After a great night dive we had a quick shower on the boat and got changed before heading off to an uninhabited island where we were to spend the night. Being very remote, getting off the boat was not easy. The Captain picked his way through rocks and coral to get us as close to shore as possible. We were all given a torch and a walking stick and we fumbled our way in the dark off the boat into knee-high water and made our way over the precarious rocks onto the shore. We then had a hike across to the other side of the island to where we would be staying. By now it was pitch black and although part of our journey was along the new 'road' they were creating on the island then it wasn't easy and we were all very happy to arrive at the camp. Here, staff of the national park stay over during nesting season to monitor the turtles and collect the eggs being laid, to prevent them from being stolen.

We had a quick brief from Larry and some instant noodles before Luke and I went to get ready for a nap. But moments before we went to sleep, Luca the Dive Guide came to tell us a turtle had already come up onto the beach (they hadn't been expected until about 3am). We quietly made our way to the beach and watched in wonder as a large green turtle laid 120 eggs into a hole in the sand. She then spent a long time buring the eggs before finally making her way back down the beach. No sooner than she had stareted to head back to the sea, a second female began walking up the beach. Almost falling asleep standing up, we decided it was time for a quick nap and hoped to still see a turtle on the beach at dawn when it would be better for taking photographs (the flashes at night would have scared off other turtles out at sea).

We were in luck, after 3 hours kip we headed back to the beach where there were two turtles still on the sand. Both were just finishing laying their eggs and we watched as they used all of their last remaining energy to bury them in the sand and make their way slowly back down the beach. Luckily, the tide had now come in so it wasn't so far for the turtles to go.

The staff quickly collected the eggs after each female had finished so that turtles after them could not destroy them and the eggs would be protected. They were then reburied in the sand in a secure area of the island. Watching the turtles was absolutely amazing and although we were totally exhausted, we were very excited about what was coming up next.

Over 200 turtle babies that had hatched and were ready to go into the sea were to be released that morning. We waited ready with our cameras to watch these beautiful, tiny little creatures make the big journey to the sea. They tripped and tumbled their way down the sand towards the water. This really was the most incredible sight. We took some video footage that begins to show how amazing this experience was.

Once the little turtles were safely in the sea, we packed up and made the much-easier-in-daylight trip back to the boat. On the way back to the main island Luke and I did one more dive. There were few currents and the visibility was better. We saw a large puffer fish, a pipe fish and were followed around by some shark suckers towards the end of our dive. The dive was much better than the previous day and with the night dive as well, it fully restored our faith in diving on Con Dao.

For me, the turtles are (and will remain) the highlight of our Asia travels.