Where to dive in Pacific Islands in May 2020?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Skirnir314

Registered
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Location
Singapore
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi Scubaboard,

Here's the challenge: help me (AOW, ~120 dives) and my girlfriend (OW, ~50 dives) pick where to go diving in the Pacific Islands in May 2020 (around 5/1 to 5/10, to be exact). :)

We're from the US, but live in Singapore, and have loved diving across Asia (we've done Sipidan, Komodo, Similans, etc.).

Personally, I would love to do something a little more off the beaten path/exciting. But, ultimately I love the natural world and mostly go diving to experience marine life. I'm thinking something like drift diving, sharks/big pelagics, or wrecks.

What would you recommend for the Pacific Islands at that time of year? Any cool sites/phenomena?

- Mike

P.S. Chuuk Lagoon has been on my bucket list, but reading up on it, it seems like something you'd need to be a tech diver (or at least do deco dives) to get the most out of? So, maybe worth saving for later in my diving career. Yay/nay?
 
Hi Scubaboard,

Here's the challenge: help me (AOW, ~120 dives) and my girlfriend (OW, ~50 dives) pick where to go diving in the Pacific Islands in May 2020 (around 5/1 to 5/10, to be exact). :)

We're from the US, but live in Singapore, and have loved diving across Asia (we've done Sipidan, Komodo, Similans, etc.).

Personally, I would love to do something a little more off the beaten path/exciting. But, ultimately I love the natural world and mostly go diving to experience marine life. I'm thinking something like drift diving, sharks/big pelagics, or wrecks.

What would you recommend for the Pacific Islands at that time of year? Any cool sites/phenomena?

- Mike

P.S. Chuuk Lagoon has been on my bucket list, but reading up on it, it seems like something you'd need to be a tech diver (or at least do deco dives) to get the most out of? So, maybe worth saving for later in my diving career. Yay/nay?
Do Truk when you have time to commit to at least 8 days of diving, dive from blue lagoon resort and find a good guide (Sami and Dear) who will take you through the wrecks that match your ability, there is a lot to see shallow as well as deep.
 
PNG or Solomans, will be outside cyclone season by then. Anywhere you find on web is great.
 
Our LDS is leading a trip to Palau and Truk next year. The Odyssey live-a-board will be the home for our Truk part of the trip. You do not need to be a technical diver to do the wrecks, but it does allow you to go deeper longer. Of the 16 folks in our group, there will only be 3 tech divers. If that's where you really want to go, go. The wrecks are disintegrating and won't be accessible for decades longer. We're all excited about the Palau part of the trip, so maybe consider that as well.

Rob
 
If you have the time and budget then my vote goes to Fakarava (especially south/Tetamanu) and if you have time Rangiroa. May will be right in middle of dry season. You will see hundreds of sharks (blacktips, white tips, grey reef sharks, lemon sharks) packed like sardines in the pass. It's hard to describe you can have a look at the photos in my trip report. Dolphins every dive in Rangiroa. Probably some of the most exciting drifts anywhere in the world. Will be a long journey from Singapore but worth it. We can't wait to go back. No wrecks tho.
 
I am surprised that no one has mentioned Raja Ampat so far...

in addition, Tubbadaha would be open as well but might be a bit stretch without AOW...
 
Spent about 10 years kicking around Palau, Saipan and Guam.

If all you want to do is dive, go to Palau... the diving is 2nd to none, but there’s not much else going on there. Sam’s Tours is very good. Blue Corner, Blue Hole, Ulong Channel, German Channel, Yellow Wall and Peleliu Wall... all world class. There’s also a ship wreck in Malakal Harbor (the name escapes me at the moment) that’s a great night dive. Snorkeling Jellyfish Lake is a unique experience. Check Sam’s if they still do the kayak tours, it’s good to do on your last day as a non diving day before flying out.

Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) has some great diving from shore as well as by boat and it’s got some World War II history sites and a bit of nightlife as well. The Grotto, Obyan Beach, Lao Lao Bay and Coral Ocean Point from shore... Ice Cream Cone and Banzai Cliff by boat. If you’re feeling adventurous you can dive Bird Island from shore. Go around the island on the surface to the right (watch out for the fields of brightly colored sea urchins) then make a left to dive canyons, say hello to the easy chair sized Napoleon Wrasses living in the caves under the island... or go right and be prepared to see some good sized tigers feeding of the turtles and the fledgling birds falling into the ocean from the cliff face.

From Saipan, you can make side trip to the island of Rota (still in the NMI). Some amazing visibility there. Coral Garden, Hobbit House, Harnom Point, Senahonem Wall and Cave... all amazing. The wreck of the Shoun Maru is a really good one, but it’s a bit deep for beginners... it used to be surrounded by a colony of garden eels, not sure if that’s still the case.

Best of luck on your trip... let us know what you decide on.
 
Hi Mike

Someone has already mentioned Papua New Guinea and I would agree. The diving around PNG is awesome.

We have a charter next year if your interested but not quite those dates. Have a look at this link to the Undersea Explorer.

If you're unsure about the quality of diving, I wrote a report on it and you can read it here.

Let me know what you think

Kind regards
Terry
 
Consider the Solomons if you want something really out of the way and off the usual itinerary. Stunning corals and sea life combined with some excellent WW2 wrecks (ships and aeroplanes). It’s not the cheapest dive destination but there are no crowds and the quality of diving is first class.

Of course I’m thoroughly biased....

.... but it’s the truth.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom