
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Apr 24, 2005 at 04:53 PM |
Great visibility, huge marine diversity of fish life and corals, big drop-offs, swim-throughs, whale sharks, manta rays, remote dive sites, underwater formations, and dive sites in good condition.
All these make the Similan Islands the most popular dive destination in Thailand for dive enthusiasts in the know.
Add to that the wide range of trip durations, and combinations of dive destinations and itineraries available, and you've got a dream dive selection to choose from. But just what options are available to you, the diver, for a visit to this famous location? In this article we explore the different choices you have and the factors to consider when planning a trip to scuba dive the Similan Islands.
You can visit and dive The Similan Islands by taking one of three different types of dive trips available:
1. Similan Liveaboards Boat Cruises
There are many cruise itineraries for you to choose from, and an even greater number of boats! Phuket liveaboards are arguably the classic and some say best way to dive the Similans, but for this feature, we will take a look at the less well-known alternatives to dive the Similans, pros, cons, warts and all.
2. Similan Overnight Trips
If an overnight experience is what you seek, you are limited to only visiting the Similan Islands, with the exception of two operators that also incorporate Koh Bon into this itinerary. You have the choice of sleeping either on the Similans Islands or on a Phuket liveaboard boat. Similan Island No. 4 and Island No. 8 both have basic national park accommodation facilities. You can choose between safari-style tents or shared bungalow cabin beds. There are a handful of operators offering the overnight service, sleeping on the Similan Islands, everyday during the high season. A speedboat operator service will take you for three dives daily, then drop you on the islands for the night.
There is also a restaurant on the islands where you can buy cheap Thai meals and breakfast. They will collect you from the Islands in the morning, take you diving and return you to the islands, for as many days as you wish. This means you can extend your stay as long as you want. You can choose either two or three dives per day, and even dive Koh Bon if you so desire.
This option is great if you're looking to get away from it all and just relax in nature. There is no compressor on board the boat, so there is no noise pollution either. There is also a regular dive boat operator that runs an overnight trip staying on the Similan Islands. You can complete six dives over two days, and stay in the shared bungalow cabin beds.
The Similan National Park Camps and this dive option are open from November until April. There are also operators offering the overnight service, sleeping on Similan liveaboards moored at the islands, everyday in the high season. Operators will transfer you by speedboat to their liveaboard boat. You will go diving on the liveaboard boat around the Similan Islands. You can dive again the next day, as you join their regular Similan diving day trip service. Again, you can extend your stay as long as you want, and you can do between two to four dives per day. Accommodation facilities can either be air-conditioned or fan-cooled, with some en-suite facilities.
Please be aware though, that several of these operators offer rooms that can at best be described as basic and noisy. One diver described the accommodation on his trip as like "entering The Black Hole of Calcutta". Prices range from US$90 to US$125 per person per day, including national marine park fees, but excluding diving equipment. If you're looking to dive at the cheapest prices, have limited time available, or are unsure of your availability until short notice, this is the option for you. You can use these services to dive from November until May.
3. Similan Scuba Diving Day Trips
Speed boats, high speed catamarans and standard day trip dive boats based on the mainland, are all offering daily dive trips. The high speed boats obviously get you to the islands faster, but this benefit can be outweighed if the seas are rough and it turns into a bumpy crossing. The catamarans, with their capacious holds, can also make for some pretty crowded diving, along with its associated impact on the environment. Prices range from US$80 to US$130 per person per day, including national marine park fees, but excluding diving equipment. You can dive from day trip boats all year round, and it's a good option if you want to return to the mainland every day, or are short on time.
So, what's the best way to dive The Similans? It really is down to you. Once you've decided your budget, when you'd like to go, the length of time you'd like to stay, the dive destinations to visit, the accommodation you'd like, the maximum number of divers to join you, the level of boat safety, and any other features you'd like, then you're in a position to make a decision.
