Diving from Suva and Port Vila

[Jorqvist]

Hello there,

I have just completed my OW course, and am going on a cruise through the south pacific in March. Two of the ports of call are Suva and Port Vila, and I am looking to do a couple of dives when I'm in port.

Can anyone advise on who i should look to contact to organise dives before I leave and recommendations on what can be feasibly dived while I am in port for the day?

Thanks in advance.

 

[almitywife]

when in port vila you have a few choices

1. catch a bus 15mins out of town to Hideaway Island (bus should cost about 200vatu)
http://www.hideaway.com.vu/
they do 3 dives per day. dive sites are just mins away from the onsite dive shop so if you need gear you can hire it from them. lots of reefs, 2 small wrecks and great food at the beach restaurant

2. Go see Mike and Maggie Crawford at Big Blue
http://www.bigbluevanuatu.com/

Mike and Maggie use to manage Hideaway and alot of the dm staff left and went with them to Big Blue.

3. ive not used them but ive heard good things about Nautilis
http://www.nautilus.com.vu/scuba.htm

cheers and let us know how it goes!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Jorqvist,

Not a lot of choices in Suva dive ops, but Bequa Divers (http://www.beqadivers.com/home.htm) is quite good and usually able to accommodate cruise ships schedules.

Have fun and Happy New Year.

DocVikingo

 

[Zeeman]

3. ive not used them but ive heard good things about Nautilis
http://www.nautilus.com.vu/scuba.htm

I've dived with Nautilus and they were great Great people, good facilities, and if you are ther eon the friday they throw a free BBQ for anyone who dived with them during the week. If you use them, let me know how "Squid" is going

Oh, and check out Boots! - he's the kitty in the bar next door who rings the bell for his tuna!

Z...

 

[Jorqvist]

Thank you all for the helpful responses!

Cheers

 

[almitywife]

Jor... Vila is dead easy to move around so dont think you have to do the cruise conducted tours and pay a hell of alot more

Vila has these targo people mover vans with B on the plate

you go to main street to get one (right near where the boat docks), tell them where you want to go and pay 200vatu ($1us). if there are others on the bus, he will drop them off first so you get to do a free tour as well... the people are the lovesist ive ever met

if you decide you dont want to do a dive... grab a bus and go to the Cascades. take your booties and mask, pay a entry fee and walk up to the waterfall and swim in all the pools up and down to the falls

if you do go to hideaway, the bus will drop you off at the side of a lagoon and a small boat will come over to take you to the island. you do have to pay a small entry fee and just ask for the dive shop... trust me, they are prepared for a cruiseliner to dock so will be ready for you

cheers

 

[Jorqvist]

Jor... Vila is dead easy to move around so dont think you have to do the cruise conducted tours and pay a hell of alot more

Vila has these targo people mover vans with B on the plate

you go to main street to get one (right near where the boat docks), tell them where you want to go and pay 200vatu ($1us). if there are others on the bus, he will drop them off first so you get to do a free tour as well... the people are the lovesist ive ever met

if you decide you dont want to do a dive... grab a bus and go to the Cascades. take your booties and mask, pay a entry fee and walk up to the waterfall and swim in all the pools up and down to the falls

if you do go to hideaway, the bus will drop you off at the side of a lagoon and a small boat will come over to take you to the island. you do have to pay a small entry fee and just ask for the dive shop... trust me, they are prepared for a cruiseliner to dock so will be ready for you

cheers

Thanks again! I think the hideaway option will be the way to go by the sounds of it. My wife will be pregnant by then (we hope!) so it will be just me diving. If she has the opportunity to snorkel and relax on the beach that would be fantastic, rather than waiting around on a dive boat. I hope I can squeeze in the two dives while I'm there.

I've been to Vila for work once before and loved it!

I'm going to contact the Beqa Lagoon mob and also Hideaways too.

Cheers,

Jor

 

[almitywife]

ahhh. she can sit by the water and relax, a reef is right out front with a pontoon or she can even go with you and snorkle. Hideaway also has a underwater post office with special plastic postcards so you can mail them while youre there

also, go the restaurant and order coconut pie (really a cake) with icecream... YUMMOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jorqvist]

Oh gosh, I just started my diet, don't tell me things like that!

 

[almitywife]

Diet!! hey, i just realized your in brissy!

check out the SB challange under my sig... i just challanged everyone to a 7 day x 30min cardio workout

otherwise, each thursday we check in with our fitness and losses

seriousouly... coconut pie!! i have it twice per day every day when im there! bruce (hideaway) makes the best so far