Indigo Safaris

  • Safari & Beach
    • South Africa >
      • Cape Town >
        • Cape Town Accommodation
        • Cape Town Sightseeing
      • Cape Winelands
      • The Garden Route >
        • Deluxe Garden Route
        • Classic Garden Route
        • Low-key Garden Route
      • Eastern Cape Reserves >
        • Deluxe Eastern Cape
        • Classic Eastern Cape
        • Low-key Eastern Cape
      • KwaZulu-Natal >
        • KwaZulu Natal Itineraries >
          • Deluxe KwaZulu Natal
          • Classic KwaZulu Natal
          • Low-key KwaZulu Natal
        • KwaZulu-Natal Game Reserves >
          • Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
          • Manyoni Game Reserve
          • Thanda Game Reserve
          • Phinda Game Reserve
          • Nambiti Game Reserve
          • Tembe Elephant Park
        • iSimangaliso Wetland Park
        • Battlefields
        • The Drakensberg
        • Durban
      • Greater Kruger >
        • Kruger National Park
        • Mala Mala Game Reserve
        • Sabi Sand Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Sabi Sand
          • Classic Sabi Sand
          • Low-key Sabi Sand
        • Timbavati Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Timbavati
          • Classic Timbavati
          • Low-key Timbavati
        • Klaserie Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Klaserie
          • Classic Klaserie
          • Low-key Klaserie
        • Balule Game Reserve
        • Thornybush Game Reserve
        • Kapama Game Reserve
        • Makalali Game Reserve
        • Manyeleti Game Reserve
        • Motlala Game Reserve
      • Madikwe Game Reserve >
        • Deluxe Madikwe
        • Classic Madikwe
      • Johannesburg
      • South Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Namibia >
      • Namibia Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Namibia
        • Classic Namibia
        • Low Key Namibia
      • Windhoek
      • Etosha
      • Kaokoland
      • Damaraland
      • Swakopmund and Skeleton Coast
      • Sossusvlei
      • NamibRand
      • Kalahari
      • Deep South
    • Botswana >
      • Botswana Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Botswana
        • Classic Botswana
        • Low-Key Botswana
      • Chobe National Park
      • Savuti
      • Khwai
      • Moremi Game Reserve
      • Linyanti & Kwando
      • Okavango Delta
      • Maun
      • Makgadikgadi Pans & Nxai Pan
      • Central Kalahari
    • Zimbabwe >
      • Zimbabwe Itineraries
      • Victoria Falls
      • Hwange National Park
      • Matopos
      • Mana Pools
      • Lake Kariba
    • Zambia >
      • Zambia Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Zambia
        • Classic Zambia
      • Livingstone >
        • Deluxe Livingstone
        • Classic Livingstone
        • Low-key Livingstone
      • Lower Zambezi National Park >
        • Deluxe Lower Zambezi
        • Classic Lower Zambezi
        • Low-Key Lower Zambezi
      • South Luangwa >
        • Deluxe South Luangwa
        • Classic South Luangwa
        • Low-Key South Luangwa
      • North Luangwa
      • Kafue National Park >
        • Deluxe Kafue
        • Classic Kafue
        • Low-Key Kafue
    • Malawi >
      • Malawi itineraries
      • Lake Malawi
      • Malawi National Parks
    • Mozambique >
      • Mozambique Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Mozambique
        • Classic Mozambique
      • Maputo
      • Ponta do Ouro
      • Vilanculos
      • Bazaruto Archipelago
      • Tofo & Barra
      • Quirimbas Archipelago >
        • Ibo Island
        • Medjumbe Island
    • Southern Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Tanzania >
      • Northern Tanzania >
        • Northern Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Northern Tanzania
          • Classic Northern Tanzania Itineraries
          • Low-Key Northern Tanzania itineraries
        • Arusha
        • Tarangire
        • Lake Manyara
        • Ngorongoro Crater
        • The Serengeti
      • Southern Tanzania >
        • Southern Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Southern Tanzania
          • Classic Southern Tanzania
          • Low Key Southern Tanzania
        • Selous Game Reserve/Nyerere National Park
        • Ruaha National Park
        • Mikumi National Park
        • Kilwa
      • Western Tanzania >
        • Western Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Western Tanzania
          • Classic Western Tanzania
        • Mahale National Park
        • Katavi National Park
        • Gombe Streams National Park
      • Tanzanian Islands >
        • Tanzanian Island itineraries >
          • Deluxe Tanzanian Islands
          • Classic Tanzanian Islands
          • Low-Key Tanzanian Islands
        • Zanzibar >
          • Stone Town
          • Zanzibar Beaches
        • Pemba Island >
          • Pemba Island History & Culture
        • Mafia Island >
          • Mafia Island Activities
          • Mafia Island History
        • Fanjove Island
        • Lazy Lagoon
      • Tanzania Combination Itineraries
    • Kenya >
      • Kenya Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Kenya
        • Classic Kenya
        • Low-Key Kenya
      • Nairobi
      • Maasai Mara Conservancies
      • Maasai Mara National Reserve
      • Amboseli National Park
      • Laikipia Plateau
      • Rift Valley Lakes
      • Samburu Buffalo Springs & Shaba National Reserves
      • Tsavo National Park
    • Uganda >
      • Uganda Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Uganda
        • Classic Uganda
        • Low Key Uganda
      • Entebbe, Kampala & Lake Victoria
      • Lake Mburo
      • Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
      • Queen Elizabeth National Park
      • Kibale Forest Area
      • Murchison Falls
      • Jinja
      • Kidepo Valley
    • East Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Madagascar >
      • Antananarivo & Around
      • Madagascar East
      • Route National 7
      • Madagascar North
      • Madagascar West
      • Madagascar South
      • Madagascar Islands
    • Mauritius >
      • Mauritius Itineraries
      • Mauritius Beaches
      • Mauritius Interior
    • Maldives >
      • Deluxe Maldives
      • Classic Maldives
      • Low-key Maldives
    • Seychelles >
      • Seychelles Inner Islands >
        • North Island
        • Mahé
        • Praslin
        • La Digue
        • Silhouette
        • Round Island
        • Bird Island
        • Cerf Island
        • Chauve Souris
        • Cousine Island
        • Denis Island
        • Frégate Island
        • Ste Anne
      • Seychelles Outer Islands >
        • Alphonse Island
        • Astove Atoll
        • Cosmoledo Atoll
        • Desroches
        • Aldabra Atoll
        • Assumption
        • African Banks
        • D’Arros Island
        • Poivre Atoll
        • Remire Island
        • St Joseph Atoll
        • Coëtivy Island
        • Platte
    • St Helena >
      • St Helena Accommodation
      • Walks
      • Post Box Walks
      • Place to Visit
      • St Helena Nature
      • St Helena Diving
  • Diving & Snorkelling
    • Africa and the Indian Ocean >
      • South Africa Diving >
        • Cape Town Diving
        • Kwazulu Natal Diving >
          • Aliwal Shoal
          • Protea Banks
          • Sodwana Bay
        • Sardine Run
      • Tanzania Diving >
        • Zanzibar diving
        • Pemba Diving
        • Mafia Island Diving
      • St Helena Diving >
        • St Helena Dive and Snorkel Trips 2025
      • Maldives >
