Maldives

hi star star, which 4 star resort did u stay in?
Anyone stayed at Mirihi Resort? The water villa looks very nice and it is cheaper than Banyan Tree
 


littelmay
I stayed for 6 nites at a water villa in Taj Coral Reef... spent $6000 in all for everything.... one snorkelling trip is abt US$30 per pax.. we didn't go snorkel everyday... some other days go spa... :p
 
I have been Maldives for leisure almost every year since 1997
Really ...I should say no-where in the world come close to this beauty
Sad to say it will submerges 60+++ year later
 
hi everyone,
i have just returned from beautiful mauritius. and i am planning to visit maldives with hubby in the next year or two. can anyone give a estimate budget on a week's trip and good hotels that are worth checking out? i have taken interest in huvafen fushi, but i think thats a pretty expensive resort..should we resort "hop" and try more than one resort?
 
littlemay
$6k odd for two pax..;p cos Taj Coral Reef is a 4 star resort...but to us, it's cosy enough...service wise also not too bad..;)
 
haru
u just came back from Mauritius? Heard it's a beautiful place too!! my parents flying there next mth for their dun know X time of HM...haha... how much u spent there? do they have any water villas like those in Maldives?
 
hi starstar,
wah, ur parents super romantic leh!!!!! we spent about $4.5 for the flight and hotels which was half board.we didnt really shop much except for the day tours and some ralph lauren apparels. we spent $400+ at Ralph Lauren.good deal! so total spent about $6000..

no, mauritius doesnt have water villas, but they do have beautiful beaches!!! and some little islands wither super clear water. but i bet nothing beats maldives!
 
Here are some suggestion to for Maldives traveller:

1. book a local tour package esp those SQ promo,extend 1-2 nite at the resort if u wan

2. then scout for the best price for next resortor resorts u wan to go (jus email and ask for quote)

3.pack ur luggae wif cartons (i mean really CARTONS) of mineral water as water price averagely USD3.5-4.5 per bottle, same px as beer pianz)

4. consider FULLBOARD if u dun mind eating buffet everyday.
A normal seafood buffet dinner cost USD70-80 per pax

5.travel insurance is a MUST!!!can do wonders but tink not advisable to post here

6. snorkerling equipment, get 1 if u going for a mth....worth to invest

7.suntanning lotions is a MUST!!!the SUN is really "POWERFUL", even udner unbrealla shade also kenna chow tar

any more?
have fun !!!
 
puppylove888
for me, I didn't pack any bottles of water.. the resort I stayed got provide two bottles of mineral water everyday and also the resort itself got treatment works... the water from tap are potable... still I boil the water before drinking cos the chlorine taste quire strong...:p dun know abt the other resorts...

haru
wah...seems quite fun leh... ask my parents go Maldives they dun want... they say Mauritius better...
 
Hi StarStar,

Even the boiled "potable" water tasted weird also, somewhat salty. If you cooked the instant noodles with the water, wha.... worst :p! I survive for around 2 days with that kind of instant noodles(to save money),and is one of my favourite noodles in Singapore, and on the 3rd day we gave up eating it. Rather spend on a proper meal there at Hilton. Then when I came back to Singapore,I've phobia eating my so called "favourite" instant noodles!

Hi Haru,

Can share your Mauritius photo with us
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? Like to go there one day also... Longer flight and can see more movie... kekeke..
My email add:- [email protected]

Cheers!

Wu
 
starstar
2 bottle of pathetic small-szir mineral water enough 4u?
For me at least 2 1.25l a day
For senior citizen suggets them to go Maritius as more activities for them
Ask them tan and tan and tan tink will bore them the whole trip.

wu,
Mauritius is nice-to-go but once-time is enough for experience
Me lost a bomb in their casino.....
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maybe tat the reaosn I dun wanna go back haha
 
Puppylove888,

Wah...2 bottle of 1.25L is actually just right lah. When I'm there in Maldives, can't even finish the 1.25L evian water, but funny thing is we don't feel thirsty leh? Probably we order drinks in all our meals.

