April 2011 Archives

Adex Show Offer - Our Special 10th Birthday offer

22 - 24 April, Suntec, Singapore

Dive & stay for free at Lembeh Cottages - Lembeh's top ranked resort*

When you book two people, you only pay for one!

Can't be at the Show?
Not a problem as we are sharing this with everyone for a limited period. Simply book by email before 06 May and you can take part in our special celebrations with this fabulous offer! Please quote ADEX offer.

It's easy! Either book in person at the Show (Booth C23) or email us with your booking at info@eco-divers.com (email bookings can be taken until close of business on 6 May 2011).

Valid on stays before 30 June, 2011. Offer available on direct bookings only.

Don't wait, book today! Email info@eco-divers.com

Conditions of offer:
Bookings must be made by 06 May, 2011
Offer available on direct bookings only
Subject to availability
Only applies to new bookings, cannot be backdated onto existing bookings
Cannot be taken in conjunction with other special offers from Eco Divers
Discount applies only on the pre-booked dive package. All in-resort purchases are usual price

* Rated by customers as #1 Hotel in Bitung on TripAdvisor at today's date

Some of our critter encounters from 1st half of April 2011:

Thorny Seahorse, Cockatoo Waspfish, Commensal Shrimp, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Hairy Octopus, Squid, Crocodile Fish, Jawfish, Blenny, Cowry, Napoleon Snake Eel, Remora,  Hairy Frogfish,  Flasher Wrasse, Estuary Stonefish, Spider Crab, Pinnate Batfish, Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse, Bobbit Worm, Hermit Crab, Winged Pipefish, Devil Scorpionfish, Yellow Leaf fish, Giant Frogfish


Critter Focus: Hairy Frogfish


Hairy Frogfish (Antennarius striatus) have extremely upturned mouths which can be opened to the width of their bodies to engulf their prey. These frogfish are masters at camouflage so remain stationary until unsuspecting prey swims by and then quick as a flash they are eaten.


This photo was taken by Lou using our rental Canon S95 camera, which you can hire from 'The Digital Centre', whilst diving at either of our dive centres at Kima Bajo or at Lembeh Cottages.

April 2011 is a great date in our calendar as it marks exactly 10 years since we opened our doors to welcome divers to North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The first thing we want to do on our birthday is to thank every single one of you who has dived with us over those ten wonderful years. We trust we gave you some great holiday memories and hope you'll be back to help us see in the next 10 years.

Your Eco Divers' Team

The global world of scuba diving has a huge choice of dive centres; either for dive courses, day diving or liveaboard safaris. So disparate is the choice that a group of like-minded companies, Eco Divers being one of them, have banded together to offer a service that stands out above the crowd and offers a consistent standard of teaching, guiding, equipment and customer fulfilment.

Global Dive Network (GDN) was formed on the back of the frustrations that not all dive businesses are the same. Some appeal to a mass tourism, some appeal to a 'qualify me quick and don't mind how you do it' customer and others appeal to those who want to feel valued, have a high quality experience and be sure their chosen dive centre is well-respected and accredited.

GDN links a number of businesses with no other connection except a strong reputation for training excellence, value for money and delivering consistent customer service.

There are seven members of GDN (see below), the majority of which are PADI Career Development Centres with world class reputations, headed by PADI Course Directors. Their shared business practices set strict regulations that allow membership of GDN. All members are in agreement on the level of service required and anyone failing to meet this will have their membership revoked.

Diving guests also benefit from a discount reward scheme run throughout all the member centres. This rewards guests if they've dived with any of the GDN centres as well as giving peace of mind that when they choose a GDN centre anywhere in the world, they know it operates to dependable high standards.

GDN's mission is "to provide excellent customer service by putting the client first, ensuring safety, and providing education and experiences that go beyond their expectations."

www.globaldivenetwork.com

GDN members are:
Blue Season Bali, Indonesia
Buddha View Resort, Thailand
Eco Divers, Indonesia
Emperor Divers, Red Sea
Poseidon Divers, Red Sea
Prodive Cairns, Australia
Utila Dive Center, Honduras

For more information, please contact info@eco-divers.com

With over ten years of experience in managing a dive centre and resort business in North Sulawesi, a pure passion for diving and a myriad of marketing experience, it is with delight that Jim and Cary Yanny, owners of Eco Divers, announce the appointment of Andrea Bensi to their management team as co-owner and Managing Director.

Eco Divers is renowned for its popular diving services in Bunaken and Lembeh, Manado, North Sulawesi.  With Andrea on board, the company will be taking the diving services at Eco Divers Manado and Eco Divers Resort Lembeh to an even higher level.

These include Eco Divers' 'green credentials'; a focus very much at the heart of the company's ethos, which addresses environmentally responsible tourism and sustained livelihoods to improve the lives of staff and their families.

Jim and Cary explained, "We are delighted to be partners with Andrea. Having been friends for several years we have always had great respect for him on both a personal and professional level. We have one of the most admired people in North Sulawesi as part of our Eco Divers' team and are looking forward to sharing his extensive knowledge and to seeing our staff and customers benefit from his management skills. This is a new era for us and we believe that we make one of the strongest management teams to be found anywhere in Indonesia, not just North Sulawesi. The benefit to our guests will be an even higher level of customer service and satisfaction than before. And that's saying something as we receive such positive reviews, as endorsed on TripAdvisor."

"I am thrilled to be part of Eco Divers' family," said Andreas, "as this is one of the leading dive businesses in Indonesia. I have always prized the high level of service offered to its guests and I believe that, together, we'll achieve even higher results in terms of customer satisfaction, which is our first goal."

Andrea was previously a partner in Celebes Divers and, until recently, Sales & Marketing Manager for Liveaboard Ocean Rover and knows what to offer the discerning diver and guest. He speaks several languages and is an avid diver and underwater photographer.

Eco Divers will be at the ADEX show in Singapore on 22 - 24 April; an ideal opportunity to meet the team and find out about exciting new plans for diving in Manado.

If you would like more information on the show, email info@eco-divers.com