Fall in the Caribbean: Caribbean in fall is hurricane season. If you are ready to take a risk, there are some great specials because the resorts get fewer bookings. Fall is Marilyn’s favorite time to visit the Caribbean because she has experienced the best vis and calmest waters then; plus fewer tourists. In the Caymans, Cobalt Coast in Grand Cayman, Brac Reef Beach Resort, Brac Caribbean and Little Cayman Beach Resort  + others have reduced package rates. There are also special dive packages in Belize, Roatan, Cozumel, Turks and Caicos + other Caribbean Islands. Most resorts have hurricane guarantees and apply full payment toward a future trip. Bonaire, Curacao, and Tobago are outside the hurricane belt; but they also have reduced rates and specials. 'Curacao Now' offers $100 per person airfare credit rebate, $140 hotel credit per room plus one free night, and/ or one free shore or 2-tank boat dive. Book by September 1, 2008 for travel Aug 15 to Dec 15, 2008 and May 1 to July 1, 2009. (The offers vary with participants).

Kids Stay Free: There is still time to take a family vacation with your kids. Kids can stay free at a variety of resorts during summertime. Family specials are offered by Plaza Resort Bonaire, Divi on Bonaire and St Croix, Habitat on Bonaire and Curacao, and Sunset Waters on Curacao to name a few. Keep this in mind for you vacation in 2009. Please contact us for details.

Beyond the Caribbean: Minke whale season has just ended in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Snorkeling with Minke whale aboard 'Undersea Explorer' was the Kyoko's best trip ever. How close can you get to them? The whale in the picture was a few feet away from Kyoko. The Minke whale season is June through July and you should book for 2009 now! These trips are very popular and the best boats sell out early. ‘Undersea Explorer’ offers 6 night trips and 'Nimrod Explorer', 'Spirit of Freedom' and Mike Ball's 'Spoil Sport' offer shorter trips (3 or 4 nights as well as 7 nights) and have staterooms with private baths. Fall (their Spring) is also a very good season to visit the Great Barrier Reef. You can visit Osprey Reef to see sharks and Mantas, Cod Hall to see huge potato cods (groupers) or explore the uncharted territory on Far Northern trip. How about adding Daintree rainforest, Aires Rock or Kangaroo Island to your itinerary? Australia has incredible possibilities for your dream vacation.

You can explore the many dive areas worldwide by visiting Inter-Ocean Tour’s DESTINATIONS page. We are constantly updating the information on our web site. Recent additions include maps, pictures and general information on various dive areas. Bay Islands, Cozumel, Fiji, and Indonesia now have their own pages with resort details. Please use the links to check them out. Marilyn and/or Kyoko have been to the majority of those listed and can help you choose. We try to learn what you are dreaming of and what will work best for you. We can discuss the pros and cons of different destinations, resorts or boat as they relate to you and your goals.

Inter-Ocean Tours Dives Costa Rica: Kyoko is leading a trip to Ocotal Beach Resort on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Ocotal Beach resort offers both diving and nature adventures. Upgrade diving to include Bat and Catalina Islands where you may see rays and sharks. An optional add-on to join Kyoko at Villa Blanca for Cloud Forest Nature Reserve is also available. We hope you can join us on this trip.