Fiji or Tahiti or Vanuatu (March/April)

[JenTeach]

Okay,
I have been on the boards and Internet all day researching, searching, and searching some more. I began the morning looking at Curacao, and now I'm looking that the South Pacific...all in part to some great airfare that I came across.

Anyway, my husband and I are looking at dedicating 14 days to a trip. I know that it will take 2 to travel, so we would reach our destination Monday. It seems that doing diving on the island (Fiji or Tahiti) from Mon-Sat would be good, and then get on a live-aboard from Sat-Sat.

I began my live-aboard search with the Aggressor. Tahiti has the dates I need, but there's conflicting information on Fiji. (Depart date is April 10, but info says they go Sat-Sat, the 10th isn't Sat.) I also came across some good comments about NAI'A for Fiji...they have availability.

I've read both positives and negatives about diving in Tahiti. I'm leaning more towards Fiji, just because the airfare is cheaper. The problem I see with several of the resorts I've looked at (mentioned in posts on the boards) is that they offer a limited amount of dives.

And I am also considering Vanuatu...couldn't find much about the diving. I did check out Hideaway Island, but had to email for rates.

So, to make a long story short, I'm looking for feedback that anyone may have…resorts, dive ops, live-aboards.

Ultimately, the live-aboard is at the VERY top of our budget. We want something nice, just not THAT nice...we just want to do a lot of diving!

THANK YOU & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Jennifer

 

[almitywife]

hi Jen

personally i found fiji diving a dissappointment. it was overpriced and dive operators didnt dive on days i had booked (boat problem, staff didnt show up) so we had alot of days of non diving.

vanautu is a fav of mine... can i suggest you go to Santo to dive the coolidge and then either a few days in Vila to dive either Hideaway Island or Tranquility Resort (very eco basic but fun and remote).

Santo - look at Bokissa Resort if you want nice or Deco Stop if you want comfortable. there is plenty of diving avail so once yourve had your fill of The Lady (coolidge) you have lots of other choices

otherwise... Niue, also in the sth pacific... its part of new zealand technically but a very small island (you can bike around it)

cheers

 

[Desert Pig]

Just returned fro Tahiti and Moorea. If you go, bring lots of money and expect VERY POOR service at hotels and restaurants at hotels. As for diving... one word; SHARKS!
We used a dive company called Top Dive at both locations. I would give them my highest recommendation. I have been all over to dive and they were amazing. Ask to buy their 10-ticket dive special.
By the way - Fiji is in the middle of a civil war right now!

 

[almitywife]

civil war is a bit rough ... its having a bit of political turmoil but there are no deaths, violence or warfare (the army removed guns from the police weeks ago)

if fiji is your thing... go and enjoy...i would just avoid Suva

 

[Desert Pig]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I teach Anti-terrorism for a living...

As a proud American who travels A LOT, check out

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

before EVER going to another country. Check out Air Tahiti Nui for flight - Amazing airline. A live-aboard or cruise will get you top-notch service.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Fiji Aggressor and Naia are pretty much 6 of one half dozen of the other, both nice boats with similar itineraries. If Naia fits your schedule then certainly jump on it, they are a top notch outfit and know their stuff. You will do 4 or 5 dives a day with lots of variety.

Ask their office what suggestions for an add on. If you like sharks you might think of Beqa Lagoon as an add on before or after the liveaboard, BIG bull sharks and such but is a "feeding dive" if you have no issues with that

 

[almitywife]

hmmm - my smart alec comment of "those that cant-teach" comes to mind (note, i have a very sarcastic sense of humor

well doing a bit of my own search on my govt travel site- i find

"Summary
We advise you to be alert to your own security in the *****.
Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
The **** Advisory System Threat Level remains at Code Orange for the airline sector, indicating a "high" risk of terrorist attack. It is at Code Yellow or "elevated" for all other sectors, indicating a significant risk of terrorist attack"

**** = USA, a country i would travel freely to, just as im sure you guys have travel warnings about Oz

 

[JenTeach]

vanautu is a fav of mine... can i suggest you go to Santo to dive the coolidge and then either a few days in Vila to dive either Hideaway Island or Tranquility Resort (very eco basic but fun and remote).

Santo - look at Bokissa Resort if you want nice or Deco Stop if you want comfortable. there is plenty of diving avail so once yourve had your fill of The Lady (coolidge) you have lots of other choices

THANKS!! I looked up the different resorts you mentioned and they look great. I did have a couple of other questions...I'm assuming their rates are per person - is that correct? And do you have a dive op that you would recommend in Santo & Vila?

Jennifer

 

[almitywife]

hi and yep, its per person

usually Hideaway only likes to work with travel agencys so they (Stella-great lady) might refer you to a agent but what we always do when staying there is start a tab and pay for diving when we leave.... they have dive packages so the more dives the cheaper per dive it is.

Tranquilty also have dive packages plus they operate on a meal package also ( i said they were remote and basic but food is good)... even if you dont stay there, you can do it as a day trip which incs 2 dives & lunch and they will pick you up from your hotel

if wanting to use a dive shop in Vila... go with either Big Blue (Mike and Maggie Crawford ran Hideaway for almost 10yrs and when they left most of the regular DM's went with them), http://www.bigbluevanuatu.com/

otherwise ive heard good things about Nautilis Dive (Zeeman would vouch for them); http://www.nautilus.com.vu/scuba.htm

when in Santo.. i suggest either Aquamarine http://www.aquamarinesanto.com/ or Allan Power http://www.allan-power-santo.com/. but if you stay at Bokissa they have their own boats, http://www.bokissa.com/

mmmmmmmm - warm water!

 

[RockyHeap]

Just having got back from 2 weeks in Fiji, I concur that there is no travel risk in Fiji right now. Even in Suva, crime has been at the lowest its been in years. Christmas in Fiji with no crowds and happy civilians was a treat.

fiji is pretty cheap really (speaking from an American dollar point of view). And tahiti is ridicously overpriced in comparison.

NO crowds in Fiji even at resorts or on dive boats.,

Lots of cancellations at the resorts could get you a really good deal right now.