I will be in Hong Kong this summer and would like to take a short dive trip (5days or so) to either Palau or Sipadan. Never been to either location. Does anyone have any suggestion as to which one I should pick? It seems like a long flight to both Palau or Sipadan!! Are diving tough in these places (currents, etc). My son received his junior certification last year. Any suggestion will be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hong kong to Palau or Sipadan?
- Thread starter fish10
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Please check the flight schedule from HK to Palau via Manila.
Continental is the ONLY carrier.
5 days is too short and I am not sure if your son can handle Blue Corner when the current is roaring. Without the current, the sharks will not come in and most of the sites are miles away from town.
For 5 days I would suggest Philippines(Anilao or Puerto Galera).
Continental is the ONLY carrier.
5 days is too short and I am not sure if your son can handle Blue Corner when the current is roaring. Without the current, the sharks will not come in and most of the sites are miles away from town.
For 5 days I would suggest Philippines(Anilao or Puerto Galera).
Peleliu currents tend to be much stronger than blue corner although both can be pretty darn entertaining. I seem to remember that jr certification has some more limiting depth guidlines which might not be compatible with most Palau diving. Blue corner sits at about 60 feet and you come up to it from the wall below. I'm not sure I would take someone with a fairly new jr certification there although many sites would be fine. I would say that the majority of sites would be best saved for another day. Can't tell you about Sipadan.
Sipadan would be a better choice for a young and inexperienced diver than Palau. And five days is enough to enjoy it. Sipadan is a bit of a chore to get to, from anywhere, but there is easy diving there and lots to see. Summer is the peak season for weather as well. All in all, between these two destinations, I'd recommend Sipadan.
Nishan
Contributor
second that. you will see reef sharks, schooling trevally, maybe barracuda and loads of turtles even with a 12m depth limit for Jnr. OW. Sipadan also tends to be 'cheaper' than Palau. might be easier to get to Phils for a 5 day trip so thats another option, but i doubt anything within a short flight away will match either Sipadan or Palau.
vladimir
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As already noted, the diving in Sipadan will be less challenging than in Palau for a new diver. Five days is enough time for a trip to Sipadan, in my opinion, and a week is the minimum amount I would want for a trip to Palau. As always, though, when it comes to dive trips, longer is better. The flight to Tawau (where you will get your boat to your resort) is 5 hours from HK, via Kota Kinabalu, and cost about $700. Travel time to Koror, Palau, is about 7 hours, via Manila, and costs about $1,500.
With 18m depth limited, diving at Sipadan is NOT worth the bother.
There are lot of sites that your son won't be allowed to dive.
You ougth to check the flight schedule from HK to Tawau as you might need to overnight at BKI. And if you abide 24hrs no-fly....you have little more than 2 days of diving out of your 5 days trip.
You should leave both Palau and Sipadan until your son has grown up. Then both of you can enjoy all the sites without any un-necessary anxiety.
For a proposed 5 days trip and with an in-experienced diver, Anilao in Philippines would get my vote.
Leave HK early and return late, you are guaranteed with over 3 full days of diving.
There are lot of sites that your son won't be allowed to dive.
You ougth to check the flight schedule from HK to Tawau as you might need to overnight at BKI. And if you abide 24hrs no-fly....you have little more than 2 days of diving out of your 5 days trip.
You should leave both Palau and Sipadan until your son has grown up. Then both of you can enjoy all the sites without any un-necessary anxiety.
For a proposed 5 days trip and with an in-experienced diver, Anilao in Philippines would get my vote.
Leave HK early and return late, you are guaranteed with over 3 full days of diving.
vladimir
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I agree that many dives were deeper than 18 meters. I am not sure that makes it "not worth it," though, but it's a good point to consider. These days when you go to Sipadan you only enter a lottery to dive there, and some portion of your diving is at Mabul, etc. How deep are those dives?
Also, your chances of diving Sipadan itself may be less on such a short trip.
Here's an itinerary that I just plucked off Travelocity:
Travel all day on May 5th, dive the 6th, 7th, and the morning of the 8th, and travel on the 9th, having completed a conservative 24-hour break since your last dive.
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If the chance of diving at Sipadan "may be less" on such a short trip then why bother!!
Mabul or Kapalai is not Sipadan.
If you plan a three days diving at Sipadan and you are ONLY allowed one day when you turn up at the resort!!!!! How would you feel? It should be: diving at Mabul/Kapalai with a side trip to Sipadan if enough permits are available!!!!!! I never seen any travel agent or dive resort being honest about that!!!!
I believe there are a lot of divers who are not aware that there is a quota on number of divers allow to dive Sipadan everyday.
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