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Kuala Lumpur has been my hub for diving. Many choose Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong or even Australia, but I chose KL. Kuala Lumpur is often visited by tourists lured by its diversity of cultures, world class shopping and, perhaps above all, international cuisine. Lying at one of the vertices of the coral triangle, for divers, it’s the perfect place to spend a dry day or two, off gas, or explore Asia’s topside culture that we sometimes miss when only underwater or in the camera rooms. On my recent editorial trip I was in KL on 4 different occasions. So, in my mind there is no better place for a dive expo. Enter MIDE. In its third year, MIDE is one of Asia’s biggest dive shows. Located in the heart of KL’s business district at the Putra World Trade Center, crowds poured into the venue that housed 90 booths from 40 countries. How many from America? 1. Who was it? You didn’t think DPG would miss it, did you?

Being new to the industry, I must admit that dive expos like MIDE actually induce little kid in a candy syndrome. From the moment you walk into the brightly lit hall, you are surrounded by like-minded people all of who are interested in talking about things from whale sharks to nitrox to mm thickness of your wetsuit. It’s a haven for underwater enthusiasts-only its on land. However, what sets MIDE apart is its accessibility-its openness and willingness to cater to not just the professionals and very enthusiastic hobbyists, but also the inexperienced or casual diver. Not all of us can sit around and talk about the percent of helium in our 12 l aluminum tanks or watch pictures of an eating pipefish for 4 hours. For the more casual hobbyist, a dive expo can sound intimidating. MIDE, however, welcomes all. It starts with the fact that entrance is free, enticing a totally different group of valuable divers that might not give up a weekend afternoon to pay for a dive show. It does not stop there though, MIDE fosters a welcoming environment by offering environmental seminars, children’s drawing competitions and many other interesting opportunities that might not only interest the hardcore diver, but the laymen as well.

Clement Lee of Borneo Divers and Sabah Tourism accepts an award from Padi. It was the first time I met Clement, but I enjoyed some meals with him at Borneo Divers the following week.

Tim Hochgrebe and Neville Coleman of Underwater.com.au had the booth next to us, so I was able to spend a lot of time with them. Not one second was dull.

One of the best ways to do this was at the MIDE/Scuba Diver Australasia cocktail party. Located at a hip bar in the heart of KL, free flow beer and soft drinks accompanied finger food and a wild dance floor. VIP, marine naturalist and nudibranch expert Neville Coleman started the party with some dance moves that shocked even Tim Hochgrebe of Underwater.com.au.

SDAA and MIDE also presented prizes to the winners of their Through the Lens photo competition. As with most other competitions he enters, newest DPG editor Keri Wilk took home a 1st prize. Because I am much prettier than him, I was there to accept it.

The party went on until the late hours of the night (or early hours of the morning) and was good time enjoyed by all who attended.

However, what makes MIDE stand out the most in my mind is, as mentioned, its location. KL is hard to beat for a gateway into Southeast Asia. I dragged myself away from the booth long enough to enjoy some local foods and the view from the Petronas Towers Bridge (which unfortunately is only half way up the towers and, of course, surrounded with very reflective glass that makes photo ops a little disappointing). However, KL means more than the Pertronas towers, it means more than interesting museums and a diverse array of delicious food, it means good diving is ahead. KL is a city in the heart of the worlds richest marine biodiversity, so in my opinion there is no better place to have a dive expo.