        • Maldives Deep South
        • Maldives Liveaboards >
          • Blueforce 1
          • Carpe Diem
          • Carpe Novo
          • Carpe Vita
          • Blue Spirit
          • Blue Voyager
          • Emperor Explorer
          • Duke of York
          • MV Sheena
      • Seychelles Diving >
        • Alphonse Diving
        • Cosmoledo Diving
    • Caribbean & Americas >
      • Bahamas >
        • Travel Information
        • Bimini >
          • ​Bimini Hilton Resort World
          • ​Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina
          • Bimini Diving
          • Bimini Dive packages
        • Andros Island >
          • Small Hope Bay Lodge
        • San Salvador
        • Grand Bahama
        • New Providence
        • Long Island
        • The Exumas
        • Bahamas liveaboards
        • Bahamas Tiger Beach Shark Safari 2021
      • Turks and Caicos >
        • Humpback whale snorkeling
      • Dominica >
        • Dominica Sperm Whales
        • Dominica Diving
      • St Eustatia -Statia
      • Mexico >
        • Baja Sur >
          • Sea of Cortez Liveaboards >
            • Mobulas and Orcas - Sea of Cortez Marine Safari
            • Rocio Del Mar
            • Quino el Guardian
          • Socorro >
            • Nautilus Under Sea trip May 2026
          • La Paz
          • Cabo San Lucas >
            • Striped Marlin And The Mexican Sardine Run Magdelena Bay
            • The Pelagic Safari
            • Cabo San Lucas Diving
            • Cabo San Lucas Dive Rates
      • The Galapagos >
        • Galapagos Liveaboards >
          • ​AGGRESSOR III
          • Humboldt Explorer
          • Galapagos Master
        • Galapagos Land Based Multi-Island
        • Galapagos wildlife cruises >
          • MY San Jose
          • MY Eden
          • SY Nemo I
          • MY Archipell I
      • Cocos Island >
        • Cocos Dive sites
        • Okeanos Aggressor I
        • Okeanos Aggressor II
        • Sea Hunter
        • Argo
    • Indonesia >
      • Bali >
        • Seminyak Luxury Accommodation
        • Bali Dive Safaris
      • Komodo National Park >
        • Komodo Liveaboards >
          • Pratiwi
          • Lalunia
          • Sinar Pagi
        • Kalimaya Resort >
          • Kalimaya Resort Accommodation
          • Kalimaya Resort Diving
      • West Papua and Raja Ampat >
        • Dampier Straits dive sites
        • Indonesia Liveaboards
        • Papua Explorers
        • Kri eco resort
        • Sorido Bay Resort
        • The Baliem Valley >
          • The Baliem Valley Tour 1
      • Lembeh >
        • Lembeh Diving
        • NAD Lembeh Resort >
          • NAD Lembeh Diving
        • Lembeh Resort
        • Cocotinos Lembeh Resort
        • Two Fish Lembeh Resort
      • Bangka Island >
        • Bangka Accommodation
        • Bangka Diving
      • Siladen Island >
        • Siladen Resort
        • Siladen Diving
      • Manado >
        • Two Fish Resort Bunaken
        • Cocotinos Manado Resort
        • Murex Manado Resort
        • Manado Diving
      • Indonesia Liveaboards >
        • Raja Ampat Aggressor
        • Emperor Raja Laut
        • Ondina Liveaboard
        • Sea Safari 8
        • Sea Safari VI
        • Sea Safari VII
        • Cheng Ho
        • Amira Liveaboard
        • Indo Aggressor
        • Tambora Liveaboard
        • Seahorse Liveaboard
        • Adelaar Liveaboard
        • Damai I Liveaboard
        • Damai II Liveaboard
        • Tarata Liveaboard
        • Ambai Liveaboard
        • Gaia Love
        • Putri Papua
        • Indo Siren Liveaboard
        • TemuKira Liveaboard
        • Solitude Adventurer
        • Pearl of Papua
        • Seven Seas
        • Pindito Liveaboard
        • Mermaid I Liveaboard
        • Mermaid II Liveaboard
        • Dewi Nusantara
        • Coralia liveaboard
        • Blue Manta
        • True North
    • Oceania and The South Pacific >
      • Papua New Guinea >
        • PNG Dive Specials
        • Tufi >
          • At Tufi Dive Resort
          • Tufi Reefs And Muck Diving
          • Tufi Wrecks
          • Tufi Fishing
          • Tufi Village Guesthouses Stays
          • Tufi Birding and Wildlife
          • Tufi Gallery
          • Tufi Videos
        • Walindi >
          • At Walindi Plantation Resort
          • Walindi Tours and Walks
          • Walindi Bird Watching
          • Walindi Diving
          • Walindi Gallery
          • Walindi videos
        • Lissenung Island Resort >
          • Lissenung Island Life
          • Lissenung Island accommodation
          • Lissenung Diving
          • Lissenung Surfing
          • Lissenung Fishing
          • Lissenung Tours
          • Lissenung Gallery
          • Lissenung Videos
        • Rapopo Plantation Resort >
          • Rapopo Diving
          • Rapopo Tours
        • Papua New Guinea Liveaboards >
          • MV Oceania >
            • MV Oceania Itineraries
          • MV FeBrina >
            • On Board The Febrina
            • MV FeBrina Itineraries
            • Mv Febrina Gallery
            • Mv Febrina Videos
        • Madang >
          • Madang Accommodation
          • Madang Diving
      • Truk Lagoon Escorted trip November 2023
    • South East Asia >
      • The Philippines >
        • Puerto Galera >
          • Puerto Galera diving
          • Puerto Galera Tours and activities
          • Atlantis Resort Puerto Galera Special Offer
        • Anilao, Batangas >
          • Aiyanar Beach & Dive Resort >
            • Aiyanar diving
        • Philippines Liveaboard >
          • Philippines Siren
          • Siren Southern Visayas
          • Siren Leyte
          • Moalboal >
            • Magic Island Resort Accommodation
            • Magic Island Resort Diving
          • Siren Tubbataha
        • Bohol >
          • Magic Ocean Resort Accommodation
          • Magic Ocean Resort Diving
        • Negros >
          • Atlantis Dumaguete >
            • Atlantis Dumaguete Accommodation
            • Atlantis Dumaguete Diving
          • Punta Bulata >
            • Punta Bulata Accommodation
            • Punta Bulata Diving
  • Contact Us
  • Why Book With Us?
  • Testimonials
  • About Us
  • Giving back
  • Indigoblog
  • Safari & Beach
    • South Africa >
      • Cape Town >
        • Cape Town Accommodation
        • Cape Town Sightseeing
      • Cape Winelands
      • The Garden Route >
        • Deluxe Garden Route
        • Classic Garden Route
        • Low-key Garden Route
      • Eastern Cape Reserves >
        • Deluxe Eastern Cape
        • Classic Eastern Cape
        • Low-key Eastern Cape
      • KwaZulu-Natal >
        • KwaZulu Natal Itineraries >
          • Deluxe KwaZulu Natal
          • Classic KwaZulu Natal
          • Low-key KwaZulu Natal
        • KwaZulu-Natal Game Reserves >
          • Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
          • Manyoni Game Reserve
          • Thanda Game Reserve
          • Phinda Game Reserve
          • Nambiti Game Reserve
          • Tembe Elephant Park
        • iSimangaliso Wetland Park
        • Battlefields
        • The Drakensberg
        • Durban
      • Greater Kruger >
        • Kruger National Park
        • Mala Mala Game Reserve
        • Sabi Sand Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Sabi Sand
          • Classic Sabi Sand
          • Low-key Sabi Sand
        • Timbavati Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Timbavati
          • Classic Timbavati
          • Low-key Timbavati
        • Klaserie Game Reserve >
          • Deluxe Klaserie
