Anywhere in the world: where should I go?

[Dan]

Raja Ampat ... to my concern the best that Indonesia has to offer (and that's saying a great deal). If you don't want to do a liveaboard, then I will offer a tip ... there's a small resort called Raja4Divers that I visited in 2013 that's amazing. It is within easy traveling distance (via their small dive boats) of some of Raja's best diving, they have a house reef that is exceptional (and you can dive it anytime), the resort is on its own island, the staff and management are among the best I've ever experienced, the guests are limited to 20 people, the cottages sit so close to the water that at high tide you get water lapping up underneath your floorboards (very soothing for sleeping).

If I ever go back to RA, I will most likely do a liveaboard just for the different experience ... but I am so happy to have experienced it with this particular resort, because I think they are in many ways a unique experience. And the diving can be as easy or challenging as you want it go be.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Here is a more recent trip report on Raja4Divers Resort: Pulau Pef - Little Raja Ampat Trip Report

 

[Skibikeswim]

FP diving is quite diverse - from Tahiti where all international flights arrive I first bought an inter island pass and flew Tahiti - Bora Bora - Rangiroa - Tahiti - Moorea and due to a plane losing an engine didn't get the Tahiti - Fakarava - Tahiti leg in. Having booked inter island passes several times since I've worked out you need to head east from Tahiti and do the Tuomotos - Rangiroa and Fakarava where the diving is IMO some of the worlds best. Fakarava keeps eluding me in scuba but it is a soft coral biodiversity hotspot with the sweet spots being the north and south passes although they are quite far apart so hoping someone with recent Fakarava experience will help out. Friends I've booked for have opted to dive with Fakarava Spirit or Fakarava Diving Centre and do the north and south passes on seperate days.
Fakarava is also full of sharks
Rangiroa - Tipuata Pass is the must do dive. I highly recommend Rangiroa Plongee and stay at Pension Tiena and Marie - Polynesian hospitality just a short walk from the dive centre and lili cafe - you really have to eat Mahe Mahe in Vanilla Sauce and poisson cru there. Diving the pass is high voltage high current. If you are not super comfy with negative entries there is the second largest lagoon in the world to dive in....and that's full of sharks too I keep meaning to get to the other pass but have had so much fun at Tipuata it's a "on the list". Dolphins are pretty much present 1/3 dives, variety of sharks, seasonal hammerhead mating aggregation, seasonal whales...it's an amazing place to dive. I haven't heard anyone rave enough about Tikehau to bother.
From the Tuomotos you need to fly west to the societies - Bora Bora and nearby Raitia - although depending on the day of the week you may need to go back to Tahiti before going to Bora Bora. Diving at Bora Bora is so so...lemonsharks and rays that are pretty conditioned to the boats engines due to years of fed dives from the giant chain op all through FP. There a manta dive - a manta showed up, I dived, half a cruise ship dived to see the one manta that turned up. Try and schedule your diving when there is no cruise ships in - Eleuthera would be my choice but unfortunately I had to dive with the other op as taking a single diver out was not feasible. Raitia I haven't heard any rave reviews about diving but it's a pretty Island if you choose to go there.
You then need to fly back to Tahiti unless they've added a BB - Moorea flight but once in Tahiti you can get in a dive - there's a nice enough wreck and again at the right time of the year the Tahiti express is a kick ass drift dive. From Tahiti take the ferry across the sea of the moon (about an hour, ridiculous to pay for a ten minute flight) to Moorea where there is some pretty diving with a lot less current. Whales often play just offshore during Jul - November. Moorea Blue at the Moorea Pearl resort were very good.
Lining up the flights is sometimes the hardest part - have fun. You may also like to check out 6 passengers diving who get a good wrap from posters here who have dived with them. Diving is out of RIBs backwards roll entry everywhere other than BB that I have used. There is no elegant way to get back in a RIB

Thanks Wingy! This is great! Wonder how "easy" it would be to fly there from/to Fiji. I'll do some research and save this thread. How long would you recommend going to see as much as you can? We typically vacation 2-3 wks at a time when we do dive trips. So far, we have a wk scheduled in Fiji, and trying to add another wk or two on front or back end of that trip. We may consider island hopping in Fiji as well.

 

[Wingy]

A month - no make that a year

There is a flight Fiji - Noumea - Tahiti on Aircailin but the only really sensible way to do it is Fiji - Auckland - Papeete. Enjoy

 

[ls1dreams]

2 weeks hmm... I think trying to combine bucket list trip + family might be tough since a lot of bucket list places are more remote and have tougher conditions / not always great topside.

Whoever recommended hawaii above might be on to something.

Maybe Galapagos might be worth looking into? I imagine there are all kind of topside things to do there, but I think a lot of the diving is on liveaboards so that might rule it out.

 

[Skibikeswim]

A month - no make that a year

There is a flight Fiji - Noumea - Tahiti on Aircailin but the only really sensible way to do it is Fiji - Auckland - Papeete. Enjoy

Yes, I have the distinct feeling we will not want to leave. May do some island hopping instead

 

[60plus]

For a family holiday with diving you could do a lot worse than combining the Algarve (Southern Portugal) and the Canary islands (Just off the coast of West Africa). Safe food, nice temperatures and good diving conditions all year.

 

[tomcatbubba]

Hey, scubaboard, where should I go?

Turning 50, want to treat myself. Want to bring wife and kids. 13 year-old son dives. I have AOW, nitrox, drysuit, and wreck cards, w/about 80 dives. He has Jr. OW w/about 10. We get seasick easily so probably not a liveaboard. Wrecks are fine, but shallow, biodiverse reefs for snorkeling and long dives are my favorite. I'm thinking bucket list dives with acceptable surface accommodations for wife and younger daughter.

Any advice appreciated!

I'd honestly do Key Largo. Easy to get to, cheap, great diving with low risk of getting blown out, and most importantly, the dives are very kid friendly. Its where I take my family about 6 times a year, in addition to the other dive trips I run down there. Plus, you don't need a Visa and Passport. I take risks with myself I shouldn't, but having my kids in the water with me, I want to me near excellent medical care. Some overseas destinations are a little wanting in that area.

 

[Manneca]

I get really sea sick. On any LB, including big ones. So, I understand. If it's a once in a life time trip don't waste it on the Caribbean. It's. not even close to the Indo Pacific. Three recommendations: Conrad Rangali in the Maldives. Usually easy diving. Mantas almost every day. Whale sharks in season. I second Wakatobi and Raja. Wakatobi is a great resort with a beautiful setting and great food. Raja I have only done on a LB, but am going back in a year.

I don't care what people say about the Caribbean, it doesn't touch the Indo Pacific.