First South Pacific trip - where to go?

[Dan]

Gets my vote too.
Bali has great diving and lots of topside culture and fun and Komodo has excellent diving to inoculate your future diving Indonesia addiction.

True

After 3 years diving in Caribbean, I went to Bali in the 4th year and other places in Indonesia for next 9 years after. Got really spoiled with the diving in Indonesia & don’t feel like going back to Caribbean any more, especially with the flight tickets being cheaper from Houston to Indonesia than to Bonaire or Cayman.

 

[hdcruzer]

I can't tell you from experience but I can tell you what I am doing for my first trip to the South Pacific in November (my warm water experience has been limited to the Caribbean and Florida).

I will be spending just under a week at the Wananavu Beach Resort in Fiji. It looks like a very nice resort with a good dive operator. I really want to get out to the Vatu-I-Ra Passage if it is possible but the other diving that is available looks very good.

I am then off to the Solomon Islands for a 10 day LOB with Solomon Islands Dive Expeditions (SIDE). My first LOB but SIDE looks like a good operator and the diving is supposed to include some great marine biodiversity, healthy reefs and some WW2 history. We will also get some time during the trip to visit some of the islands and locals if we want.

 

[Wingy]

South Pacific my favourite spots would have to be French Polynesia - Rangiroa and the elusive Fakarava

PNG - technically Melanesia - Milne Bay, Samurai, Madang, Trobriand Islands

Solomon Islands - Uepi is awesome

Fiji - seamount somewhere between Fiji and New Caledonia accessible only by cruising yacht but I hear good things about Rainbow Reef and White Wall, Tavanuie etc.

Tonga - again - random site from yacht

NZ - have to agree Poor Knights is great diving (Temperate Water)

Now South East Asia - Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Komodo, Sulawesi Utara, Bali, Sipidan, Mabul, Richelieu, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Chumpeon Pinacles, Similans in general given good season, Sabang, Anilao

 

[nwflyboy]

Do not go to this part of the world. If you do, you'll never go back to the Caribbean, and from then on you'll be stuck flying for 36 hours to reach your destinations.

 

[drbill]

Palau... best dive destination I've experienced in 56 years of diving

 

[Jordan23]

hi wingli sent u a message, not sure if its pm, can i?

South Pacific my favourite spots would have to be French Polynesia - Rangiroa and the elusive Fakarava

PNG - technically Melanesia - Milne Bay, Samurai, Madang, Trobriand Islands

Solomon Islands - Uepi is awesome

Fiji - seamount somewhere between Fiji and New Caledonia accessible only by cruising yacht but I hear good things about Rainbow Reef and White Wall, Tavanuie etc.

Tonga - again - random site from yacht

NZ - have to agree Poor Knights is great diving (Temperate Water)

Now South East Asia - Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Komodo, Sulawesi Utara, Bali, Sipidan, Mabul, Richelieu, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Chumpeon Pinacles, Similans in general given good season, Sabang, Anilao

 

[howswedeofme]

Do not go to this part of the world. If you do, you'll never go back to the Caribbean, and from then on you'll be stuck flying for 36 hours to reach your destinations.

We have been diving the Caribbean for about a decade now and purposefully kept planning trips there until we felt like we were getting a little sick of seeing the same thing over and over, expecting that once we went to that part of the world our Caribbean dive days would be limited.

These are all great suggestions - thank you everyone! We have an 8 day trip to Cayman Brac in May with our friends that we do an annual dive trip with so now i can get some research in to go over options for our next dive trip while on a dive trip We like having something to look forward to.

 

[CajunDiva]

We have been diving the Caribbean for about a decade now and purposefully kept planning trips there until we felt like we were getting a little sick of seeing the same thing over and over, expecting that once we went to that part of the world our Caribbean dive days would be limited.

These are all great suggestions - thank you everyone! We have an 8 day trip to Cayman Brac in May with our friends that we do an annual dive trip with so now i can get some research in to go over options for our next dive trip while on a dive trip We like having something to look forward to.

Be sure to do the day trip over to Little Cayman if you have not been there before. Bloody Bay Wall is phenomenal in my estimation

 

[howswedeofme]

Be sure to do the day trip over to Little Cayman if you have not been there before. Bloody Bay Wall is phenomenal in my estimation

That’s our plan. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for at least one two tanker trip while we are there. I will be disappointed if we miss it. Most people share your opinion about it being phenomenal.

 

[Barry4158]

Just wondering what the best dive locations are if you are limited to the Philippines...I have been muck diving in Dumaguette already. Other recommendations?