Bali: Diving, Photography & Culture with Malcolm Hey

Bali's finest diving combined with leisure and cultural exploration for the non-diving partner

Saturday 2nd June - Tuesday 12th June 2001 (11 days)

Group size: 10 divers plus leader

The small volcanic island of Bali, with its rich cultural heritage, is the venue for Divequest's first combined diving and non-diving venture. For divers who want to holiday with their non-diving partners, this is a great opportunity. Combine fine diving, good accommodations, interesting food, a fascinating local culture and the warmth and friendliness of the Balinese people and you have the ideal holiday to keep everyone happy. The itinerary has been carefully crafted to make sure that we include the best diving that Bali has to offer and features two different areas. Pulau Menjangen (Deer Island) is off the northwest coast of Bali and is part of the Bali Barat National Park, while Tulamben, with its fine World War II shipwreck, is situated on the northeast coast.

One of the most beautiful and culturally rich islands in the world, Bali is a never-ending exotic festival of colour and pageantry. Bali's friendly people with their natural smile have welcomed travellers from around the world for many centuries. Culturally, Bali is unsurpassed. The Agama Hindu Dharma, practiced in Bali, is based on a complex ritual calendar and gives rise to a series of ceremonial events marked by dance performances, lavish and colourful temple rituals, and the wearing of amazing costumes. Non-divers in the group will be able to make a number of excursions to experience Bali's fascinating culture as well as have free time to relax, unwind and enjoy the splendid facilities of our quality resorts.

Malcolm has chosen Bali as the destination for this tour because of the opportunity to mix fine quality diving with the richness of the Balinese culture. Away from the crowded tourist areas in the south of the island we will stay, for the majority of the holiday, at two luxury resorts: Menjangen in the northwest and Tulamben in the northeast (both resorts have swimming pools, so even the non-divers will have a chance to get wet!).

Hidden away on Bali's northwest coast, just opposite Menjangen Island and next to the Bali Barat National Park, is the Mimpi Resort at Menjangen. Set in beautiful gardens overlooking its own private bay surrounded by mangroves, it offers the ultimate in dive resort luxury. The hot springs for which this part of the island is renowned feed the resort's own hot spring pools. Menjangen Island, a short boat ride from the resort, is one of Bali's top dive destinations. Steep craggy walls and grottoes with sea fans, whip corals and sponges, Schooling Bannerfish, butterflyfish, groupers, frogfish, triggerfish, sweetlips and the occasional reef shark make for exciting yet easy diving and plenty of photo opportunities.

Located on the northeast coast and at the foot of Mount Agung lies the Mimpi Resort at Tulamben, literally a few fin strokes away from world class dive sites. Along the 500-metre pebble beach is a diverse variety of accessible sites. The Tulamben Wreck, a US Liberty ship torpedoed by the Japanese in WWII must rank as one of the top shore dives in the world. Lying just 30 metres from the water's edge on a sandy slope, the hull is clothed with encrusting sponges, honeycomb oysters, soft corals, tunicates and crinoids and is the habitat for a vast range of marine life including a dense shoal of resident jacks, schooling Bumphead Parrotfish, stingrays, cornetfish, triggerfish, Coral Groupers, Scribble Filefish, rabbitfish, surgeonfish, numerous species of butterflyfish, clownfish, gobies and blennies, sergeant majors, bannerfish and pufferfish. Photographers can NEVER go in with the wrong lens here! Many coffee-table-book photographs were captured here. A little further along is a sandy slope with a low-lying reef which attracts octopus, moray eels and mantis shrimps, along with schools of reef fish. Rare and even new species of animals are encountered from time to time. The slope leads to a drop-off with good coral formations, sea fans, barrel sponges and soft coral, offering good wide-angle photo opportunities.

Whilst divers dive, those who prefer to stay on land can either relax in the resorts' gardens or make sightseeing and cultural excursions if they wish. Temples abound in Bali and are a highlight of any visit to the island. Expect the unexpected. Temple festivals are held frequently but the dates are unpredictable, as are other cultural events, so be prepared to stumble on a village festival in full swing.

Itinerary

Saturday 2nd June: Malaysia Airlines midday flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Sunday 3rd June: Morning arrival in Kuala Lumpur where we will connect with a Malaysia Airlines flight to Denpasar, arriving in the afternoon. Transfer through some of Bali's most beautiful countryside into the central highlands where we spend the first night in the very comfortable Bali Handara Country Club.

Monday 4th June: After breakfast we continue our scenic journey towards the coastal area of Menjangen, arriving in time for lunch, for a four nights stay at the Mimpi Resort. Afternoon boat dive.

Tuesday 5th June - Thursday 7th June: Two days boat diving at Menjangen Island and one at Secret Bay.

Friday 8th June: After breakfast we take the coastal road to Tulamben, stopping en route at places of interest and arriving in time for lunch at Mimpi Resort, Tulamben for a three nights stay. Afternoon shore dive at the Mimpi Resort, which is located at the water's edge and just a short distance from the famous wreck.

Saturday 9th June - Sunday 10th June: Two days shore diving at Tulamben.

Monday 11th June: Breakfast followed by a free morning. After a leisurely lunch at the resort we will depart in the afternoon for Denpasar Airport in time for the Malaysia Airlines late afternoon flight to Kuala Lumpur, connecting with the evening flight bound for London.

Tuesday 12th June: Morning arrival at London (Heathrow) Airport.

£1655 (non-divers: £1221) London/London

Includes:

· Scheduled flights London (Heathrow)/Kuala Lumpur/Denpasar/Kuala Lumpur/London (Heathrow) by Malaysia Airlines.

· Airport and inter-hotel transfers.

· 1 night half-board at Bali Handara Country Club on a twin/share basis.

· 4 nights room and breakfast at Mimpi Resort Menjangen on a twin/share basis.

· 3 nights room and breakfast at Mimpi Resort Tulamben on a twin/share basis.

· 4 days diving (10 boat dives in total), cylinders and weights at Dive Mimpi Resort, Menjangen.

· 3 days diving (7 shore dives in total), cylinders and weights at Dive Mimpi Resort, Tulamben.

· Services of Malcolm Hey as group leader.

Single Occupancy Supplement: £188. Please note that, while we will endeavour to find a room-mate for those on the expedition who are travelling alone and would prefer to share accommodation, in the event of a rom-mate not being available the full single room supplement will apply. Room-mates will be allocated on a first-come first served basis.

Deposit: £300

Note: Should two people travelling together apply for the last place on the tour, we may, at our discretion, increase the group size limit by one.