Diving in Palau

"bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163889933.378117.237850@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

You think getting out there was bad? Wait until the return flights: two
red-eyes in a row. You'll have jet lag from hell, I promise.

"bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163889933.378117.237850@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

You think getting out there was bad? Wait until the return flights: two
red-eyes in a row. You'll have jet lag from hell, I promise.

"bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163889933.378117.237850@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

You think getting out there was bad? Wait until the return flights: two
red-eyes in a row. You'll have jet lag from hell, I promise.

"bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163889933.378117.237850@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...

> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

You think getting out there was bad? Wait until the return flights: two
red-eyes in a row. You'll have jet lag from hell, I promise.

bullshark wrote:
> We've been here 3 days now.
> Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
> it.

The price around Christmas is a bit high though I am staying at the
HK Conrad the cheapest room is over $400 USD a night. It was
$572 + tax on my day or arrival.
>

> Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash),

I did a shore dive at PPR because I had much better dives on the
liveaboard ahead. It was surprisingly GOOD! Visibility wasn't much
to crow about, but I saw some giant clams (a foot or two in size), and
some colorful Pacific Reef Fishes on that shore dive.


> and did turtle wall and
> Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
> that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
> of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
> never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
> held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.
> Disregard for the coral was excessive. The diveguides were standing on
> their fins at every opportunity...
>
> This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
> the Aggressor tonight.
> Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
> MantaRay Bay.

I think that's called the Manta Ray Resort. That was where I stayed on
one of my trips because the flight schedule allowed only a 3 night stay
there -- but I was sorely disappointed and was SICK of seeing the
Mantas
because for FIVE consecutive dives (in three days) the Manta Ray shop
took the group back to the SAME spot to watch the same Mantas
gliding over the same rock.
>
> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

Flight to Palau is a piece of cake on CO (Air Mike) which monopolized
the HNL to Guam route. Flying to Bali (or back) on CO is pure hell.
Bali - Singapore - San Francisco direct would have been the way.
But I was on an all CO (NW) flight, which went from Bali - Singapore -
Narita - Guam - Honolulu - LAX - Newark - ATL. I was also
locked
out of the airport hotel the first night because I went out of the
airport
to retrieve two extra pieces left in Singapore -- thus my return flight
was a record that was unlikely to be ever broken (52 hours real time,
with no more than 2 hours at each airport except Singapore).
>
> bullshark

The next generation of flying -- the Airbus 780 had its debut landing
in
Kowloon (Hong Kong) yesterday on its test flight (with the crew of 78).
It's passenger capacity is over 800.

Taking a sightseeing break at the HK Conrad.

-- Reef Fish Bob.

bullshark wrote:
> We've been here 3 days now.
> Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
> it.

The price around Christmas is a bit high though I am staying at the
HK Conrad the cheapest room is over $400 USD a night. It was
$572 + tax on my day or arrival.
>

> Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash),

I did a shore dive at PPR because I had much better dives on the
liveaboard ahead. It was surprisingly GOOD! Visibility wasn't much
to crow about, but I saw some giant clams (a foot or two in size), and
some colorful Pacific Reef Fishes on that shore dive.


> and did turtle wall and
> Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
> that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
> of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
> never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
> held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.
> Disregard for the coral was excessive. The diveguides were standing on
> their fins at every opportunity...
>
> This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
> the Aggressor tonight.
> Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
> MantaRay Bay.

I think that's called the Manta Ray Resort. That was where I stayed on
one of my trips because the flight schedule allowed only a 3 night stay
there -- but I was sorely disappointed and was SICK of seeing the
Mantas
because for FIVE consecutive dives (in three days) the Manta Ray shop
took the group back to the SAME spot to watch the same Mantas
gliding over the same rock.
>
> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

Flight to Palau is a piece of cake on CO (Air Mike) which monopolized
the HNL to Guam route. Flying to Bali (or back) on CO is pure hell.
Bali - Singapore - San Francisco direct would have been the way.
But I was on an all CO (NW) flight, which went from Bali - Singapore -
Narita - Guam - Honolulu - LAX - Newark - ATL. I was also
locked
out of the airport hotel the first night because I went out of the
airport
to retrieve two extra pieces left in Singapore -- thus my return flight
was a record that was unlikely to be ever broken (52 hours real time,
with no more than 2 hours at each airport except Singapore).
>
> bullshark

The next generation of flying -- the Airbus 780 had its debut landing
in
Kowloon (Hong Kong) yesterday on its test flight (with the crew of 78).
It's passenger capacity is over 800.

Taking a sightseeing break at the HK Conrad.

-- Reef Fish Bob.

bullshark wrote:
> We've been here 3 days now.
> Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
> it.

The price around Christmas is a bit high though I am staying at the
HK Conrad the cheapest room is over $400 USD a night. It was
$572 + tax on my day or arrival.
>

> Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash),

I did a shore dive at PPR because I had much better dives on the
liveaboard ahead. It was surprisingly GOOD! Visibility wasn't much
to crow about, but I saw some giant clams (a foot or two in size), and
some colorful Pacific Reef Fishes on that shore dive.


> and did turtle wall and
> Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
> that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
> of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
> never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
> held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.
> Disregard for the coral was excessive. The diveguides were standing on
> their fins at every opportunity...
>
> This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
> the Aggressor tonight.
> Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
> MantaRay Bay.

I think that's called the Manta Ray Resort. That was where I stayed on
one of my trips because the flight schedule allowed only a 3 night stay
there -- but I was sorely disappointed and was SICK of seeing the
Mantas
because for FIVE consecutive dives (in three days) the Manta Ray shop
took the group back to the SAME spot to watch the same Mantas
gliding over the same rock.
>
> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

Flight to Palau is a piece of cake on CO (Air Mike) which monopolized
the HNL to Guam route. Flying to Bali (or back) on CO is pure hell.
Bali - Singapore - San Francisco direct would have been the way.
But I was on an all CO (NW) flight, which went from Bali - Singapore -
Narita - Guam - Honolulu - LAX - Newark - ATL. I was also
locked
out of the airport hotel the first night because I went out of the
airport
to retrieve two extra pieces left in Singapore -- thus my return flight
was a record that was unlikely to be ever broken (52 hours real time,
with no more than 2 hours at each airport except Singapore).
>
> bullshark

The next generation of flying -- the Airbus 780 had its debut landing
in
Kowloon (Hong Kong) yesterday on its test flight (with the crew of 78).
It's passenger capacity is over 800.

Taking a sightseeing break at the HK Conrad.

-- Reef Fish Bob.

bullshark wrote:
> We've been here 3 days now.
> Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
> it.

The price around Christmas is a bit high though I am staying at the
HK Conrad the cheapest room is over $400 USD a night. It was
$572 + tax on my day or arrival.
>

> Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash),

I did a shore dive at PPR because I had much better dives on the
liveaboard ahead. It was surprisingly GOOD! Visibility wasn't much
to crow about, but I saw some giant clams (a foot or two in size), and
some colorful Pacific Reef Fishes on that shore dive.


> and did turtle wall and
> Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
> that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
> of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
> never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
> held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.
> Disregard for the coral was excessive. The diveguides were standing on
> their fins at every opportunity...
>
> This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
> the Aggressor tonight.
> Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
> MantaRay Bay.

I think that's called the Manta Ray Resort. That was where I stayed on
one of my trips because the flight schedule allowed only a 3 night stay
there -- but I was sorely disappointed and was SICK of seeing the
Mantas
because for FIVE consecutive dives (in three days) the Manta Ray shop
took the group back to the SAME spot to watch the same Mantas
gliding over the same rock.
>
> The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

Flight to Palau is a piece of cake on CO (Air Mike) which monopolized
the HNL to Guam route. Flying to Bali (or back) on CO is pure hell.
Bali - Singapore - San Francisco direct would have been the way.
But I was on an all CO (NW) flight, which went from Bali - Singapore -
Narita - Guam - Honolulu - LAX - Newark - ATL. I was also
locked
out of the airport hotel the first night because I went out of the
airport
to retrieve two extra pieces left in Singapore -- thus my return flight
was a record that was unlikely to be ever broken (52 hours real time,
with no more than 2 hours at each airport except Singapore).
>
> bullshark

The next generation of flying -- the Airbus 780 had its debut landing
in
Kowloon (Hong Kong) yesterday on its test flight (with the crew of 78).
It's passenger capacity is over 800.

Taking a sightseeing break at the HK Conrad.

-- Reef Fish Bob.

On 18 Nov 2006 14:45:33 -0800, "bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote:

>We've been here 3 days now.
>Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
>it.
>

Awaiting your full report when you return, since I'll be going in February and also staying
at the PPR.

>Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash), and did turtle wall and
>Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
>that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
>of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
>never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
>held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.

I'll be using Sam's Tours. They pick you up right on the PPR beach so that
should work out. Hopefully, they'll do better.

>This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
>the Aggressor tonight.

How crowded at this time of year? What's the weather like (ie. how much percip.)?

>Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
>MantaRay Bay.
>
>The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

What route did you take? I'm going CO 99 EWR-->HKG, and then CS HKG-->GUM and then
GUM-->ROR and back. And how long is the trip in total? I'll be going for roughly 1/2 a month
door to door.
____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

On 18 Nov 2006 14:45:33 -0800, "bullshark" <bullshark@gmail.com> wrote:

>We've been here 3 days now.
>Staying at the Palau Pacific Resort, and can't say enough good about
>it.
>

Awaiting your full report when you return, since I'll be going in February and also staying
at the PPR.

>Dove with the house dive op yesterday (Splash), and did turtle wall and
>Blue Corner. I can't say anything good about the dive operator except
>that the people are nice, and the boats are fast, shaded and have lots
>of water. The diveguides were remarkably mediocre and apparently they
>never heard of a dive lasting more than 45 minutes. From conversation
>held with others, the short dives seem to be a common practice.

I'll be using Sam's Tours. They pick you up right on the PPR beach so that
should work out. Hopefully, they'll do better.

>This place is drop dead gorgeous. I hate to leave, but we have to board
>the Aggressor tonight.

How crowded at this time of year? What's the weather like (ie. how much percip.)?

>Finally, we leave the Aggressor for a week in Yap staying at the
>MantaRay Bay.
>
>The flights to Palau were arduous...far worse than flying to Bali.

What route did you take? I'm going CO 99 EWR-->HKG, and then CS HKG-->GUM and then
GUM-->ROR and back. And how long is the trip in total? I'll be going for roughly 1/2 a month
door to door.
____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold