Easy to reach Pacific reef destinations

[bvbellomo]

I am looking for some ideas for destinations coming from Ohio in the USA. I want to get away from the Caribbean and see some nice reefs. Raja Ampat is probably my first choice, but cost is an issue and travel time is an even bigger issue. Tubbataha and Fiji are almost as nice, almost as expensive and almost as far. Hawaii and Socorro get me out of the Caribbean but aren't really reef destinations. Egypt is spectacular, but borders 2 countries at war and I've been there and would rather go somewhere new. Any suggestions?

 

[beldridg]

Most of the places in the areas you are looking at are not going to be "easy to reach" from Ohio.

If you want a location with a lot of variety of diving, check out Palau (reefs, walls, etc). It isn't "easy" to get to from Ohio but probably a lot easier than Raja Ampat. The reefs and life in Palau were very healthy.

I wrote up detailed trip reports for both of my trips in 2022:

Trip Report : Palau Wrecks, Caves & Reefs

Intro It has been a little over two years since my last big, international dive trip (Grand Cayman for a KISS Crossover Course and some deep wall diving in Feb 2020). I had originally planned to di…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

Trip Report : Palau Wrecks with The Dirty Dozen Expeditions (Aug 2022)

Intro I had already booked and paid for my March 2022 to trip to Palau when Aron Arngrimsson from The Dirty Dozen Expeditions reached out to me and said that they were organizing an inaugural exped…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

I'm guessing the first one is probably more applicable.

Regards,

- brett

 

[flyboy08]

Colombia/Cartagena? Were heading there this Nov...Rosario Island..and diving 5 days with Diving Planet.

 

[bvbellomo]

Most of the places in the areas you are looking at are not going to be "easy to reach" from Ohio.

If you want a location with a lot of variety of diving, check out Palau (reefs, walls, etc). It isn't "easy" to get to from Ohio but probably a lot easier than Raja Ampat. The reefs and life in Palau were very healthy.

I wrote up detailed trip reports for both of my trips in 2022:

Trip Report : Palau Wrecks, Caves & Reefs

Intro It has been a little over two years since my last big, international dive trip (Grand Cayman for a KISS Crossover Course and some deep wall diving in Feb 2020). I had originally planned to di…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

Trip Report : Palau Wrecks with The Dirty Dozen Expeditions (Aug 2022)

Intro I had already booked and paid for my March 2022 to trip to Palau when Aron Arngrimsson from The Dirty Dozen Expeditions reached out to me and said that they were organizing an inaugural exped…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

I'm guessing the first one is probably more applicable.

Regards,

- brett

Thanks, I should have qualified "easy to reach" so it wasn't taken too literally. As much as I'd appreciate recommendations for diving similar to Raja Ampat in Nebraska, that just isn't realistic.

As far as I know, any Palau trip, similar to any Philippines trip, is going to involve a flight through Manilla. So probably similar travel cost and time as Tubbataha. I don't have much appreciation for wrecks, and for a coral, Tubbataha is probably better.

 

[bvbellomo]

Colombia/Cartagena? Were heading there this Nov...Rosario Island..and diving 5 days with Diving Planet.

South America (most likely Ecuador or Peru) is on my list for a non-dive trip, so I appreciate knowing I have scuba options from Columbia. I never thought to combine these (except the obvious Ecuador-Galapagos). However for a dive-centric trip, I am looking to get out of the Caribbean and Atlantic areas.

 

[Cali_diver]

I think Fiji is your best choice for beautiful reefs. Its pretty easy to get there from the west coast so only 2 flights.

 

[bvbellomo]

I think Fiji is your best choice for beautiful reefs. Its pretty easy to get there from the west coast so only 2 flights.

Which airport would I fly to? My understanding is Fiji is like Indonesia, Philippines and Palau, where I'd fly to Nadi (instead of Jakarta or Manila) and then have another journey involving small flights, driving and/or boats to get where I want to go.

 

[runsongas]

both SFO and LAX have non-stop to Nadi. if you dive from northern part of the main island of viti levu (eg voli voli area), you don't need a 2nd flight.

philippines is cheaper and you could fly to manila then go to puerto galera or anilao without a 2nd flight too

 

[Cali_diver]

Which airport would I fly to? My understanding is Fiji is like Indonesia, Philippines and Palau, where I'd fly to Nadi (instead of Jakarta or Manila) and then have another journey involving small flights, driving and/or boats to get where I want to go.

What @runsongas said ^... Lots of great diving on Viti Levu!

 

[bmag78]

Philippines is pretty easy to get to all things considered.
Non-stop direct on PAL from New York and West Coast.
Palau also pretty easy and accessible from Tokyo and Seoul as well as Manila .
Palau is best by liveaboard. Philippines has many land based. Tubbataha is liveaboard of course