Dive recommendations: Palau, Fiji, Yap or Vanuatu?

Finally, with a little help from Keven the wifey and I can finally go on our dream dive. We are having a hard time choosing between Palau, Fiji, Yap or Vanuatu. We like to see large fish, rays and turtles. We try to avoid liveaboards due to the Mrs being prone to seasickness. And we plan to go around August. Any suggestions from seasoned divers out there?

Since I've only been to Fiji, it's not hard for me to make a suggestion.........Fiji . Fiji is not about large fish but incredibly beautiful reefs and reef fish although you can see turtles and rays there. The colors were stunning. Where we went does offer an incredible shark dive. If you want big fish, you should consider the Galapagos Islands, it is big fish heaven!!! If you still are set for the South Pacific, I would recommend Beqa lagoon Resort. We spent 10 days there in 2007 and are returning in 2010. You do two dives a day and have unlimited shore diving on the house reef. The resort is great, the dive operations is fantastic, the diving is excellent, the food is really good, and the resort staff are incredibly friendly. The resort does schedule cultural activities each afternoon so there is something to do in the PM. I enjoyed reading and just relaxing. They also offer one of the best shark dives I've ever been on. We saw 5 different sharks on our dive, and one group even encountered a tiger shark. Here is a link to reviews of BLR: Beqa Lagoon Resort (Beqa Island, Fiji) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor. If you click on my "photos" link to the left, you can see pics of both Galapagos and Fiji.

Regards,

Bill

I concur with Bill's remarks - in fact I happened to be at Beqa when Bill was there and we really enjoyed the Tiger Shark dive (thereare some photos here in my gallery) - one of those things that just lives with you forever. But I have also been to Palau and Vanuatu (a few times). Palau is brilliant diving and big fish action (Blue Corner is possibly the best dive I've done, though the Tiger Shark dive at Beqa is a close, very close second). But all the dive sites at Palau are around 2 hours by boat and it is a very full day - boats leave for a double dive at 9:00 am and get back around 4:00 pm in the afternoon (at least as far as I recall). If your wife gets seasick then this could spoil your day {or hers more likely} (although it was always glassy calm, there is still 'motion'.

We're also retunring to Beqa Lagoon Resort in 2010 (going to Siladen Resort North Sulawesi this July) and I regard BLR very highly. Great soft coral and pinnacle diving - not many walls as such, but a couple of worthwhile wrecks surrounded by great coral gardens. The other resort I love for diving in Fiji is Naigani Island resort ...possibly even better soft corals than Beqa, but the resort is a little tired and homely when compared to BLR, but it is worth comparing. Have fun.

We went to Beqa resort in Fiji in April 2009. The resort was very nice and they had a great cultural program. However, the visibility was not good and on some days was the worst we have seen in our last 200 dives around the world. We also went to the opposite side of the island to wananavu resort. The resort was not as nice but the diving was spectacular. The downside was that we had to take a boat ride out to the Bligh waters which took about 1 or maybe 1 1/2 hour each way. If we did it again we would choose a live aboard because of the long boat rides.

My wife and I Alan and Lisa, just got back from Palau, best diving ever. Blue Corner (amazing), other great sites were Uulong Channel Gr8 drift dive, German channel, abundance of Mantas, The Big Drop Off,(incredible Wall Dive. I reccommend Sams Tours, ask to Dive with Divemaster Daniel. We stayed at Carolines, beautiful Bungelous with admittance to the Palau Pacific resort (Great beach and Pool). Abundance of Marine Life,(lots of Reef, Tiger, Bull, Nurse sharks, Napolean Wraisse, Schools of Baracudda, Bait Balls, Turtles, Manta Rays and Miryads of tropical fish. Reefs are amazing and the visibility is like the surface. Nitrox is free at Sams. Consider Palau.

Wiggsy:

But all the dive sites at Palau are around 2 hours by boat and it is a very full day - boats leave for a double dive at 9:00 am and get back around 4:00 pm in the afternoon (at least as far as I recall).

Click to expand...

You are out a long time yes--but the boat ride is out through the rock islands, which are about the most beautiful little places on earth-dive--typically stop at a gorgeous beach for an hour or two for lunch--another dive--and then another boat ride through the rock islands. (and then a few beers).

Hi, not to hijack your thread or anything, but I'm also trying to debate between Fiji and Palau, going in June, and trying to avoid liveaboards as well. In looking back through previous threads, it seems everyone recommends Fiji for beautiful reef life and Palau for megafauna. Is there a balance, any beautiful reefs in Palau, or is it mostly big fish and wall dives?

jjardin:

You are out a long time yes--but the boat ride is out through the rock islands, which are about the most beautiful little places on earth-dive--typically stop at a gorgeous beach for an hour or two for lunch--another dive--and then another boat ride through the rock islands. (and then a few beers).

Click to expand...

I know you said your wife is prone to seasickness but you might want to ask about the Palau Aggressor which is a large and wide catamaran, I'm pretty sure that they anchor the boat in some protected areas, and the waters might not be that rough. Now if we're talking about Galapagos or Cocos Island I'd say steer clear as far as rough seas, but Palau might not be that bad. Fiji's inter-island passages might be kinda bumpy. But if (as quoted above) the day boat rides are 2 hours then you'll be spending even more time on the water in transit as opposed to on a liveaboard the mothership is anchored somewhere nearby hence enabling you to do 4-5 dives a day.

Any Palau liveaboard veterans out there that can speak of the sea conditions while on your trip there?????

ewaiea:

I know you said your wife is prone to seasickness but you might want to ask about the Palau Aggressor which is a large and wide catamaran, I'm pretty sure that they anchor the boat in some protected areas, and the waters might not be that rough. Now if we're talking about Galapagos or Cocos Island I'd say steer clear as far as rough seas, but Palau might not be that bad. Fiji's inter-island passages might be kinda bumpy. But if (as quoted above) the day boat rides are 2 hours then you'll be spending even more time on the water in transit as opposed to on a liveaboard the mothership is anchored somewhere nearby hence enabling you to do 4-5 dives a day.

Any Palau liveaboard veterans out there that can speak of the sea conditions while on your trip there?????

Click to expand...

Liveaboard boats are perfect for people who get seasick, especially in Palau! The liveaboard boats are anchored in safe harbors, no wave action. Then diving is done from a small skiff, 5-10 minute ride to dive sites! As soon as we were all back on the boat we were taken 5-10 minutes back to mothership for food, restroom break, and the crew to fill our tanks. Our gear stayed on skiff all week.
My trip report: Palau on the Eco Explorer - Dec 2007

Weather - we were there the first week in Dec. We had small rain showers each day, one day more than others, it didn't affect diving at all (this is the norm for Palau, except for rainy season Sept-Oct). Most of the day was sunny and warm. Water was 83-85 degrees every dive.

watch my highlights video:
[vimeo]3506378[/vimeo]

more videos of Palau here: Palau, Micronesia on Vimeo

robin

Hi,
although I love Vanuatu (I grew up on Efate but this was 30 years ago last century), I also went back for diving last year, I won't recommend for diving, except for the massive wreck Pres.Coolidge (which is a must dive btw).
On the other hand, I would say it's probably the most interesting archipelago of the south pacific culture wise, and for the incredible Yasur volcano too, which everyone should see in a lifetime.

If you want to see absolutely stunning corals, Fiji would get my vote. For the bigger fish New Caledonia would be my bet.

As I don't know Palau, neither Yap, I won't comment.