where to go in Jan, Feb 2008???

[alberta]

Where to go???
Our map is wide open for the next dive holiday in Jan, Feb 2008.
3 trips (9 weeks total) in Bonaire, also Cozumel, and we need a change.

Any advice is welcome.
Please read my description below.
Let us know if you have experienced something similar.

needs: 2 days travel max from Alberta, Canada.
a place relaxing and peaceful to just hang out.
safe to walk around at night.
good healthy food.
under water stuff different than Bonaire.
some variety ie 2 weeks then 1 week another location or a liveabord.

would be nice: some shore diving.
chance to see mantas or whale sharks.
nitrox


don't need: divemaster to treat us like beginners.
shark or wreck dives.
night life, tourist stuff.

thank you

 

[Malene]

The Visayas (in the Philippines) are great for diving. It also both exotic and hassle free. It is not very touristy but just enough to feel confortable. Besides diving, there is not much too do. There is not much in way of stuff like discos and shopping. But beaches are lovely and the countryside very nice too.
I just don't know how long it would take to get there from your place. You have to first fly to Manilla or Cebu then take a ferry to one of the islands.
As far specific places go that I think match what you're looking for, there is Moalboal, Dumaguete, Panglao. Once you are in the Visayas, it is easy to go from one island to the other. Most resorts, if not all, will organize this for you.
You can have a look at the Phillipines section of this site, and see how enthousiastic people are about this place !

 

[OnTheSpot]

Within the descriptions you gave - travel limits, good for mantas/whale sharks and different under water stuff from the Caribbean, here are two suggestions that might suit you:

1. Thailand – You could get on the Thailand Liveaboards up the west coast to the Similans, where whale sharks seen regularly as are mantas. It is easily reached by flying into Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur, then to Phuket.

2. If Thailand is too much, then how about Fiji – it can be reached direct from LA. You could get on the Fiji Liveaboards to Bligh water and the Koro Sea where you could have awesome diving with lots of big stuff including mantas or Kadavu resorts where you could have awesome diving in totally out of the way place.

Either of those will be great compared to the Caribbean- far better corals and reef health generally, AND more fish.

Have fun wherever you go.

 

[fantastic4dive.com]

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[mantajohn]

Its a very long trip from Alberta, but Jan/Feb is a great time to visit the Maldives.
John