Original Diving launches a new Short Break Dive collection featuring four and five-day diving trips that make a big splash in a small amount of time  

Original Diving is excited to introduce a new collection of Short Break Dives, including five brand-new itineraries to the Azores, Iceland, Gozo, Oman and Egypt.  

Each trip in the new collection is just four or five days long, allowing divers to squeeze more trips into their year and help the itchy-finned get a small diving fix without using up large chunks of their annual leave. 

In addition, each of the trips end with an epic experience above the waves to allow the requisite 24 hours between diving and flying. From whale-watching in the Azores to bathing in mineral-rich geothermal pools in Iceland, you'll be finishing the trip on a high.  

Tom Barber, Co-founder of Original Travel and Original Diving says: 'as a keen diver myself, I know all too well how frustrating it is not having an annual fix of this endlessly fascinating pastime. These short dive breaks mean you can have one or more dinky dive trips to keep you going throughout the year – plus make the most of the often overlooked short-haul dive destinations. 

Having launched Original Travel with the concept of Big Short Breaks – action-packed long weekend adventures – it was only a matter of time before we followed suit at Original Diving.' 

NEW - A Long Weekend Diving in Iceland   
A long weekend spent diving in Iceland has maximum 'braggability' points. After a night to relax in Reykjavik, the next couple of days will be action-packed, starting with an epic dive between two continents at the breathtaking Silfra Fissure. Real bucket list stuff. You'll also have the chance to enjoy the mineral-rich, geothermal seawater of the iconic Blue Lagoon, and a walking tour of the Solheimajokull Glacier, famous for the picturesque Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls and tranquil black sandy beaches at Reynisfjara.   
Original Diving's A Long Weekend Diving in Iceland costs from £1,555pp for a 4-day trip, based on two sharing. Price includes flights, transfers, a guided tour, diving equipment hire and 3 nights' hotel accommodation. Original Diving, 020 7978 0505, www.originaldiving.com   

NEW - A Big Short Break Diving in Gozo  
At a mere eight miles long and four miles wide, Malta's little sister island Gozo might be the smallest destination in the Short Dive Breaks collection, but makes up for this with its exceptional diving sites and marine life. The dimensions of the island allow you to reach different diving sites within just 5-25 minutes, making it one of the most accessible and diverse dive sites in Europe. This 4-day itinerary will take you on a pint-sized grand tour of the island, including a day of diving in the sapphire-blue waters of the Xlendi Cave and a day to explore Inland Sea and Gozo's most famous dive site, the Blue Hole. Before returning home, toast your trip with a visit to the Tal-Massar winery to sample the region's finest wines.  
Original Diving's A Big Short Break Diving in Gozo costs from £1,225pp, based on two sharing. Price includes flights, transfers, car-hire, diving equipment hire, and 3 nights' hotel accommodation. Original Diving, 020 7978 0505, www.originaldiving.com  

NEW – Five Days in Oman Diving Zighy Bay 
The Musandam Peninsula is known as the 'Norway of Arabia', thanks to its cinematic mountain ranges, towering cliffs and fjord-filled coastline. During this five-day trip, you will wake up to this dramatic landscape every morning at your private beachfront retreat, Six Senses Zighy Bay, the perfect peaceful base for post-dive unwinds. The Gulf of Oman offers an abundance of incredible diving sites, and over the next two days you will explore flourishing reefs; home to colourful fish, lazing turtles and the occasional (friendly) shark. The final day involves a fun 4x4 drive up on the Sabatyn plateau, seeing rock carvings and ancient villages, and a picnic with panoramic views from a vantage point 4,000ft up.  
Original Diving's Five Days in Oman Diving Zighy Bay costs from £2,325pp for a 5-day trip, based on two sharing. Price includes flights, transfers, diving equipment hire, a 4X4 drive experience and 4 nights' hotel accommodation. Original Diving, 020 7978 0505, www.originaldiving.com 

