HELP Need advice on a long distance dive destination

[outlawaggie]

HELP-Where to go??? Need advice on a long distance trip.
I need some help and advice.

My wife has about 300,000 airline miles that are going to expire so we want to book a trip that is far away. i.e. Truk lagoon.

However, we both prefer the road less travelled so to speak so I thought I'd ask here for any advice that anyone has on a less known dive spot with amazing diving. My wife LOVES dolphins and Turtles. I like the big pelagics. We both HATE cold weather/water.

Neither of us really care about deluxe accommodations etc. Clean and has a shower is really our only requirement. We are flying for free so cost is not the driving issue but don't want to waste money either.

Liveaboard is fine, land based is fine...

Thanks in advance for the help...

Ty

 

[robint]

HELP-Where to go??? Need advice on a long distance trip.
I need some help and advice.

My wife has about 300,000 airline miles that are going to expire so we want to book a trip that is far away. i.e. Truk lagoon.

However, we both prefer the road less travelled so to speak so I thought I'd ask here for any advice that anyone has on a less known dive spot with amazing diving. My wife LOVES dolphins and Turtles. I like the big pelagics. We both HATE cold weather/water.

Neither of us really care about deluxe accommodations etc. Clean and has a shower is really our only requirement. We are flying for free so cost is not the driving issue but don't want to waste money either.

Liveaboard is fine, land based is fine...

Thanks in advance for the help...

Ty

which airlines? It might make a difference. Any particular month?

My first thought is to say Yes, Truk, but only Continental flies to Micronesia. Truk, Yap, Palau are all places I would consider... tons of pelagics, expensive destinations but if you get free airfare I would go there. For Palau I would ONLY do a liveaboard. see my trip report here: Palau on the Eco Explorer - Dec 2007

Also, I would look at Philippines, I have heard so many people rave about it lately. It is high on our Pacific wish list.
Fiji is also a great option. Land-based at either of those destinations is good.

Just my 2 cents.
robin

 

[outlawaggie]

American Airlines- The only time constraint is that it needs to be six months away in order to be able to use milage tickets.

thanks

 

[mbs]

Long expensive trip sounds like a great idea.... But if you are not quite ready I'd check if AA is one of those that extends the expiration date as long as you spend some of the miles... I just got yet another magazine subscription for like 5k miles that extended the expiration date of the rest... Don't recall which airline it was though...

 

[SCUBAJENNIFER]

Indonesia, Indonesia, Indonesia...

Did I mention Indonesia?

Fly into Jakarta or Bali...Go to Raja Ampats, Komodo, Alor, Wakatobi, Bunaken, Lembeh...

 

[outlawaggie]

Thanks...Keep 'em coming

 

[DandyDon]

Long expensive trip sounds like a great idea.... But if you are not quite ready I'd check if AA is one of those that extends the expiration date as long as you spend some of the miles... I just got yet another magazine subscription for like 5k miles that extended the expiration date of the rest... Don't recall which airline it was though...

I lost some that way once. Looks like they can be extended that way. From: AAdvantage Terms & Conditions

AAdvantage members must have mileage earning or redeeming activity once every 18 months in order to retain their miles. Miles will first expire under this 18-month policy on December 15, 2007. If your account has no qualifying activity in any 18-month period, all miles in the account will expire except for those miles earned prior to July 1, 1989 in accounts established prior to January 1, 1989 whose mileage credit will not expire. Each qualifying activity extends the expiration date of all unexpired mileage credit in your account for 18 months from the date of the qualifying activity. Qualifying activity is defined as redeeming any AAdvantage award or accruing mileage credit on any eligible American, American Eagle®, AmericanConnection® or AAdvantage airline participant as well as accruing mileage credit with participating hotels, car rental companies, credit cards, telecommunication providers, and other service providers offering AAdvantage mileage credit.

 

[davethewarthog]

Destinations - one of the best trips I ever took was a liveaboard on the Red Sea. I myself have some time on my hands and want to go exotic, less traveled, and hang with people that appreciate diving, but have a life as well...

 

[Doc]

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