Advice for the South Pacific

[8newk8]

Hi.

I'm going to be on a cruise, going through a few destinations in the South Pacific. Does anyone have any good dive sites and dive shops and web sites that might help me in my planning?

I'll be on the following islands:

Papeete, Tahiti
Apia, Samoa
Pohnpei, Micronesia

Appreciate the help!

 

[scorpionfish]

Pohnpei is a very small island with some pretty good diving and some interesting sites.

The lagoon provide lots of easy diving with a load of great photo opportunities: soft corals and sea fans abound and you might even see a Clown Triggerfish! Outside the lagoon you will have opportunities to see pelagics of every sort, including sharks and tuna. This is not the Blue Corner of Palua, but it is good diving!

If you are staying ashore, Pohnpei Village provides nice accommodations. The Village Dive Shop will provide the usual services.

Aside from diving, you should consider going over to the "lost city" of Nan Madol. This is a city, abandoned several hundred years ago, that was constructed of stone logs. The site of these massive "logs' stacked like Lincoln Logs is very impressive when you consider what the limitations of population and tools were at the time they were fabricated. To see Nan Madol, you take a realtively short boat ride: it is really worth doing.

Scopionfish

 

[Finesse]

Well we just returned (yesterday) from our journey to French Polynesia.......So I cant help you with the other locations......Scuba Jim .....you out there?????

We decided not to dive in Papeete as the general word on the street was the diving was not that good........(again I cant say if this is true or not )......We had heard that the reef was not in the greatest shape and the water wasn’t as nice as some of the other locations throughout FP. There are only a couple of Dive centers in and around Papeete and if you need names I'll try to find them for you. This in contrast to some of the smaller Islands that have many (well.... four or five) Dive centers to select from. We actually had the last four days of the trip planned for Tahiti, but extended our stay on other Islands once we arrived there (extra night/day on Bora Bora and a Day on Moorea)
Remember Papeete is the main city in ALL of FP......so it is very industrial....Airport .... Ship harbor ....Traffic and lots of buildings downtown ( No its not LA or NY but lots of cars and concrete)......However, Papeete In General is less expensive than anywhere else you'll end up (i.e. food)

If you want true south pacific ambiance you'll need to travel away from Papeete and discover the less populated areas of Tahiti (so I'm told) Or better yet and if its possible go to some of the great Islands and Atolls that form Polynesia.

 

[8newk8]

I expect the island to be relatively bustling, and it not to have the best of FP's dive sites, but this one is a bit out of my control. As I'll be coming off of a cruise ship, I will only have a limited time in the area, and no time for really extensive travels. If you could give me any dive shop advice in that town, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

newK.

 

[Finesse]

Newk

I cant give you a whole lot of info on these centers but they were very close to the Airport and the Harbor (although I dont know if thats where your ship would come in. These places are close to or in Papeete)....... Tahiti Plongee and Eleuthera Plongee

There are a few others however they are not in Papeete (like an hour drive)....

How long will you be in Tahiti/Papeete??? You may want to consider playing on Moorea (1/2 hour ferry ride out of Papeete) or it may be worth your time to travel around the Island a little bit to get away from the "city".....

I'm sure wherever you choose you'll have a great time!!!

Hope this helps

 

[8newk8]

Finesse,

Merci beaucoup! Thank you so much. Very helpful advice. I just wish I could get this cruise ship to dock in Tahiti for a day or two longer!

newK.

 

[Scuba Jim]

Newk, there's a dive centre at the Beachcomber, about 10 minutes from the airport. Aqua-somethingorother....

I don't know about the rest of town.

I don't know nuffink about Samoa or Ponphei - all I know is that Nan Madol is worth a visit. If you are only there for a day I would suggest that as being better as it is fairly unique...

Scott - you want om e let?

 

[Finesse]

Scuba Jim once bubbled...
you want om e let?

Coffeeeeeee!!!!

Ooooohhhhhhhhh Nice!!!!!!!

 

[Scuba Jim]

Coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh, you naughty boy.

I want tea.

How long do you think it will be before people ask what on earth we are going on about!

 

[Finesse]

Did you note...... David D had similar observations

Oh yeah....I'll have the WET, runny, "Are They Cooked" Scrambled eggs and a Straw!!!! and some warm rubbery bacon!!!!! :1eye: