Palau or Philipines? Been to Solomons and wonder if anything could beat that?

[jake11]

I agree that RA/Komodo would be too much! We have done Lembeh/Ra and Ambon/RA and both trips were stellar! I agree with shastaman about the Dewi Nusantara! Fantastic trip on that boat. Did another boat on the other 2 trips to RA and there was NO comparison to the Dewi. Pick your LOB wisely and get lots of opinions on which boat to choose from people that have been on them!

 

[charlier]

Hi all, I will jump in with a related question. Living in Singapore, we are spoiled with easy access to Komodo Islands and Raja Ampat/Banda Sea, and Alor. We never really felt a need to travel further afar. For bigger and schooling fish (e.g., trevally, tuna, mackerel, sharks, et al.) and healthy/unspoiled corals should we consider Palau or a Tubbahata reef LOB. Or should we just stay local in Indonesia. The Banda Sea or Pantar Is (Alor) has really great visibility and bigger fish if ine goes a bit deeper into the open blue. In addition, if possible, it's great to avoid too many bubbles around us. We are comfortable in currents...

 

[Shasta_man]

Charlier, I would say you already access to great corals and pretty good schools in Indo and traveling elsewhere would just be access to sharks.

 

[jake11]

There is something about Palau that is pretty cool!!!

 

[scubagirl1957]

I agree with Hutch12 as I've also done both Philippines and Palau. If you go for Palau try Sam's Tours. All dive operators are good and go to the same sites but Sam's has unlimited free diving on their house reef (simply jump in off the jetty) which is full of Mandarin fish at sunset. Fabulous! Also bear in mind that you don't have to spend a fortune on accommodation as you'll be out on the dive boat all day then enjoying the mandarin fish when you get back so you won't spend much time in your hotel.

 

[jake11]

Hutch 12 is right about the comparisons of Palau and the Phillipines. We did land based on Palau and used Sam's Tours. They were awesome!! We loved our Palau trip!!! We stayed one week at PPR ( loved it there) and Sea Passions. Both had their pros!!!! The Phillipines trip was great!! We stayed at Atlantis resort on Dumaguette. Great resort!!! Both are great choices but I am leaning towards Palau!!

 

[drbill]

I don't try to compare dive sites to see which one beats another. As a marine biologist, I go to a destination for one of several reasons. First, I've never been there (Africa and South America are on the books for 2015); (2) I want to gather footage from a new location with new species or a different set of ecological parameters or (3) I need to collect more footage of critters from a region I have visited before.

I find each destination to be different and try to assess what makes them different. Thus even a destination where (for example) coral reefs are unhealthy is worth going to if only so I can better understand why it is failing.

 

[jklassy]

I have done liveaboards in all three locations. I liked Palau and the Solomons equally well. They are somewhat different (more big stuff in Palau, more amazing coral and schools of fish in the Solomons) but both equally amazing. I thought the Philippines, while nice, was far less memorable than the other two. I consider Palau and the Solomons to be trips of a lifetime. The Philippines is more of an average trip.

 

[pterantula]

Hiya!
I am based in San Francisco, California (US) so my "local" dive sites are Central America and Hawaii. For a bigger trip my research is leading me towards Palau or the Phillipines.

Whoa, whoa, whoa - you're based in SF, and your local diving isn't Monterey/Carmel?? For shame! (In all honesty, I've been to a few places around the world, and the kelp forests of Carmel stand up to anything I've ever seen (Galapagos, Cocos, Fiji, Bahamas, etc.). It's the one perk of living in Silicon Valley.)

FWIW, I'm currently researching Palau as well, but if you've never been to Cocos, I really, really recommend it.....

 

[shannonkauai]

Palau is great I have a small group trip planned there in February 2015. 8 people and we will have our own boat chartered let me know if you are interested and I can send you the link