Dive with Sharks at Mandalay Bay

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay plunges to new depths with its new Dive with Sharks program for hotel guests of Mandalay Bay and THEhotel.  Thrill-seekers will experience a rush of adrenaline while diving side-by-side with dive guides and more than 30 sharks, including sandtiger, white tip and sandbar sharks, in a 1.3-million-gallon exhibit. 

Dive with Sharks provides certified divers 18 years of age and older a rare chance to connect with these powerful creatures during an up-close educational program offering a deeper understanding of marine life.  Throughout the four-hour experience, participants learn about shark health and behavior as well as Shark Reef Aquarium research projects that aid in the preservation of endangered species.  To make the experience more intimate, the program is limited to two participants and one dive per day.  Every dive is different as the sharks’ needs change daily.

“We are pleased to introduce the Dive with Sharks experience, which will bring our guests even closer to these magnificent predators,” said Adrienne Rowland, director of Shark Reef Aquarium. “This memorable adventure will appeal to anyone who loves underwater exploration and wants to learn more about these fascinating animals.”

The adventure begins at 3 p.m. when the program facilitator greets participants.  During a guided tour of Shark Reef, the facilitator shares intriguing facts about the predator-based aquarium’s inhabitants.  Next, participants receive dive and equipment orientation before changing into wetsuits and beginning their submerged journey.

General Curator Jack Jewell said, “The dive sessions we have created are very unique.  During dives in the ocean, it is uncertain whether one or more sharks will swim close or appear at all.  The Dive with Sharks program guarantees the opportunity to observe many sharks as well as a variety of other creatures including green sea turtles, sawfish and mesmerizing schools of fish.”

In developing this program, Mandalay Bay’s top priority was the safety and health of the animals and participants.  A team of dedicated dive guides teach participants various safety procedures before the dive and provide a 2-to-1 guest-to-dive instructor ratio, ensuring personalized attention and safety throughout the dive. 

 Adam Schaffer, a Dive with Sharks participant, said, “Shark Reef Aquarium’s Dive with Sharks is truly a world-class experience.  I felt like I was diving in five different oceans, and there were times I actually forgot I was in an aquarium.”

            Hotel guests of Mandalay Bay or THEhotel can book the exclusive tour for $650 for a single diver or $1,000 for two divers booked together. The Dive with Sharks program includes a guided tour of Shark Reef Aquarium, supervised 45-minute dive and a post-dive snack.  Shark Reef Aquarium provides all equipment – a wetsuit, protective stainless steel chain maille as well as a mask, fins, tank, buoyancy-control device, regulator, weights and booties. 

Additionally, guests receive a Dive with Sharks Certificate of Completion and a video of their dive to commemorate their experience.  Participants also are able to bring up to four observers to view the dive from outside the exhibit.  Observers enjoy complimentary admission to Shark Reef Aquarium and are welcome to join the introductory exhibit and behind-the-scenes tours.

            All dive participants must present a valid certification card from a recognized dive instruction agency such as PADI or NAUI.  Dive with Sharks is available four days a week – Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  Dive-certified guests of Mandalay Bay interested in the program may call (702) 632-4555 or visit www.mandalaybay.com or www.sharkreef.com for advance reservations.  Shark Reef Aquarium has been accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums since 2003.

The Fez Bus – Hop-on, Hop-off way to see Turkey

Interliners are familiar with Hop-on and Hop-off buses in cities like New York City, London and Washington DC but how about a Hop-on, Hop-off bus as a way to see a country?

This Fez bus is forinterliners who want to see Turkey on a shoestring. Step back in time and wander roads where Trojan, Greek, Roman and Anatolia warriors once trod. Marvel at the dramatic beauty of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Absorb the landscape and watch villagers drying fruit on their rooftops, baking bread or riding donkeys through the main town. Live out every kid’s dream and sleep in a tree house on the hillside of Zeus. Marvel at the mythical natural wonders or go underground and sleep in caves. You can do all this and more on the Fez Bus!

Fez Travel’s hop-on hop-off bus (the Fez Bus) is Turkey”’’s only hop-on hop-off bus network. It’s a popular service pitched at independent budget travellers and backpackers, departing every destination every 2nd day in an anti-clockwise direction from Istanbul. All departure points and times are listed in the timetable on our ‘how it works’ page and departure dates can be viewed at Fez Bus Travel Planner

Your pass is valid all season (1 June – 23 October) and is designed to cater for those wishing to see a little or a lot of Turkey, with great additional options along the way, so you’re not on a bus all day!

If you need to travel a little earlier than this, make sure you check out our Fez Bus budget tours. They travel to the same places, do all the same things, stay in the same accommodation points and have all tours and activities offered on an optional basis, so that you can choose to do as much or as little as you want. The only difference is that your accommodation is included and the tours have a set itinerary (which is pretty much what most Fez Bus travellers want to do anyway) Shoestring Turkey is available throughout April and May andthey have a range of budget options available for 2009 ANZAC Day.

One of the great things about the hop-on hop-off pass is that you don’t have to start in Istanbul. You can start anywhere you like around the circuit. Just let us know where you want to commence your travel and we””ll be there to pick you up (as long as it coincides with our schedule). You need at least 2 weeks to really enjoy your trip, however, we suggest three weeks or more!

It is possible to complete the full circuit in 9 days, however if you plan on cruising the Mediterranean on a Gulet (traditional handmade Turkish yacht), make sure you include time for this in your itinerary (we have already done this for those on Fez Bus tours). You may need to spend an extra day in a town where the gulet departs from or finishes. Check out our ‘how it works’ page for an example.

There are 3 different types of Fez Bus Hop-on Hop-off passes available:

• Turkish Delight pass
  The Turkish Delight pass allows you to do a full loop (usually from Istanbul to Istanbul but start anywhere and finish where you started).
• Silk Trail pass
  The Silk Trail pass is a great option if you are coming to Turkey from the Greek Islands, as it starts in Kusadasi/Selcuk and continues around the circuit back to Istanbul.
• Turkey Express pass
  If you only have a short time in Turkey then the Turkey Express pass covers the Aegean coastline and also the magnificent wonders of Pamukkale, Egirdir and Cappadocia before returning to Istanbul.

If you are interested in booking one of these bus passes for Turkey or are looking for a tour to Turkey contact InterlineTravel.com at 800 766-2911 or in the DFW Area call metro 817 481-8631 or go online to www.interlinetravel.com.

Top Dive Spots in Belize

Belize is known by airline employees who dive as a diver’s paradise. The cayes (pronounced keys), the offshore atolls, and the barrier reef are the main attractions in Belize. The barrier reef, which is 185 miles long, is the longest in the Western Hemisphere. The cayes are coral sand and/or mangroves islands, that are located between the mainland and the barrier reef, on the barrier reef, and on or within the reef perimeters of the offshore atolls.

The diving in Belize is breath taking with numerous and varied dive sites to explore. Even though Belize is ranked as one of the top three dive destinations in the Caribbean it has been slower to deveope giving you the luxury of diving uncrowded sites. The majority of dive sites need to be accessed by boat with a few exceptions if you are staying on one of the outer atolls, Tobacco Caye or Southwater Caye. As a diver in Belize you will encounter marine life in all sizes and shapes including 70 types of hard corals and nearly 500 species of fish.

Here are a few tips for planning your dive trip to Belize:

Pack conservatively. Many small aircraft have weight limits.

Pack a carry-on. Include a swimsuit, one change of clothes, basic toiletries and essential dive gear such as your mask, computer and regulator. This way, if your luggage does get lost, you””re still ready to dive.

Carry all your important documentation and valuables in your carry-on luggage or on your person.

Carry a list of emergency phone numbers and addresses.

This is a no-brainer – DO NOT MESS with any drugs.

Make as comprehensive a check list as possible ahead of time, then consult it during the week before leaving on your trip (see below).

Be sure you have all your dive gear and that it is in good condition.

Diving is a strenuous sport. Be sure you are in good cardiovascular condition. Start conditioning months before your trip, not days.

Here is an overview of what we consider to be the top dive spots in Belize….

1) Ambergris Caye – Along the entire length of Ambergris Caye the reef is comprised of spectacular three dimensional coral formations which include canyons, grottoes and tunnels. Curiously, the more common reef fishes do not appear here in great numbers compared to elsewhere. However, there are a greater number of pelagic fish such as sharks and rays. There are also a considerable number of porpoise and turtle to be seen.

2) Lighthouse Reef – Of the three atoll reefs off the coast of Belize, Lighthouse Reef is the farthest offshore. It is far from neglected, however, since dive boats from San Pedro visit the atoll regularly and the larger live-aboard vessels are always found in the vicinity. Within the confines of the reef, the depth is generally about 9 feet (2.7 m) with sufficient room between the numerous patch reefs to maneuver any craft with shallow enough draft. The seabed is sandy and this, at least, allows the skipper to see the darker-colored patches of coral. As long as the sun is over the shoulder, the patch reefs are clearly seen. However, as soon as you turn and face the sun, the glare from the surface obscures the coral and extreme caution is advised.

3) Glover’s Reef – If you are serious about scuba diving, you must dive Glover’s Reef. There are 56 linear miles of wall diving at this remote atoll. The wall drops from 35 feet to 3000 feet in less than a mile, and visibility is regularly 100 feet or more. Long Caye Dive Center offers a variety of Belize dive packages. Many divers, who dive world-wide, have commented that this is some of the best diving they have experienced.

4) Long Caye Wall – This dive was rated by Skin Diver magazine as one of the top ten dive sites in the world! Mooring on a buoy,you descend to a pristine white sand floor. This isthe orientation dive for all divers, including first-timers. Passing over colonies of garden eels,you leave the white sands behind to hover over towering coral formations along the edge of the 2600 vertical wall. Schools of brilliantly colored fish drift amongst the coral formations;you willoften see batfish and giant lobster on this dive.

5) Bev’s Garden – This site features Lettuce Leaf and Staghorn corals as far as the eye can see. Asyou descend past the top of the wall at thirty-five feet,you drift over numerous canyons of coral, which provides hideouts for schoolmaster snappers and hawksbill turtles. It is common to see graceful spotted eagle rays soaring along the gentle currents.

6) The Crack – One ofthe more advanced dives, this vertical cave is entered at forty-five feet and exited between seventy and ninety feet. Sea life abounds in this dark crevice. Frequent sightings have been made of loggerhead turtles, bull sharks, and some of the largest Nassau groupers in the atoll. This is the perfect site for underwater photographers.

7) Middle Caye Wall – A ten-minute boat ride takesyou to the shadow of neighboring Middle Caye.You descend to the top of the wall, drifting through schools of bluehead wrasse and horse-eyed jacks. Before ascending, a visit with Mordecai, a five-foot long green moray eel who shares his home with nurse sharks and loggerhead turtles.