To go to Kosrae or Palau???

[merganser1]

We usually try to go to unique places at least once a year and Cozumel 2 - 4 times a year(given we live in Houston, Texas). The unique trips have been to: Pohnpei, Yap (2 times now), Palau, Tobago, Bonaire (5 tiimes), Galapagos, Dominica, Belize (3 times), Roatan, Red Sea, Fiji, Little Cayman (3 times), Salt Caye (Turks & Caicos), Bahamas, and so forth.

We are trying to plan the big trip for next year and one of the party has suggested Kosrae, Micronesia. None of us know anything about Kosrae and would like some insight from board members if you wouldn't mind.


Our group is made up of fairly experienced divers (mostly instructors and dive masters) that have several hundred dives and up. We like to stay at up-market hotels and resorts if available. However, we also like to find the best diving possible as to visability and criters (big and little) so this is the first priorty followed closely with somewhat up-market accomodations.

We were thinking on going back to Palau or trying Sipadan (one of the group was there some years ago) next year. However, it was suggested that for a change we try Kosrae. So if someone compare Kosrae to Palau it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for any feedback.

Morris
Houston, Texas

 

[dbeitz]

Hi Morris,

I have dived a lot in Kosrae, but very little in Palau. Here's the main differences that I see from my own experience, & from talking to our customers that have dived Palau also -

Palau - average to good visibility, lots & lots of big stuff. Often your too busy looking at it to see the little stuff. Soft coral variety & colors are very good. Hard coral variety is good. It's heavily marketed which ensures lots of dive boats & lots of divers at the best sites. Long boat rides to get to any decent dive site, maybe consider a live aboard. Can have very strong currents, which can limit underwater photography.

Kosrae - good to excellent visibility, some big stuff, but I'm usually too busy looking at the amazing amount of macro stuff & miss some of it. Smaller variety of soft coral, & colors aren't as diverse as they are in Palau. Hard coral variety & health is excellent to amazing. Not marketed much, which ensures hardly ever seeing another boat, let alone another dive group in the water. Three harbors spread around the island, which makes for short boat rides to the best dive sites. Usually has very mild currents, which make underwater photography easier.

As you see below, I run a dive business in Kosrae, but I have tried to be unbiased & state the facts (as I see them). I hope you receive other comments, as I'm curious as to what others will say. Hope this helps.