Swim with sharks at Dubai mall

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Dubai just changed how we’ll all look at malls forever. The Dubai Mall could have changed the rules simply by installing an aquarium and zoo … or gone even crazier by putting sharks in the water. Hell, watching sharks swim is a great way to eat your Auntie Ann’s pretzel. In Dubai, you can have your friend hold your pretzel while you put on a wetsuit and hop right in!

At the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo within the mall, visitors can slide into a 10 million-liter tank with sand tiger sharks, reef sharks and leopard sharks – not to mention giant groupers and stingrays.

Certified divers can arrive at the mall an hour before the dive (which lasts 20 – 30 minutes), while non-certified divers need to take a SCUBA course (noon on Thursday or Saturday). Certified divers will need to spend $225, with $300 for those who aren’t certified.

Daily travel deal – 4 nights on Roatan island hotel+air from $425

by Scott Carmichael on

Our specially selected travel deal for today will fly you to Roatan Island, off the coast of Honduras. This Caribbean island is a fantastic destination for divers, or anyone else looking for a bit of beach relaxation.

The deal starts at $425 (based off a Houston departure) and will fly you to the island, and let you stay in one of the many hotels available in this package.

The basic deal is for 4 nights at the Las Rocas resort and dive center. Breakfast and airport transportation are included in the price.

Once at your destination, you’ll have plenty to do, including boating rafting, horseback riding (on the beach) and of course diving. Dive courses at the resort start at $100.

As with many of these deals – you are completely free to customize things just the way you want. Add or remove nights, upgrade to a different hotel, or add a rental car, it is all possible at the time of booking.

Don’t forget to check what else is hot in our travel deals lineup!

World’s Greatest Dive Spots

by Kraig Becker on

Stephen Regenold is better know by his pseudonym, The Gear Junkie, which he uses when he writes his nationally syndicated column on outdoor adventure and equipment. Recently he penned a story for Travel+Leisure Magazine listing the ten best spots to go SCUBA diving in the world.

In order to come up with his definitive list, Regenold asked ten veteran divers, each of whom have extensive dive experience around the globe, to name their favorite dive spots. The results were a great mix of classic dives and hidden gems. He then compiled them into a slideshow that highlights each location, with an amazing photo, a description of where the dive spot is located, and an explanation of what makes it unique and special.

Some of the locations that make the list include Cenote Taj Maja and Santa Rosalia, both in Mexico. The former is an impressive spot for cave diving, while the latter is famous for allowing divers to get up close and personal with large Humboldt squid. The famous Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands makes the list for it’s abundance of wrecks, with literally dozens of sunken ships in the area, while Utila Island, off the coast of Honduras, is lauded for the twice yearly migration of the whale shark that passes through the surrounding waters.

The list has a little something for everyone, no matter what style of diving you prefer. Each of spots mentioned here offer specatacular waters, amazing sunken sights, and plenty of adventure.

Daily deal – Sanyo VPC-E2 waterproof digital camcorder for $199

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 digital camcorder. This 8 megapixel camera has all the features you’d expect from a digital video camera, including a swiveling screen, a 2.5″ LCD screen, up to 8 hours of video (on an 8GB card) and the ability to capture video in 60 frames per second in VGA resolution.

What makes this camera different, is the ability to work underwater – and not just “splashes of water”. The VPC-E2 is waterproof enough to work in up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. Of course, this does not make it your next best diving buddy, but you should be able to film some nice clips of your kids diving, or of the underwater environment on your next vacation.

The VPC-E2 comes complete with a rechargable battery pack, charger, Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 (for video editing), a soft case and a hand strap.

The camera is on sale at Amazon.com for just $199, making it one of the cheapest true underwater video cameras on the market.

Photo of the Day (8-06-08)

by Jamie Rhein on

Today is my dad’s birthday. As he’s become older, he’s become a real world traveler. His next major trip is to the Philippines. It’s hard to keep up. He’s also been to Maui where Global Voyager snapped this shot. Even though my dad doesn’t jump off cliffs like this guy, the heading for the photo “I can fly” reminded me of my dad. Traveling is how he soars.

Besides, if you’ve ever taken action shots, you’ll know that the chances of capturing such a perfect image where the person is suspended, just so, is not easy. Notice how the clouds are reflected in the water. Neat touch.

If you have an image you’d like to share, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool. It may become a Photo of the Day.