Best land based diving, any time of year? Where to go?

[qwimjim]

Where do I begin? So many places to have a great land-based diving experience in Asia. My most recent one was the Philippines... Anilao and Sabang (Puerto Galera) but there are so many options. I just got back from Palau which isn't exactly Asia (although plenty of Asians live and visit there) and spent 2 1/2 weeks diving with a land-based operator (Palau Dive Adventures). It was an amazing trip.

Thanks but I'm not just looking for great land based diving, there needs to be access to a nice beach for my parents and kids while we are out diving. Palau does not fit that criteria unfortunately otherwise it seems like a great choice

 

[drbill]

Actually there are a few very nice beaches in Palau depending on where you stay (PPR for one), although I acknowledge they are relatively few unless you get out to some of the other islands.

 

[qwimjim]

Actually there are a few very nice beaches in Palau depending on where you stay (PPR for one), although I acknowledge they are relatively few unless you get out to some of the other islands.

I know of PPR but I couldn't find any other, and looking at Google Earth I can't find anymore either. But PPR is also the most expensive hotel and not really within our budget. If anymore come to mind please share!

 

[nomadasdiver]

Hi,

I suggest you, check out Nusa Lembongan a small island close to Bali. Easy to get there from the international airport and close by. Apart perfect places for relax on the beach and do other activities as Yoga for your partner.
Diving wise. The area offer you spectacular scenary with plenty healthy coral walls and plataforms. The main way to dive this area is drifting which allow you to enjoy a lot of fish action during the dive. Also offer you the opportiunity off course never garantted of dive with Manta Rays in the many dive spots where Mantas are often seen. Encounters with big pelagics and some reef sharks can be done. if you can go during the months of July to September the possibility to see the biggest bones fish, the rare Oceanic sun fish is also in the List....

Cheers

 

[qwimjim]

Hi,

I suggest you, check out Nusa Lembongan a small island close to Bali. Easy to get there from the international airport and close by. Apart perfect places for relax on the beach and do other activities as Yoga for your partner.
Diving wise. The area offer you spectacular scenary with plenty healthy coral walls and plataforms. The main way to dive this area is drifting which allow you to enjoy a lot of fish action during the dive. Also offer you the opportiunity off course never garantted of dive with Manta Rays in the many dive spots where Mantas are often seen. Encounters with big pelagics and some reef sharks can be done. if you can go during the months of July to September the possibility to see the biggest bones fish, the rare Oceanic sun fish is also in the List....

Cheers

how does the diving compare to komodo where land based diving is also possible out of labuan bajo or some of the island resorts?

 

[qwimjim]

After doing some more reading it seems one great option (though not in Asia) is Rangiroa and Farkava in French Polynesia. All the diving is easily done land based with very short boat rides to dive sites, beautiful beach bungalows and "pensions" to stay in.. and some of the reviews sound amazing. One person compared it to Darwin and Wolf in Galapogos. Crystal clear waters, hundreds of sharks, hundreds of great barracuda, big schools of fish, lots of hard coral, manta's, eagle rays, dolphins, even hammerheads and tigers on deep dives, etc.. strange it doesn't get mentioned more, or am I missing something?

 

[diversteve]

Are you set on the South Pacific?

Because Turks/Caicos has most of the other stuff. Except maybe not "hundreds" of sharks but you will reliably see up to a dozen or so on just about every dive off French Cay or West Caicos - two sites served by boat dives from Providenciales (Provo) Probably no Tigers though. Jojo the Dolphin is a resident dolphin who regularly plays with people off the beach and we also heard but didn't see a pod off West Caicos. You won't find the diversity there that you will at some of your previous post locations - nothing in the Caribbean is that good.

What's nice about the T/C is there's a lot of deep walls which brings up the larger pelagics routinely and the corals are lush - coral on coral in many places you can't see the sand - except near the boat moorings placed there so they don't damage it. Some idea of what to expect - this is a liveaboard but you can access the exact same sites via dayboat from Provo. Saudio's Trip Reports

Provo also has one of the nicest beaches in the world - Grace Bay Beach. It's 12 miles long so there's all sorts of accommodation options. It is a little pricey there though but you may save a lot on airfare - the Beaches is one of the more kid-friendly ones since you have some of those. For the family, it really is stunningly beautiful there.

Beautiful by Nature - Turks and Caicos Islands - Turks and Caicos Tourist Board

Stunning and Expensive - that's Wakatobi. How well do your kids travel though as it's a long way from North America.

 

[qwimjim]

Are you set on the South Pacific?

Because Turks/Caicos has most of the other stuff. Except maybe not "hundreds" of sharks but you will reliably see up to a dozen or so on just about every dive off French Cay or West Caicos - two sites served by boat dives from Providenciales (Provo) Probably no Tigers though. Jojo the Dolphin is a resident dolphin who regularly plays with people off the beach and we also heard but didn't see a pod off West Caicos. You won't find the diversity there that you will at some of your previous post locations - nothing in the Caribbean is that good.

What's nice about the T/C is there's a lot of deep walls which brings up the larger pelagics routinely and the corals are lush - coral on coral in many places you can't see the sand - except near the boat moorings placed there so they don't damage it. Some idea of what to expect - this is a liveaboard but you can access the exact same sites via dayboat from Provo. Saudio's Trip Reports

Provo also has one of the nicest beaches in the world - Grace Bay Beach. It's 12 miles long so there's all sorts of accommodation options. It is a little pricey there though but you may save a lot on airfare - the Beaches is one of the more kid-friendly ones since you have some of those. For the family, it really is stunningly beautiful there.

Beautiful by Nature - Turks and Caicos Islands - Turks and Caicos Tourist Board

Stunning and Expensive - that's Wakatobi. How well do your kids travel though as it's a long way from North America.

Well I've just read so many people say that once you've gone to the south pacific the Caribbean looks like a lifeless wasteland. I've been to Cozumel and while I enjoyed the topography, I felt it was pretty lifeless overall. So if I'm going to spend thousands of dollars to dive, I don't think T&C is going to cut it for me.

 

[diversteve]

You might find somewhere of interest here: Scuba Diving Destinations -Buy the Worlds Best Dive Destinations DVD - I have it, it's all u/w footage from about 10 different locations including Rangiroa/Fakarava.

 

[Freewillow]

After doing some more reading it seems one great option (though not in Asia) is Rangiroa and Farkava in French Polynesia. All the diving is easily done land based with very short boat rides to dive sites, beautiful beach bungalows and "pensions" to stay in.. and some of the reviews sound amazing. One person compared it to Darwin and Wolf in Galapogos. Crystal clear waters, hundreds of sharks, hundreds of great barracuda, big schools of fish, lots of hard coral, manta's, eagle rays, dolphins, even hammerheads and tigers on deep dives, etc.. strange it doesn't get mentioned more, or am I missing something?

One of my two favorite places so far with Sipadan. But Sipadan was many many years ago when you could sleep on the island. this is not the case anymore. The tuamotu's is a great place for divers but you need to be a relatively experienced diver becaus most of the dives are drift dives in a pas with, sometimes, A LOT of current. The tuamotu's are atolls . Most of them have pretty beaches but there is nothing else to do than sun bathing sorkeling or diveing. So be aware of that if you bring your family. If you go there, make sure you are going to Fakarava South. You do not need to stay ther more than 3 or 4 days because the pass is relatively small. But the wall of sharks ( virtually dozens if not hundreds ) will blow your mind.