OP
Palau: The return
- Thread starter SharkLover
- Start date
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Travelnsj
Contributor
LOL....I would never throw Palau under the bus.....but Papua has so much more....and I could not believe it until I saw it.
caymaniac
Contributor
Travelnsj
Contributor
Well underwater looks like Hawaii....No fish....LOL....well I'll have good vis!
caymaniac
Contributor
Don't feel like the LoneRanger, we are going to Hawaii the first 2 weeks in April. Not that great of a place for the Pacific, it beats the Great Lakes in both colorful fish and visibility. There's great things to see topside and a chance to see pelagics while diving. The biggest reason we're going.....free airfare.
If Palau is a standard then you should try PNG-New Britain, or a liveaboard from PNG.
PNG is not exactly laid out like Palau as it is a big country with plenty of Islands. Also it is a less traveled area, such as New Britain that only receives about 500 visitors a year from the U.S. The reefs off PNG are stunning with a variety that is not rivaled by many if any area we've been. Since our trip to PNG, I feel somewhat the same as you do. I will say however that we have been to the Red Sea and on a liveaboard in northern Australia and these two areas do come closer to PNG diving than others. The Caribbean is not even in the ballpark in comparison. We do enjoy the Caribbean but there is nowhere near the variety of amount of coral, fish, or pelagics in comparison.
I've always wanted to go to Little Cayman. LCBR seems to have the best deal with their "Bloody Bay Package". Pirates Point also seems to have a good deal but there's not as much diving included. I always hear that that the reefs there don't compare to the reefs in the South Pacific but I would still like to go at least once. It's like I have to do it to get it out of my system. Grand Cayman has absolutely no appeal to me, too expensive and too touristy. That's the impression I get anyway.
Travelnsj
Contributor
I hope you are headed for Kona. The diving is just OK but the Manta dive compares with any of the best dives I have done anywhere in the world....in my top 5 up there with the BC.
OP
SharkLover
Contributor
I didn't see much ill health. I asked my dive guide and he said "not really". All of the dive sites still produce real well. I did see the normal occasional dead coral but no massive die off. Fish count is still great, just awesome. On one dive at Blue corner I think I counted 18 sharks just within my field of visoin (and NO they do not feed them like they do in the Bahamas).
There were the ususal japanese tour grouips that we could see at the dive sites but my guide excelled in avoiding crowds as we only saw a few divers UW during my week. We didn't dive with the hurd. Palau is popular period, you will see people especially in high season which is Jan-Mar.
The place is amazing. If you havn't gone you need to try it least once in your life. If you do go make sure that you go Yap first. Good Manta and wall diving, I like it there too
caymaniac
Contributor
Yes, we are headed for Kona but will have only four days to have a chance to see the Mantas, so send good mojo my way as this will be my second trip to see them, last time we were skunked! We then head to Maui for a week.
Travelnsj
Contributor
I've done that dive about 12-15 times. Only been sunked twice. I would recommend booking it twice. Who are you diving with?....If this is only your second time I would suggest doing Jacks and making sure Keller is on board. If not Big Island Divers also Kona Honu do a good Manta dive....Now back to Palau.
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