NOVEMBER 2024 NEWSETTER
DIVE & AFRICA DISCOVERY TRAVEL
Change is in the air! Cool crisp evenings, some rain and time to think about wonderful future travel plans!
Our Scuba Dive Industry Travel trade show DEMA is coming soon; Nov 19-22 2024 in Las Vegas. Some specials below.
DEMA specials:
Galapagos: Tiburon Explorer & Humboldt Explorer from $500.00 to $1100.00 pp off depending on the departure and boat. Also extra comps for small groups; 5+1 or 10+2.
Solitude Liveaboards & Resorts: In Indonesia & Philippines offering 10-15% off select departures for end of 2024 & 2025.
Nautilus Adventures:
Combo Socorro island trips savings of $800.00 per person and more in June travel time frame. Book between Nov 18 – 22, 2024 Initial payment received by Nov 28. First come, first served. Space available.
Or Six pack: Book 5 get 1 free,. Any 2025 Mexico departure
Or Socorro, June 2025 , $2750 pp dbl occ Stateroom accommodation, 4 guests max per departure date
Or The most extraordinary whale interaction on the planet; San Ignacio lagoon gray whales
April 2025, 8 days / 7 nights, 3 nights fly-in luxury camping + 4 nights hotel Cabo San Lucas
Includes 2 days of boat diving. $2995. WOW!!!!!!!! New bookings only
Indonesia: Damai Liveaboard 2025 specials:
Alor- Komodo May 10-18 = 8nts $4480pp was $5560pp
Komodo May 20-27 = 7nts $3892pp was $4865pp
Komodo May 28-June 4= 7nts $3892pp was $4865pp
Komodo-Bali June 6-16= 10nts $5560pp was $6950pp
Komodo Sept 3-14 = 11nts $6116pp was $7645pp
Komodo-Alor Sept 16-27= 11nts $6116pp was $7645pp
Dive into Lembeh & Dive Into Raja Ampat:
10% discount on our All inclusive packages –
This offer starts at DEMA and can be booked up to 1 month after the show ends, and is valid for travel up to the end of 2025.
Metita Dive Resort- North Halmahera: all new lovely dive resort. Offering 10% off. Booking window from Nov 19-Dec 19.
Travel Nov 19 2024 through to Oct 31 2025.
Dewi Nusantara Liveaboard:
Enjoy a 20% discount* when booking upcoming cruises, including cruises during the winter festive season. Let your guests experience the magic of Christmas and New Year aboard our luxury liveaboard!
All of Raja Ampat, 16 – 27 Dec 2024.
All of Raja Ampat, 28 Dec 2024 – 8 Jan 2025.
All of Raja Ampat, 28 Jan – 8 Feb 2025.
Triton Bay, Bomberai Peninsula & Eastern Forgotten Islands,
18 – 25 Mar 2025.
Eastern Forgotten IS., Banda IS., Central Maluku & Ambon,
31 Mar – 11 Apr 2025.
Ambon, Central Maluku & Banda Islands, 13 – 24 Apr 2025.
Ambon, Central Maluku & Banda Islands, 25 Apr – 6 May 2025.
Emperor Liveaboards:
Explorer Maldives; Emperor Serenity Maldives;
Emperor Harmoni Indonesia; Emperor Seven Seas Red Sea.
Offering extra COMPS and free Nitrox, booking made before DEC 13 2024. AND Save BIG with $500 off per person! Year round (through 2026)
Magdalena Bay, Mexico:
Striped Marlin Mexican Sardine Run, Land based:
2 spots open THIS DEC 8-14 2024.
$3300 per person USD for 5 days on the water, transportation and accommodation included.
And there is so much more! Sea turtles, dolphins, mobula rays, as well as coastal birds like Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds
• 4-5 pax: USD 6500/person (this tour needs 4 people to go)
• 6-9 pax: USD 6107/person
• Single Supplement: USD 1122
Price includes:
• All transportation including roundtrip airport transfer
• Accommodations in hotels and camps as indicated in itinerary
• All meals from welcome dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day
• Daily happy hour and two drinks with dinner at the island camp
• All adventures and related equipment as indicated in the itinerary
• Bilingual naturalist guide(s) who is a certified Wilderness First Responder, NOM-9 Graduate and Leave No Trace certified
• Entrance fee and permits
Price Excludes:
• International airfare
• Gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Any activities, meals or drinks not explicitly identified in the itinerary
The Baja Ocean Safari, itinerary here available February 1-March 10. It’s a very limited window in which we can see all the species. This program is run only by request with a minimum of 4 people.
