Diving in the South Pacific

[Mark Goodchild]

Hi there,

I have my honeymoon next year and have decided to locate myself in the South Pacific in August. I already have my flights booked and I will be arriving in Sydney.

Initially I thought of Fiji although I've heard some not so great things about the diving in the area. Although I have also heard that the AquaTrek 3D site and a number of other places such as the White wall and the Somosomo strait are good. Also I believe there are some nice dive sites in Kadavu.

I've read about the coup information in a thread below. Still not sure if that should bother me or not...sounds not.

Other possibilities I guess include the Cook Islands. I've heard these are beautiful.

To be honest I'm open to other destinations but the beaches and resort needs to be nice because it is a honeymoon. Also the diving would ideallly be good too, we both dive and share the same hobby.

We dived in the Coral Sea this year so I don't really want to do that again..

Hope you can advise!

Thanks in advance...

 

[Mike Veitch]

Never mind the Cooks if you are interested in diving, not much to see there.
Fiji is good, especially up north in the Save a Tack area, but not sure about resorts around there, that is more Liveaboard country.

Hmmm, there is a new resort in New Guinea getting good press, Indo is always good, SOlomons has good diving but i have no idea about sandy beaches etc, Vanuatu and New Caledonia more likely to have nice resorts but no idea about the diving there, not as good as Solomons i don;t think.

French Poly has nice beaches in the Societies but not such great diving, great diving in the Tuamotus but not such great beaches...

I didn't really help you did i?

 

[donacheson]

Hi there,

I have my honeymoon next year and have decided to locate myself in the South Pacific in August. I already have my flights booked and I will be arriving in Sydney.

Initially I thought of Fiji although I've heard some not so great things about the diving in the area. Although I have also heard that the AquaTrek 3D site and a number of other places such as the White wall and the Somosomo strait are good. Also I believe there are some nice dive sites in Kadavu.

I've read about the coup information in a thread below. Still not sure if that should bother me or not...sounds not.

Other possibilities I guess include the Cook Islands. I've heard these are beautiful.

To be honest I'm open to other destinations but the beaches and resort needs to be nice because it is a honeymoon. Also the diving would ideallly be good too, we both dive and share the same hobby.

We dived in the Coral Sea this year so I don't really want to do that again..

Hope you can advise!

Thanks in advance...

Forget the Solomons; as far as I know, there no shore-based operations there, just the two liveaboards - the Bilikiki and the Spirit of the Solomons. However, both liveaboards offer utterly marvelous diving! From personal experience, the Bilikiki is a very, very well run ship. The Spirit of the Solomons is operated by the same owner.

I'm headed next June for my 7th dive trip to Fiji - once again in the eastern Bligh Water staying at Wanavau Beach Resort. Don't get excited about the beach, but the resort accomodations are a delight and the meals very nice. Diving (now with Kai Viti Divers since Crystal Divers folded after the death of its owner) can be advanced, so be prepared.

 

[almitywife]

Forget the Solomons; as far as I know, there no shore-based operations there, just the two liveaboards

have you been to the solomons???

check out http://www.diveadventures.com.au/pages/destinations/Solomon/index.htm for some info on the solomons. yes they have resorts and yes on site dive shops/diving.

my travel agent that i have used for years was telling me last month that she goes to Uepi every 2 years becasue she loves it so much, and no-she wasnt selling me a trip to the solomons and friends of our were married there and are planning on going back next year.

 

[cbimages]

For a honeymoon, try Uepi, in the Solomons - ask for cabin 6. I bet I know who alamitywife's travel agent is! Cos reckon we use her also! She's never had to sell us a trip to Uepi - as we go there twice a year anyway. We've found the best - so have forgotten the rest!

 

[donacheson]

have you been to the solomons???

check out http://www.diveadventures.com.au/pages/destinations/Solomon/index.htm for some info on the solomons. yes they have resorts and yes on site dive shops/diving.

my travel agent that i have used for years was telling me last month that she goes to Uepi every 2 years becasue she loves it so much, and no-she wasnt selling me a trip to the solomons and friends of our were married there and are planning on going back next year.

I stand corrected. When I was setting up a trip to the Solomons about a year ago for this past June, Dive Gizo was the only land-based dive operation I could find on the Web. Honiara is difficult enough to get to; Gizo another leg away.

Maybe things are looking up for Solomons tourism after the civil unrest of a few years ago. A cruise ship docked in Honiara while I was there.

 

[cbimages]

Uepi has been operating in the Solomons since the early 1980's. We first went there in 1991.It continued to operate right thru the "tensions" - we have been going twice each year since mid 2000 and have never had any problems with civil unrest. Visiting Honiara was unwise until the RAMSI mission went there a couple of years ago, but the Western province was generally very safe.

We were in Honiara just two days ago, lunched at the Yacht club & did some t shirt shopping - on our way back from 3 weeks at Uepi. Honiara is back to its very friendly self.

Uepi, of course, is amazing and has been totally booked out since June. Next year, they are booked very heavily mid July thru September, with August completely full (we tried to book for then!)

Check out the web site (www.uepi.com) for info on this special place.

Anyone wanting further info can email me directly: cbimages@ceinternet.com.au

cheers

Carol

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

Never mind the Cooks if you are interested in diving, not much to see there.
Fiji is good, especially up north in the Save a Tack area, but not sure about resorts around there, that is more Liveaboard country.

Hmmm, there is a new resort in New Guinea getting good press, Indo is always good, SOlomons has good diving but i have no idea about sandy beaches etc, Vanuatu and New Caledonia more likely to have nice resorts but no idea about the diving there, not as good as Solomons i don;t think.

French Poly has nice beaches in the Societies but not such great diving, great diving in the Tuamotus but not such great beaches...

I didn't really help you did i?

My instructor at my Melbourne LDS runs a trip out to Vanuatu every year. The Van island of Espirito Santo was a US military base during WWII (think Michener and the Black Sheep Squadron). As such, there is a heap of great stuff to dive on, not the least of which is the S.S. Calvin Coolidge (a liner vessel that was used as a troop transport and hit a friendly mine (turned out to be not so friendly) on its way to drop off the troops. Do a search on Vanuatu diving and I think it will peak your interest.

 

[Nemo]

I've been to Vanuatu and the Solomon's, I'd vote for the Solomon's, Uepi Island would be a good choise for a honeymoon!

 

[britkiwi]

Uepi has great ratings for holiday resort and the diving is very good. However for the best wreck diving in The Solomons go to Dive Tulaghi. A pretty basic resort (no pool or lilos etc) but the owner Neil really knows his onions. The liveabords don't do the wrecks around Tulaghi and would get Neil to guide (not sure if that is the word) on a trip to the 65 metre Aaron Ward.

A great trip would be: Uepi Island, Dive Tulaghi then a couple of days to do the really nice wrecks (Japanese transports and B17) beached near Honiara with Coastwatchers diving.

Have fun.
Roger