French Polynesia (Fakarava) versus Fiji (Beqa Lagoon) versus Palau (Koror)

[qwimjim]

Hello everybody,

Even though you have made up your mind I thought I would write a comment as I have been to all three places. Fiji was my favorite. Beqa Lagoon is known for the shark dive but the rest of the diving there is just ok. I would recommend going for just a few days and staying in Pacific Harbor and diving with the operator aquatrek. They are the best operator and they created the shark dive. I stayed in Taveuni and the diving there was amazing, better than both other places. The island itself was beautiful with waterfalls and a lot of adventures. we stayed at Garden island resort as it is in the best location for diving.
If you ever decide to go to Fiji, I would recommend you book with Aquatrek in the U.S. Look them up on the internet. They only book Fiji and the lady there knows everything there is to know about Fiji and Fiji diving. We spent 3 weeks in Fiji diving Kadavu, Beqa Lagoon, Taveuni, the Yasawas. Every place she booked for us was excellent. Have a great trip!

What did you prefer about Fiji that you enjoyed it more than Rangiroa/Fakarava and Palau? Thanks!

---------- Post added May 2nd, 2015 at 01:48 PM ----------

We have been to all 3 places and we liked Palau the best! Bequa lagoon was nice and we did see the Tiger shark on our shark dive but outside of that the dives were just okay. We were there in October and the weather was kind of rainy. We liked Tahiti but we were pretty new divers and back then I was happy diving our local lake! Tahiti is one of the most beautiful places we have been so you can't go wrong if you choose this option. Try staying at Palau Pacific Resort in Palau. That place is magical. I loved it there. Most of our dives were fabulous and you can not beat the top side scenery of the Rock Islands! I would go back there in a heartbeat. Now if we can just catch a break on the airfare from the states then we are there! Have fun!

Did you dive Rangiroa and Fakarava? If so just curious how they compared to Palau and why you prefered Palau diving?

 

[Cali_diver]

Having done all three myself including both Palau and Fiji this year I would recommend Fiji. Fakarava and Rangiroa are great but diving is pretty much the same dives everyday... Outer reef when the current is running out and pass when running in. Awesome sharks and an occasional mantas. Fiji (I did Beqa and the liveaboard Naia) has great pinnacles and reefs, we dove a couple passes with one having a huge congregation of Grey Reef Sharks. We also saw hammerheads, mantas and spotted eagle rays at a few different sites. The shark dive at Beqa Lagoon has a ton of sharks including 8-10 Bulls, Lemons, Tawny Nurse Sharks, Greys, Silvers and the occasional visit of a Tiger. The corals are amazing in Fiji and the fish populations very plentiful with some pretty nice macro as well. In Palau you will have similar dives but with just primarily greys and black tips. Oh and usually 8 or 9 other dive boats on popular sites. Maybe it depends on the time of year but Palau is very, very popular even when on a Liveaboard. The day boats go to the same places as the Liveaboards. Palau is also kind of a pain to get to for me. All three are nice places, so you just have to pick the type of experience you want.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

If you are thinking Fiji and Beqa Island, you want to consider Lalati Resort. Compared to Beqa Lagoon Resort, access to better dive sites, on a protected bay, a tad more intimate, newer boats. And I have a super 7 night FLASH SALE at Lalati that includes airfare LAX-NAN for $1985 per person (diving extra).

 

[qwimjim]

Having done all three myself including both Palau and Fiji this year I would recommend Fiji. Fakarava and Rangiroa are great but diving is pretty much the same dives everyday... Outer reef when the current is running out and pass when running in. Awesome sharks and an occasional mantas. Fiji (I did Beqa and the liveaboard Naia) has great pinnacles and reefs, we dove a couple passes with one having a huge congregation of Grey Reef Sharks. We also saw hammerheads, mantas and spotted eagle rays at a few different sites. The shark dive at Beqa Lagoon has a ton of sharks including 8-10 Bulls, Lemons, Tawny Nurse Sharks, Greys, Silvers and the occasional visit of a Tiger. The corals are amazing in Fiji and the fish populations very plentiful with some pretty nice macro as well. In Palau you will have similar dives but with just primarily greys and black tips. Oh and usually 8 or 9 other dive boats on popular sites. Maybe it depends on the time of year but Palau is very, very popular even when on a Liveaboard. The day boats go to the same places as the Liveaboards. Palau is also kind of a pain to get to for me. All three are nice places, so you just have to pick the type of experience you want.

Did you make it to Fakarava South Pass? The wall of sharks I've seen in youtube videos seems absolutely incredible. Will look into Fijij based on your recommendation though, but we will be land based.

 

[Cali_diver]

We never made it south but were not too disappointed since the north pass had its own wall of sharks. The outer reef was heavily populated with larger sharks and the pass was filled with greys and blacktips. We were there in July and the groupers were spawning so they carpeted the reef as well.

I can recommend Lalati in Beqa Lagoon as well. We just got back and it was fantastic. The diver to guide ratio was 2 - 1. Great service and nice accomodations. Try to do a liveaboard as well!

 

[Scubagolf]

We have been to all three. Beqa Lagoon is certainly last of the three on my list. Very good coral but not so much otherwise. If it is shark diving you want, FP is the choice. My favorite of the three is Palau, but we were on the Palau Siren, which really enhanced the experience.

 

[qwimjim]

We have been to all three. Beqa Lagoon is certainly last of the three on my list. Very good coral but not so much otherwise. If it is shark diving you want, FP is the choice. My favorite of the three is Palau, but we were on the Palau Siren, which really enhanced the experience.

Thanks, can you expand on why Palau was your favorite? And did you go to Fakarava North and South when you went to FP?

 

[wico6768]

We never made it south but were not too disappointed since the north pass had its own wall of sharks. The outer reef was heavily populated with larger sharks and the pass was filled with greys and blacktips. We were there in July and the groupers were spawning so they carpeted the reef as well.

I can recommend Lalati in Beqa Lagoon as well. We just got back and it was fantastic. The diver to guide ratio was 2 - 1. Great service and nice accomodations. Try to do a liveaboard as well!

Same with us.

We didn't go to the South because if you aren't staying there, the timing is off for the dives you see on youtube, even if you do make the long boat ride over. And, we don't want to stay in the available place in the South pass. A little too gilligan's island because the bungalows at Ramiti do not have electricity in them. And I have also heard, but do not know for sure, it's not really a good location to snorkel just off the beach you're at. And, the village in Fakarava, north pass, is very pretty and we enjoy riding our bikes from where we stay into the village. It is a quiet, beautiful place and barely any tourists. UNLESS it is cruise day. Then the atoll is overrun with them, everywhere. We don't dive on cruise day. So, the dives we did were about 6 divers, 2 guides. Boats a big larger than the Rangiroa zodiacs, but not much. Easy boat ride out to the dive site, not too long, but a bit further than the 5 minute ride you have in Rangiroa. Fakarava you'll do both dives in the morning, Rangiroa you will do a morning and then early afternoon dive.

If the current is right, they will do the Ali Baba dive, and you will fly through the pass.

But in the North, we've stayed twice and there were lots of large sharks. This time, we started one of the dives down at about 95 ish feet, watching the wall of sharks, and then in the pass as we went shallower (now at about 60 ish), were surrounded by sardines, just millions of them looked like, and sharks circling with them. Shark everywhere, it was really cool. We sat there and just watched awhile then made our way shallower to end the dive.

We have never been disappointed on a dive in Fakarava or in Rangiroa. Fakarava you will not see dolphin though.

We have not been to the other locations, just because travel from where we are is already long enough to get to FP.

 

[qwimjim]

Same with us.

We didn't go to the South because if you aren't staying there, the timing is off for the dives you see on youtube, even if you do make the long boat ride over.

Are you sure about this?

 

[wico6768]

Are you sure about this?

That is what we were told, given the departure time, the currents, and the arrival time at the South. It wasn't worth it to us, we loved the diving in the North anyway,a nd didn't feel like doing the trip if the times were off. Also, you ahve to leave at an early enough time, so you are back at the North.

If you want to go, and want to do it, more power to you but we loved what we already had in the North. I guess I trusted the dive op, they do dive in both passes, and did explain the timing of it all. We asked, because we were strongly considering paying to make the trip. We also talked to an Italian man (who dove with us in the North and also did the trip to the South). He said he would have been happier just diving the North again.

Could they be lying? I guess so, but not sure why, it is much more expensive for the trip to the South and they would make more off of it. But sure, they could be lying I guess.

So, I would likely only do it if we stayed South, and we aren't going to stay South unless/until the pensions there have bungalows with electricity in them. We have too much else we want to do in addition to diving, it is a vacation trip that we dive on, not a dive trip that we camp out on.