With so many options available to you these days, and if you book in advance, there will always be something available to meet your desires.
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Last Updated ( Dec 21, 2006 at 11:02 PM )
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Kimberley – a diamond in the wilderness! |
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Written by Suzanne Whitby
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Apr 24, 2005 at 04:34 PM |
On the border of the Northern Cape and Free State, 177km west of Bloemfontein, lies Kimberley, the capital of the of the Northern Cape. When you think of Kimberley and its Diamond fields, it is easy to imagine a wonderland of romance and riches. And yet, the reality is that Kimberley and its surrounds are mostly dry and uninspiring; it is unlikely that the city will again experience the glamour and importance that it had for two decades at the end of the 19th century. For this reason, many tourist by-pass Kimberley and it was this self-same reason that I decided to purposefully travel to this city. In doing so, I found a well-hidden gem beneath the dusty surface of the region, simply waiting to be discovered by the intrepid traveller!
My arrival in Kimberley did not bode well. I arrived later than planned, and found myself bedless-and-breakfastless too. After several calls to hotels that were full, I found a room in a religious establishment of sorts. The greeting at the establishment was less than warm, to put it politely, however the room was clean and the bed comfortable and I was too tired to go elsewhere.
After a refreshing shower, I found myself in better spirits and it was with a spring in my step that I once again located my little run-around and headed into town. It was thus in a chirpy frame of mind that I found, and thoroughly enjoyed, what I believe to be Kimberley’s best kept secret. The Star of the West!
Just around the corner from the Big Hole, the Star of the West is a pub that draws its clientele from the locals. It is Kimberley’s oldest pub and it still serves beer to diamond diggers after the diamond markets on Saturdays. As a female, I was a bit concerned as to whether I was welcome when I noticed several worrying, framed newspaper cuttings – all dealing with the objection of the local drinkers (men) to allowing the weaker sex (women) into the pub. Fortunately, these do seem to be more of a decorative touch than a not-so-subtle warning, and I felt very welcome in the sparsely decorated interior.
The food was possibly the best that I had tasted in several weeks. I had eaten several steaks in Johannesburg, many at some of the priciest places in the city, but not one could compare to the steak and salad that I enjoyed in the Star of the West. And at a quarter of the price of my previous steak-encounters – a mere R40/ £4 – my credit card didn’t complain either!
You may think that this is enough for me to rate the place so highly, however it was the customers that made the evening for me. My neighbours at the bar comprised a priest and two diamond diggers, and they were some of the best live entertainment that I have witnessed in a pub for a long time. I was treated to some beautifully sung Afrikaans songs, a rousing rendition of Shosholoza – on the bar, no less! – and I was whirled around the “dance floor” (I use the term lightly) in a rapid, albeit drunken, two-step.
By the time I left to return to my little room, I felt quite at home and it was a heavy heart that I waved goodbye, knowing that I would not sample the fare or the entertainment of the establishment again. (Location: Near the big hole, on the corner of West and North Circular Roads.)
As sad as I was to leave the Star of the West the day before, I was quite happy to pay my bill and leave my accommodation in the morning after the night before.
I was looking forward to some seeing some of the mining sites, and the first on my list was a tour of Bultfontein Diamond mine. At nine o’clock sharp, I presented myself to a cheeky Yorkshire man who had been working in Kimberley for the longest time, having fallen into the trap of getting married.
After a brief video about diamonds and mining, I donned a very attractive, bright orange jumpsuit, a hard-hat and several heavy boxes attached to my belt which were to power my light. As promised, instead of wandering around a sanitised visitor centre, I found myself travelling 825 meters into the depths of the earth to the depths of the mine, where tourists weren’t of much interest to the miners.
Amid the noise of the turbines and engines, the dust, the mud, the heat and the heavy air, I and 10 others watched (and felt!) kimberlite being loosed with some form of explosive device, dragged out by trolleys, crushed and then transported to the surface for cleaning and sifting. And throughout, we enjoyed the friendly and informative banter of our guide, our Yorkshire man, asking both technical and social questions, receiving a range of answers that were both politically correct as well as those that were less so.
