Luxury diving destination - Need your help, please!

[stelladiver]

There have been a lot of interesting discussions on this board recently about luxury accommodations and diving, so I'm now seeking the advice of those on this board on that very issue. We are planning a trip this June and would like your suggestions for destinations with great diving and luxury accommodations. Here's the criteria:

• The total trip would be 10 days, including travel time
• Destination must be within 15 hours of travel from California, including flights and layovers
• Great weather and fantastic diving in June. We plan to do 2 tanks each day. We are experienced divers, so moderate to advanced level diving is okay.
• Luxury accommodations (4-5 stars)
• While we are willing to pay for the luxury accommodations, we are not willing to pay an unreasonable amount for the dives. For instance, Lizard Island (Great Barrier Reef) was one place we considered, but their two-tank dives are over $300!
• The resort itself does not need to offer diving, so long as there's a good dive company in the area.
• Not in the Caribbean, North America, Central America, or French Polynesia.
• Would consider a luxury liveaboard, like the one the Four Seasons offers one in the Maldives (which unfortunately is too far for this short trip).

Some places we are considering are Palau (might be the start of the rainy season), Malaysia (a lack of luxury resorts), Great Barrier Reef (does anyone know anything about the Qualia Resort or, more importantly, the quality of diving in the area where this resort is located?), Lizard Island (diving is too expensive), and Fiji.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can lend. I have no doubt that the seasoned travelers/divers on this forum can pass along some helpful information. Much appreciated!

 

[diversteve]

Destination must be within 15 hours of travel from California, including flights and layovers

Your list just got a whole lot shorter...

LAX to Sydney is a 15hr flight on Quantas. The Whitsundays (Qualia) are 2-3 hrs. flight from Sydney. Not allowing time to transfer. I'm sure Lizard Island would be similar.

Koror (Palau) is 19hrs. with a layover in Seoul. It's 18h10m with stops in Honolulu and Guam.

Kuala Lumpur is 20 hours not counting a local continuing flight to Sabah or elsewhere.

So it looks like Fiji is the only option on your list within your flight parameters. If it's of interest, my buddy is going on the Fiji Dancer next July. His flight is under 15hrs. - Air Pacific to Nadi is 9-9.5h then Sun Air over to Suva. The boat will shuttle you from there. http://www.dancerfleet.com/fiji.php It's not the Four Seasons Explorer though...

Looks like the Palau Siren might be an option the first of June if you're willing to fly longer also. They leave from Koror. I have no personal experience with them. http://sirenfleet.com/liveaboards.html

You might plug other destinations in here: Matrix - ITA Software if your total travel time is a hard requirement. You can adjust the duration slider for any origin/destination pair to see what's possible. It will give you airlines/flights/costs but you can't book thru them - it's the same database most of the airline/travel portals use.

I could suggest several places that meet all your criteria in the Caribbean if you're interested. Hawaii is out right?

 

[Rich Keller]

This site deals in luxury travel but not in diving. The diving part you will need to work out on your own.

Hotel Deals and Vacation Homes - Jetsetter

 

[Doc]

This site deals in luxury travel but not in diving. The diving part you will need to work out on your own.

That's because the two do not go together.

This question is currently in another thread here on :sblogo:, and it is the third one so far this year.

The casual use of the words "4 or 5 Star" just make my head spin.

If you are serious about that meaning, Google the words: Robb report scuba. Other websites and search engines are nowhere close. I have chaperoned families on these trips. I was paid to be there (5*) for the week and they had two hours direct contact with me.

By accepted hospitality industry standards and criteria, there absolutely are no such properties anywhere near "real" SCUBA diving. You might find a few 3 Star, but "diving" there approaches a catered affair, surpassing Club Dread and veering towards a tandem skydive.

You may find 4-5* in Thailand and environs, but the above paragraph applies. The only people that bring their own dive gear to these properties are the uber-wealthy who need the pieces unwrapped and assembled by the local dive staff. This is an entirely different planet from what mortal men understand as reality.

We look at sheer luxury as Wakatobi. It's barely a 2 Star.

You can't pose a query such as this with ill-defined or mis-used words such as the established "star" rating system.

Not trying to be harsh, but you send us on a fool's errand.

 

[stelladiver]

Thanks, Diversteve and Richkeller, for your feedback. Diversteve, the Matrix you sent is very helpful. Will spend some time on it today. While the goal was to limit travel time and maximize time at our destination, my husband (who did our travel research) also confirmed last night that travel time to some of the places we are considering are closer to 18-20 hours, which we are willing to do assuming it's relatively easy connections (i.e., 1-2 connections with short layovers).

Doc, thanks for your feedback too. It was kind of harsh, but I'll try not to take it personally. Haha. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I thought the examples I mentioned gave an idea of our definition of 4-5 stars, but I'm happy to expound if it will help with feedback from members of this board. I do respectfully disagree that luxury and diving are mutually exclusive. We've had some wonderful vacations that involved both. For example, we did some of the best diving in the Seychelles where we stayed at the Four Seasons. Similarly, we stayed at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora. In both places, a local dive company picked us up daily for diving. In Fiji, we stayed at an all-inclusive resort with our own villa and staff (this resort was recently mentioned by another board member in response to another thread) and was again picked up by a local dive company and got to dive what's been called the soft coral capital of the world. The diving we did there was amazing (i.e., gorgeous soft coral, sharks). We stayed at another resort in Fiji that was on its own private island that its own dive outfit. In Belize, we stayed at a great resort (maybe $400/night) on Ambergris Cay, and the local dive outfits would take divers to places like the renowned Blue Hole. Some of the examples I mentioned are similarly all-inclusive places (Qualia is $1500+/night; Lizard Island is $1800+/night; Four Seasons Maldives liveaboard $2000/night). The Aman has a liveaboard that takes you to Komodo. So in short, we're looking for great dive locations where there are also luxury resorts, or a luxury liveaboard (is there something on par with the Four Seasons and Aman ones that someone can recommend?). We don't need to hire our own private divemaster for the week, and are happy with using a local dive company who can take us daily for dives (2-3 daily). Hope this info helps provide clarification. Look forward to getting additional advice from all the seasoned travelers on this board!

 

[Doc]

.....For example, we did some of the best diving in the Seychelles where we stayed at the Four Seasons. Similarly, we stayed at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora....

These qualify as Five Star properties with phenomenal diving nearby. Depending greatly upon with who you do the dive charter and your standards from that perspective. The "regular" or "go-to" concierge provided dive ops might not qualify beyond "catered affairs".

.... In Belize, we stayed at a great resort (maybe $400/night) on Ambergris Cay, and the local dive outfits would take divers to places like the renowned Blue Hole.

You had me, then you lost me. This is literally and figuratively a world away from your other examples.

But I understand now what you were getting at. 15 hours, door to door from California. There is a very small and exclusive service company called Dive Sherpa. Kind of like the A-Team, if you need them and can afford them, you'll find them. Like I said, check Lifestyle & Travel | Robb Report - The Global Luxury Source

 

[diversteve]

which we are willing to do assuming it's relatively easy connections (i.e., 1-2 connections with short layovers).

The Matrix will show you that. click the down arrow after each listing for all the flight/layover details. You can also pre-select the # of stops at the top left of the results screen. Or any other parameter you would like.

It's too bad the Maldives are too far away since the Four Seasons there sounds like your kind of place - with/without their liveaboard. Maldives Resort | Four Seasons Resort Maldives Landaa Giraavaru

How about Wakatobi and/or their Pelagian liveaboard. IDK how many stars it has. But you get your own personal dive genie included. I think you dive when you want also. But it's not accessible within 18hrs. travel time from here afaik. Wakatobi Dive Resort - Southeast Sulawesi Indonesia - Home Page

If you can expand your transit time, possibly the Arenui or Damai liveaboards also. I like the looks of Arenui and will be on it sometime, someone told me Damai is nicer. I think Arenui is booked for this summer though. Damai has 2 boats now.

Arenui the Boutique Liveaboard - Dive Indonesia in Style from our Luxury Diving Vessel
Dive Damai

I know you said no Caribbean but I'll just put this out there as my last post in this thread:

Caribbean Luxury Resorts, Hotels & Villas | Rosewood Little Dix Bay | British Virgin Islands They have the most amazing private beach. We'd go in there on the boat (I rented a villa nearby) and turtles would dive for the bottom. It's their private bay so no one else goes in there. There's also some surprisingly excellent restaurants on Virgin Gorda. Given that many people rent upscale villas there explains why.

Diving is maybe a step down from where you've been but still good. DiveBVI picks up there, they really are a valet dive operation. Every day they kept/cleaned/dried our gear and when we boarded the boat it was all laid out. I only touched my gear once to drop it off and once to pick it up clean and dry to fly home.

Do report back. Some of what you're looking at I'd be interested in. (Convincing my frugal buddies is another issue...)

---------- Post added March 10th, 2013 at 01:56 PM ----------

One last minute idea - Luxury Small Ship Special Offers | Paul Gauguin Cruises - they do your amount of diving at most ports.

 

[stelladiver]

Thanks, Doc and Diversteve, for the suggestions. I'll look into all of them.

Diversteve, thanks for the Caribbean suggestion too. The reason we are not interested in the Caribbean this time is because we are planning another trip there later in the year, so your recommendation above will be helpful in planning that vacation. I'll definitely report back on this trip.

 

[DeputyDan]

I think the TSandM on this board (who lives in the pacific northwest) did the Paul Gauguin a while back - so she may be able to help with questions.

 

[RJMETZ]

Is Hawaii on the radar screen? There are some very nice resorts ( Mauna Kea, Farimont) on the north coast of the Big Island with a very nice dive op close by, Kohala divers.