DIVE HAPPY

Dive In Style is a lavish coffetable book that's packed with photos of the best places to dive around the world - and chill out afterwards too

I would dearly love to know how author Tim Simond got the commission to do this book, because there's about a thousand other freelance dive journalists that would have killed to do the same - a lavishly illustrated, hefty hardback book that visits the best dive destinations around the world and showcases not only the underwater life but the most stylish places to stay on land too. I only spotted the book in Asia Books earlier this morning and couldn't take a peek inside as all the copies are shrink-wrapped, but given its published by UK artbook publishers Thames And Hudson I'd imagine the editorial and photographic quality will be excellent. I'd love to get a copy of this for myself. (Hint, hint).

The official blurb runs: "This brilliantly illustrated book combines the best of travel, lifestyle and nature photography in order to bring to life the exhilarating adventure that is diving around the world. Spanning the globe from Australia to Zanzibar, the Mediterranean to the Maldives, the book's twenty-five destinations - including four luxury dive boats - offer something for everyone, pairing each region's most spectacular dive sites with the ultimate places to stay. This is the ideal book for anyone who enjoys diving, snorkelling or chilling out in style - or for anyone who loves dreaming about it."

It's also interesting to see that a publisher thinks there's a market for this book - more and more people have taken up diving for sure, and it's a sign that diving has lost some of its macho, 10 blokes smelling on a boat image - which can only be a good thing. Dive In Style seems to recognise that a lot of people want to go diving as something that's part of a bigger holiday experience, and they want somewhere a bit special to be when they're back on dry land rather than stuck in a crappy resort hotel or the like. I'm sure some will scoff at Dive In Style's "designer" presentation, but it's the sort of book that idly flicking through could set someone's mind in motion about going diving again or even learning to dive. Here's hoping that it does well and plenty of people get to see it.

You can buy Dive In Style at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

UPDATE: Willy over at Divester has actually read Dive In Style and written a comprehensive review of it - the short version: he loved it!