Bucket List Trip

[Dan]

Here is the order of my favorite dive destination from top to bottom:
Raja Ampat (5 times) > Komodo (3 times) > GBR > Sea of Cortez > Pemba > Caribbean (Utila, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, Tobago, etc.) > Cancun > Key West

I'm going to Galapagos in 3 weeks. I'm hoping it'll be much better than Raja Ampat. Cost wise, it'll be about twice as much as the trip to Raja Ampat.

The trip to GBR / day was about that of Galapagos. So, it was a disappointment in terms of the diving experience / $ & travel time I spent.

Plan to go to South Africa in 2018 for Sardine Run. I'll see then how this place stacks up in my order of favorite diving destination list.

 

[lamarpaulski]

I would do a Bali to Komodo trip with time in Bali too. Very different and amazing sea life with ten times the diversity of Caribbean and fascinating above water scenes and beautiful culture too. Plan extra time as it's a long trip and there is so much to see.

 

[Dan]

I would do a Bali to Komodo trip with time in Bali too. Very different and amazing sea life with ten times the diversity of Caribbean and fascinating above water scenes and beautiful culture too. Plan extra time as it's a long trip and there is so much to see.

I did this Bali-Komodo trip with Mermaid I in August 2014. It's fantastic trip.

Mermaid Liveaboard: Komodo -

 

[Lesli W]

Here is the order of my favorite dive destination from top to bottom:
Raja Ampat (5 times) > Komodo (3 times) > GBR > Sea of Cortez > Pemba > Caribbean (Utila, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, Tobago, etc.) > Cancun > Key West

I'm going to Galapagos in 3 weeks. I'm hoping it'll be much better than Raja Ampat. Cost wise, it'll be about twice as much as the trip to Raja Ampat.

The trip to GBR / day was about that of Galapagos. So, it was a disappointment in terms of the diving experience / $ & travel time I spent.

Plan to go to South Africa in 2018 for Sardine Run. I'll see then how this place stacks up in my order of favorite diving destination list.

Hello, Dan, I'm new to this forum and in the midst of planning a trip to Zanzibar in March '17. We're leaning towards Pemba (only have 5 diving days), but have read so much conflicting information regarding sealife, overfishing, vis, etc, that it's hard to discern fact from fiction. Would you recommend Pemba over Mnemba? And what about Mafia? (Whale sharks would be fantastic to see, but seems like accommodation is ridiculously $$$ there and you don't really dive w/whale sharks, but do a tourist boat...)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

--Lesli.

 

[Dan]

Hello, Dan, I'm new to this forum and in the midst of planning a trip to Zanzibar in March '17. We're leaning towards Pemba (only have 5 diving days), but have read so much conflicting information regarding sealife, overfishing, vis, etc, that it's hard to discern fact from fiction. Would you recommend Pemba over Mnemba? And what about Mafia? (Whale sharks would be fantastic to see, but seems like accommodation is ridiculously $$$ there and you don't really dive w/whale sharks, but do a tourist boat...)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

--Lesli.

They are about the same. Mnemba is more commercial with tourist divers being heard like cattle. Pemba is more remote & less touristic. The guide may pay more attention to you.

For swimming with whakesharks, you need to go to Holbox or Isla Mujeres, Mexico in the summer. If you want to dive with whalesharks, you need to go to Cendrawasih Bay, Papua, Indonesia.

 

[Wingy]

If you are in Zanzibar in March have a think about Madagascar. Diving is quite surprising. You get whalesharks and whales from March onwards - have a look at Nosy Sakatia diving and their short LOB to the Mitsio Archipeligo.

PNG is always awesome.

 

[Lesli W]

Thank you both... Tickets are booked to Zanzibar, just have heard so much conflicting stuff about visibility and marine life that we're alternately excited and worried. I guess I'd like to know that I'm going so far away and the diving will be at least decent... Thailand this year was a mixed bag, some spectacular and some really sad and disappointing. Z looked at least more promising and less spoilt.

Thanks!

 

[Wingy]

For swimming with whakesharks, you need to go to Holbox or Isla Mujeres, Mexico in the summer. If you want to dive with whalesharks, you need to go to Cendrawasih Bay, Papua, Indonesia.

Just an aside - You can now swim with Humpbacks and Whale Sharks at Ningaloo in Western Australia.

 

[sunshower]

Just following up on the facet of allowing extra time for travel; I just saw where a few of my friends are returning home without ever making it to Chuuk. No idea how tight their schedule was but flight issues ruined it for them. Even with trip insurance it still sucks; all that time planning and looking forward to, and now it's scrapped. Maybe leaving a day earlier wouldn't have mattered; or maybe it would've.

 

[Dan]

Just an aside - You can now swim with Humpbacks and Whale Sharks at Ningaloo in Western Australia.

Diving in Ningaloo & is one of the place I want to do when I retire. Plan to take a 3 month trip, rent a car, bring my dive gears, drive & dive around Australia.

BTW, have you seen this cool video?