Where to dive in Pacific?

[MiddletonMark]

Having recently read about your awesome honeymoon diving ... and given your wide experience in the south/west pacific ... I'd like to ask:

What would your three favorite places to go diving in that region be?

Why favorite for each?

Is there a better/best season to dive that region?


--Background
My fiance and I are getting dive-certified shortly here ... and are dreaming up our own honeymoon and future dive trips. Probably first will be to the Caribean ... keys, cozumel, etc ... to get our sea-legs so to speak.

But I've got a promise for a week to two in the south pacific for diving before any kids or other major life commitment [other than the house, tanks, etc we already have]. It's probably two years until we take this trip ... but it's a question I've wanted to ask since reading of your many dives recently in that region and hearing your familiarity with corals in that area.

Thanks!

Mark

[EricHugo]

Hi Mark:

Before I answer, let me ask.

What are you guys like? What do you like to do? The reason I ask is that a trip like this is more than just a dive weekend - it involves time, effort, money and planning and if you guys are just going diving or snorkeling, my answer will be very different from what it wold be if you are going on a "trip of a life-time" or a casual vacation, or a budget trip.

People who want to hike, back pack and rough it, or people who want a comfortabe resort and shopping, or people who want to party, or people who want to be "safe," or do a lot of eating and a little water sports....they all have different needs, and I'm not going to send you guys to Flores when you need Cairns, or to Cozumel when you need Belize.

[Tat2dBrownDude]

Palau and Guam are two very good spots =)

[EricHugo]

How long ago were you there? Guam's reefs are seriously degraded and have been for a long time, and Palau (long a dream of mine) has been put on the decadal backburner for me now since over 95% of their reefs were virtually lost during the 1998 ENSO related bleaching event...I have not heard any reports on its recovery progress, and hope that it is on the way back as this area is, like some parts of the Philippines and Indonesia, biodiversity central.

[David Corbett]

I might be going to Vietnam next month, anyone have any experience over in that region? I could definitely fit in some diving while there. DOC

[Tat2dBrownDude]

I havent been to the island (Guam and Palau) for about 9 years. I guess I kind of took for granted what could happen to them in all that time. I was born in Guam and I have alot of family in Palua, but I have not really kept in touch with them as far as how the reefs are going. I just saw the post and remembered growing up on the islands seeing all the clams and corals everywhere I looked. Its a shame that they have gone downhill. =(

[MiddletonMark]

Eric -

Thank you very much for your input here.

I've included her words [in italics] and mine in normal font.

We are really looking for two trip ideas. The first
will be our first real ocean dive, on our honeymoon in
Sept/Oct 2004, after getting certified earlier in the
year. Since it is our honeymoon, a beautiful locale
and a good night life would be desireable. But also
very important would be the opportunity to get alot of
diving experience. We live in Wisconsin and dont get
to the ocean very often.

Given the price of weddings, we won't have the most
time [a week] or money for this trip. We want a great
diving experience, but probably not the price tag of the second.
I guess I'm assuming this will be on this continent;
and she said it pretty well. Probably would be going
in a year's time ... next September.

The second trip would be the more adventerous one. We
want to go on a 'trip of a lifetime' before we have
children, a couple years after we are married [2005]. We are
hardy adventurers, who enjoy remote camping and
hiking. One of our favorite things to do is canoe/camp
on the Wisconsin river, where all the gear and food
you have to camp, you have brought with you in the
canoe, including wood, because we camp on sand bars
with little to no growth. Of greatest preference for
this second trip would be a remote, non-touristy,
undistrubed natural reef with tons of different corals
and fish(of course). If we would need more diving
experience before this big final trip, we would be
willing to do that to make it happen.
Thanks for your suggestions.

For this second trip - I was assuming the far Pacific.
Having lived in Pakistan for a year, giving up creature
comforts for the ideal location is not such an issue.
This one is truly `all about the reef'.
We'd probably only have 2 weeks [ugh, work];
but she put it well in saying `dive trip of a lifetime'.
For this one, we'd want to go whatever season is
best for that region - I'd guess reef life changes
during different times of the year - and this trip
is to maximize what we can see; as likely we'll
both get more tied down by life after this one.
Money is never unlimited, but I'd consider cost
much less of an issue with this one.

Thanks again for your input; now I'll be able to
drag her down to see you at IMAC or the next
time you'll be speaking locally

Mark

[EricHugo]

>>Thank you very much for your input here.<<

I'll do what I can!

>>We are really looking for two trip ideas. The first
will be our first real ocean dive, on our honeymoon in
Sept/Oct 2004, after getting certified earlier in the
year. Since it is our honeymoon, a beautiful locale
and a good night life would be desireable. But also
very important would be the opportunity to get alot of
diving experience. We live in Wisconsin and dont get
to the ocean very often.

Given the price of weddings, we won't have the most
time [a week] or money for this trip. <<

LOL. As a newlywed, I understand. Hence the reason we ran off and got married in Bali.

