13 to 23 April – 3 last spaces!
30% off Ocean Rover 10 night dive cruise to Raja Ampat & Banda Sea

Price now only USD2,800 per person sharing a cabin

Probably the best route in Indonesia
The combination of Raja Ampat (Dampier & Misool) and Banda Sea (Koon, Bandaneira & Nusa Laut) is considered for many divers the best and most diverse diving trip in Indonesia, ergo the World!

Book now: Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel

For the more competitive of you cyclists, this years Masters Tour of Chiang Mai, a 4 day road cycling race event, takes place in May in… you guessed it… Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

Dates: 22 to 26 May, 2015.

The following age group categories will be held:
Open A
Open B
Ladies
30-39
40-49
50-59
Masters 60+

The Four stages are:
Road Race 80 km
Road Race 100 km (optionally Circuit Race 40 km, TBA)
Road Race (Uphill Finish) 100 km
Individual Mountain Time Trial 11 km
(Minimum riders for each age category will be 10. If less than 10 riders sign up, they will be regrouped to the next younger age category).

PARTICIPATION LIMITED TO 160 RIDERS IN 2015 – REGISTER NOW!

Plan a longer visit to Thailand to coincide with this event. Contact Symbiosis now.

Great offers available for liveaboard diving onboard the Tambora, both cruises will pass through Raja Ampat and South Halmahera. Only a few spaces left before the end of the season!

Date: 01-13 May for Sorong-Ternate, and 16-28 May for Ternate-Sorong
Price: USD $3,475 per person (twin/double sharing), WAS USD $4,630

Contact Symbiosis for further information.

Symbiosis is pleased to offer some last minute special prices on liveaboard dive cruises in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat islands aboard the lovely Euphoria.

1) Last 6 places (standard and VIP cabins)
Dates: 02-16 March 2015 – 15 day cruise 
Offer: 14 nights for the price of 11 plus second person at half price
Price:
– Standard cabin: EUR 3,300 Eur for 1st person, €1,650 for his/her partner.
– VIP Cabin: EUR 3,550 for 1st person, €1,775 for his/her partner.
         
2) 12 places  (standard and VIP cabins)
Dates: 14-25 May 2015
Offer: Second person at half price;
Price:
– Standard cabin: EUR 3,300 for 1st person, €1,650 for his/her partner.
– VIP Cabin: EUR 3,550 for 1st person, €1,775 for his/her partner.
 
3)  12 places (standard and VIP cabins)
Dates: 2Oct – 02 Nov 2015
Price:
– Standard cabin: EUR 3,300 for 1st person, €1,650 for his/her partner.
– VIP Cabin: EUR 3,550 for 1st person, €1,775 for his/her partner.
 
All above trips must be booked and paid for by end of February, 2015.

Also… Early Booking discount: 10% off for other cruises aboard the Euphoria if booked during March for dates more than 6 months ahead.

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel to book your place

Last minute offers available in February and March onboard the Fiji Siren & Truk Siren. Grab this opportunity and enjoy a 40% off on the below prices.

Fiji Siren
19 Feb – 01 March = EUR 3,750 per person on double/twin sharing
02 March – 09 March = EUR 2,700 per person on double/twin sharing

Truk Siren
25 Feb – 7 March = EUR 3,550 per person on double/twin sharing
18 March – 28 March = EUR 3,550 per person on double/twin sharing

Inclusions:
– FREE Essential dive equipment rental of Aqua Lung Wave BCD, Calypso regulator, 3mm shorty wetsuit, mask & fins.* 12l aluminium tank, weights, belt and SMB (safety sausage)
– FREE NITROX fills for all certified Nitrox divers!
– All meals, refreshments & snacks such as coffee, tea, herbal tea, fresh water, carbonated soft drinks, fruit juice, fresh fruit & cookies. FREE BEER
– Cabin and Deck Towels
– Use of Kayaks

Contact Symbiosis for further details

Published on Jan 13, 2015
This is a compilation of videos taken from two different
cameras set up in Thailand’s Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Surat Thani province in July 2014. This incredible habitat is still brimming with rare wildlife.

Full story on Mangobay

A couple of great last minute offers for dive cruises aboard the lovely Aurora traditional-style Pinisi sailing schooner

1.) Last minute Raja Ampat
Dates: 11 – 18 Feb 2015 (7 nights, Sorong/Sorong)
Discount of 1 (one) night: so instead of EUR 2,030.- only 1,740.- EUR/person.

Extras to be added:
Nat. Park fee Raja Ampat 95.- EUR
Fuel Surcharge 150.- EUR/person
Bookings must be made and payment received by 31 Jan 2015.

2.) Summertime in Komodo
Dates: 07 – 14 July 2015 (7 nights, Bima/Labuanbajo)
Discount of 1 (one) night: so instead of 1,855.- EUR only 1,590.- EUR/person.

