Diving Fiji / Vanuatu - to liveaboard, or not to liveaboard?

Early stages of planning a trip OS with a diving component.

Egypt would be nice - but not sure about it in terms of the occasional bomb here and there.

Would appreciate any input about diving in Fiji or Vanuatu - good spots, dive companies, boats,.... any info would be much appreciated....

Cheers...

:fruit:

Suggest you read my Fiji article on the www.scubaboard.com portal and follow the links if you have not yet done so. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them.

twatto:

Early stages of planning a trip OS with a diving component.

Egypt would be nice - but not sure about it in terms of the occasional bomb here and there.

Would appreciate any input about diving in Fiji or Vanuatu - good spots, dive companies, boats,.... any info would be much appreciated....

Cheers...

:fruit:

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The big attraction in Vanuatu is the SS Coolidge. It's easily dived from the shore. I've not heard much about the coral reef life in Vanuatu.

IMHO, Fiji used to be an easy recommend: Crystal Divers. However, since the death of the owner/operator, Dan Grenier, that's not an option. However, Kai Viti Divers does dive the same area and I've had a couple of good reports about their operation. However, the breadth of my experience in Fiji (6 trips totalling about 12 weeks) is concentrated: Lau and the eastern Bligh Waters, both areas experienced from land based operations. Judging from a handful of divers I've known who have tried both Crystal Divers and other operations in Fiji, the diving offered by the former were much better.

As far as I know, Lau is no longer an option; there few if any dive operators there anymore and the area was reportedly hard hit by coral bleaching in the late 90's. Again IMHO, it's hard to imagine much better diving than Crystal Divers used to, and Kai Viti Divers does, offer out in the passage between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Vatu-Ra. However, the rides are long and can be rough.

donacheson:

IMHO, Fiji used to be an easy recommend: Crystal Divers. However, since the death of the owner/operator, Dan Grenier, that's not an option.

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I sure hope you're wrong about that. I put in a reservation for Bamboo Beach Resort/Bamboo Reef Divers (Dan's new operation) just before he disappeared in August. I'll be there the second week of March. I know it's a risk, but I'm hoping the staff has their act together whether the boss is there or not ... or they've gotten a new leader to pick up where Dan's leadership was lost.

Has anyone been to Bamboo Beach Resort in the past few months? How was it? It's way too late for me to change plans, but if I know what to expect, it will help smooth the way.

--Eric Ressner
--St Louis, Missouri, USA

twatto:

[snip]

Would appreciate any input about diving in Fiji or Vanuatu - good spots, dive companies, boats,.... any info would be much appreciated....

Cheers...

:fruit:

Click to expand...

I've lived in both Fiji and Vanuatu and both have some world class dive sites. In Fiji I think that Shark Fin Reef, in Beqa Lagoon, is an excellent site. In Vanuatu someone already mention the President Coolidge, just off Espiritu Santo, and there are also some very nice dives around Port Vila. I suggest that you go out with Nautilus to the Konanda and The Cathedral.

I put some information about diving in Fiji in http://www.blue-oceans.com/scuba/fiji/

Best wishes

Peter Forster

Any reason you did not consider Papua New Guinea? In my experience, it has some of the most pristine and diverse diving of anywhere I've been.

ECR:

I sure hope you're wrong about that. I put in a reservation for Bamboo Beach Resort/Bamboo Reef Divers (Dan's new operation) just before he disappeared in August. I'll be there the second week of March. I know it's a risk, but I'm hoping the staff has their act together whether the boss is there or not ... or they've gotten a new leader to pick up where Dan's leadership was lost.

Has anyone been to Bamboo Beach Resort in the past few months? How was it? It's way too late for me to change plans, but if I know what to expect, it will help smooth the way.

--Eric Ressner
--St Louis, Missouri, USA

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My wife and I dove with Bamboo Reef Divers the day Dan was lost. Dan was opperating the boat that day and it was the end of our trip. The rest of our trip Georgie was in charge of the boat and he did a great job. Just a reminder to have a dive alert and reflecter of some kind as well a safety sausage.(It could save your life) They do not have search and rescue in Fiji like we have in the states. The diving is great in the bilgh water way and I would go back today. Tell Wilma and Elena Duane & Bobbi said Hi and have a great time.

DewyDDS:

My wife and I dove with Bamboo Reef Divers the day Dan was lost. Dan was opperating the boat that day and it was the end of our trip. The rest of our trip Georgie was in charge of the boat and he did a great job. Just a reminder to have a dive alert and reflecter of some kind as well a safety sausage.(It could save your life) They do not have search and rescue in Fiji like we have in the states.

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Thanks. I was actually wondering whether life went on during that horrible week when Dan was lost. It seems amazing that everything didn't come crashing down.

I got a PM from another SBer about the Bamboo Reef Divers staff. It does sound like they are capable of managing without Dan. I will post a report as soon as possible after I return.

--Eric

We just returned from the Bamboo Beach Resort a few weeks ago. This was my first dive vacation and we had a wonderful time. The staff at the resort are wonderful and are very attentive. Once you arrive at the airport, you won't touch your bags or gear again until you are on your way home. The boat crew of Meki, Semi and Moses were great guys that took good care of us. They insisted on putting our fins on our feet so that we wouldn't have to! For the most part, our dives were great - especially the Vatu-I-Ra area. There were a couple of stormy days and this affected the visibility but it was all good. The biggest dislike for our group was the hill that you have to climb to get your Bure but looking we just laugh about it now. The Bures were very clean and comfortable. The food is wonderful and there is fresh baked bread every day. I can't say enough about the staff and how wonderful they were to us - they make the vacation so much more enjoyable. I am looking forward to going back next year. Let me know what you think when you get back!
****************

ECR:

I sure hope you're wrong about that. I put in a reservation for Bamboo Beach Resort/Bamboo Reef Divers (Dan's new operation) just before he disappeared in August. I'll be there the second week of March. I know it's a risk, but I'm hoping the staff has their act together whether the boss is there or not ... or they've gotten a new leader to pick up where Dan's leadership was lost.

Has anyone been to Bamboo Beach Resort in the past few months? How was it? It's way too late for me to change plans, but if I know what to expect, it will help smooth the way.

--Eric Ressner
--St Louis, Missouri, USA

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I've dove with Crystal prior to the break-up of the partnership between Dan/Alisa and Mike/Julie. On my last trip to Fiji I dove with Kia Viti (Crystal's former partners Mike and Julie). They have a new boat that puts the old Crystal Diver boat and the Bamboo dive boats to shame. I highly recomed diving with Kia Viti Divers.