Sometimes a cold beer, a long journey and a couple of ancient civilizations collide in the most unexpected way. I’m sipping a Belikin Beer — no, let’s be more accurate, I’m quickly downing one — in the bar at the Fort George Hotel in Belize City when I notice the condensation beading on the label. And then I spot the pyramid. A quick Google later and I discover that the pyramid on my now-empty bottle is the pyramid from Altun Ha the Mayan archaeological site we regularly visit on our Belize trips. The coincidence is that I’d arrived in Belize that very morning from Egypt, where I’d just completed another Snorkel Venture trip. Our Egyptian trips often include visits to the incredible structures and antiquities of Ancient Egypt. And one of Egypt’s most popular beers is Sakara, which also has a pyramid on its label — this time one of the earlier dynasty pyramids at Saqqara. Now, I’ve no idea if the producers of the Belizean and Egyptian beers are somehow in collusion, which I very much doubt. But it did strike me as rather odd that both national beers feature pyramids. So what has all this got to do with snorkeling? Bear with me, I’ll get to that bit shortly. When we meet our Snorkel Venture guests in Belize City — or Cairo — it would be a crying shame not to explore some of the local culture when the opportunity arises. Altun Ha is less than an hour away by minivan", making it an ideal morning excursion before we transfer to Turneffe Island. I’d taken more than 30 hours to reach Belize from Egypt, but for our mainly American guests, the flight from Miami is only around two hours. Even from further afield in the US, the Caribbean
Sometimes a cold beer, a long journey and a couple of ancient civilizations collide in the most unexpected way. I’m sipping a Belikin Beer — no, let’s be more accurate, I’m quickly downing one — in the bar at the Fort George Hotel in Belize City when I notice the condensation beading on the label.
I’d like to tell you about a trip to two of the most iconic Indonesian snorkeling destinations: Alor and Komodo. Both delivered unforgettable ocean encounters, sparkling, jaw-dropping reefs, and unmatched relaxation. As with many of our trips, we started off in Jakarta, in my home away from home, the FM7 Hotel (which I recently found out stands for “Fond Memories”!). I met my group for our welcome dinner in the hotel’s restaurant and instantly felt at ease as we all bonded over tales of snorkeling. A sense of shared excitement and anticipation for what was to come filled the room. That night/morning, we flew across the chain of islands that borders the southern end of the Indonesian archipelago and finally made it to our first resort of the two-week trip, Alami Alor. Alami Alor As we pulled into Alami Resort, we were greeted by the wonderful Alami staff, who showed us around and made us feel at home. Alami is a small resort, nestled in a remote Indonesian village. At Alami, you really feel like you have arrived somewhere special! Meandering garden paths, shaded by palm trees, lead each of us to our beautiful bungalows with stunning waterfront views. From here, it is not rare to spot baby reef sharks cruising over shallow coral and dolphins flipping in the distance before even leaving your room. That first afternoon, we wasted no time jumping into Alami’s house reef, home to moray eels, octopus, baby batfish, and thriving coral, to name a few. That evening, we all met in the lounge to watch the sunset with a cocktail in hand, feast on our first delicious dinner, and settle into what was already proving to be snorkeling bliss. Alor is definitely one of my absolute favorite places to explore. The variety of sites
I’d like to tell you about a trip to two of the most iconic Indonesian snorkeling destinations: Alor and Komodo. Both delivered unforgettable ocean encounters, sparkling, jaw-dropping reefs, and unmatched relaxation. As with many of our trips, we started off in Jakarta, in my home away from home, the FM7 Hotel (which I recently found
In 2003 the film Finding Nemo was made and Nemo shot to fame as the bravest little fish on the reef. Although we all love Nemo and his tales of bravery, he tends to steal the limelight when it comes to anemonefish (also known as clown fish). You see, alongside Nemo, there are 27 other species of anemonefish, each deserving its own 15 minutes of fame. So to restore the balance, although I cannot promise each species its own blockbuster movie, I am here to enlighten you on all things weird and wonderful about the anemonefish family. Species: Clarks anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) Where Do They Live? As their name suggests anemonefish live in sea anemones. Anemones are animals related to jellyfish and are essentially a blob of tentacles surrounding a central mouth, attached to the reef. They are mostly sedentary, typically selecting a suitable spot on the reef and remaining there. However, they are also capable of movement, slowly crawling along the reef and taking their anemonefish along for the ride. Life on the reef can be dangerous for small fish, with size not on your side you must find clever ways to survive. The tentacles of anemones are lined with stinging cells, for most fish this sting can be painful or even fatal but anemonefish can safely hide amongst the deadly tentacles without receiving a nasty sting. This immunity develops gradually. As the fish rubs against the anemone’s tentacles, the two exchange bacteria, allowing the clownfish to build a mucus layer on its skin that closely matches the anemone’s own. As a result, the anemone no longer recognises the fish as a foreign body. In effect, the clownfish becomes part of the anemone, and is spared from being stung. Species: Skunk Anemonefish (Amphiprion akallopisos) But as any true symbiotic
In 2003 the film Finding Nemo was made and Nemo shot to fame as the bravest little fish on the reef. Although we all love Nemo and his tales of bravery, he tends to steal the limelight when it comes to anemonefish (also known as clown fish). You see, alongside Nemo, there are 27 other
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