liveaboard in the pacific - help me pick one out

[Scotttyd]

I am looking to book a liveaboard somewhere in the pacific/indian ocean. I have dove over much of the Caribbean and want a change of pace. I don't need fancy by anymeans (I prefer basic accommodations vs the fancy places where everybody just stays in their rooms). I have dove on blackbeards and loved it.

I also want to make sure since it is expensive as heck, that I get a minimum of 4, if not 5 dives everyday. And I prefer the long shallow dives over all deep - some of my best dives have been the 80-90 minute dives in Bonaire. I love photography if that makes a difference.

What are some options?

 

[drrich2]

You've cast the net so wide the mind boggles. I haven't gotten to dive what you're looking at. If this is going to be some kind of 'once in a lifetime thing,' seems like Palau is very highly spoken of. I've been digging around Scuba Diving Magazine's website and noticed it was highly rated in comparisons in the region.

Perhaps getting an idea of what destination you prefer might help narrow it down? For example, if you were picking amongst the Philippines, Palau, PNG, a Komodo live-board or the Maldives, does one of these 'strike a nerve?' Does travel time, expense & hassle getting there matter at all to you?

Richard.

---------- Post added February 16th, 2015 at 09:41 PM ----------

Follow Up:

Trying to plan a trip to a new destination drives me nuts because of the tyranny of choice. There are so many different places to stay, op.s to dive with, etc… I deal with it by picking a few op.s I hear about on Scuba Board & elsewhere often enough to get a rough draft list for comparison. Sometimes reading their offerings & comparing them whittles the list down. Then Scuba Board & Undercurrent reviews come into play. If I were facing your decision, I might compare these as a preliminary run:

Siren Fleet's S/Y Philippine Siren.

Palau - Palau Aggressor II and Palau Tropic Dancer. Or DivEncounters Alliance affiliated M/V Solitude One.

Komodo - Komodo Dancer.

Red Sea - Red Sea Aggressor.

Explorer Ventures M/V Carpe Vita Explorer - Maldives.

Aggressor Fleet covers Aggressor & Dancer boats, but acts like a store front/marketer I think so you just judge individual boats rather than that brand name. I read there are a number of reputable live-aboards in PNG, but I didn't see any brands I knew. FeBrina Live-aboard has a write up at a travel business's website.

Even if you compare these offerings, which I tossed out more or less randomly by destination reputation, that won't factor in travel time & travel expensive. I've read the Philippines billed as most of the benefit of Indonesia, for less money & less travel time. But I don't know whether that's the case departing from North Carolina.

Richard.

 

[RJP]

You need to narrow down:
-Small/muck stuff
-Big stuff
-Wrecks



PS - based on what you're saying, am I correct in assuming that while say "Pacific" you're not really considering Galapagos, Cocos, or Baha Mexico?

 

[Scotttyd]

Ok - what I like is a mix of big and small - and yes, I should saw, I am looking west pacific (not along the american coast) - I don;'t know - just looking where to start - what are some of the companies that have good reviews but reasonable prices?

 

[Darnold9999]

Something to consider. When travelling to such a remote destination from your location the difference between a budget liveaboard and a luxury liveaboard does not make a huge difference in the overall cost of the trip and other factors may be more important. Time of year, number of divers on the boat, departure day of the week, length of cruise, languages spoken, number of divers per guide, etc. Not to say price is not important, but you might find that the difference on the total cost of the trip is not really that much, and you may want to upgrade a bit from the most basic.

 

[mikeycanuk]

We are doing our first ever LOB in the Solomon's aboard the Bilikiki this summer.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Ok - what I like is a mix of big and small - and yes, I should saw, I am looking west pacific (not along the american coast) - I don;'t know - just looking where to start - what are some of the companies that have good reviews but reasonable prices?

Palau is great- not cheap to get to and you can save yourself a few bucks by being land based, and it can give you more control over which sites you want to repeat. Definately go around the full moon or new moon so the current is running which brings more sharks

Komodo is awesome- great mix of big and small, again try to time around new/full moon for more current/big stuff. Mermaids trips leave from Bali and cover some great macro/muck sites along the way. I've done two trips the last 2 years on Mermaid 2 and loved them both. Black Manta also gets rave reviews.

Raja Ampat- they say is awesome. I'm doing Raja Ampat this November, first a crossing trip from Ambon to Sorong ( Black Manta) then a North/South Raja Ampat trip ( Pearl of Papua). When I go all the way to the Coral Triangle I amortize my airfare by tying to maximize my time there. When I've done Komodo trips I tack on some days in Lembeh. Or just as easy tack on some days in Bali.

I find there is a big difference in price between Mermaid/ Black Manta trips and boats like The Arenui so there can be a big difference in price. The time of year definitely can influence which region to chose. And are you just looking at liveaboards? There are some fantastic resorts of all price ranges and some can be excellent in providing company to hang out with.
Komodo/Raja Ampat/Palau liveaboards tend to book up way ahead,so consider that, I booked both my Komodo trips 8 months ahead and my Raja trips were booked a year in advance. The crossing trips fill up a year or so before.

If you can narrow down the time of the year that will help determine the best region.

 

[cbm32]

The Nai'a is a first class liveaboard in Fiji....cant go wrong with the Nai'a.

I have heard some good things about the Fiji Siren as well.

 

[Scotttyd]

Yes, My original question was completely vague, and that was because I wasn't sure where the "ultiamte spots" where to go.

I like a liveaboard to maximize my dive time (4-5 dives a day) - I love to explore islands and local culture with my fiance when we travel - but she isn't a diver, so my two dive trips a year I like to maximize my bottom time (think bonaire/coco view amount of diving)

Most land based diving you seem to spend more time getting back and forth to the site instead of diving.

I love macro for photography - and would love to see the new creatures that I don't see in the carribean.

A mix of some big things are nice, but I also live in North Carolina and can see the big sharks a lot locally, but a mix of some mantas/sting rays is always good.

A liveabard that is "single friendly" like blackbeard or someplace that books singles either matching them up or without a crazy surcharge is great. Of course a trip with a local english speaking group is best, but if I can't find a group to tag along with, being a boat that is english friendly is a good thing (I know I am in the pacific where it would likely be a mix of peopel of various countires)

time of year? flexible, but spring fits in best to my schedule

 

[drrich2]

Have you looked at the Philippines? Seems like Puerto Galera gets mentioned a lot as a land-based destination, with the live-aboard I linked in my 1st post would probably hit a range of locations. Did you see Nameless Bear's thread on Puerto Galera - maganda - from his 3rd trip (evidently he liked it), with some sweet macro shots.

On this forum, Peter Guy & TS&M have a trip planned for October to Puerto Galera - see this thread. Oct. 16 - 25, 2015. Does up to 5 dives/day sound good to you? And while the 2016 Scuba Board Philippines Invasion has long since booked up, check out the section on it since the threads will have links & info. for people learning about the Philippines for the 1st time. And give you an idea of cost & what not.

Scotty, my suggestion is pick a destination we've mentioned; I'd say the Philippines, but it could be Palau or Komodo. Take a hard look at it. Let us know what you dislike (and like) about that destination. It may help some folks give a better follow up suggestion. Or, who knows? You may find your choice right off the bat.

Richard.