Spanish Dancer
by Ivana and Janez - 29th November 2021
Hexabranchus sanguineus, commonly known as the Spanish dancer, is a colorful marine mollusc belonging to the Gastropoda (Snails and Slugs) class…
Coral Spawning and Hope in the Maldives
by Alex - 22nd November 2021
I normally plan my travel meticulously, paying special attention to the season and the lunar tidal cycle. I find this…
Celebes Divers, Manado – Mapia Resort and Spa
by Mares - 16th February 2018
We recently caught up with our friends at Celebes Divers Manado, located on the island of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. At…
Top 11 Technical Diving Destinations Around the World
by Kathryn - 17th April 2025
Mares' XR Line was designed for divers entering the world of technical diving - check out the full Mares XR…
Galloping Through The Sea: The Fascinating Abalone
by Ivana and Janez - 24th October 2024
When you think of oceanic wonders, majestic dolphins or playful sea otters might come to mind. But let’s not overlook…
A Flock of Marine Birds
by Franco and Sabrina - 14th October 2024
Have you ever had a flock of marine birds as dive buddies? It's definitely an unusual situation. They pierce the water's…
Pretty birds from the Red Sea
by Ivana and Janez - 12th September 2024
I love all the different species of wrasse, and I thought I knew them well, but this one was a…
The spiny devilfish
by Ivana and Janez - 14th August 2024
The spiny devilfish (Inimicus didactylus) is a venomous marine fish of the Synanceiidae family. This family also includes stonefish, which are considered some…
Madeirense Shipwreck – Porto Santo, Portugal
by Ivana and Janez - 19th July 2024
For me, volcanic islands have always seemed to hold special secrets, and nothing is different with Porto Santo, Portugal. It…
A mysterious fleet at the bottom of Lake Ohrid
by Ivana and Janez - 20th May 2024
In North Macedonia, at the bottom of Lake Ohrid, there is a mysterious sunken fleet. The ships sank during World…
Exploring Raja Ampat
by Alex - 16th May 2024
I am fortunate to dive and travel widely while running underwater photography workshop trips. Everyone is always excited before these…
5 great reasons to go diving in Japan
by Kathryn - 9th May 2024
With its rich culture, stunning landscapes, and diverse underwater ecosystems, Japan offers an unparalleled diving experience that beckons adventurers from…
Life on the Cambodian edge – Koh Ach Seh, Cambodia
by Andi - 30th April 2024
Following a grueling four-hour drive from Phnom Penh, we arrived in Kep, Cambodia. Though exhausted after our journey from Hanoi,…
Shifting Baselines – Hong Kong, Sar
by Andi - 18th April 2024
The research team had warned us upfront about the perilous diving experience ahead. One not marked by surreal encounters with…
Gobies – Small, cute and sneaky
by Ivana and Janez - 15th April 2024
There are more than 2000 species of gobies in one of the largest bony fish family, Gobiidae. They can be found…
The Ripple Effect – Negros Oriental, Philippines
by Andi - 2nd April 2024
Another day, another mission. Waking to the sound of a gong made from old kitchenware, a diverse community of dedicated…
Diving in the Pacific: 7 Idyllic Islands for Scuba Divers
by Kathryn - 27th March 2024
Diving in the Pacific Islands is a bucket list vacation for many scuba divers and unsurprisingly so. Idyllic islands surrounded…
Our Encounter with the Ocean Tigers – Fiji
by Andi - 21st March 2024
As we descended into the dark and murky waters off the Fijian coast, the weight of anticipation settled in. Immediately…
The master of camouflage – The prickly leather-jacket fish
by Ivana and Janez - 18th March 2024
When we saw the pictures that our photographer Janez Kranjc had taken, we joked that he had found a "hairy fish".…
Mares goes to the Edges of Earth to transform online discourse with ocean good news
by Andi - 14th March 2024
Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. And unfortunately, its general discourse has become harder to…
Apnea Under Ice – The Ultimate Challenge
by Nik - 29th February 2024
Diving under ice is a huge challenge both for the diver and their equipment. This is the third time I have organized…
Deepspot – The deepest pool in Europe
by Ivana and Janez - 8th February 2024
They say Warsaw is the most beautiful in December, when the Christmas and New Year atmosphere engulfs it. We had the…
Galapagos – Diving Turned Up To 11
by Alex - 5th February 2024
Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands are an archipelago consisting of 13 main islands (five of which are inhabited), seven minor islands and…
Leatherback sea turtles
by Franco and Sabrina - 18th January 2024
A leatherback turtle swimming gracefully through the open ocean is arguably one of the most majestic sights in the natural…
Coral Connections – Awarded in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year
by Alex - 20th December 2023
I am enjoying a great run of success in the most prestigious nature photography contest of them all – the…
Finding an underwater archaeological site
by Marjan Radovic - 7th December 2023
Diving is not just a sport, but an adventure that opens up doors to an underwater world full of mysteries…
Baja California Sur Safari – 2023 season
by Franco and Sabrina - 28th November 2023
It’s easy to understand why we return to Mexico's Baja California Sur almost every year. The five destinations we visit…
Love manatees and dugongs? Here’s where you can swim with them
by Kathryn - 21st November 2023
The gentle giants of the sea, manatees and dugongs have captured the hearts of many with their endearing presence and…
The submerged church of Saint Archangel Michael – Lake Rovni, Serbia
by Ivana and Janez - 17th November 2023
Not far from Valjevo, on the river Jablanica, near the villages of Stubo and Rovni, a dam was built for…
Little Cayman – A special diving adventure!
