Starting to plan a trip to Truk/Chuuk - help please

[TEArrington]

Good to hear. I am also trying to figure out how to get back. I told my wife this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience. I am afraid I am going to have to retract that statement.

Well the first time you went was a once in a lifetime experience. But returning might be an experience you need to have a few times before you turn to sea foam. :blinking:

 

[TEArrington]

Women travelling to micronesia will also probably feel more confortable on a liveaboard especially if they want to tan their legs, an exposed thigh is very sexual to the micronesion men at least as much as most westerners view an exposed breast..

Is that true just in Chuuk, or also in Palau & Guam? I'm diving there this November, and want to be mindful of local customs.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I'm not sure I agree that you visit a wider variety of wrecks on the Odyssey. Both Truk Stop and Blue Lagoon will take divers to any and all wrecks in the lagoon. The statement about the experienced technical guide at Truk Stop has been true for the last couple of years but can't be depended upon. I'm sure the current manager (tech guide) has just about had enough of Truk and Truk Stop. Most of the guides on Truk aren't even DM's and most aren't even certified divers. They are excellent guides however.

If you have the money, I'd do the Odyssey but you can save money if you watch what you eat especially at Truk Stop which is very near a couple of grocery stores.

October 2008; Dec2008/Jan 2009; and Dec 2009 --are the last three times I've dove with the current manager of the Truk Lagoon Dive Center: when was the last time you were there Chuck to make a fair & informed opinion? Have you even met the present manager Kelvin Davidson, and how do you claim he's "had enough of Truk and Truk Stop" dive ops?

Better yet, I'll ask him myself --I'm going to be there again this coming Sept. Why don't you join us and tell him face-to-face your onsite impression of his dive operation as well??

http://www.asiadivers.com/techasia/Truk.pdf

 

[ncchuck]

October 2008; Dec2008/Jan 2009; and Dec 2009 --are the last three times I've dove with the current manager of the Truk Lagoon Dive Center: when was the last time you were there "Chuck to make a fair & informed opinion? Have you even met the present manager Kelvin Davidson, and how do you claim he's "had enough of Truk and Truk Stop" dive ops?

Better yet, I'll ask him myself --I'm going to be there again this coming Sept. Why don't you join us and tell him face-to-face your onsite impression of his dive operation as well??"

Wow, I wish I could join you. Thanks for the invite. I have heard that Kevin is one of the best around and I've never indicated anything but that. I've never seen a single bad remark about him or his staff. I certainly think he has the best operation on Chuuk and many people are missing a great operation by choosing other alternatives.

I am in frequent contact with some old friends from Chuuk so that's where I get my information. It's a tough place to work for many reasons. For the record, before Kevin arrived Truk Stop went through 7 or 8 managers in 3 years including me. I left because of personal issues with the absentee owner (his wife is a great lady) who rarely invested in the operation. I was also frustrated with the local government because of the way it treated the local people and the way they spent American tax dollars on which they totally exist. As a visitor you are lucky enough to never experience any of this first hand and you are treated as a money spending tourist. I loved the staff, most of the people of Chuuk and my living conditions.

I recommend Truk Stop frequently and would return there myself if I ever visited that part of the world again. If I ever do, I hope Kevin is still there.

 

[Scared Silly]

A couple of suggestions that have not been fully vetted but mentioned. Getting there - certainly plan of a few extra days. For our first trip we did the island hopper via Oahu. I did not find it so bad over all. We stopped in Phonpei on the way out. The second time we went via Nartia and Guam and then went to Palau for weeks (Turk was side trip). Given the travel time it might be worth while to plan something on the front or back end.

Many people push trough in one "day" and if all goes well you are set. One our second trip we almost did that and while we made it, 2 of 3 bags did not due to baggage errors not connection times. The good part is that we did not miss any diving and our bags got there the next day.

If you can use frequent flier miles do so. Absolutely on of the best values for the miles. On our last trip we used 410k miles to get 6 people there. Worked great but was a hassle the second trip.

Options for Oddessey. Many times shops book the whole boat and then release 1/2 when they can not fill it. Which was the case for both of our trips (the second we booked less than 60 days before we left). Given the economy if I knew I had much of 1/2 of the boat up front I would go for the whole boat. Other wise it might be worth get taking 1/2 so you do not get stuck with fees.

One dive that I think is a good day before or day after dive is Shark Island which is a cleaning station. So for folks coming in and wanting to have a couple of jet lag days but want to do a dive or two this dive is one I recommend.

 

[funscuba]

Hi, I might go to chuuk from march 2011, is it a good period question of weather to go over there ?
I am not loaded with cash, so would like to know what would be the cheapest option to stay in chuuk (not looking for a rat hole but a descent one close to a dive center) and whereto find cheap diving. I know there is Blue lagoon and Truk Stop but their prices are really way too high for me. Any tips ?
Thanks for the help !

 

[RJP]

Hi, I might go to chuuk from march 2011, is it a good period question of weather to go over there ?
I am not loaded with cash, so would like to know what would be the cheapest option to stay in chuuk (not looking for a rat hole but a descent one close to a dive center) and whereto find cheap diving. I know there is Blue lagoon and Truk Stop but their prices are really way too high for me. Any tips ?
Thanks for the help !

March is fine - was there last year in March.

That said, if Blue Lagoon and Truk stop are "way too high" for you, then you really shouldn't be heading there.

1.) They are fairly cheap as things go, and
2.) They are pretty much the only shows in town

 

[Joe Burns]

I just returned from a trip to Chu'uk/Truk Lagoon last month. We stayed on the Odyssey and had an INCREDIBLE experience. The diving was the best I've ever done, and the Odyssey and her crew were TOP NOTCH.

IMHO, I would not do a landbased trip to this area. Weno was in pretty deplorable condition when we were there, and I from what I saw (albeit limited exposure to the island) I would not want to stay there. We spent one night at Blue Lagoon after departing from the Odyssey and were thankful that it was located on a tip of the island a ways away from the "city". We saw the Truk Stop driving past, and it didn't look like someplace I would want to stay. Granted, I'm judging by appearances, but it didn't look like someplace I wanted to spend my time after travelling half way around the world. The dive centers at both places may be well run operations, but for accomodations - no thanks.

As for diving, we saw the land based operators buzzing around the lagoon in their dive boats... The boats are basically dinghy's with a small tarp over the top for some shade. The conditions in the lagoon are very calm, so I wouldn't be worried about the chop... but the dives are DEEP. Ask yourself if you would rather do a 10-15 deco stop under a dinghy with no hang bar, and then climb out of the drink exhausted after your 170' dive into a tiny boat, or whether you would want to do it from a liveaboard.

I'm afraid the Odyssey has me spoiled, but I can't imagine doing Truk Lagoon any other way. If you want/need to save the money you can do it... or if you are interested in "roughing it", going the land based route is an option. But if you are going as far as Micronesia and going to dive one of the greatest locations on earth - do yourself the favor of booking a cabin on The Odyssey. You will NOT be disappointed!

 

[RJP]

I just returned from a trip to Chu'uk/Truk Lagoon last month. We stayed on the Odyssey and had an INCREDIBLE experience. The diving was the best I've ever done, and the Odyssey and her crew were TOP NOTCH.

IMHO, I would not do a landbased trip to this area. Weno was in pretty deplorable condition when we were there, and I from what I saw (albeit limited exposure to the island) I would not want to stay there. We spent one night at Blue Lagoon after departing from the Odyssey and were thankful that it was located on a tip of the island a ways away from the "city". We saw the Truk Stop driving past, and it didn't look like someplace I would want to stay. Granted, I'm judging by appearances, but it didn't look like someplace I wanted to spend my time after travelling half way around the world. The dive centers at both places may be well run operations, but for accomodations - no thanks.

As for diving, we saw the land based operators buzzing around the lagoon in their dive boats... The boats are basically dinghy's with a small tarp over the top for some shade. The conditions in the lagoon are very calm, so I wouldn't be worried about the chop... but the dives are DEEP. Ask yourself if you would rather do a 10-15 deco stop under a dinghy with no hang bar, and then climb out of the drink exhausted after your 170' dive into a tiny boat, or whether you would want to do it from a liveaboard.

I'm afraid the Odyssey has me spoiled, but I can't imagine doing Truk Lagoon any other way. If you want/need to save the money you can do it... or if you are interested in "roughing it", going the land based route is an option. But if you are going as far as Micronesia and going to dive one of the greatest locations on earth - do yourself the favor of booking a cabin on The Odyssey. You will NOT be disappointed!

While I agree with the sentiments about the Odyssey - having spent two weeks aboard myself - I would not suggest that if you can't do the Odyssey that one shouldn't go. I did several days of diving with Blue Lagoon and had a great time with them, and loved my several day stay with them.

Truk Blue Lagoon Review

Truk Stop has a great dive operation, though I'd prefer the location at the Blue Lagoon for a week or more stay.

If $ not a consideration, then the Odyssey is the way to go. However, I would have no qualms recommending land-based to someone who had to scrape their pennies together to dive in Truk.

 

[funscuba]

Was wondering, is it so that Chuuk is mainly famous for it's, of course, "wrecks" and not for it's diverse marine diversity ? How's the marine life in Chuuk ?