          • Classic Klaserie
          • Low-key Klaserie
        • Balule Game Reserve
        • Thornybush Game Reserve
        • Kapama Game Reserve
        • Makalali Game Reserve
        • Manyeleti Game Reserve
        • Motlala Game Reserve
      • Madikwe Game Reserve >
        • Deluxe Madikwe
        • Classic Madikwe
      • Johannesburg
      • South Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Namibia >
      • Namibia Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Namibia
        • Classic Namibia
        • Low Key Namibia
      • Windhoek
      • Etosha
      • Kaokoland
      • Damaraland
      • Swakopmund and Skeleton Coast
      • Sossusvlei
      • NamibRand
      • Kalahari
      • Deep South
    • Botswana >
      • Botswana Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Botswana
        • Classic Botswana
        • Low-Key Botswana
      • Chobe National Park
      • Savuti
      • Khwai
      • Moremi Game Reserve
      • Linyanti & Kwando
      • Okavango Delta
      • Maun
      • Makgadikgadi Pans & Nxai Pan
      • Central Kalahari
    • Zimbabwe >
      • Zimbabwe Itineraries
      • Victoria Falls
      • Hwange National Park
      • Matopos
      • Mana Pools
      • Lake Kariba
    • Zambia >
      • Zambia Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Zambia
        • Classic Zambia
      • Livingstone >
        • Deluxe Livingstone
        • Classic Livingstone
        • Low-key Livingstone
      • Lower Zambezi National Park >
        • Deluxe Lower Zambezi
        • Classic Lower Zambezi
        • Low-Key Lower Zambezi
      • South Luangwa >
        • Deluxe South Luangwa
        • Classic South Luangwa
        • Low-Key South Luangwa
      • North Luangwa
      • Kafue National Park >
        • Deluxe Kafue
        • Classic Kafue
        • Low-Key Kafue
    • Malawi >
      • Malawi itineraries
      • Lake Malawi
      • Malawi National Parks
    • Mozambique >
      • Mozambique Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Mozambique
        • Classic Mozambique
      • Maputo
      • Ponta do Ouro
      • Vilanculos
      • Bazaruto Archipelago
      • Tofo & Barra
      • Quirimbas Archipelago >
        • Ibo Island
        • Medjumbe Island
    • Southern Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Tanzania >
      • Northern Tanzania >
        • Northern Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Northern Tanzania
          • Classic Northern Tanzania Itineraries
          • Low-Key Northern Tanzania itineraries
        • Arusha
        • Tarangire
        • Lake Manyara
        • Ngorongoro Crater
        • The Serengeti
      • Southern Tanzania >
        • Southern Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Southern Tanzania
          • Classic Southern Tanzania
          • Low Key Southern Tanzania
        • Selous Game Reserve/Nyerere National Park
        • Ruaha National Park
        • Mikumi National Park
        • Kilwa
      • Western Tanzania >
        • Western Tanzania itineraries >
          • Deluxe Western Tanzania
          • Classic Western Tanzania
        • Mahale National Park
        • Katavi National Park
        • Gombe Streams National Park
      • Tanzanian Islands >
        • Tanzanian Island itineraries >
          • Deluxe Tanzanian Islands
          • Classic Tanzanian Islands
          • Low-Key Tanzanian Islands
        • Zanzibar >
          • Stone Town
          • Zanzibar Beaches
        • Pemba Island >
          • Pemba Island History & Culture
        • Mafia Island >
          • Mafia Island Activities
          • Mafia Island History
        • Fanjove Island
        • Lazy Lagoon
      • Tanzania Combination Itineraries
    • Kenya >
      • Kenya Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Kenya
        • Classic Kenya
        • Low-Key Kenya
      • Nairobi
      • Maasai Mara Conservancies
      • Maasai Mara National Reserve
      • Amboseli National Park
      • Laikipia Plateau
      • Rift Valley Lakes
      • Samburu Buffalo Springs & Shaba National Reserves
      • Tsavo National Park
    • Uganda >
      • Uganda Itineraries >
        • Deluxe Uganda
        • Classic Uganda
        • Low Key Uganda
      • Entebbe, Kampala & Lake Victoria
      • Lake Mburo
      • Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
      • Queen Elizabeth National Park
      • Kibale Forest Area
      • Murchison Falls
      • Jinja
      • Kidepo Valley
    • East Africa Combination Itineraries
    • Madagascar >
      • Antananarivo & Around
      • Madagascar East
      • Route National 7
      • Madagascar North
      • Madagascar West
      • Madagascar South
      • Madagascar Islands
    • Mauritius >
      • Mauritius Itineraries
      • Mauritius Beaches
      • Mauritius Interior
    • Maldives >
      • Deluxe Maldives
      • Classic Maldives
      • Low-key Maldives
    • Seychelles >
      • Seychelles Inner Islands >
        • North Island
        • Mahé
        • Praslin
        • La Digue
        • Silhouette
        • Round Island
        • Bird Island
        • Cerf Island
        • Chauve Souris
        • Cousine Island
        • Denis Island
        • Frégate Island
        • Ste Anne
      • Seychelles Outer Islands >
        • Alphonse Island
        • Astove Atoll
        • Cosmoledo Atoll
        • Desroches
        • Aldabra Atoll
        • Assumption
        • African Banks
        • D’Arros Island
        • Poivre Atoll
        • Remire Island
        • St Joseph Atoll
        • Coëtivy Island
        • Platte
    • St Helena >
      • St Helena Accommodation
      • Walks
      • Post Box Walks
      • Place to Visit
      • St Helena Nature
      • St Helena Diving
  • Diving & Snorkelling
    • Africa and the Indian Ocean >
      • South Africa Diving >
        • Cape Town Diving
        • Kwazulu Natal Diving >
          • Aliwal Shoal
          • Protea Banks
          • Sodwana Bay
        • Sardine Run
      • Tanzania Diving >
        • Zanzibar diving
        • Pemba Diving
        • Mafia Island Diving
      • St Helena Diving >
        • St Helena Dive and Snorkel Trips 2025
      • Maldives >
        • Maldives Deep South
        • Maldives Liveaboards >
          • Blueforce 1
          • Carpe Diem
          • Carpe Novo
          • Carpe Vita
          • Blue Spirit
          • Blue Voyager
          • Emperor Explorer
          • Duke of York
          • MV Sheena
      • Seychelles Diving >
        • Alphonse Diving
        • Cosmoledo Diving
    • Caribbean & Americas >
      • Bahamas >
        • Travel Information
        • Bimini >
          • ​Bimini Hilton Resort World
          • ​Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina
          • Bimini Diving
          • Bimini Dive packages
        • Andros Island >
          • Small Hope Bay Lodge
        • San Salvador
        • Grand Bahama
        • New Providence
        • Long Island
        • The Exumas
        • Bahamas liveaboards
        • Bahamas Tiger Beach Shark Safari 2021
      • Turks and Caicos >
        • Humpback whale snorkeling
      • Dominica >
        • Dominica Sperm Whales
        • Dominica Diving
      • St Eustatia -Statia
      • Mexico >
        • Baja Sur >
          • Sea of Cortez Liveaboards >
            • Mobulas and Orcas - Sea of Cortez Marine Safari
            • Rocio Del Mar
            • Quino el Guardian
          • Socorro >
            • Nautilus Under Sea trip May 2026
          • La Paz
          • Cabo San Lucas >
            • Striped Marlin And The Mexican Sardine Run Magdelena Bay
            • The Pelagic Safari
