Fiji vs. Thailand ??

[WarmWaterPursuit]

I have approximately 10 days of vacation in early April. At this point, I think I would like to go to either Fiji or Thailand.

I don't know much about either place but I'm having a tough time deciding. They're both fairly comparable in price, however, the plus about going to Fiji is that the flight is much shorter. 10 hours verses 20.

Another difference would also be a liveaboard (Thailand) verses staying at the Hilton and diving with a LDS (Fiji).

Your advice would be appreciated.

Thank you,

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

For a pure dive trip we would choose Fiji in your case as it offers exceptional diving and is closer from the west coast. We love Thailand for its combination of world class diving, culture and top side activities but you really should have at least two full weeks to really enjoy it all and make the trip.
You will enjoy the beauty of Fiji and its culture also, Fijian hospitality is famous and the soft corals are spectacular.
We strongly suggest you look at a Liveaboard though as you will get a lot more diving for your money . The Naia is one of the best in the world and will take you to some of Fiji's best dive sites. Hopefully you can get a spot as they have a loyal following and fill up very fast.:cool2:

 

[Woodiver]

If you decide on Fiji don't plan to stay in Nadi. Much better diving out of Wananavu, Beqa or Taveuni. The Bligh water sights out of Wananavu are beautiful but these are not dived every day, the weather has to be right. Somosoma straights out of Taveuni are also very nice but can have strong currents. Have you checked into a liveaboard? The Nai'a and Aggressor both run boats in the area and you will hit all of the top sights on a liveaboard but you will also miss out on the Fijian people which are wonderful!
If Thailand is it, research the liveaboard before signing up. There are many boats running trips in the Similan’s and the cheapest boat may not be the best bet. Many over crowd their boats and some appear not to be in the best condition. One time we were on the Ocean Rover (a top notch boat but it’s now in Indonesia) tied to a mooring and another boat loaded with people ran right in front of us, the captain honked the horn and the divemaster’s pushed 25+ people into the water. The currents were very strong so most of their divers we blown off of the dive site before they descended. April is towards the end of the Similan dive season so be careful choosing the correct liveaboard. Here’s a link to a company that has been running liveaboards in the area for a while.

Liveaboard Phuket

 

[WarmWaterPursuit]

Thanks... I appreciate it. Yeah, there are a lot of liveaboards in Thailand. If I did go with that option I would need to really make sure I made the right decision.

As for Fiji... I've looked into liveaboards but they are very expensive. If I go there, I would stay at the Hilton which is located on Denarau Island. There's some recommendations on SB for LDS's in the area that appear to look ok based on my review of their site. With that in mind, I can't speak to where these particular operators dive at but at least one seems to be very flexible based on the requests of their guests....

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

We are not trying to turn you off of the Hilton or Denarau island but though it is nice it is also a man made island with resorts clustered next to each other It is a place where people stay before or after there dive journeys to connect flights, for cruise ships and business travelers.
We know the boats can be pricey but since you are going all that way for the diving you can do better, we suggest looking at The Garden Island Resort on Tavenui, it has a lot better diving and is well priced for Fiji. They recently remodeled the resort and though not the Hilton is very nice, and comfortable. You could fly there for five days if you want and then come back to The Hilton to end the trip.
If you sway back to thailand you can dive the Similans from a place called Khao Lak, which is about a hour north of Phukett. You will have a variety of places to stay at different prices and they can even arrange for you to stay out on one of the islands if you like.You could then spend a couple of nights at the end in Bangkok and take a city tour to see the temples which is worth the time.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask