Four Weeks of Diving to Decide on - what would YOU do?

[Griffo]

Scenario: July 2013
6 Weeks of Diving and relaxing (can push this out a bit more if needed)
10 Days weeks to be spent in Gizo, Solomons (this part is not flexible)
The next 4 and a bit weeks is totally up in the air
Budget isn't a primary consideration, but I dont have bottomless pockets, so while happy to do some parts in luxry, can't afford 30 days of $1500 a night rooms.

The problem I have is that there are just too many options - which direction do I go? Towards the Cook Islands? Off to French Polynesia? Yap? Fiji? Vanuatu?

So what would you do in this scenario? Honestly, trying to choose is making my head hurt!

 

[richh32]

do 4 weeks of liveaboards in 4 different areas.

 

[iDreamOfBubbles]

Some people have all the luck! If I were you, from Honiara, I would fly to Port Moresby, and then catch a domestic flight to Hoskins airport on New Britain. I would then spend a week diving land-based from Walindi Plantation, and then hop on the Febrina for a trip to the Witus and Fathers Reefs. Upon returning to Port moresby, I would catch a flight to Brisbane, then onto Vanuatu to spend a week diving the Coolidge with Allan Power. For the last leg, I would fly to Nadi, and would spend a week at Wananavu Resort doing day trips out to the Bligh Waters. Or, if money is of no concern, a liveaboard, such as the Fiji Aggressor or Fiji Siren, would be even better!

That's just what I would do if I was lucky enough to dive across the Pacific for 4 weeks, but let us know what kind of diving you like, and we should be able to give some better insight.

As an aside, I would personally take Fakarava and Rangiroa in French Polynesia over Fiji and Vanuatu, I'm just not really sure how one would get there from the Solomons.

 

[CaradonnaWorldwideDive]

iDreamOfBubbles recommendations are excellent, and are logical based on air schedules. Also possible... a liveaboard to the Great Barrier Reef during minke whale season. If land-based in Gizo, you might want to hop aboard the Bilikiki to get to some other areas of the Solomons. The Tuamotus in French Polynesia offer incredible beauty and diving as well, and could possibly be worked into the mix depending on which air carrier you use (i.e. Qantas could work...). A few other recommendations... Nai'a in Fiji, Bokissa in Vanuatu (or Deco Stop Lodge if Bokissa is too upscale).

 

[Griffo]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I meant to mention that the one place I have dived in the pacific is the Coolidge. Did that last year with Alan Power and stayed at both the Deco Stop (while diving) and then Bokissa (few days relaxing).

 

[iDreamOfBubbles]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I meant to mention that the one place I have dived in the pacific is the Coolidge. Did that last year with Alan Power and stayed at both the Deco Stop (while diving) and then Bokissa (few days relaxing).

Oh, well that changes things then! If you really like macro/muck, I would suggest doing at least a week in Milne Bay for some great critter diving. It is high on my to-do list.

If you decide that you want to get some more time in the Solomons, but don't want to do a liveaboard, also consider Uepi or Munda for more reefs and wrecks.

I'm very jealous that you will get to dive the Solomon Islands, it is such an off-the-beaten path destination.

 

[Rhone Man]

Two words: "Truk Odyssey"

 

[Seasidegirl77]

Hi, lucky you
Milne Bay is not the best for macro - in my experience both Tufi and Walindi are better for macro and home to lots of fish, big walls and tons of coral - both hard and soft.
I spent 4 weeks in PNG and it was organised by Home - Best of PNG. They work with the best resorts and liveaboards in PNG and organised my airiugini flights too.

 

[Quero]

Having just come from a couple of weeks in the Philippines, what I'd do is go back there and wander around some more. It takes a lot of logistical planning and a fair dose of patience to get from place to place in the PI since the tourism infrastructure is very rudimentary. After flying in and staying at my first location, I had to travel overland by road to pick up a ferry, get off across the water on another island, pick up other overland transport, get on another boat, etc. for each subsequent location. It's not so easy, and it means that diving several places in the PI (even in one area such as the Visayas, as I did) is best accomplished over a several week period. I'd love to have that length of time to play with in the PI whereas one-off liveaboards or other unique destinations can be done when there's greater time constraint.