Extras to be added:
Nat. Park fee Komodo 55.- EUR
Bookings must be made and payment received by 24th of February 2015.

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel now to reserve your berth.

Just a reminder that you need to book before the end of this month to secure 2014 prices for dive trips in 2015 staying at the wonderful Raja4Divers in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel asap to book your dive holiday.

Superlative sea kayaking in the Calamian and Linapacan islands of Northern Palawan, Philippines. Last trip 15-23 Nov. Next trip: circumnavigate Coron Island by sea kayak 30 Nov-03 Dec. Four participating so far. There’s room for 3 more!

Next: An 8-day Round Busuanga and Round Coron kayak expedition Dec 31 – Jan 08. 4 participants already booked. Room for 3 more.

Contact Symbiosis now if you would like to join. We can also help with travel arrangements, hotel bookings and anything else you would like to do while in the Philippines. One not to miss!

To those of you in the UK, please watch this – Pailinesque travelogue with lots of useful, insightful knowledge about the wonderful Mekong River and the dangers it faces from over exploitation. Watch on iPlayer

Stay at the lovely El Galleon Dive Resort on Small La Laguna Beach, Puerto Galera, dive with Asia Divers, and for each group of 8 booked, one goes for free.

So, the Green Season Deal is:
What? Special offer for small groups of divers (8 pax plus)
Where? El Galleon Dive Resort, Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Philippines
When? Valid for stays between June and October 2015
The offer: for every 7 fully paid up, one more goes for free.

Meanwhile, from now until then the deal is one free in every group of 10 divers (9+1).

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel to start planning your dive trip to the Phnilippines.

Check out dates for next year’s great bike rides all around South East Asia. Go to the Home page, above, select a country of interest at the top of the page, then click “sports & adventure” and “mountain bike tours”. More to come too!

1 double/twin cabin available on the Amira.

What?: Dive cruise aboard the lovely Amira “pinisi” sailing ship in the world famous Raja Ampat islands of West Papua, Indonesia

When?: 24 Nov to 05 Dec 2014 (11 nights)

Offer: 30% discount

Price: EUR 2,390 (US$ 3,080)

Last cabin so BOOK NOW!

Claimed to be the longest underground river in the world (although I hear rumours that a much longer one has been found in South America somewhere) is located in the St Paul’s National Park in Palawan, Philippines.

Emptying directly into the South China Sea through a cave at the bottom of karst limestone cliffs, topped in rich rainforest, the river flows underground for about 8 km, and it is possible to row small boats through the cave system for at lest half of that distance.  By kayak, much further… although I am told it is not possible to actually emerge the other side.

To get to the entrance of St Paul’s National Park and to the underground river, you have to take a banca (Philippine version of an outrigger boat) along the Palawan coast from the small seaside town and beach of Sabang. 

Once there, you disembark onto a pristine white sand beach (shoes off) from where there are forest trails leading off into the jungle. One of these leads to a boat landing point where you charter your boat and boatman to take you into the caves.

This is a popular day out for local Filipinos and there can be quite a long wait to get a boat, so get there early or plan to spend some time bird watching and wildlife spotting along some of the other trails in the park. In the short time that I was there I saw various monkeys and several large monitor lizards – very close up – in addition to plenty of our feathered friends.  Reinforcing the reputation of the park, there was also a posse from the Philippines Birding Society there laden with expensive-looking optical gear.

The St Paul’s National Park is named, it is said, for the shape of the mountain above the caves (see pic) which strongly Catholic Filipinos reckon looks like the profile of a well known Saint!

Most visitors come to visit the underground river from the main town of Puerto Princes, a 2-3 hour drive away (parts of the road are still under construction and parts are very poor).  To be there early, I would recommend staying overnight or longer in Sabang where there is one delightful little resort right on the beach called the Daluyon.  Swimming pool, nicely appointed rooms in 2 storey villas and excellent food!  There are backpacker places at the other end of the beach in Sabang town itself.

Two online merchants of tiger parts have been arrested in Indonesia. The bust was the result of a coordinated effort between local and national authorities, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) which supports ‘Wildlife Crimes Units’ operating throughout the country. The arrests are a small success in the battle to curtail the trafficking of wildlife parts online—where sellers can readily connect with a broad international customer base.

One individual was arrested in Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung Province located 90 km from Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, critical habitat for the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae). He allegedly sold tiger parts via social media networks, advertising their mystical and healing properties. The other was detained at the port of Merak on the western tip of Java, a critical shipping link between the two islands and a popular exit point for smuggled wildlife. His online offerings reportedly included a variety of ‘home decorations,’ including tiger skins as well as stuffed tigers, bears, and lions. The stuffed tigers listed for $5,000-7,000.

Read the full story by Loren Bell, Mongabay-Indonesia correspondent, November 04, 2014