Seeking Recommendations for 1st Big Dive Trip Anywhere in the World (10 Days+)

[NYCNaiad]

I'm looking to schedule my first really big dive trip. (Yay!) Fairly new to diving with only 1 yr under my belt, but went a little crazy getting in 41 dives & a range of certifications (OW/AOW/5 specialties). Have been diving in Cozumel, Grand Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, a PA quarry and a short liveaboard trip in the Bahamas.

What liveaboard trips made you swoon that match my requirements below?

Requirements:

• Minimum 10 days, hopefully 2 weeks on a liveaboard.
• 4 dives a day.
• Prefer drift diving, but great sea life trumps that (i.e., jellyfish, manta rays, whales, hammerhead sharks, whalesharks, or seahorses).
• Hopefully a good deal on a trip.
• Oct., Nov. or Dec.

All suggestions welcome.

Thanks from a diver that fell in love with the sport in Spring of 2010.

-Beth

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'm a bit of a broken record about it, but we did a week on the MV Tala in the Red Sea, and I'm not at all sure it's possible to have more fun diving. We dove reefs and wrecks and walls; saw sharks (hammerheads and a thresher!) and rays and eels and reef fish and tons of color. We dove the best wreck I've ever been on (the Thistlegorm) and just got weathered out of the Rosalie Mueller.

The Tala has two itineraries, one northern and one southern, so if the timing were right, you could probably do one week north and one south. We went in October -- the weather was beautiful, albeit windy, and the water was 81 degrees. Viz was generally incredible.

In addition to its other attributes, the Tala has scooters . . .

 

[Kevrumbo]

Ocean Hunter III ? The Dives
Scuba Diving Palau with Fish 'n Fins - Palau Geography
Scuba Diving Palau with Fish 'n Fins - Dive Sites

All you need is your US Passport and US Dollars (and all without the turmoil, uncertainty & political chaos of Egypt & the Middle East Region right now. . .)

 

[Quero]

Thailand's Andaman Sea has some lovely diving in November and December, though the big animals like mantas tend to show up after the new year. There are a few longer trips but generally they are six days or less. The prices are very modest in world terms. Other areas here in Asia with healthy liveaboard offerings are not at their best during those months, unfortunately.

In the Phlippines, Tubbataha is supposed to be outstanding, but the season is a couple of months in the springtime. Raja Ampat also has liveaboard offerings, but also earlier in the year ideally. Komodo ends its best season about then, though there are still boats going out. Maldives always has liveaboards, and they tend to be longer trips as well as quite pricey.

I'd be glad to give you more specific advice about Asia liveaboards if you are ready to head this way.

 

[mjh]

So many great places but reality is if you want the "best overall" you bypass areas known for say schooling hammerheads, whalesharks, mantas, or incredible macro.

That said IMHO Indonesia has the best overall diving with PNG being a close second. In Indonesia Raja Ampat is hard to beat. There are several liveaboards that are amazing; Paradise Dancer, Areuni, and Dive Damai all get rave reviews. Sure others have their favorites. We have trip reports, galleries and Multimedia shows for most of the spots mentioned above with the exception of the Red Sea.

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide, I agree with "Kevrumbo" go to Palau....I worked there for a year and it's a dive dream come true. A great combination of small & large animals plus mask ripping current. Jellyfish Lake is magical plus all the 300+ Rock Islands at the Rainbow's End!!! Lots of sharks everywhere!

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[NYCNaiad]

Thank you for your thoughts and advice. I love your suggestions and will start to look into each one more carefully. Off the top of my head...I have to say Egypt sounds wonderful, but since I'll be traveling alone it makes me a bit nervous to travel in somewhat unstable areas. (I will keep it in mind for a future trip though. Scooters! Yay!) And for some reason, I had knocked Palau off my list for this trip, but since krazytomdiver and kevrumbo suggested it (and I have Jellyfish Lake on my bucket list), I went back and looked...and this is now at the top of my list. But I really need to look into quero and mjh's suggestions as well. Thank you all!!

 

[altaskier]

I was in a similar situation two and a half years ago: wanting to take a trip with super diving, and traveling solo. I ended up going to Palau and doing the Ocean Hunter liveaboard. It was fantastic!

I have some friends who live in Hong Kong and we are starting to plot and scheme for a Pacific liveaboard trip together, and we are looking at Palau and as Raja Ampat. They are also doing a Tubbataha trip in the Philippines in June.

 

[Darnold9999]

So far I would say that the trip I did doing Lembeh for 5 days and then heading to Raja for 10 days on Paradise Dancer was the best overall dive trip I have done. Lots of cool stuff in Lembeh and then fish and drift/current diving in Raja.

2 weeks on Damai in Raja would be a close second. The diving was better as the group was more experienced and so we did more high current diving, but did not stop at Lembeh so that puts it second. The Damai is not inexpensive however.

However Raja is not going to give you large pelagics except Mantas. More of a macro, coral, fish experience.

Don't think you can go wrong with any of the suggestions so far.

 

[Shasta_man]

Here's my usual vote for Indonesia, either Komodo or Raja Ampat. We've done the Dancer fleet and heartily recommend them. Those places have the 10-12 night trips you want. I've found that length trip is great and cost effective. I just start hitting my stride when the week trips end. And the long trips just keep getting better and better every day even when you can't imagine how they will on day 4. Those places also have some good topside activities as well, of course, AFTER the diving is done. Remember those length trips get to be a bit of a marathon to keep doing 4-5 dives a day. Pace yourself so you don't burn out because they are still awesome at trip end.

Those places aren't the best for pelagics, except for mantas which aren't too shabby in the themselves, but you do get to see quite a few wobbegong sharks which are cool, but the entire rest of the ID book is right there before you.

Best piece of advice is to bring stuff to dry your ears because you can get infections which are not only painful but screw up your equalization ability. That can suck on day 8.