by Alex - 13th October 2023
As I’ve written before, Grand Cayman is one of my favourite places to teach underwater photography. The conditions are inviting…
Hanifaru Bay: In a flying vortex
by Franco and Sabrina - 10th October 2023
Are you looking to be enveloped in a flying vortex of Mantas? Get ready, it doesn't happen often. Have you ever…
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conservation, diving, fish, freediving, Hanifaru Bay, manta, Mares, ocean, photography, research, SSI, underwater
conservation, diving, fish, freediving, Hanifaru Bay, manta, Mares, ocean, photography, research, SSI, underwater 
Summer Holidays
by Alex - 6th October 2023
In August, I travelled to Grand Cayman. I was down to head there to run a photography workshop at Ocean…
Komba Island – Diving under an active volcano
by Ivana and Janez - 3rd October 2023
Due to a storm and strong winds that hit the Banda Sea, we missed out on some really attractive locations…
Photographing History
by Alex - 26th September 2023
Like many people, my highlight of a Red Sea trip is often diving on the wreck of SS Thistlegorm, with…
Nearly 70 countries sign the UN’s BBNJ agreement on the first day
by Mares - 22nd September 2023
On a momentous occasion, the United Nation's first-ever treaty on protecting international high seas opened for signature in the 20th September…
Liveaboard diving 101: Everything you need to know before you go
by Kathryn - 11th September 2023
Imagine waking up to the gentle rocking of a boat, the sun rising over crystal-clear waters, and the promise of…
Liveaboard must-haves!
by Mares - 7th September 2023
Have you ever been on a liveaboard dive trip? Check out our top-tips for liveaboard holiday must-haves! Lightweight travel items…
Red Sea Heat
by Alex - 30th August 2023
We tend to think of coral seas as being close to the equator and therefore changing little through the year.…
Barracuda
by Ivana and Janez - 17th August 2023
Barracuda are extremely attractive, impressive fish. They are carnivores with long lifespans and can live longer than 14 years. The…
Dive mask dos and don’ts
by Mares - 16th August 2023
Discover our top tips for dive mask maintenance! DO: Be patient and use dedicated antifog gels - it will be…
The Crown of Thorns Starfish – To admire from a safe distance
by Ivana and Janez - 12th August 2023
Crown of Thorns Starfish, COTS for short, Acanthaster planci in Latin, are coral-eating starfish. One of the largest in the world, they can reach up…
Colourful Forests of the Seas
by Ivana and Janez - 28th July 2023
Gorgonias are my favourite soft corals. In my opinion, they are magical; they look like mini trees or bonsais under…
Land of Ice and Fire
by Alex - 6th July 2023
I've been to Iceland 5 times before, but it was almost 15 years since my last visit, and in a…
The 8th Anilao Underwater Shootout
by Franco and Sabrina - 20th June 2023
As divers, we know how difficult it is to describe the beauty and colours of underwater critters to land-based people.…
Lembeh Blackwater
by Alex - 13th June 2023
The Lembeh Strait is famous for its critter-filled muck diving, but in recent years it has become increasing well known…
Choosing the right equipment for a diving instructor
by Ivana and Janez - 6th June 2023
Hi, I’m Yaiza Sanchez, a Spanish diving instructor based in Koh Tao, Thailand, working for Koh Tao divers, an SSI diving…
Are you looking for a mermaid?
by Franco and Sabrina - 26th May 2023
Okay then, get ready and hurry up before it's too late. Mermaids? Are you sure? All right, well, let's look…
Freediving: Exploring Schieferbergwerk Nuttlar (Germany)
by Mares - 17th May 2023
Freediver Doris Hovermann recently took a trip to the Nuttlar mine in Germany for a special photoshoot. It was the…
