For decades, snorkelling has been considered the gentler cousin of scuba diving — a splash in the shallows compared to the deep immersion of tanks and training. But that perception is shifting. As more travellers seek authentic, accessible, and nature-rich experiences, snorkelling is undergoing a quiet revival. No longer confined to holiday coastlines or seen …
The Lembeh Strait, a name whispered with reverence in the global diving community, isn’t your typical coral-draped tropical paradise. Instead, this unique channel in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, is where divers come to discover an entirely different kind of underwater magic. Here, the adventure unfolds on dark volcanic sand, making Lembeh arguably the best muck diving …
In the northeastern corner of Indonesia, the Lembeh Strait welcomes divers into a new world where critters are the main attraction. These rare, small, and often astonishingly camouflaged marine animals are the reason this region is known as the Critter Capital of the World. While other destinations boast coral walls and pelagic marine life, Lembeh offers …
Creative Optics, Diopters, and Unconventional Tools for Underwater Photography What’s in your gear bag? If you’re heading into a shootout like REAL FOCUS, chances are you’ve already packed your tried-and-true setup: your go-to macro lens, a few lights, and maybe a trusty diopter. But while technical mastery matters, creative vision often starts with what you …
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface From the kaleidoscopic reefs of Sabah to the secret lives of sea creatures rarely seen, Jason Isley has spent over two decades beneath the surface—not just documenting marine life, but giving it a voice. As a founding member …
Where You Let Go — and the Ocean Shows You the Way There’s a quiet exhilaration in drift diving — that moment when you stop trying to control the sea and instead move with it, surrendering to its rhythms. It’s not just a style of diving, but a state of mind. From the upwelling surge …
Have you ever wondered why the Philippines consistently appears as one of the top recommendations for diving? Think of diving into crystal-clear waters, uncovering wartime wrecks, and swimming among some of the richest marine ecosystems, all in one island nation. There’s bound to be something for everyone in the Philippines’ underwater paradise, promising a mesmerizing …
Welcome to the First Issue of EXPLORER Dive into the debut edition of Solitude World’s EXPLORER Digital Digest—your bi-monthly window into the people, places, and powerful moments that define our world both above and below the surface. From rare underwater encounters to conscious travel insights, this is where stories flow freely, ideas take root, and …
Underwater macro photography is a realm of detail, delicacy, and precision. But within this tight frame lies vast creative freedom. Beyond just capturing a critter, what if your image could say something—echo a feeling, a memory, or an otherworldly mood? That’s where creative macro steps in: a space to experiment with in-camera magic like bokeh …
With many years of underwater photography and post-processing experience, Anna Ewa Manzel—Assistant Manager at Solitude Lembeh Resort and Marketing & Communications – Europe—brings both technical insight and a collaborative spirit to the dive community. She began using Photoshop with version CS2 and is self-taught through numerous tutorials, now specialising in the post-processing aspect of the …
Part of the REAL FOCUS series The Ethical Lens: Meet the Professionals Redefining Ethics Below the Surface Why ethical interactions are shaping a new era in underwater storytelling Jacob Guy doesn’t just film the ocean—he listens to it. Through the glassy lens of his camera, Jacob has built a career around documenting the underwater world …
When it comes to underwater exploration, the first thing that comes to your mind might be scuba diving. But did you know that there are many other diving styles, each with its own unique thrill and specialties? For example, diving in the open ocean feels totally different from exploring a sunken shipwreck or squeezing through …