How's the Diving on Guam? Compared to Palau?

[Kengar]

I am considering a stop-off during trip home from next business trip to Japan in July/August. (Yes, I know JP is HOT that time of year!) I am looking at Palau or Guam.

I dove Palau 20 years ago and loved it. (First Pacific experience.)

How does the diving in Guam stack up against it? (Keep in mind this will just be land-based, with day trips out.)

Thanks for any input.

Ken

 

[tursiops]

Guam is Ok, but if you can get over to Rota for a few days and dive with Rubin, it is terrific.
Rota Scuba Center Rubin (Mariana Islands): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor

 

[BoltSnap]

Guam is Ok, but if you can get over to Rota for a few days and dive with Rubin, it is terrific.
Rota Scuba Center Rubin (Mariana Islands): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor

How much of an "OK" is OK diving in Guam? What would you compare it with? What is wrong with it that makes it just an "OK" and not better?

 

[tursiops]

How much of an "OK" is OK diving in Guam? What would you compare it with? What is wrong with it that makes it just an "OK" and not better?

Fish, viz, topography, pelagics, health. Now, mind you. I don't have that many dives there, but I would not go to Guam to dive. I would go to Rota to dive. Conversely, If I were in Guam, of course I'd dive....

 

[Kengar]

Going to Rota (or any other island that does not have the actual international airport) would add time/complexity/cost to the trip that I don't have. It's either Guam or Palau.

Sounds like Guam doesn't "wow" you. Have you dove Palau, so as to be able to compare? Palau has really diverse sites. Blue Corner: clip off to face of reef with reef hook and let the current "fly" you like an underwater kite, while a blizzard of smaller fish pick off upwelling food and sharks cruise through them picking off the smaller fish; walls; lush coral gardens; Ulong Channel with lettuce corals the size of houses. Really vibrant fish. (It's been 20 years, though, so I don't recall all of the sites we dove.) Now compared to some of the sites in Komodo, I might tip the scales in favor of that, but like I said, this is just a trip that would need to work with basic travel to/from Japan, and other destinations would require too much other diversion.

 

[tursiops]

No, I've not dived in Palau, but I have in many other Pacific sites. Guam was the least of them.

It sounds like you are determined to go. Enjoy it, I'm sure the stop will be worthwhile.
But if I could stop in Fiji or Hawaii (Big Island) I'd rather.

 

[Kengar]

"Guam was the least of them"
Yeah, in all my years diving I've never really heard Guam mentioned as a destination in and of itself.

Palau will require a little more travel to get to as well as to get back to the States from, but hey, since I'll be in the "neighborhood"....... (Although last time I thought that, it took me 24 hours to get from Tokyo to Sydney via Singapore since I was using miles and there were no partner airlines in the network that went direct.......) For JP to Palau, you actually go through Guam; return to States will take me back to JP -- Tokyo -- then nonstop over the pole to Dulles (Washington, DC). I will also be able to swing the whole thing with miles, to boot!