The pricing is as follows:
4-5 pax: USD 6,500/person * Must have 4 people to make this go.
Single Supplement: USD 1125
Price includes:
* All transportation including roundtrip airport transfer.
* Accommodations in hotels and camps as indicated in itinerary.
* All meals from welcome dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day.
* Daily happy hour and two drinks with dinner at the island camp.
* All adventures and related equipment as indicated in the itinerary.
* Bilingual naturalist guide(s) who is a certified Wilderness First Responder, NOM-9 * Graduate and Leave No Trace certified.
* Entrance fee and permits.
Excludes:
* International airfare.
* Gratuities.
* Travel insurance.
* Any activities, meals or drinks not explicitly identified in the itinerary.
Whales:
Humpback Whale season in the South Pacific starts July through mid October. Tonga and Tahiti are great places to kick back, and snorkel with these gentle giants.
Let us know if you have an interest in being eyeball to eyeball with these gorgeous whales!
In the northern Hemisphere, humpback whales arrive to the Silver Banks in January through mid April. Limited space, let me know if you are interested.
~ Standard Cabin 1: one space, female share
~ Standard Cabin 3: two spaces
~ Standard Cabin 6: one space, male share
~ Deluxe Twin Cabin 5: two spaces
~ Deluxe Queen Cabin 7: two spaces
SARDINE RUN IN SOUTH AFRICA:
This incredible event takes place called The sardine run; its off South Africa’s shoreline occurs from June through July when billions of sardines spawn in the waters off the Agulhas Bank and then congregate and move northward along the east coast of South Africa.
The best place to view the sardine run is between Port St Johns and Port Edward in June and July. Mkambati is right at the heart of the action! The sheer number of sardines (sometimes a shoal will be many kilometres long) creates a feeding frenzy along the coastline where every conceivable predator feasts on the migrating fish – both in the sea and from the air. Schools of thousands of dolphins, sharks and Bryde’s whales are common at this time of year.
*We are offering 2 different options for this magical short lived event from June 8-July 30 2025.
Port St Johns is our long time operator staying at 3 star accommodation.
* GweGwe Lodge in Mkambati north of Port St Johns is our 5 star option,
a very special place.
Read about it here
We are combining the Sardine Run in South Africa with world class safari options, the South African Rand to USD is a super value for Americans! We also Love Cape Town for all the activities you can do, The Mother City has so much to offer! Hiking, walking, trekking wine tasting, kayaking with penguins, SUP’ing.
We have many adventures to suit all levels of fitness and interest.
**South Africa anytime is a great place to start your Africa Adventures! We can offer any type of safari adventure to suit ALL budgets!! Now is the time! If you thought Africa was out of your budget,,, Think again! You will be pleasantly surprised with the costing for a magnificent fully inclusive holiday!!!**
ZAMBIA:
I have just returned from a remarkable, albeit busy Travel Advisor Educational in Zambia! 2 weeks of staying in a new camp every night with sight inspections of other camps along the way. All drives are game drives which makes it so very special!
Zambia is becoming a more popular tourist destination, with our guests seeing it as an authentic and off-the-beaten track alternative. If you have been to Africa before, you will want to visit Zambia. Its like going back 25 years before Africa had been ‘found’.
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The wildlife is spectacular! Please be sure to look at our Facebook & Instagram pages for all the posts on camps and wildlife. It was a lot of fun, and we all learned so much. I stayed in and visited approximately 20 ++ camps! There is something for everyone budget wise! |
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WEST AFRICA: for those interested in incredible culture that is still very much alive. A 3rd departure has opened for this very favorite festival.
Voodoo Festival, departure on 8 January 2025-14 days
Voodoo ceremonies in Togo and Benin are profound cultural experiences that reveal the deep spiritual roots of these West African countries. These events, embedded in the Vodoun religion, celebrate a rich animistic belief system that honors a pantheon of gods, spirits, and revered ancestors. Voodoo ceremonies come alive with elaborate rituals, music, dance, and offerings to deities. Held in sacred spaces like temples, shrines, or special community areas, these ceremonies are led by esteemed Voodoo priests or priestesses, who have dedicated years to mastering the Vodoun tradition.
Thank you for reading! Thank you for your trust and friendships over the years! Let’s make more memories!
Cindi LaRaia and the team of Dive & Africa Discovery Travel!
