Layang Layang Dive trip - Tackle World Forums

Couturefan · #1 12-06-08, 18:06

After reading the Layang Layang trip report posted in a thread on another board, I had some fears that I'd be disappointed with the choice to dive the small S. China Sea atoll. As it turns out, LL was probably the best choice I could have made!

After a shaky flight in, you actually get two dives on the same day, which is great. 11am rolls around and we all suit up, head around to gorgonian reef and drop in. Before I talk about the dives, I'd to mention how well I felt the resort was run. I'm nearing 100 dives now, and I know how rare it is for everything to run on time and efficiently, but somehow everyone was there every day right on time. The twin engine catamaran boats were great against the waves too, though that was rarely a problem.

Anyway, the first dive - we hit the water and check equipment when this happens:

Some say there were 40, some say 80...whatever, I couldn't see the front of the school.

Some other things we saw that week:

And some small stuff too:

Two cons I feel I need to mention though:
1. We had a couple of professional photographers there who didn't follow the rules, chased stuff, didn't stay with the group and were generally beligerent. I might dealt with them differently - put them on their own boat perhaps.
2. We had 100ringgit go missing from my girlfriend's wallet when we were out diving and the room was getting cleaned. It wasn't a lot of money and we probably would have tipped them that anyway, but it disappointed us.

Overall, an unbelievable trip. We saw hammerheads most days, Mantas EVERY day, too many white tips, grey reef sharks, swam with dolphins and fell asleep in hammocks.
I haven't been to Palau or Raja Ampat, or the pacific islands, but when I do go, I hope they are as good as my experience at Layang Layang.