A reflection on real life, and a welcome change from the “politically correct, we’re reformed” burble that you so often find in countries that have had problems like those that South Africa has had.
The experience was fascinating and informative, highly recommended to all and sundry although probably not a great idea for the timid and claustrophobic! Tours last 3-and-a-half hours and are conducted Monday-Friday. Call +27 (0) 53 842 1321 (R75/ £7.50).
After this, I decided to stick with the mining theme and headed for the Kimberley Mine Museum, which is the only official way to get a good glimpse of the hole. Kimberley actually has five big holes, not one as many visitors think. The De Beers mine, which is situated a few steps away from the old De Beers boardroom, is larger than the Kimberley Hole, but the Kimberley hole is special because it was carved out of the earth entirely by brute manpower: pick and shovel. That's some 250 million tons of rock removed basically by hand to produce three coco pans of diamonds!!! (The three other mines belong to De Beers and are found in the South East of the city).
The mine museum has several attractions other than the Big Hole, so don’t be put off by having to pay to get in. The mine has two viewing platforms from which you can peer down into the gaping hole beneath the platform. It is partially filled with water, offering spectacular photo opportunities for happy snappers like me!
The cost of the ticket includes a free bucket of alluvial soil, which you can then sift through in search of a genuine Kimberley Diamond! This was great fun and I spent a thoroughly enjoyable 15 minutes crossing my fingers and toes before finding nothing at all, much to my disappointment as all the other “diggers” to my left and right were discovering mock diamonds left, right and center! Their discoveries led me to grumpily acknowledge that the claim of the museum that “your chances of striking it lucky are one in five” was probably a true claim.
The rest of the museum comprises a large collection of historic buildings including shops, banks, photograph shops, and even a ten pin bowling alley! With many authentic artifacts and original buildings rescued from the main Kimberley city center, this truly is a living museum! A word of warning though – try to avoid the midday heat! (Opening hours: daily from 8am – 6pm.)
Viewing these mines, one current and one historical, was an all day affair! Before I knew it, I was back in my car, heading away from Kimberley, on to my next destination.
Kimberley had made a significant impression on me. Dusty, yes. Glamorous and important? Perhaps not. But friendly and interesting and fun, yes. A recommendation for your South African tours? Definitely! I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
Further attractions
- Visit a local township (+27 (0) 53 843 0017)
- Visit the controlled area on the banks of the Vaal River (+27 (0) 53 842 0099)
- Visit the Anglo-Boer Battlefield at Magersfontein (+27 (0) 53 842 0099)
- Visit archaeological and San Rock art sites (+27 (0) 53 842 0099)
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Last Updated ( Dec 21, 2006 at 10:09 PM )
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A Wine Drenched Tour Along The Red Route of Paarl, South Africa |
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Written by Gregory Hudson
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Apr 24, 2005 at 03:18 PM |
The wine tradition in Paarl is older than the roots of the aging Oak Trees that line its Cape Dutch streets. The first European settlers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, planting the seeds that solidified the Cape's reputation as a wine growing heaven.
Now that the work has already been done, what else can you and I do but savour the delicate fruits pressed with decades of winemaking experience and travel the newly formed routes leading us to the finest wines in the world.
Forget the majesty of the Drakensberg Mountains, try to ignore the historic monuments perched loftily upon pearly hills, the kind of wine tasting to be done in Paarl will require every ounce of your concentration.
Now that we know what we are going to be doing in Paarl, apart from enjoying the scenery, let's make a journey into the winelands, delving into present day winemaking communities, uncovering their interesting attributes and tracing those lively wines to hideaways so often missed by the multitude.
