Considering how much we loved David Attenborough's iconic documentary series, Blue Planet II (which we enjoyed so much that it might as well have been tailor-made just for us), it's safe to say we were pretty excited about his latest hurrah: Netflix's Our Planet. And it did not disappoint. Featuring some of our favourite dive destinations from around the world, we thought it was only fair to share where you can see some of these incredible sights for yourselves. 4k filming is all well and good, but nothing quite compares to the real deal…
Above and Below Water in Papua New Guinea
Probably one of the most memorable scenes from this series was the bird of paradise's mating dance in the Papua New Guinea jungle, where a male bird was attempting to charm a female with an impressive display. You can go in search of these colourful birds (and plenty more) yourself on our Feather and Fins in New Britain itinerary, which also takes you underwater to enjoy some fantastic diving around Kimbe Bay. Papua New Guinea lies within the Coral Triangle, where you'll find the highest marine biodiversity on earth - expect incredibly colourful, pristine coral reefs and abundant wildlife. Back on land, walk through the rainforest on the lookout for birds such as golden masked owls, blue-eyed cockatoos and black-headed paradise kingfishers, while keeping your eyes peeled for any birds working on their mating dance routines…
Biodiversity in Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia
It's no secret that we love diving in Indonesia and Raja Ampat is one of our favourite dive destinations in the world, so we were thrilled when episode four of Our Planet highlighted the area around Misool Eco Resort - one of the only places in the world where biodiversity is actually improving. Case in point: the unilateral nature reserve around Misool means there are now 25 times more sharks here than there were a decade ago, plus there has been a huge increase in the number of manta rays and turtles, too. This is a remarkable feat - particularly when compared to the more negative scenes of declining coral reefs elsewhere in the world that were shown in the episode - proof that the great efforts being done by the Misool Foundation are really paying off.
Sharks in Fakarava, French Polynesia
Episode four also took us to Fakarava in French Polynesia and showed us grey reef sharks hunting in large numbers at night with whitetip reef sharks. Fakarava is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the best spots in the world for shark diving. Here you can also dive with black-tip, hammerhead, tiger and silky sharks. When you've had your fill of shark action, you can also see rays, dolphins, turtles, colourful reef fish and plenty more. Another of our favourite dive spots in French Polynesia is Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa, where the shark population actually outnumbers the human population, and you could be lucky enough to see over 100 sharks on a single dive.
Whales and More in Mexico
Another of the most remarkable scenes in the series was in episode six, The High Seas, which showed shots of a blue whale with her month-old calf, which Attenborough described as 'the most intimate pictures ever captured' of a mother and calf. This footage was taken in the Sea of Cortez, the body of water that separates Mexico's Baja California peninsula from the rest of Mexico. This is also where the amazing scenes of flying mobula rays were shot for Blue Planet II, and the region is one of the best spots in the world for seeing such huge numbers of these rays - they can even be seen in their hundreds here in May.
