Published 7th Sep. 2021
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We love a liveaboard. Whether you are wanting to cram as much diving as you can into your trip or you are heading to a more remote part of the world, such as Raja Ampat in Indonesia or Socorro Island in Mexico, liveaboard diving opens up a whole host of underwater opportunities. Liveaboards come in all shapes and sizes, from sturdy vessels designed to reach the most remote and challenging dive sites to beautiful sailing boats where life on deck is as pretty as life underwater. Here are just a few of our favourite dive liveaboards. All aboard...
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With one of the most experienced crews in the Galapagos, an onboard photo and video lab and visits to the world-class Wolf and Darwin island dive sites on every trip (think eagle rays, turtles and Galapagos sharks, and whale sharks from June to November), MV Galapagos Sky is hard to beat.
2
Dive to see the ‘ghost fleet’ of Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia from aboard the (very stable) Odyssey. The dive guides know every inch of the wrecks of the Japanese Fleet, sunk in 1944, and provide detailed briefings of the history and precise layout prior to each dive.
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Divers are a sociable bunch but, should you not want to bunk up with 10+ scuba enthusiasts, The Alexa is the boat for you; this luxurious Phinisi cruiser has just one cabin and seriously dreamy décor. The Alexa chases the best dive conditions around Indonesia, from Komodo to Alor and Raja Ampat, offering an exclusive dive experience to just two lucky passengers.
4
Custom built for divers, Nautilus Belle Amie is spacious and designed for stability – a huge plus given she sails far out into the Pacific. Her destinations include the rock pinnacles of Socorro – brilliant for the big stuff such as giant pacific mantas, whale sharks, hammerheads and humpbacks – and Guadalupe Island for heart-pounding great white shark encounters.
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You may need to don your dry suit for this one. The MS Sula is an old fishing vessel that plies the waters of northern Norway from October to February, tracking huge pods of orcas that are attracted to the herring-rich waters. While not a luxurious liveaboard, the adrenaline rush of snorkelling with killer whales is unbeatable.
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
American novelist Jack Kerouac once said all he needed was ‘a wheel in his hands and four on the road’. And while your initial idea of a family road trip may shatter Kerouac’s peaceful perception of cruising down America’s long highways, we’re here to prove you wrong. Swapping skies for seatbelts opens a whole new side to family holidays: road-side stops reveal secluded spots, hours spent in the car can bond the family (and increase little ones’ patience), and the stress of missing domestic flights is a thing of the past.
5th March 2024 - Family Travel
Lydia Gard is a freelance writer specialising in luxury family travel, since having two boys she is determined to find truly luxurious places that celebrate rather than simply tolerate young families. In her first of 6 blogs Lydia talks us through the her top 5 toddler holidays... I have always been a keen traveler... I met my husband sailing off the coast of Zanzibar. We drove across the Sahara, partied in Marrakech, ski-toured British Columbia and sipped sundowners in Nicaragua - all the while swearing that having children wouldn't change a thing.
28th June 2021 - Family Travel
New parents: welcome to the exciting world of family travel. You may have to make a few (temporary) compromises to your travel habits, but we're here to help with the transition. What you're ideally looking for at this nascent stage is child-friendly hotels that are also wonderfully parent friendly. This can be tricky to find. Fortunately, though, they do exist, and we know the best in show. We appreciate there are very precise criteria for young families (qualified babysitters,
28th June 2021 - Family Travel
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We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
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