I don't bet, because I always lose. I just play for fun that's it.
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.
You've been to both Mauritius and Maldives isn't it? Which would you prefer and why? Care to share?

Do you have any photos to share, both in Maldives and Mauritius?
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Cheers!

Wu
 
puppylove888
ok lah.. I also got boil the water from the tap lah...

Wu
haha.. regarding the water ok..have drank something worse than that.. wonder if u been to Brunei... drank the Apoi river water...keke..;p So this is quite fine wif me...
 
StarStar,

Thanks! will visit your link. FYI, check on Hilton website, next year from May till Mid of July 06' their beach villa will cost only USD200 per night. Still consider cheap for that kind of Room Area(150sqm). Maybe can get some discounts some more....Kekekeke.... If got spare money, might consider going again... Joining us???? kekekeke :P

Cheers!

Wu
 
Wu
wah..seems quite a good deal... think most prob my hubby dun want to go... he says if we keep going back to Maldives, we'll have no chances of visiting other places...n he dun want me to complain saying the furthest I've been to is Perth..haha.. so I presume we'll not go there after we visit Seychelles or Tahiti... not in the near future... u guys go ahead n have fun..
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do take pics n show man..;p
 
Wu
u been to Seychelles? I think it's somewhere near Maldives isit? sigh... wanted to go Maldives leh...but hubby says dun want... cos March we going Perth n if we go wif u guys..abit rush n also he may not be able to take leave... just asked him...keke..guess what's he's reply?..."aiya..why keep going back there? wait, u'll complain that the furtherest I brought u is Perth... save up n we'll go elsewhere..say Seychelles or Hawaii ok?" just as I expected...keke..:p
 
I spent abt $5K per couple for 7N5D at Full Moon (including activities,entertaining, accomodation and flight). That's a super offer by SQ. Maldives is very beautiful. Advise not to take SQ flight cos they reached and departed during the night. No chance can you see birdview of Maldives.

Anyone know more abt Guam and Micronesia out in the pacific ocean. They are much beautiful than Maldives and Maritius. How much is the expenditure like?
 
Starstar,

Yes, I think Seychelles near India Ocean area, further away from Maldives. Beware, Not cheap you know, like what Adel say. Good ones probably in the range near Maldives Huvafenfushi, USD1000+++.
Your hubby probably don't like "beach" resort stuff, or he still haven seen or imagine staying in those ultimate water villa(eg. Huvafenfushi or the sunset villa that we stay in :P) in Maldives, he'll be hook as well.
For me and my wife, we are beach crazy... and must be white, powdery beach, so going back Maldives isn't that boring.
No lah, unless I ganna some big sweep again, else, unlikely to go back Maldives next year, likely the year after 07'
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Anyway, saw your Maldives pics liao, is that a water villa you stay in? Where is it ah, forgotten liao, Taj Coral is it?
Not bad leh, quite a decent place as well. speedboat can reach liao right?
I hope to gather more info on different resort, esp pics of the room. If the room rate is as cheap as those in Malaysia redang, then I'll consider Maldives next year. Most important probably speedboat can reach as the air taxi charges is also a small killer!

cheers!
 
Adel,

Your Package should be 7 days 5 nights isn't it?
Anyway, I don't think there's any flight to Maldive, from Singapore that's in the morning. Unless you take from country like U.K or US etc.

Yes you can have birdeye view by taking the seaplane, if your resort is far away, like Hilton, Mihiri etc..

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Wu
yup..it's Taj Coral Reef... stayed at the water villa... can be reached by speed boat... no worries...no air planes is needed to got here...;p From singapore, think fly by Sri Lanka or MAL...think got leh..I remember seeing a flight from Sri Lanka take off in the morning one... stopover at Sri Lanka for a nite... :p

Adel & Wu
thanks for the advice...I'll see how... anyway if not, Seychelles... probably go Tahiti or Hawaii... I like to go beach resorts... love the sun guess Wu, u are quite right... my hubby dun really like to sun tan cos he'll turn "black" very fast...whereas me, takes ages to get a tan...*in fact, I envy him* keke..:p The rationale behind not going back to Maldives in near future cos he prefers to go elsewhere to see with the $$ rather than go back the same country... maybe 10 years later...haha..
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Hi Wu,
My package is 5D3N. I extended my stay.
Yap! You are right. Unless from Russia, UK or US. But Sri Lanka so have day flight.

