Bonaire Voted Best Dive Destination in Caribbean/Atlantic

The island of Bonaire has swept top honors receiving four #1 Ratings, which is more than any other destination scored in the Caribbean/Atlantic category, while continuing its reign as one of the top diving destinations. For the tenth consecutive year, Bonaire has taken first place for Best Overall Dive Destination and island for Best Shore Diving.

Bonaire received first place in two other Caribbean/Atlantic categories: Best Marine Life and Best Macro Life, and also received second place in the category of Best Marine Environment.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the readers of Scuba Diving magazine as the top overall diving destination in the Caribbean/Atlantic for a decade long,” said Lara Chirino, Director of Tourism of Tourism Corporation Bonaire. “Bonaire is notorious for demonstrating a longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the environment below the water, and these awards show us the results of our efforts.”

For the Readers’ Choice Awards, thousands of Scuba Diving subscribers and web users rated their dive experiences on a scale of one to five. Results of the 2012 Awards are featured in the January/February 2012 issue of Scuba Diving magazine.

Located 86 miles east of Aruba, the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire offers year-round sunshine, low annual rainfall, pristine coral formations and the most thriving fish population in the Caribbean. Ideal for adventurers, explorers and sun-worshippers alike, Bonaire offers myriad eco-adventure activities including world renowned scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, mountain biking, sea and mangrove kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking, bird watching, sailing and seep sea and bone fishing. And with a selection of accommodations ranging from full-service oceanfront resorts and condominiums to guesthouses and small inns, Bonaire has something for every lifestyle and budget.

Bonaire is the recipient of the prestigious Islands Magazine/Caribbean Tourism Organization 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award and continues to be recognized as one of the top destinations worldwide for its sustainable tourism and as one of the top diving destinations in the Caribbean/Atlantic for 10 consecutive years in Scuba Diving magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. It was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as having the healthiest reefs in the Caribbean (January 2008), and as the Favorite Dive Destination in the World by About.com (June, 2008). In 2011, Bonaire was voted one of the top five Snorkeling Destinations in the Caribbean by the editors of Caribbean Travel & Life.

For more information on Bonaire contact the Tourism Corporation Bonaire in the U.S. at 1-800-BONAIRE or visit Bonaire’s official web site at www.tourismbonaire.com. Follow Bonaire on Twitter and Facebook.

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Papua New Guinea Invites Divers To Name Their Own Site And Win A Trip

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is inviting divers to enter a “Name Your Own Dive Site” contest to help the island destination name two new dive sites that have rarely been dived before; the winner gets a free trip.

The dive sites, one located near the Tufi Resort and another located alongside Walindi Plantation Resort offer an abundance of best-in-class dive opportunities.

The competition is easy. Divers can visit www.nameyourowndivesite.com to provide original submissions for naming one of the two locales. Submissions will be collected now through August 31st 2010. The author of the winning name will win a free trip for two to Papua New Guinea to participate in an underwater naming and ribbon cutting ceremony.

Papua New Guinea’s dive sites are among the best in the world as divers come from far and wide to experience the island’s spectacular natural wonders. Located in the Indo-Pacific Area, PNG lays claim to being home to twice as many marine species as the popular diving waters of the Red Sea and up to five times as many as the Caribbean. Often dubbed the ‘underwater photographer’s paradise’ Papua New Guinea has provided the backdrop to an abundance of international award -winning photo shoots.

“Papua New Guinea is truly the country of A Thousand Different Dives and A Million Different Journeys and with so many amazing dive locations to choose from it is exciting to give divers the opportunity to name one and visit it for themselves,” said Mr. Peter Vincent, CEO of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority.

PNG is said to have the highest array of tropical fish and corals in the world. Encouraged by the constant movement of the surrounding Bismarck, Coral and Solomon Seas, there are a stunning array of species to be discovered. Everything from tiny Pygmy Seahorses and Nudibranchs to the magnificent whale shark can be encountered by diving Papua New Guinea. The island is filled with spectacular reefs that have never before been dived with water temperatures averaging 83°F and visibility between 50-150 feet.

Contestants for the Sweepstakes must be from the U.S. or Canada. The prize will include round-trip airfare from Los Angeles to Papua New Guinea, 5 night’s accommodation with meals at either Tufi Dive Resort or Walindi Plantation Resort and diving with an underwater ribbon cutting ceremony announcing the new site name!

To enter the competition, visit www.nameyourowndivesite.com. For more information about Papua New Guinea, visit www.pngtourism.org.pg.