Along the way, if we're lucky, we may make the acquaintance of a genuine Garagiste, a class of heretic garage winemakers shunned in France by the old school traditionalists because of the stir their independently crafted wines create. There might be a hint along the way as to where we might discover one of those who make these “Vins de Garage”. The mixture of Paarl's perfect climate and their special skills is sure to be very rewarding.
We start our journey at the entrance of the Hugenot Tunnel, the breach to the longest wine route in the world, also known as Route 62. But we go no further; what we are mostly concerned with is the infamous Red Route...
The Red Route
The Red Route, as you can imagine, is named because of the large amount and quality of red wines along its relaxing meander. It was formed by a collaboration of wine producers known as the Paarl Vintners (Wine Merchants). The Vintners diligently plotted a wine route for an estimated 24 participants, all found within the Paarl Valley. One or two of these include the De Zoete Inval Estate owned by the Frater family, who have been making wine here for more than 115 years. The Rhebokskloof Estate has also been producing wine since 1692. Unfortunately, the wine from that early period has already been consumed.
The Red Route is without question a collection of the most renowned wine producers in the world. Any effort made in finding them would not in any way be an inconvenience to your taste buds. The Red Route's Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are undoubtedly the best in the world.
Fairview
Not strictly a wine route, the Red Route is also, by happy coincidence, a cheese route. Which brings us to our next stop along our journey - Fairview.
Fairview is South Africa's largest producer of speciality cheeses. For over 25 years, dairy goats have supplied milk for a variety of cheeses ranging from Jersey Milk, Brie and Camembert to a wide variety of Italian and French-style cheeses.
If however that is not enough of an incentive to visit Fairview, a little historical rundown should serve to amplify your interest...
Fairview not only produces speciality cheeses, but also award-winning wines. In 1693, Simon van der Stel, the second governor of the Cape of Good Hope, allocated the original land at Fairview to Steven Vervey, a French Huguenot. The first wine was made on Fairview in 1699 and a long tradition has long since developed. Fairview started its own bottling in 1974 and auctioned its first bottled wines at the very first wine auction ever held in the country, pre-dating the now famous Nederburg Auction.
The Nederburg Auction
The Auction is Paarl's largest wine festival and is like the World Cup for winetasters. Held at the end of every summer, the auction epitomises what fine wine is all about. The very essence of the event lies in the tasting of 147 award winning wines, perhaps even those of the Garagistes, but you will have to wait and see!
The auction is a benchmark of quality for South African Wines and serves as a showcase for African wines to the international trade. Because of this, any label proclaiming “sold at the Nederburg Auction” is regarded as having an official stamp of approval, worldwide.
Too much talk about wine is liable to make a person a little obsessed. It is after all only fermented grape juice. But Paarl makes it well and the Red Route is the best place to find it.
Good wine naturally goes well with good food and Paarl offers some of the best restaurants in the Cape, serving a variety of foods that mingle well with a bottle of your favourite tipple.
Paarl is also a place rich in history with its architectural wonders. They seem to represent the concrete and stone versions of its fine wines. Each wine estate has a unique attraction - a gable, a special goat tower like the one at Fairview or even a gargoyle waiting for the flash of your camera.
Olive Tasting
Because tunnel vision limits the mind, many things can be missed along the Red Route. Take olive tasting for instance. This is becoming a major attraction on some of the estates, many of whom now grow Olive Trees for the export of olive oil.
The rest is up to you. Whether you get down to the specifics and finer details of wine tasting or broaden your horizons gazing over the Paarl Valley from Paarl Rock depends on which side of the tunnel you're on. Enjoy Paarl!
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Last Updated ( Dec 21, 2006 at 11:54 PM )
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Mossel Bay - A small harbour town with a lot of muscle! |
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Written by Gregory Hudson
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Apr 24, 2005 at 02:59 PM |
Named “Mossel Bay” by the famous Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerdon, whose crew consumed huge amounts of tasty molluscs after landing here in 1601. Today, this coastal town's famous muscles are prized by connoisseurs around the world, but Mossel Bay has other tasty treats just waiting to be discovered...
Between the East Coast and the Eden District
This area, known for good reason as the Eden District, is located on the East Coast of South Africa. Found at the start of a scenic strip aptly named the Garden Route. Mossel Bay is only 4 hours drive from Cape Town on an equally picturesque stretch of road well worth travelling for its own sake.
This is the place where the Indian Ocean laps pristine beaches and prehistoric fynbos dashes over hills... The climate has been compared to Hawaii, though it has its own unmistakable character. The Mozambique current, whose warm waters make for excellent swimming and sailing, have created a surfers Mecca similar to Plettenberg or Jeffrey’s Bay.
Mossel Bay rests on a tooth-like cape, or point, named Cape St Blaize. From here several beaches lie waiting to be devoured, sandy stretches like Dias Beach, Victoria Bay and Santos Reef are famed for good all year conditions, miles of walking space and dazzling-pink painted sunsets.
The land of the Gouriqua and Khoisan peoples
During the past two thousand years, the Mossel Bay region was inhabited by the Gouriqua, an indigenous Khoi khoi tribe, and earlier by the San people who were mainly hunter-gatherers. Cultural tours escort travellers to their existing settlements and enlighten them to the ways of these friendly inhabitants, the forefathers of our present indigenous people. A rich history is unravelled through cultural stories and the art of their ancestral cave paintings.
Things you'll discover in and around Mossel Bay...
Many hidden details are waiting to be discovered in Mossel Bay. Among the fascinating museums dedicated to the explorer Bartholomeu Dias, you'll find a curious old Tree. This old giant, named the Post Office Tree, is a Milkwood that is more than 500 years old. This tree oddly acquired the name “Post Office Tree” after mariners posted letters in an old boot strung around one of its wild and willing branches. A freshwater spring, which for the past 500 years has not run dry, flows beneath its aging roots. This tree is only one of Mossel Bay's many historical sites. Adventures in and around the town will uncover many more.
Repeatedly called “The Bay of Attractions” you can guess that there are no shortages of things to do in Mossel Bay. The only problem is where to start...
See the Great Karoo, Little Karoo (Semi-Arid deserts) and return to Mossel Bay via the garden route, all in one day:
Take the Klein-Karoo Day trip to Oudtshoorn and ride on the back of an Ostrich. See the Crocs and enjoy the Ostrich Show at an Ostrich Farm.
Stop by the Cango Wildlife & Cheetah Ranch to see the wildlife and even hug a cheetah!
Visit the Cango Caves and lose yourself in the magnitude and beauty of this subterranean underworld.
Experience the wonders of the indigenous forest with a Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour. Suspended 30 metres over the forest canopy, you can traverse from one platform to another along a steel cable.
Close to Mossel Bay is the experience and thrill of coming eye to eye with one of nature's oldest predators - The Great White Shark. With no diving qualifications or experience required you can face your fears surrounded by professional shark tour operators and a steel cage.
For a tamer experience, Mossel Bay provides the ideal viewing location for nature's friendlier sea fairing animals. Southern Right Whales, Humpback Whales, Brydes Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins and Jackass Penguins can all be seen by boat on the open seas.
Mossel Bay is more than just a muscle bound oasis at the end of the road...
Not that the journey to the garden route is something to complain about; it's only a semi-arid desert crossing after all. Apart from the superb scenery, rich historical excursions and a reputation as the Bay of Attractions, Mossel Bay is also a holiday destination with value for money, excellent dining experiences that suite everyone’s tastes and a fair-weathered, and an all year-round destination where the local advice of sitting back and just allowing life to happen makes a lot of sense once you get there.
If you ever find yourself adventuring in South Africa, discover Mossel Bay for yourself. The oasis at the end of the Garden Route...
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Last Updated ( Dec 21, 2006 at 11:55 PM )
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