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pediatron

Contributor
Messages
75
Reaction score
3
Location
Reno, Nevada
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi All. Looking for advice for our next dive trip. We are a couple, rescue dive certified with about three to four hundred dives. We have dove all over the Caribbean, have dove Fiji (Bligh Strait), Philippines, and lastly Lembeh Strait (which was of course, my favorite) I really enjoy seeing new things, esp the little stuff. Looking for ideas of where to explore next.
 
What did you like best about your trips, and is there something new you're hoping to experience? You already have the experience to compare Caribbean diving to some overseas (e.g.: Fiji, the Philippines), and the expense, time and rigor of the travel ordeal involved. From your profile experience:

"Cozumel, Belize incl. Blue Hole, Anthonys Key, multiple Dives along Carribean Cruise itineraries."

But you joined in 2002. Evidently you've gone a lot more; just what Caribbean & other places?

I haven't been to Fiji, the Philippines or Indonesia; nothing farther afield from the U.S. than Bonaire so far. I hope to someday be blessed to make one (might be the only one; family man, gotta watch the budget) big distant trip, and from what I read, while Papua, New Guinea and Palau sounded tempting, I keep reading of Komodo (drift diving; perhaps a land tour to see Komodo dragons!) and Raja Ampat referenced with top shelf adoration. I'd start researching live-aboards for those 2.

Are you all about the diving? I've noticed people who want to do topside cultural stuff in that region sometimes get recommended by others to consider Bali.

If you want quicker and cheaper, have you considered with the Cayman Islands (trip report) or the Turks & Caicos? Little Cayman is sometimes said by some to have the best Caribbean diving, and I see similar praise of T & C (by live-aboard!).

Is live-aboard diving your thing, or do you prefer land-based?

If you're out for sharks, you could try diving out of Morehead City, North Carolina (trip report) and enjoy sand tiger sharks in close quarters around deep wrecks, maybe diving with Randy Jorden with Emerald Dive Charters out of Jupiter, FL (if you want to see them hand-fed, a controversial topic! Here's someone else's trip report) or hit Jupiter with a non-feeding op. (e.g.: Jupiter Dive Center; trip report) or try a live-aboard out to the Tiger Beach area off Grand Bahama Island. I keep reading good reports of live-aboard trips to the Socorros. (Note: this paragraph's destinations aren't so much about the 'little stuff,' I know. Not sure how open you are to branching out into more variety).

A live-aboard trip out of California to the Channel Islands would be a lot different, albeit will you give up warm water to experience kelp, sea lions and maybe seals once in your life (trip report)? They've got little stuff!

If some of these intrigue you, & some are non-starters, that might help other posters advise you more specifically. I took a 'variety approach.'

Richard.
 
If you want to try cold water areas, there are Vancouver locations with Sea Lions and loads of other life. Also Perth Coast of Australia quest for the Leafy Sea Dragon.
 
First time ive ever heard anyone suggest Perth as a diving destination! Yes we do have Leafies and Weedy Sea Dragons here - depends on what you want to see. After Lembeh and the Phils and Fiji Perth diving will probably be a let down. If you added Ningaloo up the coast in the right season it could keep you entertained if you do decide to come to Perth - whale sharks, humpbacks dugongs and my personal favourite..the snubfin dolphin...even though ive only ever seen one.

We also do pretty well on the shark front here in Perth.
 
What about the Pacific ? Galapagos and Socorro are out of this world !!
 
Playa del Carmen and or Tulum cenote dives. Mucho different type dives.
 
Not quite as exotic as some of the places you've been, but I can highly recommend the Sea of Cortez via liveaboard. My wife and I went out with Rocio Del Mar a few years ago and loved the variety. Coming from mostly Caribbean, Florida and California diving, it was great seeing things like jawfish, sea horses, decorator crabs, nudis, blennies, sea lions, etc...often on the same dive. And a whale shark, dolphins, sperm whales and humboldt squid on the surface. Viz wasn't great when we were there, but that didn't stop it being some of my favorite diving I've done. Kind of a mix between Pacific and Caribbean diving.

James
 
OP - what are your parameters? Distance, cost, liveaboard vs land-based, time of year, etc would help narrow it down. There are lots of great places out there - for example, a liveaboard in Komodo actually has lots of good muck diving/small critters (the one I was on, anyway) and Ambon or Alor, Indonesia are known for small stuff. As is Anilao, Philippines (not sure where you went in the Philippines.)

Give some sideboards and it will help folks provide suggestions!
 
Time of year is a critical element. When are you looking to travel?
 
Outside the Carribbean, I've been to Solomon's, Philippines, Raja Ampat - West Papua Indonesia, Wakatobi - Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Palau.

Ok I think Phillipines is the best for muck diving, saw really cool small stuff as well as the corals and fish. Stayed at Dumagete Resort and then Puerto Galera Resort. They do have a live aboard available. And you have to go to Cebu to snorkel with the whale sharks. Travel there (and Palau) is fairly easy compared to the other sites mentioned above.

For general diving Wakatobi is my favorite. Stayed a week at the resort then a week on their live aboard, the Pelagian. The top 3 rooms are the best I've ever seen on a live aboard. Didn't see a lot of the big stuff but the corals and fish were just fantastic. Many hours of travel before arriving!

If you also want a little bit of everything, I prefer Aggressor Raja Ampat. Great diving, great food and I think the best crew Ive ever had. Just know it's many hours to get from the USA to the boat.
 

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