greg11
Guest
this is going to be a bit rushed so I apologize for the typo's etc. I will add a ton of pics later.
flight. I flew from Louisville, KY to Chicago and then to Tokyo. I stayed 5 nights in Tokyo then flew the 630PM delta flight to Palau from Tokyo. The flight takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Hotel. Palau Royal Resort. I selected this hotel because it was in walking distance to Sams Tours. It's expensive and I found I didnt use any of the "amenities" there. The Pool and beach closes at 7PM. thats right 7pm! What pool closes at 7pm?? I asked and they said to keep drunk people from getting hurt. Well, isnt that the reason we go on vacation... to get drunk and go swimming late at night. A ridiculous rule and it hurt the atmosphere which was stiff. Very nice rooms, nice view, comfee beds but If you are going with sams tours you will find yourself at sams bar / resturaunt after your dives and you will stay until dark, its fun talking to all the divers and people living on sailboats. I spent so little time in my room that I felt it was a waste of money and I should have got a cheaper room. Did I mention the pool closes at 7pm! crazy.
Sams tours. - Great bar, great food, great atmosphere, no need to go any place else but I have some questions lingering. There are inside reef dives and outside reef dives. Blue corner is outside. I dove german chanel twice in my 5 days and both times Vis sucked. I did see a manta but big deal if you cant see it. I think its over rated dive and a waste of time. I got a sense the dive masters and boat captains liked to stay close to sams, and not go outside the reef. I know its a longer boat ride and harder to reach but Blue Corner should be offered on every dive. We had to practically beg to go there. That's ridiculous. Its the best dive there even if the surface is rocking and rolling. Big drop off was another great dive. The wall is fantastic. The other dives are ok and we missed Ulong channel. You have to sign up for that dive because the boat needs to leave earlier. They failed to mention that to us. Sais corner is also missed because the guides just wanted to stay inside the reef. One dive master who was great was worried about the reef hooks, says they are damaging the reef but 15 feet back from the ledge is a old creek bed that is hard as a rock, no life, so palau should install meal hooks and just let people hook on to the hooks installed in the creek bed to prevent any additional damage. We also had new people on every dive boat each day so we always felt limited. Sams should split the boats up based on experience. Sams also limits the dives, so if you have an air sucker you all come up. its drifting so you can spend your extra air just trolling around the moring line. People were coming up with 1500-1200 PSI. The dive masters are great, I just think there is a little misconception about what is expected. Blue corner will knock your socks off. It's a must do dive, at least twice. The current was nothing. i held onto my reef hook with my finger, i never attached it to my BC. The current is over rated at least this time of the year. We did do one dive where the current was ripping, so I firmly tell everyone to buy a scuba sausage. I also hired a private guide for the first 3 days. It turns out their private guides are not even employees of sams, at least not paid, they are earning their keep and learning the dive sites. I tipped him good. I just wanted the extra attention incase something happened. I never found myself below 60 feet on any dive and it was perfectly safe. I say hogwash to those who say Palau is for advanced divers. You obviosly have not dive west palm beach or florida.
Dont expect much top side and the boat rides are long. I have never seen so many fish and corals in pristine condition. one dive I counted 25 sharks.
Sames really should offer 3 tanks dives on the reef
Jellyfish lake- they also failed to tell us they lose 30% of the dives because of ear infections after the lake so go on your last day of diving. A lot of bacteria in the lake, but is a must do.
So in summary Grand Cayman East end and Palau are my all time favorite dive locataion.s Next I want to try Bonaire.
flight. I flew from Louisville, KY to Chicago and then to Tokyo. I stayed 5 nights in Tokyo then flew the 630PM delta flight to Palau from Tokyo. The flight takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Hotel. Palau Royal Resort. I selected this hotel because it was in walking distance to Sams Tours. It's expensive and I found I didnt use any of the "amenities" there. The Pool and beach closes at 7PM. thats right 7pm! What pool closes at 7pm?? I asked and they said to keep drunk people from getting hurt. Well, isnt that the reason we go on vacation... to get drunk and go swimming late at night. A ridiculous rule and it hurt the atmosphere which was stiff. Very nice rooms, nice view, comfee beds but If you are going with sams tours you will find yourself at sams bar / resturaunt after your dives and you will stay until dark, its fun talking to all the divers and people living on sailboats. I spent so little time in my room that I felt it was a waste of money and I should have got a cheaper room. Did I mention the pool closes at 7pm! crazy.
Sams tours. - Great bar, great food, great atmosphere, no need to go any place else but I have some questions lingering. There are inside reef dives and outside reef dives. Blue corner is outside. I dove german chanel twice in my 5 days and both times Vis sucked. I did see a manta but big deal if you cant see it. I think its over rated dive and a waste of time. I got a sense the dive masters and boat captains liked to stay close to sams, and not go outside the reef. I know its a longer boat ride and harder to reach but Blue Corner should be offered on every dive. We had to practically beg to go there. That's ridiculous. Its the best dive there even if the surface is rocking and rolling. Big drop off was another great dive. The wall is fantastic. The other dives are ok and we missed Ulong channel. You have to sign up for that dive because the boat needs to leave earlier. They failed to mention that to us. Sais corner is also missed because the guides just wanted to stay inside the reef. One dive master who was great was worried about the reef hooks, says they are damaging the reef but 15 feet back from the ledge is a old creek bed that is hard as a rock, no life, so palau should install meal hooks and just let people hook on to the hooks installed in the creek bed to prevent any additional damage. We also had new people on every dive boat each day so we always felt limited. Sams should split the boats up based on experience. Sams also limits the dives, so if you have an air sucker you all come up. its drifting so you can spend your extra air just trolling around the moring line. People were coming up with 1500-1200 PSI. The dive masters are great, I just think there is a little misconception about what is expected. Blue corner will knock your socks off. It's a must do dive, at least twice. The current was nothing. i held onto my reef hook with my finger, i never attached it to my BC. The current is over rated at least this time of the year. We did do one dive where the current was ripping, so I firmly tell everyone to buy a scuba sausage. I also hired a private guide for the first 3 days. It turns out their private guides are not even employees of sams, at least not paid, they are earning their keep and learning the dive sites. I tipped him good. I just wanted the extra attention incase something happened. I never found myself below 60 feet on any dive and it was perfectly safe. I say hogwash to those who say Palau is for advanced divers. You obviosly have not dive west palm beach or florida.
Dont expect much top side and the boat rides are long. I have never seen so many fish and corals in pristine condition. one dive I counted 25 sharks.
Sames really should offer 3 tanks dives on the reef
Jellyfish lake- they also failed to tell us they lose 30% of the dives because of ear infections after the lake so go on your last day of diving. A lot of bacteria in the lake, but is a must do.
So in summary Grand Cayman East end and Palau are my all time favorite dive locataion.s Next I want to try Bonaire.
