Where to go for two weeks?

[mattiedread]

OK, my wife just got two weeks off between jobs and we want to dive somewhere exotic (not Carribean, we are American). But, we will need to book a trip last minute and don't want to get ripped off. We'll be leaving second or third week of July. Here are the requirements:

Money isn't a big concern, but I don't want to get ripped off on airfare (I just checked Continental's site, and for 2 RT 'economy' tickets they want 7500... not going to happen). Anyone know a good place for last minute deals?

A liveaboard would be great but I don't know how last minute bookings do in those cases.

Can't be forever in getting to (we only have two weeks) so Wakatobi/Palua etc. is out, but Fiji isn't (I don't think so)

Can't get totally screwed on airfare/hotel because it is last minute.

Can't be a maleria zone as we are trying to get pregnant (her last trip before getting pregnant, hopefully).

The Maldives sounded so tempting, but have heard there is very extensive coral bleaching problems (but I haven't been able to confirm this. I heard this from a travel agent and read it on one website).

We don't want to go somewhere where it is monsoon season and going to rain everyday. Warhammer's Hawaii trip sounded interesting.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi mattiedread,

Lots of choices, no? Let's look at some of the possibilities you suggested:

1. Last minute live-aboards in relatively easily accessible locations work just fine. Contact the Aggressor http://www.aggressor.com/ & Peter Hughes http://www.peterhughes.com/ fleets to see what they have shaking.

2. Fiji. I'm very big on Fiji, although there has been some coral bleaching there as well. For a quick & easy trip with excellent diving & lots of diver freedom, contact my old Vietnam buddy Dan Grenier at Crystal Divers http://www.crystaldivers.com/index.shtml and tell him I sent you. He's a great guy. He'll arrange for transfers, lodging & diving. You'll fly into Nandi on Fiji's main island (Viti Levu), then ride a couple of hours to the far NE of the island, a place called Rakiraki. Several nice lodging possibilities.

Also can go to an out island, like Taveuni (diving the Somosomo Strait is super). Look into http://www.matangiisland.com/.

3. Maldives are splendid, indeed, although you have heard correctly about the coral bleaching. Perhaps 70% +/- 5% of hard coral is bleached. However, soft coral is making a good comeback. Marine life, on the other hand, is strong as ever, if not stronger. I'd don't think you'd be disappointed. Check out the Manthiri http://www.manthiri.com/, although likely it's booked.

4. Hawaii is not especially "exotic," and the diving not up to Fiji or the Maldives, but diving can be good & topside lovely & cushy. I'd rate the islands Big Island, Maui, Kaui, Lanai & Ohau (distant last) in terms of diving quality.

Hope this gets you started.

DocVikingo

 

[vmf]

Vanuatu is about two hours flying time from Fiji - it may be easier flying to Australia or New Zealand, then to Vanuatu.
Good diving is available in the capital, Port Vila - wrecks and reefs and one hour's flight north to the island of Espiritu Santo is one of the best wreck dives in the world - the SS President Coolidge.
Try
http://www.hideaway.com.vu
http://www.diveadventures.com.vanuatu2.htm
http://www.vanuatutourism.com/intro.htm
Good diving,

vmf

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi vmf,

I couldn't agree with you more. However, re mattiedread's statement, "Can't be a malaria zone as we are trying to get pregnant (her last trip before getting pregnant, hopefully)," could you please read this http://www.cdc.gov/travel/regionalmalaria/austspac.htm and then comment further?

Thanks.

DocVikingo

 

[mattiedread]

Thanks, a ton of good information, and good deals are available in Fiji due to the recent political turmoil. I'm going to drop an email to Doc's friend if that is where we decide to go. But, I spoke with my wife last night (I'm in Dallas right now, she is in NY), and the Galapagos and Quito are not in a Malaria zone, so that is going to be our first choice... we almost went there for our honeymoon but decided to postpone because of El Nino. I'm going to try and book it this weekend or early Monday (I'm flying to Philidelphia in an hour for a wedding, and then back to NY tomorrow). People had a lot of good things to say about the Galapagos in the recent post about best places to dive, and I have want to go there since I was a kid and read the National Geographic article (remember the issue with the huge Galapagos Tortoise on the cover?).

Any suggestions on the Galapagos? I think I found a liveaboard with a vacancy... but I'm going to check the Peter Hugh's and Aggressor sites in a minute.

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Matt,

IMHO, splendid choice. Galapagos diving is world-class & Quito is a fun place to tour & from which make day trips. As for suggestions, I suggest you see this http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=1859

Keep us posted.

DocVikingo

 

[mattiedread]

You're giving me URLs faster than I can read them (although I saw that thread the other day). I'm going to call both Peter Hugh's and the Aggressor, I just need to get exact dates (tonight). One is Sunday-Sunday, the other Thursday to Thursday. I have a feeling our schedule will be dictated by what is available.

Here is the question, my wife only has 50 dives, but, she grew up on the ocean and is a very good ocean swimmer (she body surfs without a wetsuit in 65 degree water.. she is pretty hardy). Should we be concerned? We are both very comfortable in the water having taken our swimming lessons as children in the ocean and spending most of our lives around the ocean. You stated in the earlier thread "Provided your skills are adequate" could you elaborate a bit?

We both have good buoyancy control (Cenotes in the Yucatan were an absolute lesson in bouyancy control, going from fresh to salt water between 0 and 20 feet)... and we are both strong swimmers. We are also very comfortable under water (our dive instructor was laughing at how eager we were to dive, no fear, total excitement).

Thanks for all the information. The one boat I dug up yesterday was the 'law' something or other, referred to in the thread you linked, but I have heard so many positive things about the Aggressor and Peter Hugh's that we are going to try that route.

BTW, apparently the worst month to visit the Maldives is July... rains a ton, sometimes for days at a time; so I am told.

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[DocVikingo]

Hey Matt,

Good point about the Maldives. Anyway, I know a Maldives expert if you need to be hooked up.

From what you have reported, I would not anticipate any problems with the conditions in the Galapagos. While the surface tends to be fairly calm, divers get spread out all over & you may have to spend a little time there looking around at a pretty forbidding environment before you get picked up.

There will be current, but this is usually no big deal except in a few sites, where you'll be warned. There is significant surge in the shallow areas, but this can be handled with the customary techniques. Also, occasional downcurrents, which you negotiate by reading my article on them in the Feb '01 issue of "Undercurrent" http://www.undercurrent.org/.

Now, when you get hit with swift current, big surge & a grabby vertical current all at once, then the fun begins.

Seriously, go & enjoy.

DocVikingo

 

[mattiedread]

I'm getting excited. Fortunately I live near a very South/Central American neighborhood where airfare consolidators abound... I have to run and catch a flight, but I'll post when I have my information. Thanks again for all your help.
Matt

 

[vmf]

Dr Vikingo,

Good point - read your reply and site about destinations with malaria.
I lived two years in Vanuatu and some travelling within the eighty something islands that make up the republic.
Efate (which has the national capital Port Vila) and Espiritu Santo (where the SS President Coolidge lies) Islands are generally considered malaria free.
I generally took doxycyclin, used insect repellant, wore long clothes and tried to sleep under mosquito nets when visiting remote areas.

Regards,

vmf