Palau

[ChrisM]

1. Definitely Liveaboard. Agg gets good reports. Also check out Big Blue Explorer. Also a good boat (moors outside the lagoon). Liveaboard gets you to the heavy traffic sites like Blue Corner before and after the day boats

2. Manta - You don't need drift dive experience to go to Palau, you'll get it there. It all depends on your level of expertise, I've seen divers with <50 that are very good, divers with >100 that are very bad. Having Calif. on your resume indicates familiarity with rougher conditions, though. I think you'd be OK (only you can really know of course).

 

[Taxgeek]

Manta,
Drift diving is actually waaaay easier than what you're used to with surge here. No navigation back to the boat. You all just pile out of the tender, fall into a line along the wall, and off you go at whatever speed the current takes you. I did Palau on my first real dive trip. I did a week in Yap starting with I think 12 dives under my belt (got my Advanced Cert there), then went on the Palau Aggressor. I thought it was a piece of cake. I"m not a timid diver, so if you are it might be a little spookier, but nobody had any problems my trip. I think you'll have a great time!
Taxgeek

 

[Travelnsj]

That is the most wonderful thing about Palau....there are so many options.....Before a DM will take you to the Blue Corner or Peleliu....they check you out!...and even the mellow diving is the best!..No Worries...Go...it is the best diving I have found.

 

[underexposed]

...it is the best diving I have found.

I agree. Here is a link to some pictures my wife and I took while there. It is number 1 on our list...for now we're not done yet...

 

[Travelnsj]

I agree. Here is a link to some pictures my wife and I took while there. It is number 1 on our list...for now we're not done yet...

You were diving with Sams..I recognize Daniel the DM...good friend...good Dive Master.

 

[pterantula]

Here are some pics from our trip last May/June Palau pics Under water it's all good...

Sorry to be off-topic, but those are awesome pics, thanx for that! I do hope to get my fotog skills up to par before too long, but it's been my steepest foto-learning curve thus far. Any books or practices you might suggest?
Cheers,
t

 

[underexposed]

Travelnsj,
It was Sam's, we booked through Cindy at MDA in Guam.

pterantula,
I'm glad you liked the pictures. I've found that most cameras will take a good pic as long as you have the proper lighting. I have twin Ikelite DS125's (single when my wife uses one) they give the camera the light it needs which I think is a must for underwater. Set your ISO as low as you can and check out wetpixel for info from the pro's.

 

[kimchicowboy]

manta, i'm with the others.

i hardly had any dive experience when i went to palau. although i didn't go to pelilieu (opted to check out jellyfish lake instead), i had no problems whatsoever. it'll be great!

 

[Cacia]

I have heard great things about Cindy at MDA.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Some friends fresh out of OW went to Palau and had a great time - the DMs will make sure that you won't be doing the harder dives such as the Peleliu Express until your're ready.

I dive with Sams there - and they group divers by experience/interests on day one, then each boat goes to a different location in Palau to suit the group on board.

Cheers,
Rohan.