Guam?

[T_Mancini]

I am in the Air Force and might be going to Guam for my next assignment. I have been getting into Scuba here in the Azores and was about to start my first OW training. I might just wait till I get to guam.... They do have Padi there right???? If so does anyone know how much the OW Class is?

Tim

 

[IslandHopper]

<--- Lives in Guam

The Basic Open Water is $139 including all gear (except mask, fins, snorkel). This includes a boat-dive.

It's not Palau, but we have great reefs all around the island ... lots of sealife.

My personal recomendation is MDA ... but there are other shops as well.

 

[crazed_dolphin]

I was certified by GTDS. GTDS and I think other dive shops provide a "free" beach dive. You show up at a predetermined location with your gear and the dive master guides you. I believe you mostly have locals(including locally stationed military) as opposed to tourists on these dives.

 

[Jennefer]

I do not drink or smoke but I will definitely go to the divers bar area for a couple of times. Hopefully I can find a dive guide to go dive during my stay.

My air consuming is about 45+ minutes in 80+ degree warm water at 60--80' deep but only 15 minutes in 51-degree cold water at 90' deep. Normally if I had to cut the dive short, I would signal others and go up alone with no problem.

I was also thinking about to get an AOW, Rescue, and/or Master certificates if possible because I will have 9 days on Guam and 8 days on Peleliu, Palau. In Palau, I will stay in Storyboard, Peleliu, the owner is Godwin and Mayumi. Any advice about my idea of getting a higher certificate? Is the idea a reality, fantasy, or pros and cons even?

Currently I have been working on making a hotel reservation for my stay. Thanks for Universal Diver's information about Pia Marine so its out of my picture. But how about Pia Resort? Is it recommended? I was told that it has kitchen and ocean view and is down in Tumon Bay. The reservation managers of different hotels are saying that in the middle of January is a busy time for Guam and room availabilities might be tight and urging me to make a reservation a. s. a. p. I guess it's sales-ship.

 

[h3o]

I wouldn't worry about rooms being filled up, Guam has been experiencing a major drop in Tourism and I think they may just be saying that to get your business.

I've never heard of Pia Resort, I'm wondering if its the same as Pia Marine. Pia Marine has kitchens like you mentioned, it is also an apartment building/condo. It his a nice view of Tumon bay, but it is located in upper Tumon. It is about a half hour walk down to Tumon bay from Pia Marine.

 

[Universal Diver]

"I've never heard of Pia Resort, I'm wondering if its the same as Pia Marine."

I had the same thoughts a long time ago. Pia Resort is located behind DFS but it's a little troublesome to get there. It's up the hill and down a street then up another hill. It's a very nice place and there is a Japanese Dive shop there.

Jennefer, If you have a rental car it would be okay but keep looking. Remember, Guam is the US and if you're worried about getting ripped off at tourist prices, think again. Stay away from the Japanese places and you'll be okay. There are Mc Donalds, Burger Kings, KFCs, etc. for fine food. There is an Outback Steak house in Tumon at the same prices you'd see back on the mainland.

If you are on a budget, then Guam Plaza is in a great location. Down the hill from Pia, and connected to a duty free shop and Mc Donalds. It's old and simple but if it's just a room you need, it's good. It isn't as cheap as it could be because of the location. You get a little, you give a little.

Chris

 

[Universal Diver]

Island Hopper mentioned the price for an OW course is $139. That is basically a locals price with a very inconvenient schedule.
Usually group classes will start at $139, from 4 to 21 people but you usually have to supply your own mask, snorkel, boots and fins. You can not determine when the class will start and if you've missed the start of the course, you'd have to wait for the next one to start which is reletively every two weeks or so.

Now, private classes will run you about $300 or more. That's the reality of it. If an instructor is going to only teach one student in three days, that would be the going cost. An instructor can make more money with group classes or even guiding tours.

I don't want you to be surprised when you get there and they quote you a higher price. Both MDA and GTDS do have good instructors. I've worked for GTDS many times and I have some friends at MDA. The smaller shops have some extremely competent instructors but they make their money other ways than teaching courses. This is probably why you don't hear much about the smaller shops. My favorite shop in Guam is just a tiny little two person shop.

Chris

 

[h3o]

I don't know about you guys but when I travel to another place, the last place I want to eat is at an American chain restaurant like Mcdonalds or KFC. Isn't trying the local food part of the experience of travelling to another culture? Try some local barbeque, some fresh fish dishes, red rice, etc.

If you do find yourself at McDonalds in Guam in the morning, try the "Portugese Sausage, Eggs, and Rice" or "Spam and Rice" they are both only available at Mcdonalds in Hawaii and Micronesia. Come to think of it, you can try red rice at KFC too. hehe.

I think Universal Diver meant, stay away from the places that target Japanese tourists, not the Japanese places. There are quite a few Japanese restaurants in Tumon worth checking out that also have good prices. Also Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. Aji Ichi used to be my favorite budget Japanese restaurant when they were in lower Tumon.

Another place for local breakfasts is Shirley's or Kings. They are both Denny's-esque type restaurants but both have some good local dishes. Shirley's has some fish dinners too for great prices. The Chamorro Village in Agana also has some good plate lunch budget eats. They have a food court there with some variety, they also have some shops there all selling stuff having to do with Chamorro culture that are not as touristy as the items you will find in Tumon. If you're craving raw fish after diving (I always do), check out the Fisherman's Co-op next door for cheap fresh sashimi cut up and ready to eat.

I agree, Guam Plaza is also another cheap hotel alternative. If you really want to budget and don't mind staying in a motel, their are several around Tamuning, upper Tumon, and Agana.

 

[Universal Diver]

h3o,

After reading what I wrote and reading what you wrote, I agree with you. To clarify what I was saying is Jennefer had mentioned saving money by cooking in her room. My immediate thought was "budget". This is where Micky D's comes into place.

Now on the thought of enjoying the local food, my favorite place to go to eat is Chamorro Village on a Wednesday nite. The BBQ will run you about $5 and you get a ton of food.

I prefer King's over Shirley's but even their menus can get expensive. I had a Roast Beef dip (French Dip) sandwich there the other nite and it still cost me $9.

Have you been to Tairyo's yet? It's located in Blue Lagoon Plaza. It is a kaiten sushi restaurant (rotating). Pretty decent sushi at reasonable prices.

Chris

 

[Jennefer]

H3o, Universal Diver, and everyone:

Thank you very much for the information that you provided. It's very helpful. After you told me that Pia Resort is a nice place, I have made a reservation with that hotel, which offerred a good deal because the time of my stay is in a low season and there is a posibility of extending the stay.

I like to have a kitchen in my hotel room is because, in addition to the budget, I like to cook classic Chinese gourmet. I enjoy it as enjoying art, not daily work. Cooking is my first hoppy, scuba diving in tropical water is second, reading and writing is third, and watching movies is fourth, etc. etc... Plus, I do not have to go to a restaurant for every piece of bread and/or egg. Also, even though I might be too busy for scuba diving to cook anything, I still can get more confortable feeling by realizing and looking at a clean and full facilitated kitchen in the hotel room.

I have all of my diving gears but will need tanks and leads on Guam since no one is allowed to carry an air tank on a plane and leads is too excesive to take with. I believe obtaining those is not a problem on Guam.

I am working on having my Guam and Palau vacation fulfill with practical dive schedules. I came back from Cozumel, Mexico, a couple of months ago, where I had three boat dives a day. I hope I can get the same or similar practical dive schedule on Guam.

I dove many times on Guam in 1990's but did not log in. On my upcoming vacation, I will off course log in every dive and try to get one or two higher certificate.

Your advice is always strongly appreciated.