Simply irresistible! You can book NOW with our Philippine-Micronesia Alliance partner Blue Horizons or direct with all our partner resorts and dive centers.

The Alliance website has NOW complete dive packages available, the choice is yours…. from direct bookings with the individual dive centers and resorts to a full range of tailored dive packages from Blue Horizons.

Check out the site NOW for all these great travel packages! Click here for the direct link: Special Dive Packages

For all your dive vacation from the Philippines and Micronesia the Alliance partners are only too happy to make your next diving a memorable one.
The Philippine -Micronesia Alliance has all the expertise on island hopping, inselhuepfen, re-breathers, some of the best wreck dives in the world, spectacular wall and shark dives and superb marine bio-diversity, a paradise for underwater photographers and nature lovers.
We can proudly state that our partners are located on some of the best beaches in the world.
If you a diver or not there is always something for you to do at our partner resorts and dive centers, we offer you a lot more, not only diving, our packages can be modified to suit the whole family and fly with our partner Asian Spirit to our destinations.







Explore, sail and kayaking in the Rock Islands in Palau, Micronesia or discover and hike the interior of Puerto Galera in the Philippines, spend the day relaxing on one of the worlds best beaches, Boracay Island, Philippines, travel to small lagoons and Islands in Chuuk, Micronesia (Truk Lagoon) or be pampered at Club Paradise, Palawan, with it’s Spa facility, all of this and a lot more can be arranged by our travel agent and partner Blue Horizons or book direct with any of our partner resorts and dive centers.

Your passion is diving… ours is service.
The Divers Choice.

We welcome Asian Sprit on the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance website, please see below an excerpt from the site,
for more info please click this link: http://www.alliancediving.com/asianspirit.html


Milky Way, Palau Micronesia, © Gunther Deichmann for more
images please click this link.

Sabay Tayo sa Palau!
Asian Spirit Opens Manila-Cebu-Palau Route

Beginning May 4, 2007, Asian Spirit links the Philippines to the Pacific resort island that is Palau through Cebu. Asian Spirit will fly regularly to Palau three times weekly (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) via Cebu, the Queen City of the South. The Manila-Cebu flights connect to Cebu-Palau air services. Last year, the airline first introduced the Palau route utilizing Davao as gateway.

Cebu has long been considered a cosmopolitan oasis, offering culture and history, as well as a dash of metropolitan flair and natural beauty. By opening the Manila-Cebu-Palau route, Asian Spirit expects to help establish Cebu's standing as a major international hub in the Philippines.

Palau, dubbed as Jewel of the Pacific is best described as a spectacular 400-mile long strand of pearls laid across a blue sea. Named the Number One Underwater Wonder of the World, Palau is home to some of the world's most magnificent natural wonders, pristine beaches, gardens of coral just beneath the clearest waters, forests, waterfalls and caves, and hundreds of islands of the purest beauty abound all along this pristine archipelago of 343 islands, spread north to south over 100 miles form the atoll of Kayangel to the island of Angaur, plus five tiny islands, known as the southwest islands.


Our partner destination from left to right:
Boracay Island, Calypso/Pinjalo Dive Resort and
Club Paradise with Dugong Dive Center, Palawan,
Philippines.
This blog is brought to you by The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance, your partners in dive travel, island hopping, inselhuepfen, dive resorts and dive centers through- out the Philippines and Micronesia. Other air routes of Asian Spirit are Boracay - Palawan in the Philippines - our partner destinations. Our partner in Palau is Sam's Tours the premier dive operator, right at the Royal Palau ( Belau)Yacht Club.
Your passion is diving..... ours is service.

Finally, we are getting there! We have been preparing vacation packages for the Alliance Partner’s resorts and diving centres and they are going to appear on the website very soon.

Much of the original idea behind the Alliance was to promote Philippines and Micronesia diving by the joining together of the very best dive operators in the region. The website and blogs have spread the word and more and more people visit the site everyday to learn about travel opportunities in this region. Over the last year or so the message has come loud and clear from site visitors – “How do we get there, can you help us and for how much?”

The answers are, perhaps quite simply, it is now very easy to travel here, prices are most reasonable and of course we can help! The fastest and most economical way to reach Micronesia from most world wide starting points is via The Philippines. Two airlines, Continental and Asian Spirit, now fly direct to Palau from Manila and Cebu and their air fares are lower than ever. In addition, round trip air fares from Manila to Truk are also at their lowest levels.

This means that this is a great time to combine two centre holidays in both The Philippines and Micronesia. Imagine a vacation where you spend the first week diving on the wrecks at stunning Coron, Philippines and the second week diving on the wrecks at the divers dream, Truk Lagoon, Chuuk!

If you are thinking of a tropical idyll with stunning beaches, blue seas and great diving then combining a trip to the world famous Boracay Island and then travelling on to beautiful and secluded Palau would be perfect.

For a real diving contrast there is the opportunity to dive the swift currents and to watch the critter life at legendary Puerto Galera and then move on to Palau and spend time on the huge walls watching the big pelagic life including sharks and rays.

We are making this simple and accessible to all with our specially selected package deals. The first to be posted will be based around 2 centre holidays combining The Philippines and Micronesia. These are ‘off the shelf’ options but we also are very happy to provide customised itineraries at no extra charge. Simply fill out the prepared enquiry form and mail it back to us and we will immediately assist you with your vacation plans.

One of the most important things about these holidays is that they are designed to take all the concerns and stress of travel away from you. In every aspect of your trip we concentrate upon the highest levels of service, comfort and safety and you can have peace of mind whilst we make the travel plans for you.

The packages include all hotel, land and boat transfers from the moment you arrive in Manila (or Cebu) to the end of your holiday and they include all necessary Philippines domestic return flights and international return flights from Philippines to Micronesia. They also include all accommodation for the duration of your stay and of course, a carefully selected number of diving options.

To find out more about these exciting offers and other opportunities for travel in this part of the world please visit the new section of our Alliance website very soon.

With over 25 years travel experience in the region and as The Philippines leading independent tour operator Blue Horizons Travel and Tours Inc, located in Manila, are in the perfect position to help you with all your Philippines and Micronesia holiday requirements.

You are welcome at any of our partner resorts or dive centers in the Philippines and Micronesia.
Jem

The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance partner resorts and dive centers offer you the ultimate in Inselhuepfen, island hopping, Nitrox for free, modern tech diving facilities, and one of the very best equipped Re-breather dive centers in Asia.
Our dive sites are some of the best in the world, ranging from superb macro to wall, wreck and shark dives, an underwater photographers paradise.

Dont ever miss the Canyons in Puerto Galera, if you do, you missed one of the best dive sites in the Philippines.
Please read what Tommy thinks about it........... our Philippine-Micronesia Alliance partner in Puerto Galera is Asia Divers with El Galleon Dive Resort

This morning we left before 8 am to make sure we had a good flood current for my favourite divespot in the Philippines, the famous Canyon's in Puerto Galera. Descent to the ridge that goes from Escarcio Point down to the Canyon's passing the Hole in the Wall and slowly swept with the current down deeper until we reached the hill just before the first canyon. Looked up to see the big Kingfish that hangs out between the surface and the bottom. Swam through the little cave with two entrance to find a big Oriental Sweetlip hiding in the cave. Over the ridge into the first canyon that was covered with soft coral out feeding in the current and with a big school of Rabbitfish sitting head into the current.
Second canyon where the resident Harlequin Sweetlips was joined by Oriental Sweetlips, Snapper and ....... so much more marine life.
The third canyon was full of Humpback Snappers among a One Spot Snapper as we drifted towards the old anchor to prepare for our ascent to the safety stop. Just another lovely dive in the Canyon's, a dive I could do every day if I had the time.
Tommy

 


Images by © Gunther Deichmann

I just picked this up from our partner and friends in Palau, Sam's Tours.

Asian Spirit – New airline service from Cebu to Koror

Asian Spirit, a Philippines based carrier serving Palau from Manila via Davao, has just announced a new direct service from Cebu to Koror, three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights depart Cebu at 3:45pm and arrive Koror at 6:45pm. Asian Spirit flies daily to Cebu from Manila and their 1:15pm departure from Manila domestic terminal connects through Cebu and then on to Koror. The Davao to Koror schedule is now changed to once a week from Davao, departing at 11:30am, arriving Palau at 2:00pm.

Baggage allowance is a generous 45 kilos or 100 lbs. which is perfect for scuba divers packing their dive gear around. Asian Spirit Palau service is provided onboard British Aerospace 146 four-engine jet. For more information visit: www.asianspirit.com or www.samstours.com
Dermot

Just received the good News about a proposal in Paradise, Boracay Philippines, please read on, and good luck to you both from all of us at the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance. The Divers Choice.
At Calypso on Boracay we witnessed the happy event of an underwater marriage proposal of Linus to Tammy both from Singapore.
Unbeknown to Tammy, Linus her husband to be carried the enagement ring in his bcd pocket for the entire dive much to the nervous concern of their dive guide Hitomi.
Nearing the end of the dive at Crocodile Island Linus presented Tammy with an underwater slate that stated his intentions to which Tammy responded(thankfully)”yes”. The ring was then presented with much "applause" from those in attendance.
All at Calypso Diving wish Linus and Tammy a happy and prosperous future in their diving and non-diving lives.
By the way our partner Calypso Diving is one of the most modern and best equipped Dive Centers in Asia, with a state of the art Nitrox membrane system and experts on Re-breather diving, located right on the beach.


Photos: © Gunther Deichmann

Puerto Galera — Treasures Above and Below

Photos and story by Gunther Deichmann

Diving the shallows of Sabang Bay early in the morning may sound like a chilly proposition, but for underwater photographers, it’s a dream come true— especially when everyone else is a sleep, perhaps recovering from the previous night’s merrymaking. With the entire bay to yourself, you’ll discover an amazing collection of life, from microscopic critters to the odd turtle swimming in the sea grass, all at a depth of three to four meters. For example, one morning before coffee and breakfast, I spotted a miniature-red - and- black frogfish, tiny dragonets,
juvenile leaf fish, a white V octopus, and just before I ran out of air, a huge green
turtle. Wow!
You can also do the same dive in the late afternoon by starting at 20 meters from the Sabang wreck area and then drift with the current, finishing back at the shallows, only five minutes from Asia Divers and El Galleon Beach Resort.
To top it off, you’ll be back for that cool sunset beer at the resort’s Point Bar.


Photos and text © Gunther Deichmann G.D. Website: Click here

Read the whole story on Puerto Galera in the current issue of Fins Magazine, or better come and visit Puerto Galera and have expirience the ultimate in diving, a sheer paradise for underwater Photographers, contact our Philippine - Micronesia Alliance partner Asia Divers with El Galleon.
our see the whole story under The Alliance and the media.
The Divers Choice, for Island hopping, Inselhuepfen, recreation dives, tech dives, Re-breather, tech dive centers, or for a pure nature at its best dive vacation in the Philippines and Micronesia. Your passion is diving.... ours is service.

Story and photography by Gunther Deichmann
 
The kayak was seemingly made for Palau. Dip your blade into discovery with an easy paced exploration of the beautiful Rock Islands

Rock Island revelations

I was teamed up with marine biologist and kayak tour operator Ron Leidich, who had promised to show me a few of the secrets of Palau’s Rock Islands. Access was a little tricky, though—a question of delicate timing—and I had entrusted myself and thousands of dollars of camera equipment to my long-haired, bare-footed guide’s every word. And now Ron was insisting that we turn back for the second time. We carefully felt our way backwards against the powerful current. When the tunnel finally widened, Ron maneuvered our craft through 180s as we searched for daylight and fresh air............................
Read more at the Outdoor Japan Magazine:
Click the link below:
http://www.outdoorjapan.com/TO/0504/TO-1-palau.html

Dear friends, divers and Alliance partners,
Thanks to all the Alliance partners who participated in our meeting yesterday, the 11th of May.
Bill Stinnett came all the way from Chuuk, Truck Lagoon, Tommy Soderstrom from Asia Divers with El Galleon rode his bike in pouring rain all the way from Puerto Galera, (well not across the water) Jem and Alex represented our Travel Agent Blue Horizons and scubadivephilippines.com and Juergen Warnke represented Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center in Palawan, Philippines and Gunther Deichmann and Arnold Munoz from Dream Time the virtual office of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance joined this very productive evening.
Yes, we had some "missing links" - but some of our partners could just not make it due to some important commitments. Rene Buob from Calypso/Pinjalo from Boracay is actually in Palau and checking out the diving there.
Dermot Keane from Sam’s Tours just could not get out due to the on going renovations at Sam’s Tours, (wait until that is finished, shaping up real good)
I guess we achieved a lot in only a few hours and some very good and exciting things will be announced shortly.
Just stay tuned and bookmark/subscribe to our blogs, for all the latest news.
Thanks to everybody for being part of this very productive night.

The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance is your partner in dive travel throughout the Philippines and Micronesia, we offer you some of the very best and professional run dive resorts and dive centers in this region.
Complete Nitrox facilities, Re-Breather diving and training, special tech instruction and training, PADI National Geographic Dive Centers,
the knowledge and expertise in Island hopping and inselhuepfen, connecting you via Asian Spirit to some of the best dive destinations in the Philippines and Micronesia.
For dive packages please do not hesitate in contacting our partners direct or let our travel expert Blue Horizons take care of all your needs.
The Divers Choice in the Philippines and Micronesia. bringing divers from all over the world together.

G.D.

Dear Divers,
just received this cool information from Asia Divers in Puerto Galera.

This year Asia Divers and Cressi-sub celebrate its 10th year anniversary as business friends and partner in the Philippines. During the past 10 years Asia Divers as exclusive distributor for Cressi-sub have brought the brand to be one of the major brand in the Philippines in the same way as it is in Europe and USA. Asia Divers a Philippine/Micronesia Alliance member, celebrate this by offering a 100 US$ retail discount on both Archimede and Edy computers.
You will also find this computers at another Philippine/Micronesia Alliance memeber, Calypso Dive Center on Boracay island.
The Divers Choice. Your Specialist for Island hopping, tech- diving, Re-breathers and inselhuepfen in the Philippines and Micronesia.

For technical details please check out:

http://cressi.it/intro.php?lang=uk&id_catalogo=2&id_categoria=3&id_prodotto=45&m=scheda# 

http://cressi.it/intro.php?lang=uk&id_catalogo=2&id_categoria=3&id_prodotto=325&m=scheda#

Have just picked this blog up from our good friends at Fins Magazine, thank you for all your support Tony.

Sam’s Tours goes National Geographic
Tuesday, 8th May 2007, 4:11 pm by FiNS Team

Sam's ToursSam’s Tours in Palau has just become a PADI National Geographic Center. So if you’re contemplating a trip to the world-renowned destination of Palau, consider booking with Sam’s Tours, a member of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.

And if you’re travelling from Asia, note that Asian Spirit airlines now has direct flights to Palau from both Cebu and Davao!

Posted in Destinations

Hi again,
I hardly can keep up with it any more, so much news in the last few weeks, as you all know we have a new partner Asian Spirit joined the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance, see our welcome blog. or go direct to Asian Spirit click here.
Then there was ADEX in Bangkok Thailand which has proven to be very fruitful to all the Alliance partners, and now our partner in Puerto Galera is staging an Digital Underwater Photo Workshop.
Asia Divers with El Galleon in Puerto Galera is hosting some well known Underwater Photographers, for all the details just click this link or read on below:
Enjoy and if you like to join this great opportunity in Puerto Galera then contact Asia Divers with El Galleon or Blue Horizons our travel specialist in Manila, Puerto Galera is located in one of the best dive destination in Asia and your partner for the Philippine -Micronesia Alliance is Asia Divers the Divers choice and island hopping- inselhuepfen specialist.


Photos: Copyright 2007, Gunther Deichmann - deichmann-photo.com

These images have ben taken in Puerto Galera, for a detail and in depth look at Puerto Galera check out the current Fins Magazine or download the full article as a pdf file from the Alliance website, you find it under Alliance and the media.


Asia Divers Pro Digital Photo Workshop
@ Asia Divers/El Galleon Resort

Mike Veitch , Simon Buxton, and Tim Rock along with the El Galleon/Asia Divers family, are pleased to announce the first annual Asia Divers Pro Digital Photo Fest. At the Asia Divers/El Galleon Pro Digital Photo Fest, have fun and learn a lot while diving sites so full of subjects, that you may actually run out of memory space during a dive!

What: Learn How To Photograph Reefs, Macro and More

Where and When: From June 3 thru 10 for an informative, fun and rewarding photo course is being held at the beautiful El Galleon resort in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.

Why: Because you want to improve your underwater skills and have fun doing it. PG is the perfect undersea studio.

Who: Simon Buxton, Tim Rock and Mike Veitch. Underwater workshops work best when lead by more than one person, its not like on land where we can talk whilst taking pictures, we will be there to find you subjects, demonstrate techniques and help with those little problems such as strobe positioning and fault finding.

Oriental Mindoro is one of the most diverse areas in our oceans. Other areas of South East Asia have in recent years stolen the limelight for newly discovered species, but for sheer volume of species the Philippines is in pole position:

“Analysis of distribution data for 2983 species reveals a pattern of richness on a finer scale and identifies a peak of marine bio-diversity in the central Philippine Islands and a secondary peak between peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra…. Our study indicates, however, that there is a higher concentration of species per unit area in the Philippines than anywhere in Indonesia, including Wallacea.” (Environmental Biology of Fishes (2005). The center of the center of marine shore fish bio-diversity: the Philippine Islands, Kent E. Carpenter & Victor G. Springer)

Other Data has shown that the Tablas Straight (East of Oriental Mindoro) is one of the most diverse areas in the Philippines, making this an ideal underwater studio for photography and a workshop. Just remember to bring big memory cards for your dives!

It will be held at the Asia Divers/El Galleon Resort, offering a chance to have some fun, learn a lot, and develop your skills. Diving sites so full of subjects that you may actually run out of memory card space during a dive!

This inaugural event will take place from June 3-10, 2007 at the beautiful El Galleon resort in Puerto Galera, Mindoro in the Philippines.

The Philippines is known for amazing macro critters and exciting wide angle drift dives. Puerto Galera is the hotspot of local diving and features several wrecks just offshore as well as amazing muck diving off Sabang Beach. Stargazers, blue ribbon eels, frogfish, banded seasnakes, pygmy seahorses, and coleman shrimp are a small sampling of the critters that can be found just minutes from the resort. High voltage drift diving with schools of jacks, snappers, and reefs covered with barrel sponges, crinoid of every color, soft corals, sea fans and clouds of anthias help make this area the premier dive location in the world’s most bio-diverse region!

Daily Schedule

The Asia Divers Digital Photo Workshop will include daily presentations on the “ins and outs” of Underwater Photography, from the basics of lighting, to advanced composition and, of course, how to use Photoshop and create multi-media presentations. The seminar program is organized to allow participants maximum time underwater in which to put new skills to use.

The typical day in one of our seminars includes the following:

1. Fully researched and selected dive-sites to ensure we going to the location at the optimum time.
2. Morning Photo Shoot, two dives before lunch.
3. After lunch in the resort, the digital darkroom will open with a daily photography presentation by Simon, Tim, or Mike.
4. An afternoon dive is also included in the package.
5. Critiquing sessions taking place before dinner.
6. This time of day is also a good opportunity for some land shots, especially with the beautiful colors in a Filipino Sunset.
7. Night dives and Nitrox can be organized on an individual basis as add-ons once at the resort. In addition, for evening entertainment, the Pros will present Multi-Media slideshows and videos.

After dinner activities will be conducted in El Galleon’s world famous Point Bar, with a unique range of t-shirts available to those with an appetite for cocktails!

PADI Diving Society members special:
Society members only pay US$1146 for double occupancy
and US$1346 for single occupancy for prepaid package.

Dear friends, as promised here are just a few of the images from the ADEX Dive Expo in Bangkok, Thailand,and please forgive me if I have forgotten somebody, thanks.
The Asian Dive Expo was again a great place to catch up with some friends, nature lovers, divers and customers, photography was high on the agenda this year with Michael AW organizing the photo contest, Jason Heller from Dive Photo Guide been one of the judges, and of course "Gutsy" Scott Tuason been around with Yvette Lee at the Department of Tourism Philippines booth, most of the Alliance partners cruising the floor or attended to customers at the DOT Booth.
Lee Blundell from Calypso/Pinjalo Dive Resort, Boracay, Philippines, Allan Nash and Tommy Soderstrom from Asia Divers with El Galleon Dive Resort could be seen everywhere, Dermot Keane the GM from Sam's Tours arrived with Dirk Fahrenbach from Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center, Palawan, Philippines and Gunther Deichmann from Dream Time, Manila.
I run into some very good old friends, like John Everingham the publisher of some of the best publications in Thailand and beyond, he publishes Phuket Magazine, Tropical Homes, Yachting and sailing Magazines.
The whole team from Fins Magazine was there, the charming Mean and Aye with of course no other than our good friend Tony Wu.
Almost all the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance Partners attended the show, missing where, Truk Stop Hotel and Dive center and our trusted
Travel agent in Manila Blue Horizons.
The Divers Choice and your island hopping specialist, Dive with The Philippine - Micronesia Alliance.

Enjoy the images and dont forget to subscribe to our blog,

P.S. more images from a great evening and a pod cast later,
very funny stuff indeed, video and images, party time at Fins
Magazine office, he,he, after hours of-course!
So, you really have to stay tuned!

Cheers G.D.


The Fins Magazine finsonline.com with Tony Wu and Alliance
partners, Dermot Keane, Dirk Fahrenbach and
Gunther Deichmann from Dream Time, Manila.
Photo on right: Dermot Keane, Sam's Tours, Palau, Allan Nash
from Asia Divers Puerto Galera, Philippines,
Dirk Fahrenbach Dugong Dive Center,Palawan, Philippines.
Is this a pre Alliance meeting? I guess so, since almost all the
partners have been around during ADEX.



Aye from Fins Magazine, John Everingham, Mean from
Fins Magazine and the ever so charming Kantara from
Art Asia Press.
Photo on the right: Dirk Fahrenbach, Jamie Stockbridge
Connor from Diveguide.com
Dermot Keane GM of Sam's Tours Palau.
Who is paying for the Taxi?


John Everingham, Publisher, Phuket Magazine, Art Asia,
chatting with Jason heller from Dive Photo Guide.com
Right photo: At the Booth of Jason Heller,
DivePhotoGuide.com


"Gutsy" Scott Tuason and Yvette Lee
at the Department of Tourism Booth,
Philippines

We have just received this great News from our Partner Sam's Tours In Palau.
Congratulations from all the Alliance Partners!

Sam’s Tours receives PADI National Geographic Center Award Status.
Permalink 05:09:04 am, Categories: Latest News, Announcements, Other Info

Late breaking news!!!!!!

Sam’s Tours has just received official notification from PADI Americas that we have achieved PADI National Geographic Center Award status. Please stay tuned for more information on exciting PADI National Geographic eco adventure and exploration programs at Sam’s Tours!

Dermot Keane
General Manager
Sam’s Tours

Dear friends, divers, nature lovers, customers and Alliance partners,

Back in Manila, now I try to catch up.



First of all I like to announce that the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance
has a NEW Partner, Asian Spirit is the first airline to join us. Welcome onboard Asian Spirit, shortly we be updating our website
with all the latest info, just stay tuned. Asian Spirit has direct flights to Palau Micronesia and of course major destinations within the Philippines, including Boracay and Palawan our Partner destinations, make your bookings with Blue Horizons in Manila to all the Alliance destinations.
Island hopping and Inselhuepfen is easy now- from the Philippines to Micronesia with Asian Spirit, all the best dive destinations at your finger tips.


A lot more images on the next blog in a few days.

Subscribe or bookmark the Alliance Blog:
http://www.alliancediving.com/blog

The ADEX Dive Expo in Bangkok, Thailand has produced again some good results for the Dive industry in Asia and Micronesia.
A small show in comparison to other international venues but very productive indeed, Cynthia L. Carrion, Assistant Secretary represented the DOT the Department of Tourism of the Philippines with a nice big booth, and it was here where you could meet with some partners of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance.

Lee Blundell from Calypso/Pinjalo Dive Resort, Boracay, Philippines, Allan Nash from Asia Divers with El Galleon Beach Resort, Puerto Galera, Philippines, other Alliance partners at the show where: Dirk Fahrenbach from Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center, Palawan, Philippines, Dermot Keane the GM from Sam’s Tours Palau Micronesia and Gunther Deichmann from Dream Time the virtual office of the Alliance in Manila.

Tony Wu from Fins Magazine and his creative team kept busy producing some Pod cast, Had a great party at the Fins magazine office, a lot of Mekong Whisky and Vodka, critter cam fun and more fun, all organized by no other than Tony Wu and his charming staff Mean, Aye and others......
I cant remember all their names, or was it the Mekong?
A lot more on that subject later, via Pod cast, just stay tuned and subcribe.

John Everingham from Art Asia Press, a good friend and the publisher of some of the best travel, sailing, Tropical Homes and Phuket Magazine, in Asia was part of the Boat show, which was held at the same time than ADEX. I caught up with Steve White Editor of Action Asia Magazine, long chats with my friend and Photographer Jason Heller from Dive Photo Guide. Exchanged some views about Aperture the software by Apple for professional Photographers, with underwater photographers “Gutsy” Scott Tuason and Yvette Lee at the Department of Tourism Philippines Booth.
It was really amazing how many familiar faces cruised the floor at ADEX this year, there was Hans Ullrich regional manager from PADI in Asia and long time ago the GM of Sam’s Tours in Palau, Gunter Bernert from Discovery Divers in Coron Island, Palawan, Philippines, I had not seen Gunter for a very long time, real nice guy.

Exchanged some words with famous underwater photographer Michael Aw, a member of the OceanNEnvironment Australia and cracked jokes with Jamie Stockbridge Connor, President of Diveguide.com Yes, a small show, but….. lots of great people and friends got together, I guess seen and be seen seems to be the motto of this year at the ADEX Dive Expo in Bangkok, Thailand.
Celebrate the Sea Festival was announced during ADEX, calling all Divers, Underwater image makes, friends of the sea and lovers of our natural world to Asia Pacific Biggest Event of the Ocean, to be held in the Philippines September 21-23, 2007 at the Coconut Palace, Manila.Underwater Imaging Presentation and Seminars by world leading underwater photographers & scientists. Scott Tuason- Author Anilao/Bahura, David Doubilet- National Geographic Photographer and Michael AW- Author of Beneath North Sulawesi, International Imagery Competition with prizes over US$ 35,000.00, medals, equipment etc.,etc., Contact the Department of Tourism in the Philippines for more information or get in touch with one of our Alliance partners in Puerto Galera, a proud sponsor of this unique event, Asia Divers with El Galleon Beach Resort.
Wow, that is it for now! All the images from ADEX Dive Expo will follow on my next blog in a few days, so stay tuned,

Cheers G.D.

A nice blog from Dermot Keane, GM at Sam's Tours Palau Micronesia
much more to come in the next few days with lots of images from the ADEX Dive Expo
in Bangkok Thailand, stay tuned and check our Blog.
Most of the Alliance members attended the show, and more details from a party at
Fins Magazine a very funny event with Tony Wu being a great host.


Sam’s Tours at ADEX Show, Bangkok, Thailand
Permalink 05:43:30 am, Categories: Announcements

I’m still in transit back to Palau following several days in Bangkok, Thailand, where I attended the ADEX Show (Asian Dive Expo). While the show is small compared to other shows I attend during the year such as DEMA (USA) and BOOT (Germany), it was nonetheless a worthwhile trip.

I ran in to many friends and industry partners including Sam’s Tours former General Manager, Mr. Hans Ullrich, who is now a PADI Regional Manager in South East Asia.

Several members of the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance of which Sam’s Tours is a charter member, were also in attendance including Alan Nash and Tommy Soderstrom of Asia Divers and El Galleon Resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines and Dirk Fahrenbach of Dugong Dive Center and Club Paradise, Palawan, Philippines and Lee Blundell of Pinjaloo Resort and Calypso Divers in Boracay, Philippines. Visit www.alliancediving.com for more information on some great diving with these quality partners just a short hop away from Palau.

Asian Spirit (www.asianspirit.com) the newest airline to serve Palau invited me as their guest from Koror (Palau) to Manila via Davao on my outbound leg to Bangkok. On the return leg later this week I will join Asian Spirits inaugural flight from Manila via Cebu to Koror. Asian Spirit will offer direct service to Koror from Cebu three times per week and once a week direct from Davao. Cebu or Davao to Koror takes about an hour and half onboard Asian Spirits British Aerospace 146 4-Engine jet which can seat up to 100 people. Thanks for the invitation Asian Spirit! Now it’s easier than ever to island hop between some of the best dive resorts in the Western Pacific region.

Also joining me at ADEX was Gunther Deichmann whose company DreamTime created Sam’s Tours new website which features much of his landscape images. Gunther is a professional photographer and recently completed certification as an Apple Certified Aperture” Trainer. Plans are in the works for an Aperture Workshop by Gunther at Sam’s Tours later this year. Stay tuned for more information. Check out his website at www.deichmann-photo.com or search for him on PhotoShelter.com

Gunther is presently on a shoot at the famous temples in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, in preparation for an Apple Aperture workshop in September at the stunning Heritage Hotel, a beautiful boutique hotel in Siam Reap just a short drive away from the famous temples. The temples were heavily featured in Gunther’s recent coffee-table book “A Journey through Colour and Time” which highlights 30 years of his photography. If you’re an Apple user and avid photographer, take the time to check out Aperture. Gunther’s entire book was prepared using Apple’s image management application.

Dermot Keane
General Manager
Sam's Tours
Palau, Micronesia
PermalinkPermalink •