Over work, need holiday... where?

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Noticed a mention of Tulamben. Great spot and not too expensive. Look at North Bali Dive Center, Villa Markisa, and Scuba Seraya. And the "mother of all wreck dives" they say just off Tulamben. I'd also suggest 2FishDivers with locations in Bunaken, Lembeh, and Bali. Another favorite is Maluku Divers in Ambon. They call their place "critters without crowds" with a tongue-in-cheek reference to Lembeh being as good a diving with less people. Recently had a client their and excellent reports.

In Fiji, I'd suggest Matava Resort or Wananavu Resort. I have groups going to both places before the end of 2013. I have seen some info on Octopus Resort but I have tried to contact them via email several times with no reply.

 

[Dive Wananavu Fiji]

Bula, glad to hear you're planning your next holiday. Fiji Airways (formally Air Pacific) has some great deals going from different ports into Fiji so that might help make a trip to Fiji a bit more affordable. You can check out some of their specials on the next couple pages.

Special Fiji Dive Holiday Travel Deals - Scuba Diving Fiji with Dive Wananavu - best Fiji island diving in the Bligh Water

Site Map - Fiji Airways Official Site (at bottom of the page)

Good luck with your plans and please let us know if we can be of any assistance.

BTW - often your travel agent will have a little better offer so be sure to check them out as well.

Bula Vinaka,
DWF Team

 

[bracko]

Getting to Solomons from Oz= cheap
Diving in Solomons= quite expensive

hmmm... that's one thing I can't seem to find details on. how expensive is the diving over there? accommodation doesn't seem too expensive.

 

[cbm32]

Try Naigani Island Resort. GREAT value and FANTASTIC diving.

Matava is nice if you happen to be there when you can get outside the reef. Bures are on the side of a mountain in the jungle so take your mosquito spray and there isnt any kind of a beach really. But if you get lucky and get outside the reef to dive with the mantas, that is a good dive.

 

[Kevster]

hmmm... that's one thing I can't seem to find details on. how expensive is the diving over there? accommodation doesn't seem too expensive.

It's typically $75 per dive. Sometimes there is a small surcharge for dive sites that involve 30 mins travel.Some accom can be expensive, accom can range from $60 to $200 per night.
Domestic flights in Solomons are about $125 each way.

Bali is very good and a lot cheaper. Bali offers excellent macro, some nice reefs, mantas and mola mola if you are lucky. However Bali can be very busy, many boats at one sites. Some of the shore dives are very very busy. Typically 30 to 40 dollars a dive.


However Solomons can be world class, definitely similar to the places you have already been, Truk,Palau,Coral sea.
check out dive Munda website. The good thing about Munda is that the variety of diving on offer. Great wrecks, amazing coral reefs, sharks, caves,eagle rays,turtles. I am a big fan of the Solomons. I have dived throughout Asia and around the pacific and I would rate the Solomons to be among the best. If you are happy with a budget of 300 per day, the diving will not disappoint.
Uepi is very expensive . Munda is a little cheaper. Gizo also offers cheaper accom but the diving isn't quiet as good. Off course the bilikiki is great but even more expensive but offers more diving.
another place you should consider is Vanuatu. If you are a big wreck fan, a week at santos would be ok.
Pacific harbour in Fiji is great for the shark dives and would be approx 250 per day for diving ,accom and food.

 

[Heg]

In Fiji, I'd suggest Matava Resort or Wananavu Resort. I have groups going to both places before the end of 2013. .

I second Wananavu. We were up there in May for 8 days and had an awesome time. Great resort and great diving. No internal flights either, as these can rack up the cost

 

[bracko]

thanks for the suggestions.


well it turns out I'm buying a car in sydney in a month (unexpected turn of events... ) so might drive up to south west rocks instead of a more exotic (expensive) trip. I've not been there and keep hearing fantastic things about it.

cheers again for the suggestions.

 

[bracko]

Air Asia X is starting up in Adelaide and as such I've got return flights to KL flying out on the second of November for 10 days.

so... noting that it's the start of monsoon it's been suggested to stay around the east of Malaysia and visit Sabah area, which works well for me.

does anyone know of any good diving locations offering single accommodation? everywhere I've looked (I have only just started researching now I have a location) is quite expensive and another 50% single occupancy tax

looking for backpacker style accommodation but not shared rooms. something like a shack on the beach with a running toilet

 

[cbm32]

Where and when Bracko?

 

[wahlaoeh]

Go Solomons. Only 3 hrs from Brisbane, $600 return flight. Head to Munda or Uepi.Munda is a bit cheaper for accom. Great diving at Munda, wrecks,hard corals, sharks,caves...

Hi Kevster, have you been to the Solomons? Could you help to advise on resort/dive ops etc. When you mentioned sharks, what types of sharks do you see and are there many around? Pls provide dive site info. if possible. Thanks.
Happy bubbles, Jovin-