<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A great guide to the UW wonders of Malaysia
Review: Jack Jackson not only did a great job in this book describing the greatest dive sites of Malaysia, but he also clearly had a great time diving! I read his guide to ensure enjoying my dives, and I can highly recommend it any diver, of any level (Open water, advanced, or dive master).Naturally the book is concentrated on the many great dives you could have in Malaysia (don't expect too much from Singapore, Malaysia has much nicer sites). Their are tips, descriptions of the area, species one might spot and ratings on the most famous dive sites of Malaysia. But there is also a quick reference on which hotels, PADI resorts, and general travel information (ie hospitals, decompression facilities, travel arrangements etc). I highly recomend this book to any diver planning a first trip to Malaysia! What the book doesn't mention, is that Malaysia is also a shopping paradise for all those who want to buy diving equipment, prices are more than resonable and there are plenty of good brands, in the cities Penang and Kuala Lumpur
Rating: 
Summary: an attractive volume, but very poor underwater photography
Review: The Passport dive guides are attractively laid out, with lots of maps and high quality, glossy printing. As an amateur underwater photographer, I particularly appreciate dive guidebooks with high quality underwater images that show the reader what to expect in terms of both marine life and scenery. Unfortunately, Jack Johnson has relied on his own underwater photographs for this volume, and they are some of the worst I have seen published anywhere. Several of Mr. Johnson's underwater photos are over-exposed and washed out (pp. 4, 31, 51, 56, 95), several are marred by backscatter (reflections from particles in the water -- pp. 117, 133, 156), and only a few of are well-composed and in sharp focus. It's hard to imagine a competent amateur underwater photographer spending even a week in Malaysia and having so little to show for it. While the images may not be as important to most readers as they are to me, it does raise questions regarding the care and effort that Mr. Jackson and his publisher put into this volume. As for the text, it appears to be thorough and fairly well-written, so I would recommend this book for readers who are not interested in high quality underwater images.
<< 1 >>
| 