>>We want a great
diving experience, but probably not the price tag of the second.
I guess I'm assuming this will be on this continent;
and she said it pretty well. Probably would be going
in a year's time ... next September.<<

The second trip would be the more adventerous one. We
want to go on a 'trip of a lifetime' before we have
children, a couple years after we are married [2005]. We are
hardy adventurers, who enjoy remote camping and
hiking. One of our favorite things to do is canoe/camp
on the Wisconsin river, where all the gear and food
you have to camp, you have brought with you in the
canoe, including wood, because we camp on sand bars
with little to no growth. Of greatest preference for
this second trip would be a remote, non-touristy,
undistrubed natural reef with tons of different corals
and fish(of course). If we would need more diving
experience before this big final trip, we would be
willing to do that to make it happen.
Thanks for your suggestions.

For this second trip - I was assuming the far Pacific.
Having lived in Pakistan for a year, giving up creature
comforts for the ideal location is not such an issue.
This one is truly `all about the reef'.
We'd probably only have 2 weeks [ugh, work];
but she put it well in saying `dive trip of a lifetime'.
For this one, we'd want to go whatever season is
best for that region - I'd guess reef life changes
during different times of the year - and this trip
is to maximize what we can see; as likely we'll
both get more tied down by life after this one.
Money is never unlimited, but I'd consider cost
much less of an issue with this one.

Thanks again for your input; now I'll be able to
drag her down to see you at IMAC or the next
time you'll be speaking locally<<

OK, for the honeymoon thing and the initial dive trip. If it were me, I'd do a classic Caribbean island. Mexico can be romantic, but unfortunately the more romantic spots aren't really where the diving is great...at least not in my mind. There are some nice hotels in Cozumel, and you could take the ferry to the mainland and see some ruins and go to stay at some of the nicer newer developments south of Cancun that will be romantic-ish....I avoid Cancun like a ugly stepchild. if you like drinking and a constant spring break like atmosphere with American prices, go there. If not, avoid. Central America is, well...rough. Beautiful waters, beautiful land, but its an adventure and I wouldn't honeymoon there. Florida Keys? Not for me....to me its the redneck riviera, and I know because I grew up along the redneck riviera!

The Caribbean is so varied, and its hard to say since each island has its pluses and minuses. But, I happen to like the French islands...Guadeloupe and Martinique. They have nice hotels for accomodation on a honeymoon, are big enough to allow you things to do and see (some Caribbean places are darn boring after a few days if you are not a gonzo diver - Bonaire, Aruba, Turks and Caicos, some of the Bahamas, etc.), have a distinct French/european influence which is a nice slant (good food, real croissants, and the flair of the people and culture, and mixed in strongly with the best Caribbean creole flavor). Plus, they have diving relatively as good as anywhere in the Caribbean these days, nice beaches, etc. Other islands are more "primitive" and less travelled (e.g Dominica) - some are very American (Virgin Islands, Caymans) and others charge premium Caribbean prices but don't offer much for it (St. Marten, Anguilla, and some of the other lesser Antilles). Jamaica - well, great island, dangerous in spots, and unfortunately trashed reefs. Puerto Rico? Well, interesting place, lots to do, some good reefs, but the pace....its like living with Rosie Perez screaming twenty four hours a day, IMO. I do like Curacao, too, as it offers thee same as the French islands but with Dutch influece, and you could take a little ride over to the Venezuelan reefs at Los Roques or to Bonaire for a few days for some really nice diving and not have to spend your whole trip on these little dots of sand.

So, that's my lowdown on that region - or at least where I have been. When we get to your BIG trip, let me know. Or, if you want to talk about it now, that's fine, too, especially if you are considering making it your honeymoon trip...but no way I'd go that far and only spend a week...you'll hate yourself about halfway across the Pacific and that long long flight. I'll give you the secret to surviving the flight in a PM

[MiddletonMark]

Originally posted by EricHugo
[BSo, that's my lowdown on that region - or at least where I have been. When we get to your BIG trip, let me know. Or, if you want to talk about it now, that's fine, too, especially if you are considering making it your honeymoon trip...but no way I'd go that far and only spend a week...you'll hate yourself about halfway across the Pacific and that long long flight. I'll give you the secret to surviving the flight in a PM [/B]

Thanks, that was a pretty amazing lowdown. Definitely gives us a major guide for planning the trip; thank you very much.

As for the big trip - it is better to wait and have a little more experience under our belt [and know more what we're looking for]. Wisely left off for now.

But I have to ask, what is the secret to lasting through a LONG flight like that. Having flown to and from Pakistan a number of times now - I really have to ask for that PM.

I've seen the sun rise as the plane lifts off in Lahore - with refueling stops, then transfer - and seen it set 20 hours later as I finally landed in Chicago. I understand long plane rides - but now long for this secret

Thanks

Mark