Palau or Papua New Guinea by liveaboard?

[Margery Mullett]

The diving in Palau is pretty intense and exciting. Blue corner is spectacular! There is a bit of a hard swim to get there. It's a little like being in an IMAX, but real. It is mostly deeper diving than the diving I did in PNG, with way more big fish and big schools of fish and current. I took the 10 day trip out of Rabaul, PNG, on Star Dancer. That trip was beautiful and very isolated. Never saw another boat. Since you are so close to the coast, you get more of a feel for the countryside. The trip out of Rabaul is not a big animal, shark infested adventure. Some people seemed a little disappointed about that. It is great for macro. The dive masters were great at finding things. Lots of obscure little things ...nudibranchs, pipefish, frog fish, colorful eels. I loved it. The same ship makes other kinds of trips, so you should ask them about their other itineraries. They might be more "big stuff" oriented. If you go to PNG, be SURE to spend some time inland. You'll see things you'll never see in Palau. Palau is very much like the USA. PNG is a world apart. You can't go wrong, either way.

 

[ewaiea]

Well all, I sincerely do appreciate your input. I'm going to be doing my first liveaboard 8/1-8/8 on the Kona Aggressor II. As for early 2010, I was inches away from pulling the trigger on the Palau Aggressor II but just couldn't stop thinking about how and when I could plan my trip to PNG - so much so that I wasn't even thinking about Palau.

So I cancelled my reservation on the Palau Aggressor for Feb 28-Mar 7 (didn't have to pay any penalties and didn't lose money thankfully) and decided to plan a trip to PNG on the Star Dancer to Kimbe Bay, Fathers Reef, and the Witu Islands in April 2010. I am pretty pumped, and whether there's big stuff or not it'll be pretty easy diving and lots of small obscure creatures to look for.

Again, thanks all for your adivce - Palau will probably be where I go after PNG - but PNG just seems too interesting to pass up! Heck, I'm only 29 - I've got a few years left of good diving - I should have time for Palau

 

[robint]

Well all, I sincerely do appreciate your input. I'm going to be doing my first liveaboard 8/1-8/8 on the Kona Aggressor II. As for early 2010, I was inches away from pulling the trigger on the Palau Aggressor II but just couldn't stop thinking about how and when I could plan my trip to PNG - so much so that I wasn't even thinking about Palau.

So I cancelled my reservation on the Palau Aggressor for Feb 28-Mar 7 (didn't have to pay any penalties and didn't lose money thankfully) and decided to plan a trip to PNG on the Star Dancer to Kimbe Bay, Fathers Reef, and the Witu Islands in April 2010. I am pretty pumped, and whether there's big stuff or not it'll be pretty easy diving and lots of small obscure creatures to look for.

Again, thanks all for your adivce - Palau will probably be where I go after PNG - but PNG just seems too interesting to pass up! Heck, I'm only 29 - I've got a few years left of good diving - I should have time for Palau

sounds fun......... but we do expect FULL Trip Reports on Kona and PNG with photos!!!
I am particularly interested in the Kona Aggressor trip as me and hubby have discussed it several times. We did Kona land-based a few years ago and liked the diving and island, but getting in only 2 dives per day wasn't enough for us. We said the next time we go back we want to do the liveaboard instead. So be sure to do the trip report, I want details!

robin

 

[ewaiea]

sounds fun......... but we do expect FULL Trip Reports on Kona and PNG with photos!!!
I am particularly interested in the Kona Aggressor trip as me and hubby have discussed it several times. We did Kona land-based a few years ago and liked the diving and island, but getting in only 2 dives per day wasn't enough for us. We said the next time we go back we want to do the liveaboard instead. So be sure to do the trip report, I want details!

robin

Agreed

I will definitely have plenty of good details regarding the Kona Aggressor as soon as I get back. PNG as well, I haven't even gotten to Kona yet and I'm already thinking about PNG and saving my pennies

I'll setup a new thread when I get back from Kona.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Apples and Oranges comparison --both destinations are fantastic diving for the reasons described above. Just remember before you go to either country, check the CDC's Traveler's Website: I contracted Dengue Fever (virus spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito) in Walindi after a charter on the Star Dancer, 2001 December; was treated in a Koror hospital (Palau) by a US Navy Corpsman for the whole week I was there (instead of diving)!.

Just remember to take your malaria prophylaxis pills; DEET and permethrin spray treatment for your skin & clothes respectively should you be going ashore from the liveaboard to hike around in the bush. . .

 

[mjh]

Well we booked PNG, Peter Hughes for Nov 09, got half off since we had done another trip with them! Will post of course.

 

[ewaiea]

Well we booked PNG, Peter Hughes for Nov 09, got half off since we had done another trip with them! Will post of course.

How did they give you HALF off??? I thought if you dive with them twice in one year they'll knock a couple hundred dollars off the total cost but half the cost??

Please elaborate MJH, if you could....

Even the bring a friend weeks don't do half off for both divers....

Plus, I think you'll be doing the same PNG itinerary as I will be, so please post a trip report. You and your wife have an awesome website and I love reading your trip reports. They're plentiful yet they don't drone on and on about every single dive, I hope we both have great trips.....You guys got addicted to liveaboards on the Kona Aggressor, I think that's how it'll be for me as well...

 

[eytokyo]

I was on the eco explorer Christmas 2008 in Palau. Hands down the best diving I've ever experienced (compared to Thailand, BVI, Cozumel, Cook Islands, Hawaii, Little Cayman, Bahamas, Philippines). Mother nature brought me the best Christmas Day present with a visit by the mantas at German Channel, a nice leisurely drift through Ulong Channel (where we saw sharks chasing a bait ball) and a gentle swim from blue hole to blue corner...Great service and meals on the boat, and fantastic diving. highly recommended. (never been to PNG, but it's on my to do list!)

 

[Shasta_man]

Realize that New Guinea will have a whole other side of the experience you don't get in Palau, which is the land and native experience. While Palau does have the coral islands, Jellyfish Lake, and WWII location experience, New Guinea has exponentially better bio diversity on land and the whole genuine native experience. My experience with the local people in Solomons was very cool and New Guinea is probably even far beyond that. And volcanos. And probably more reef locations while Palau is mostly walls. THe sheer beauty of Palau is amazing. You can't go wrong on either one. Airfare has made Palau quite expensive but PNG Air Nuigini is even more so.

 

[Shasta_man]

Wow, eytokyo, you had a great experience. We missed mantas in German Channel though they could have been ten feet away without our knowing due to the vis that day.