            • Cabo San Lucas Diving
            • Cabo San Lucas Dive Rates
      • The Galapagos >
        • Galapagos Liveaboards >
          • ​AGGRESSOR III
          • Humboldt Explorer
          • Galapagos Master
        • Galapagos Land Based Multi-Island
        • Galapagos wildlife cruises >
          • MY San Jose
          • MY Eden
          • SY Nemo I
          • MY Archipell I
      • Cocos Island >
        • Cocos Dive sites
        • Okeanos Aggressor I
        • Okeanos Aggressor II
        • Sea Hunter
        • Argo
    • Indonesia >
      • Bali >
        • Seminyak Luxury Accommodation
        • Bali Dive Safaris
      • Komodo National Park >
        • Komodo Liveaboards >
          • Pratiwi
          • Lalunia
          • Sinar Pagi
        • Kalimaya Resort >
          • Kalimaya Resort Accommodation
          • Kalimaya Resort Diving
      • West Papua and Raja Ampat >
        • Dampier Straits dive sites
        • Indonesia Liveaboards
        • Papua Explorers
        • Kri eco resort
        • Sorido Bay Resort
        • The Baliem Valley >
          • The Baliem Valley Tour 1
      • Lembeh >
        • Lembeh Diving
        • NAD Lembeh Resort >
          • NAD Lembeh Diving
        • Lembeh Resort
        • Cocotinos Lembeh Resort
        • Two Fish Lembeh Resort
      • Bangka Island >
        • Bangka Accommodation
        • Bangka Diving
      • Siladen Island >
        • Siladen Resort
        • Siladen Diving
      • Manado >
        • Two Fish Resort Bunaken
        • Cocotinos Manado Resort
        • Murex Manado Resort
        • Manado Diving
      • Indonesia Liveaboards >
        • Raja Ampat Aggressor
        • Emperor Raja Laut
        • Ondina Liveaboard
        • Sea Safari 8
        • Sea Safari VI
        • Sea Safari VII
        • Cheng Ho
        • Amira Liveaboard
        • Indo Aggressor
        • Tambora Liveaboard
        • Seahorse Liveaboard
        • Adelaar Liveaboard
        • Damai I Liveaboard
        • Damai II Liveaboard
        • Tarata Liveaboard
        • Ambai Liveaboard
        • Gaia Love
        • Putri Papua
        • Indo Siren Liveaboard
        • TemuKira Liveaboard
        • Solitude Adventurer
        • Pearl of Papua
        • Seven Seas
        • Pindito Liveaboard
        • Mermaid I Liveaboard
        • Mermaid II Liveaboard
        • Dewi Nusantara
        • Coralia liveaboard
        • Blue Manta
        • True North
    • Oceania and The South Pacific >
      • Papua New Guinea >
        • PNG Dive Specials
        • Tufi >
          • At Tufi Dive Resort
          • Tufi Reefs And Muck Diving
          • Tufi Wrecks
          • Tufi Fishing
          • Tufi Village Guesthouses Stays
          • Tufi Birding and Wildlife
          • Tufi Gallery
          • Tufi Videos
        • Walindi >
          • At Walindi Plantation Resort
          • Walindi Tours and Walks
          • Walindi Bird Watching
          • Walindi Diving
          • Walindi Gallery
          • Walindi videos
        • Lissenung Island Resort >
          • Lissenung Island Life
          • Lissenung Island accommodation
          • Lissenung Diving
          • Lissenung Surfing
          • Lissenung Fishing
          • Lissenung Tours
          • Lissenung Gallery
          • Lissenung Videos
        • Rapopo Plantation Resort >
          • Rapopo Diving
          • Rapopo Tours
        • Papua New Guinea Liveaboards >
          • MV Oceania >
            • MV Oceania Itineraries
          • MV FeBrina >
            • On Board The Febrina
            • MV FeBrina Itineraries
            • Mv Febrina Gallery
            • Mv Febrina Videos
        • Madang >
          • Madang Accommodation
          • Madang Diving
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NEWS AND STUFF

St HELENA 2020

6/3/2020

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From the end of February to the middle of March, I spent three weeks on St Helena escorting three groups of divers and snorkellers to one of the remotest permanently inhabited islands in the world. Although my third visit, and my longest, in three years, the island continues to enchant with its mix of history, stunning and varied landscapes, endemic and iconic fish life, and friendly village atmosphere. 

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The first group contained a number of fish specialists, super keen to add to their list of unusual sightings. They weren't disappointed. After the first two dives Alain Diringer, author of several fish ID bThe first group contained a number of fish specialists, super keen to add to their list of unusual sightings. They weren't disappointed. After the first two dives Alain Diringer, author of several fish ID books, said "well that's about half of them in two dives!". St Helena is home to 50 identified indigenous species of marine life, with more in the process of being classified. Some of the more common endemics are visible on most dive sites, and the St Helena Butterflyfish, a.k.a. the Cunningfish (for its ability to nibble bait off a hook without taking the hook), is on every dive, in hundreds of thousands. On most sites there is a spot with vast clouds of them, mesmerising divers. It feels like floating in snowflakes as the fish wibble and wobble individually but swaying as a group. Their abundance at this time of year is due to their reproductive cycle; they spawn around the end of December to mid-January.

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As well as hypnotising divers, they provide sustenance for many species. In the gallery there is shot of a grouper who has caught one the wrong way round (tail first), scorpionfish sit on the sand, sometimes next to each other, waiting for lunch to swim in front of their grumpy-looking mouth, trumpetfish are present in numbers I have never witnessed elsewhere, small schools of large Almaco jacks prey on them regularly,  and soon after the spawning season, Chilean Devil Rays swim through the clouds of eggs and tiny juveniles, mouth open. 
 
The Chilean devil rays here are impressive, the size of a small manta ray, the males reaching up to 3.7 metres disc-width. They were prone to turning up on the wrecks and off the tips of ledges all along the leeward coastline. Each week we had half-a-dozen encounters, occasionally with two individuals trying to mate, as it is the mating season for everyone here.

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The stars of the show, the adult Whale sharks, come here to mate, and, according the world’s leading whale shark specialists from the Marine Megafauna Foundation and Georgia Aquarium, this is the only spot in the world where we think this happens. It must happen elsewhere too, but they have no idea where. Despite being the biggest fish in the oceans, we know very little about it, and St Helena has become one of the key areas for research. What we do know is that their arrival here coincides with the annual Skipjack tuna and Pompano spawnings, the results of which the Whale sharks love to gobble down. We also green turtles mating on the surface several times.
 
On each of our twice weekly Whale shark snorkels (and each of the four snorkels the non-divers did), we got to spend an hour swimming alongside these 9-metre-plus docile giants.  Twice we found them in James Bay, by the yacht moorings, and they also put in an appearance on a few of the dives.
 
The snorkellers were treated to large schools of pantropical spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, and Rough-toothed dolphins, mating green turtles, and more Chilean devil rays. Ona trip to Egg Island they also encountered Madeiran storm petrels, Red-billed tropic birds, Brown and Masked boobies, Brown and Black noddies, and Sooty and Fairy terns.

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St Helena also has its own endemic bird; the St Helena Plover, a.k.a. the Wirebird. We found it up on the open ground just past Longwood, Napoleon’s last residence, on the open plain that once held 6000 Boer War prisoners of war between 1900 and 1902. Our one day 4x4 island tour also took in the varied landscapes of the island, the Governor’s residence of Plantation House and the oldest living terrestrial mammal on the planet, Jonathan the tortoise (189 candles on his last cake), the now-defunct flax mills, the myserious Bell Stone, and numerous fortifications including Sandy Bay and the massive High Knoll Fort.
 
Overlooking Jamestown, the view from the top of the 699 steps of Jacob’s Ladder leading to the Ladder Fort on the west side of town, and Munden’s Battery to the east, were favourite short walks each week. For two groups, I also arranged private visits of Longwood House and Plantation House on spare afternoons, and others walked up to the highest point of the island, Diana’s Peak (822 metres ASL).

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Dinners at the Mantis Hotel were as popular as ever, and I got the chef to concoct “Saintviche”, a local derivative of the South American fish dish, Ceviche. Getting coriander is almost impossible, there is little local agriculture, despite the island’s temperate climate with good rainfall, as the steep terrain makes mechanised farming impossible. Lime is also not commonly imported, so we used lemon, grapefruit, mint, parsley and some just-caught tuna. The result was universally popular, and hopefully it will be added to the menu on the next update. Fresh fish is abundant, yellowfin and skipjack tuna and wahoo are the most common, and we also sampled Soldierfish, Bullseyes, and Grouper at Annie’s. I also bought some fresh spiny and slipper lobsters from our excellent skipper, Duffy, and had them grilled at Annie’s. All in, the lobster dinner cost us £11 for two half lobsters, salads, and chips.
 
Next year’s trips are filling up already, so if you want to join, don’t dally. We have a budget week in self-catering accommodation five minutes from town, and a week in the Mantis Hotel in the heart of Jamestown, that can be found here. We also create bespoke itineraries tailored to your requirements any time of year. ​

St helena underwater

st helena Top Side

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    Photographer, conservationist, dive and field guide, teller of bad jokes.

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