Best Luxury Liveaboard/Dive Location - Help!

[LucyChallenger]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I are experienced divers and our last trip was with the Undersea Hunter to the Cocos Islands in September 2012 (for our honeymoon), which was, as you can imagine a trip of a lifetime. Now we are a little bit stuck as to where to go next. We both enjoy 5* luxury :cool2: but we also want the diving to be top notch. So I need your help to suggest any liveaboards, or land based resorts which offer access to the best diving/experiences possible.


Any help would be much appreciated as we both like spending our (well earned money) on excellent quality, incredible trips!

Thank you for your help!

Lucy

 

[iDreamOfBubbles]

Do have you any preference where?

If you want to do Raja, have a look at Damai, Arenui, and Dewi Nusantara. All offer what you're looking for, only problem is that you may have a hard time finding any availability for your dates.

Elaborate a little more on your diving preferences, travel dates, and how far you're willing to travel and I'm sure you'll get more answers.

 

[LucyChallenger]

Raja looks amazing but mixed reviews on the boats there, and I wanted to make sure I pick wisely.

Willing to travel absolutely anywhere in the world. Any travel dates as both my husband and I are self employed. Like diving in remote places not on the beaten path, so less cattle diving and more bespoke, unique off the beaten path experiences.

As for preferences we don't like diving in bad vis or colder than 20 degrees Centigrade. We want to be able to dive in up to 7mm wet suits.

anything goes from awesome reefs to big stuff, but most important is the quality of the diving and then the accommodation/food. Don't mind if its shore based or boat based. Options would be good!

 

[Darnold9999]

Just got back from a trip to the Philipines on the Philipine Siren and was diving with a couple that have done the trip you describe. They were on the Argo. They did not find the trip we were on measured up to that standard at all. They found that Cocos was "action" with lots of sharks, etc. on every dive. The boats were somewhat comparable with them preferring the Argo over the Siren, but I did get the sense that that was just a preference with the Siren being a very nice boat and the Argo nicer. Their real complaint was the diving in the Philippines. Not as interesting or exciting as Cocos. I was not terrribly impressed with the diving on the itinerary that I did in the Philippines, in comparison to Raja Ampat and prefer Raja by a significant margin but in no way could you consider Raja diving to have the same kind of "action" as they described at Cocos.

However, all this to say that you may be disappointed by Raj Ampat if you are looking for the same kind of diving you had at Cocos. Not the same kind of "action" as they described the diving at Cocos. I suspect that the couple I dived with would be disappointed by Raja Ampat. Not enough "action" for them.

I, however thought the diving at Raja was spectacular, with lots of life, colourful corals both hard and soft, strange creatures and lots of fish, with significant currents on some dives. You will likely see mantas on a couple of dives and you might see a few sharks. Philippines not so much - thought the diving was OK, but not particularly great. Have no plans to go back.

I have been on the Damia and Dewi Nusantara in Raja and both are excellent boats - both better than the Siren, but not a huge difference. Given my choice between the three Damai wins hands down with Dewi next and Siren third. I gather Arinui falls somewhere between Damai and Dewi in terms of luxury and attention to detail. I can't imagine being disappointed by Damia, Dewi or Arinui in terms of luxury. My cabin on the Damia had two full size queen beds - and was not cramped at all - in fact I had way more space than I could possibly use for a single person. Dewi's cabins are smaller, but still huge in comparison to most liveaboards. If you want a special experience look at the captian's cabin. It has its own jacuzzi bathroom and a wall of windows. Something special.

 

[Shasta_man]

BTW, the best places to dive don't have the best viz. The particulate in the water is what creates the food chain that brings in the bigger stuff.

---------- Post added March 25th, 2013 at 01:31 PM ----------

You'll want to do the Solomon Islands eventually for the experience. Gen-u-ine natives in dugout canoes in huts on stilts. Very cool, and nice boat but not the top luxury.

 

[diversteve]

Don't mind if its shore based or boat based. Options would be good!

Do both - either Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru with the Four Seasons Explorer option.

Maldives Activities | Diving | Four Seasons Resort Maldives At Landaa Giraavaru
Maldives Resort | Four Seasons Explorer | Four Seasons Resort Maldives At Landaa Giraavaru

or the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa resort: http://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh/services_and_amenities/other_facilities_and_services/diving/

A similar option is Wakatobi Dive Resort and the Pelagian liveaboard.

Wakatobi Dive Resort - Southeast Sulawesi Indonesia - Home Page
The Wakatobi Dive Yacht - The Pelagian - Wakatobi, Indonesia

Haven't been to either location. (yet..) Currently Maldives is on my short list.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

you may want to consider Fiji I have been on The Nai'a liveaboard and it is a top shelf boat. I have also been to a couple of land based. Wananavu is a very very nice resort and offers Bligh water diving which IMO the best of Fiji. This is my friend Judy's report she has been there several times and has also been on The Nai'a Fiji 2013 ? Love, Actually | Awoosh.com Liveaboard Scuba Diving on NAI'A - Fiji and Beyond

 

[Wingy]

If you are after absolute luxury - check out the True North - Luxury South Pacific & Kimberley Cruises - North Star Cruises - amazing boat and fantastic diving in PNG.

 

[pndldy]

I think Wakotobi would fit the bill for you, wonderful resort and the diving is great.

 

[lucky83]

I have been on a couple of liveaboards (Maldives, Egypt, Thai) but no one fitted your description like when i was visiting the Galapagos with the Buddy fleet, the boat was on a different level. And their coffee machine is really awesome!