Seychelles is in the middle of India Ocean, between Sumatra, South Africa and Maldives. For the rate you're going to spend there, must well spend it in Tahiti.

Hi starstar,
my FH and I are beach crazy too. Sun-tan or sun-block is nv in our packing list. Though my complexion isn't that good, I dun mind showing it off in public. It is up to individual, mayb ur husband can apply sun-block instead. They are not so creamy and sticky. BTW, how much expected to spend in Tahiti, uh?
 
I Rather pay more to take something like SQ. Reason:- Reduce the risk of having accident like terrorist lah..bomb lah..etc.. Maybe I think to much. I don't feel comfortable when taking airlines like northwest, JAL, Malaysia airline etc.. Sri Lanka worst.. got Tamil tiger (terrorist).
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Want to see the Atoll in broad day light? Seaplane is good enough isn't it?
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Prepare to spend at least S$10K for places like Bora Bora(tahiti).. Air transfer alone maybe will cost ard S$2K to S$2.5K per pax.

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Wu
hahaha..u very funny leh... tamil tigers....haha..
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I also neber tot of it..:p u really consider alot leh...
btw northwest airline sucks!!!! service super duper lousy... my hubby took a flight on northwest to Dallas, stopover at Los Angeles.. he came back complaining abt the service provided on the flight... he vowed not going to take the airline ever again... keke.. agree wif u on the airlines..but for me, JAL is ok...
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Tahiti got other resorts besides Bora Bora?

Adel
no use lah...sun block SPF30 also become "chao ta"... I kept teasing him during our HM in Maldives... I use sun tan SPF8 also never get tan...
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He became so fed up that when I sun tan, he'll lie beside with a beach towel covering his face n upper body.... if not, he'll get off the sun chair n go back into the room to watch TV...:p find him endearing...keke...
 
Hahahaha!
Both of you so humourous.
Tahiti is so much expensive.
Must be out of my mind to land my feet on Tahiti's beach.
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Adel
I've checked out Guam liao... It's something like Mauritius a number of shopping places... but the things there are all in USD also... to get there think it's rather ex... cos u'll need to fly to either Philippines or Indonesia n transfer another flight to Guam. The only flights Guam have are from Philippines, Indonesia,Hawaii, New Zealand, Aussie, East Asia and USA. Think it'll cost as expensive as Tahiti...if u planning to go for some peace like in Maldives, Guam is rather different..it's like Phuket except it's much more ex than Phuket. A room in a 5 stars resort is US$200+ per night.. Not forgetting it's under USA ruling... cos all USA citizens can go there without visa. People like us if we want to go, need to apply US visa.
 
Guess Maldives is still cheaper.... but frankly speaking, I'll prefer Tahiti to Guam...it's a hassle to apply for visa... esp USA...
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It's a serious matter Okie
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... not funny leh..
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don't know why I so sensitive. Probably due to the 911 issue. I saw the twin tower during my visit to US early that year, and on that very year, the tragedy stuck.... it's so sad, and shocking to me. Since then, I got a slight phobia in taking other airline, esp US ones and those national airline whose country got terrorist activities.

Especially nowsaday ah, places like Phuket or Krabi( southern Thailand), it's better not to travel there, lots of negative energy(Phuket, due to the Tsunami tragedy), and the southern Thailand unrest. If I don't go, the probability of encountering danger become less..... That's my strategy.
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Actually do you guys know Maldives quite messy as well recently, due to the anti-government activities? There's ppl trying to over-thrown the Maldivian governement. We wouldn't want to be caught in such situation when we go for a holiday, don't we?
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I agree with you starstar, Northwest
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forget about it. There's no service at all.
I would rather take ANA instead of JAL. Newer airplanes = safer.
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I think Tahiti area got a couple of islands(big ones, unlike those in Maldives). Bora Bora is one of them. There's are a couple of resort on Bora Bora alone... ranging from 5 stars one to homestay one also have. Price is somewhat similar to Maldives Banyan Tree's range. However, the killing part is the flight. 4-5K for 2 person = the total amount(all-inclusive trip) I would spent going for a 5 nights trip to Hilton Maldives. My calculation goes like these, both Maldives and Bora Bora are beach resort. Same white sand, same diving condition, most fishes species are the same, activities same... thus, I would rather spent the diff in Airfares on the extra days in Maldives. KekekeKe.....
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make sense
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Cheers!
 
Wu
what u say is pretty true on the airlines... but somehow both my hubby n me also travel by SIA most of the time..;p I know abt the unrest in Maldives... just lucky we didn't meet wif such activities when there..
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Think my hubby's thinking is the reverse of yours...keke... for him, he won't want to go to the same place twice..he wants to travel more n see the world before settling on a fave destination. For Tahiti, he's looking at Moorea Island. Think he doesn't go for super high class kind of resort(4 stars at least lah)... for him, a decent one can do liao... still can't convince him to go Maldives in near future..
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Guess we'll join u guys maybe fifteen years later? haha..:p
 
For us, when we travel we most probably wont go by any other airlines cos hubby works in SIA. Unless its a nearby country, then its more worth it to travel w other airlines.

My hubby will be goin to Maldives next mth...so envy....
 
Starstar,

Yeh..I know what you mean lah..kekeke.. Once a life time, who wouldn't want to see the world
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For me and my wife, most saving will go into insurance/saving/investment/stocks and a car, which will suck us dry :P every month. So we're contented(being force to be content) by watching discovery channel/animal planet/lonely planet..etc.. to "See" the world. Sad......
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Really envy you guys!
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Ya lah... wait till our kids grew up then we'll take over Hilton or Banyan tree or whatever, with our organised Singaporean tourists battalion. Kekekee :P

If your hubby join SIA or other airlines in future, it's so easy for you guys to travel, see the world! Tell him don't stay to long in Airforce lah.... kekekeke....

Anyway, what aircraft your hubby pilot ah? The up-coming F-15 maybe?

Cheers!
 
Wu
my hubby not fighter lah..he's in military arliner..keke.. the c130s...:p he's also thinking abt it... see how lor.. it's up to him cos it's his career not mine..:p anyway SIA really gives alot of benefits to pilots...know a friend her hubby works in SIA... seems like she travels ALOT!! one minute saying she's going London next time u see her, she's flying to USA... *envy*
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Set man...we'll take over Banyan tree or Hilton when our kids grow up...keke... great idea!! We shall work towards the common goal..our vision!!! haha..:p
 
Wu,
Sorry to hear what you encountered. Must be really hard to get over. But I believe everything is fated. If u think SQ is safer, how about those who took SQ006 which crashed in Taipei Int'l Airport. Do they think that way at the rim of death? When it is your turn to die, you have to go. No matter prepared or not. Things will happen even if you stay at home.

Read from the web that bora bora is a wonderful place for HM. WOW!!! Flight so expensive???
Ya... Your analyse is good. However, although diving condition is the same, Tahiti, Guam are places where you can see big fishes like whale sharks, whales, etc. One of the attractive to go micronesia is because they have wonderful wreck dive. Wrecks (sunken warship and tanks)that are long created during WWII. and like starstar's husband isn't it better to go somewhere else before revisiting Maldives again? Need advise.

Hi starstar,
Moorea should be a nice place. Looking forward to tavel such place. Hee! HEe!
 
Wu,
What I want to say to you is "MUST overcome your fear".
OH it's so romantic to go Maldives again, esp when your children grown up or when both of you are old. Relax and enjoyable. Hope you can do that.

SO, can I say that you are a diver.

Starstar,
SIA last time have more attractive benefit like giving staff shares. Now still attractive:
Satff Wife/ Husband(either way) lifetime and children (until 18 or 21 yr old) entitle to one free flight per year. if more flight needed in a yr are at discount price. Staff parents are not entitled to these benefits though.
I still think it is attractive. You should encourage your husband to go into SIA, if he is ending his contact. My friend's husband is now in SIA engineering. GoOd!!!
 
Adel
ya man..I know..that's why my friend is able to travel here and there... her hubby's a pilot in SIA lor... use to be in the Air force also.*envy*
Still remember she told she fly to London with air tics of $600 only...so much cheaper... I think most of airliner treat their pilots quite well... see lor..depends on my hubby not me.;p
 
Hi StarStar,

Good... I like big air craft the most, easier for me during my reservist..kekeke...you should know what I meant lah... I hate those fighter planes.
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Not only pilot flys alot. Some insurance agent flys alot also. If they do well, every year fly here and there for free, for conference and travel
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Or next time your hubby fly, and get yourself to become a air stewardess or even a pilotg still lah... kekeke..

Hi Adel,

Hahaha....no lah. I'm not that scare or Kia-si lah. I do know about life & death is not entirely depends on us, but the one up there.
Well, at times we still have to take care of ourselves lah, you wouldn't want to take flights from like those high risk airline isn't it? or do we want to visit those places currently under civil war or those having some terrorist activities. Or simply just anyhow cross the road because the one up there will take care of everything. That's the reason why there things call insurance mah... Risk management, calculation etc... Premium will be sky high if you say you want to go Iraq.
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Kekekeke....

SQ006 is really a mistake from both pilot and the airport authorities. If they have been more responsible, no such thing will happen. It's all the add-up kind of thing. Really shock when I heard SQ planes crashes.... It's a kind of Singaporean mind set.. need to change that though.

Last but not least..It's comfort and service. SQ I think so far is still the best. Alternative are ANA.

I actually quite "lucky" also lah. Got once been in London, then a few days later there's explosion(by the IRA) around London area. Then come the 911 tragedy. It really affects me alot at that time, because I might be one of victims, and feeling sad for the victims and family.

Yes, I dive, beginner still lah. Not only Bora Bora can see big fishes. Places like Malaysia, Pulau Aur, Redang or in Thailand Phuket, similan island can also see big fishes eg. whale sharks, Giant Manta rays as well. Actually, the fishes I saw during diving in Maldives and Pulau Redang are almost the same, just that Maldives got a bigger school of fishes during our visits
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As for Wreck diving, ya. probably Tahiti got more lah....kekeke WWII mah.

You dive too? can share your experience?
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Cheers!
 
HI starstar,
*ENVIED* Still have chances to travel ard.

Hi Wu,
Yap! Adv diver who seldom dive.
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maldives have more fishes. Visibility is excellent. Rendang is equally nice. But not as many as those in Maldives. Visibility is not that good either.
 
Wah..all of u dive one.... seems like rather fun... but I abit of "shark phobia" leh... everytime I go into water scare to see sharks... more of psychology problem...sigh..
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StarStar,

Hahahah..I used to scare of sharks as well. However after many encounter with sharks(up to 2m in length ones, as well as baby sharks) during snorkelling, it's likely that they'll avoid you and swim away immediately. At those area, such as Maldives, Redang, most sharks should be well fed, as their prey are plentiful.
Unlike sharks in some area, like Australia or US, great white and tiger shark bite just to find out what we are... and of course some are really serial killer sharks.

thus don't worry...kekeke.. it is even more likely that sharks will bite a snorkeller than a diver, due to the silhoutte we created, look like seal or something.

It's really very different when diving so near to a coral garden, school of fishes, turtles etc...

Cheers!
 
Hi Starstar,

What Wu say is right. In fact, Sharks never like human as prey. They probably mistaking human as seals and sealion. Usually they prey in the night and sleep/scouting around in the day. Of cos, Shark (Tiger, Big white and White-tip. Only 6 species out of hundreds had records of attack human) and Killer whale are the hunters in the sea. They attack anything, even if they don't, by the look of their jaws make you think you are their prey. Places like Maritius, Fiji, NZ, Australia have shark diving. It is a thrill to do that. Hee!
If you are diver, you won't enjoy much out from snorkelling. Diving give you the close feel and touch with marine creatures. It is so much wonderful than seeing them from the surface.
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Wu,
U intend to go for your advance? I went cave diving in rendang. Supposed to see 3 residential shark (min size 2m, max 5m) there, but din see any. *SAD* If I do, I might freak out too. Hee!
Night diving is great. Off the torch and you will see the world of parasites glowing in the dark like galaxy.
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Hi Adel,

No lah.. not so soon, probably after I clock more dive first. I still go alot to learn, especially Bouyancy, breathing(I breath too rapid
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), and during surfacing(level out).
I'm currently into my 16th dives only
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. But I started to pick up more in every single dive.

