WTG: dream trip to Egypt/Indonesia/? for...

[full fin]

Hi, I am looking to take a trip somewhere far outside the caribean this fall. I am trying to juggle a list of generally mutually exclusive characteristics. Does anybody have any thoughts on the top two choices, or have a suggestion of somewhere else?

Plus factors for me: larger size fish + bigger schools, sharks/rays, other oddities.
In a perfect world, I would do a liveaboard out on coral sea/ribbon reef, but a perfect world is not possible with spouse.
Plus factors for wife: shore diving, warm water, high viz, and real top side attractions. Can you tell who is the more enthusiastic diver?

Here is our two top choices ATM:
Egypt: marsa alam for the diving. has most of the above, but will it have larger macros other than sharks?
Indonesia: probably bali. seems to have a bit of everything. indonesia sounds awesome for varied little critters, but maybe also not much larger stuff (save a Mola Mola).

Thoughts between these places? Am I leaving something else out that has real site seeing + big fish?

Thanks in advance!

 

[TSandM]

I'd go to Australia. Byron Bay had sharks, big schools of fish (large and small) rays, tons of invertebrates, and very good viz. It was also a LOVELY town, with beautiful scenery and great restaurants. The only downside is that there is no shore diving, but the boat ride is only about five minutes. We absolutely adored Australia, and I wish I could manage to get back.

 

[Louie]

If balancing top-side attractions with the diving is of first and foremost importance, I would second TSandM and go with Australia. So maybe do Byron Bay for the Nurse Sharks then move onto Townsville to do the Yongala...
OR
Base yourselves in Cairns and you can do a short (3/4 day) liveaboard while your wife stays on shore. There are plenty of tours and things to keep you amused in Cairns.

But if you want great diving, the Red Sea has got to be it. Some brilliant dives with lots of large marine life (different species of sharks, dolphins etc) are within reach from Marsa Alam but I don't know what attractions there are on land - I stuck to the liveaboard option for that part of the world.

Good luck making your choice

 

[full fin]

Thanks both.

Is Australia going to have much to do with a few days topside of the diving areas? I gathered it would not be unique/interesting like, say, egypt or bali. But I profess ignorance...

Louie, would you say the Red Sea is better for larger critters/schools of medium+ size fish? From what I have read in anecdotes on this board, I gathered that GBR/Coral Sea was gonna be the best for that (although I am aware some places in the red sea are famous for their white tips).

So is the consensus that Bali shouldn't be in the same category for diving?

 

[Louie]

Wherever you go, there is an element of "your luck on the day" if you're diving over a week/ten days.

I was thrilled on my liveaboard in southern Red Sea because in of the dives, I saw an Oceanic Whitetip and a shoal of Hammerheads - all on the SAME DIVE!! On another trip, I may not have been as lucky. But generally, your chances of seeing sharks are pretty good.

For Australia/GBR, I think you'll have to go out far (out east and north) for the really great marine life - liveaboard territory. The biggest things I saw on the trips I took out that way were the Whitetip Sharks (and many of them). The daytrips and shorter liveaboards just don't go far enough. While I haven't seen too many "big" things on those short trips during my dives there, I have friends who've seen Tiger Sharks.

If it's the variety and richness of marine life, I vote for the southern Red Sea.

In terms of on-land attraction, Egypt would have a lot to offer if you have time and combine it with Cairo or the pyramids but I really don't think there's much around Marsa or the other Red Sea resorts. Bali's a big island and if you're interested in the culture or the arts there, you could have a great time. So really, it depends on what your interests are and how much time/funds you can spend.

 

[Doc]

Click on This, it might work.

Leave her at home?

Didn't you & I talk about this before? http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/greater-antilles/231002-help-me-avoid-jamaica.html#post3531459

 

[Scuba Dive Asia]

Hello!

If you are looking for big "stuff" like sharks & rays, I would strongly considerThe Maldives?
Check out Sheena & Carpe Diem.

If you are looking at a mix of both big stuff and unusual critters then Indonesia is your place. Indeed you can see Mola Molas from Nusa Penida. Komodo Liveaboards will take you to place like Batu Bolong, Manta Alley, GPS point for the big stuff and great action and to Sangeang island and horseshoe bay for the most amazing muck dives and lush coral reefs.

When are you planning on going?

 

[full fin]

Click on This, it might work.

Leave her at home?

Didn't you & I talk about this before? http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/greater-antilles/231002-help-me-avoid-jamaica.html#post3531459

Yeah, that thread ended up turning into a troll %!$# fest!

The thread isn't asking for advice on whether to leave the ball'n'chain home. A dual trip can work out great. We did Belize and it was awesome for that. We had some days on the islands + some days at www.cavesbranch.com (which I strongly reccomend to anyone interested). You just have to do your homework first...

Do your homework = check with RoatanMan

 

[robint]

For you I would say go to Palau and do a liveaboard, sharks and mantas are there year-round and 100' vis, the diving is absolutely spectacular. For your wife I would say, go on the liveaboard in Palau but then spend 3 days afterwards in Yap. So a 10-day trip total, 7 days on a liveaboard diving Palau and then 3 days in Yap seeing real exotic culture.

I have a video showing the reefs and fishlife in Palau here:
[vimeo]3506378[/vimeo]

check out the Palau Aggressor or the Peter Hughes boat, both in Palau if you want a bit more luxury than we had on our boat.

robin

 

[1davey]

I just came back from Fiji. Stayed at Bequa Lagoon on Bequa Island and at Matava Eco Resort on Kandavu Island. Lots of soft and hard corals. Reefs are very healthy. Small stuff abound. They have a shrk dive, Tigers, Bulls, grays, nurse, white tip and Black tip, Ragged tooth. At Matava saw Mantas on two dives, white tips, grays, sea crates. Vis was about 80ft.
Costa Rica has both whale sharks and mantas, white tips, dolphins. All accessable from shore boats. Plus there is a ton of thigs to do above water. Volcanos, Jungle Canopy tours from zip lines. Horse back rides through the jungle, river boat tours to see lots of wildlife. Family had a blast there.