NEW - Diving Delights & Nourishing Bites: Azores Diving Adventure   
Considered one of the best spots to witness the world's largest pelagic (deep water) species and a honeypot for sub-tropical fish, a weekend trip to the Azores will be jam-packed with incredible sights. Based on Furnas island, this itinerary includes four incredible dives, two of which include swimming in a volcanic crater in the uninhabited islet, Ilheu de Vila Franca and exploring the marine-life-teeming wreck of the World War II ship Liberty.   
Original Diving's Azores Diving Adventure costs from £2,304pp for a 5-day trip, based on two sharing. Price includes all flights, transfers, diving equipment hire and 4 nights' villa accommodation. Original Diving, 020 7978 0505, www.originaldiving.com 

NEW - Scuba Diving & Souqs: A Long Weekend Diving in Egypt 
Colourful corals, sundown cocktails and souq shopping, treat your senses with a long weekend in Egypt. With reef gardens of colourful hard and soft corals and clear waters, the Red Sea is a playground for divers and turtles alike. After an active day exploring Hurghada, wake up with an Egyptian coffee before hopping onboard your dive boat for a guided tour of the nearby reefs. With over 40 dive sites to choose from, there will be plenty of marine life to spot. Conclude your weekend away with a sunset dinner, accompanied with a cocktail.  
Original Diving's Scuba Diving & Souqs: A Long Weekend Diving in Egypt costs from £2,020pp, based on two sharing. Price includes flights, transfers, boat-hire, private guide, diving equipment hire and 3 nights' hotel accommodation. Original Diving, 020 7978 0505, www.originaldiving.com   

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Follow us on instagram @originaltravel @originaldiving for more travel inspiration and for more information contact: press@originaltravel.co.uk; 020 3582 4990   

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Notes to Editors:  

Original Travel curates tailor-made itineraries, crafted by destination experts, to 77 countries worldwide from Anguilla to Zimbabwe. Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, the company has created over 50,000 itineraries since its launch in 2003, each one unique and adhering to the company ethos that “Life is in the Detail”.  

Original Travel also has its own specialist dive division. Original Diving is the world's only luxury dive travel outfit.  

11 of our consultants are recognised as Conde Nast Traveler's 2024 Travel Specialists – more than any other tour operator for the 2nd year running. Our specialists are: Co-founder, Tom Barber (family travel and sabbaticals), Jacqui Brooks (Indonesia) and Oliver Rodwell (Mexico), Ben Williams (Egypt) Kate Little (Romania), Isabel de Galleani (Morocco), Frances Mavor (India), Harriet Harford (European Wine Regions), Holly Barber (Cambodia), James Back (Tanzania), Lucy Bailey (Oman). 

Original Travel clients enjoy a wealth of additional services they would not find with any other UK tour operator, including:  

• Access to a network of 70-plus Concierges who live locally, know their destinations inside and out and are extremely well-connected. They lend fantastic ground support, offering insider recommendations, facilitating any last-minute changes and troubleshooting.
• A brace of additional services designed to make departure easier than ever. Every Original Travel client, regardless of whether they're off on a city break, or a multi-destination sabbatical, is checked in on all flights – outbound, domestic and inbound - with boarding passes uploaded to the Original Travel app; will have UK airport meet and greet, fast track UK check-in, fast track UK security*, lounge access and pre-booked flight seats. Thoughtful details include wifi routers or e-sims, destination specific book and music lists and children's activity packs. There are also upgrade options to include: a luggage transfer service from your home to the airport; fast track check-in and security and lounge access on your flight home; fast track through immigration on your return to the UK. 
• The knowledge that not only will Original Travel absorb the carbon footprint of their international flights, but also - in an industry-first - car-hire and transfers, and other flights (even if booked independently).  Clients can also be advised on which flight options have the lowest levels of emissions, thanks to an industry-leading and world-first carbon calculator which can compare the levels of emissions generated by each flight, using data compiled from flight plans, aircraft type, the cabin class, direct versus indirect flights and the target occupancy rate.
• The knowledge that they are contributing to Our Foundation, which supports nearly 100 humanitarian projects in 30 developing countries. To date, nearly £1.5 million has been invested to support five key areas: child protection, vocational training, economic development assistance, preservation of cultural and natural heritage and safeguarding the lifestyles of indigenous peoples.