Actually I'm more afraid of trigger fish than sharks. :p
 
Advance does not matter with the no. of dives. I took my AW immediately after my OW. One of AW lesson oso teach you bouyancy. Best of all, NO EXAMINE. Actually I learned more skill through my AW. currently over 20 dives only, but the first dive of every trip is the worst (refresh dive mah!). After that is enjoyable.
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Why are you afraid of triggerfish? U mean u scared they attack you. Usually they do that to protect their net/ eggs.
 
Hi Adel,
Hahahaha.... No lah, actually I don't want to give myself a false impression that getting a AW, I expert liao..kekeke.. and also I hate to go thru those courses again. Currently I'm quite comfortable with just OW.
My breathing sucks.. that's why probably when doing deep dive or night dive, I might not survive 20 mins. :P really breath too much.
Once my bottom time can reach 1 hr, yes I'll go for my AW and so on. Sometime my bottom time is just 35mins at 220.

I even saw some AW diver ga-ba-ra in water(no hinting anything lah..kekeke),really sucks i.e kept stepping on coral lah etc.. so what for taking AW now
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, I'm comfortable with just OW, and I really enjoy each and every dive, and every dive is just getting more and more relax.

My target in long term is at least a DM lah.. in case I lost my current job, still can do some Part time.. kekekeke...

Hahaha... Not scare of triggerfish lah, just describing and point out that sharks are not that dangerous after all. Got it
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Anyway, Where have you been diving? have you try sipadan?

Cheers!
 
Adel & Wu
what's AW? OW is it Open Water? hmmm... seems like sharks are not that scary after all... but if I wanna learn, dun think I wanna learn in Singapore...maybe Tioman or other places...Redang has diving school? cos singapore's water so blur n murky...quite scary actually as u won't know what's in front of u till it's really close.. yeeks..dun want this kind of fright...
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Hi starstar,

AW is advance water diver, learn extra stuff such as deep dive, drift dive and night dive et..

Get a OW course in Singapore, likely that it'll go thru 2~3 sessions of theory + swimming pool practical, then follow by certification dive in Tioman(close to arond 5 dives).

Yes Redang got dive school, most resort will have it, but I don't recommend you to do so. 1st, you wouldn't want to go thru the extremely tiring course when you go for a holiday isn't it? (unless you go there for long lah, say 10 days, and the course probably takes around 4 days.
2nd, some of them did not really go thru proper procedure, you might be able to get the cert but you'll not learn the proper way/skills/method in diving.(PS. I saw my friend go thru the OW course, and it's like a commando course. On his 2nd practical dive, he reach almost 30m :0, which is not suppose to. )

I can tell you, if can har..go to Hilton Maldives, the dive school there. It's the best one I ever dive with. Extremely professional, step by step clear instruction, and they're the first one I been to with a proper dive system(registration, theory, practical etc....) They don't any how let you dive at any places, just to earn you money. If they think you're not capable in diving at certain spot or time, they would not let you dive.
Then you'll have the reason to ask your hubby to bring you to Maldives again....kekekekeke.... :p
 
Wu,
I understand what u mean. Sometimes, I oso feel paiseh to be a poor bouyancy AW. But I make my stand clear to stay away from coral.
Good for your ambition. I'm comfortable as a AW. Actually, I encourage my FH to go further since he is now in rescue.

Been diving in
Local - P. Hantu, Sudong
Oversea - Maldives, P.Perhanti, Rendang, Tioman.

Target dive area - Lang Tengah, Sipandan, Bali, Manado, Micronesia, Red sea, Eygpt, Alaska.

So target to go HM to any of these countries. But since like $$ is the main concern.

Planning to go anywhere this yr, uh?
 
Wu,
GREAT IDEA for starstar, uh?
I don't agree with you. Malaysia oso have good dive centre and they are flexible and fun too. Flexible as in they allows you to use the equipment (eqpt) for free and divers on-board like to interact and exchange skills. Places like Maldive everything counts $$. Those divers on-board don't mix around. The concept is u dive urs, I do mine. Centre don't let u rig the eqpt yourself. It is their services cos u already pay for their service mah! Moreover, proper system pamper us. We learn nothing then. Commando training tough, but u will remember lifetimes. That's how I feel, no offend. Even I have not been diving for 3yrs, I still able to rig-up my own eqpt without referring to book. Everything comes so naturally. No fear at all.
Furthermore, U don't need 10 Days for OW. 5days will do. 2 pool (in sea/pool), 4 practical test, and 4 theory only mah! Unless u doing them one a day.

Starstar,
I learn my OW in Hantu when I was a student. Reason is becos if I can handle Singapore water, I can handle the rest out there. In other countries, visible in water might not be the worst as compare, but can be as low as 2m. And certainly u be surprised there are fishes in local water. There is oso a residential turtle near Hantu's pier. But of cos, it is up to individual, as long as you are happy and comfortable with your choice. I'm just guiding in terms of $$ and the service I need.
 


Adel,

Yah lah... not all dive centre like that but this is one of our encounter in redang, just want to warn Starstar there are such dive centre. Beware those dive centre that always say "NO PROBLEM".
I agree with you those dive centre in Malaysia is demore flexible, especially pricing
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kekekeke... which is not possible in Maldives.

Army Commando training wouldn't kill you so easily as compare when you're down there 20m~30m.
You should have seen how my friend went down to 30m , 2nd dive ,wthout proper training, even on simple skills like clearing mask and out of air situation. It's lucky that he himself is a real commando and he picks things up fast, and nothing happens(Equip failure)during the dive, while his wife gave up half-way during the course, can't even clear mask properly at sea level. Without proper training by the instructor himself, if anything happens, my friend might just lose his life. The dive centre already have the form sign by my friend and they'll not be liable. It's my friend's life you see. You got what I mean? We should have stop his training then. But he made it lah. The instructor even want his wife to go down, even failing to clear mask at sea level. In the end, she gave up herself and didn't go for it.
It's a very very different standard as compare to the course I went thru in Singapore.

Another incident is the DM never check the dive condition properly. At 15m, we're almost swimming backwards no matter how hard we fin. all of us really panic, however the DM kept going. I can see he is not moving at all as well. Our air pressure is droping very fast. Until the DM can't handle, then we go along with the current.

In Maldives, the DM really check the current condition. No Go means no Go, change dive location.

Army training don't pamper us but at least they go thru proper SOP, procedure and training. It's the system which I'm concern, not matter where, Malaysia, indonesia or Maldives. We still have to be careful though.

In Maldives,We do interact with the divers,DM and instructor in Maldives, no problem leh. In fact, everywhere is the same, in Maldives, Redang, tioman etc. One of the diver,in Maldives, a 18 yr old young chap from England(clock almost 60 over dives) even point out every mistake I made during the dive. If the DM saw some mistake, they point out to me as well too.

Anyway, the best dive experience, so far(although just 16 dives)is still in Maldives, like what you say lah..really pampered.. kekekek. As for Malaysia, we make more friends lah.
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and diving is slightly more stressful, as we always take the speedboat...everything is fast, fast fast...

You are absolutely right about rig-up my own equip, practice make perfect and not go thru motion. In Maldives, although we're not force to rig-up our own equip, they still force us to check everything in front of them one by one.
They make sure we can setup our own equipment before we're allowed to dive. Anyway, I never forget the procedure though since OW.
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During course, yes, every student should go thru the equipment setup during each and every dive.

Hahaha... no lah. What I mean is that it'll be tiring if just go for the OW, say 5 days in redang. Really no time to relax lah. 10 days would be nice, first 5 days OW, then next 5 days relax
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