Need Help Choosing a South Pacific Dive location

Hello,

I have some time off and am considering going diving in the S.
Pacific.


Here are the locations that are available to me due to airline
requirements:
Tonga
Norfolk Isl
New Caledonia
Fiji
Tonga
Cook Islands
Rarotonga
Apia (not sure where that is)

I might be able toget to Vanuatu also.. but not sure.

Im an advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt. Ive basically
just done Oz, Thailand, Florida and Brazil. Nothing major in the
Carribean, but since Im over here on this side of the world, Id like
to check out the S. Pacific. Im not sure if these places are better
seen on a live aboard, or since im on the island anyway, I can just do
day dives. Im not looking to spend thousands on accomodation, just
have some good diving and maybe feel like I really enjoyed what I saw
and the time I spent there.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I already booked temporarily a flight to Tonga, but after reading some
of the posts about Tonga, Im inclined to change it to one of the other
destinations.

Ok. Looking forward to any advice

Regards
John

Fiji wins "hands-down" this time of year, in my opinion. I've made over
13 trips to Fiji over the years.

I made two trips to Tonga. Va V'au is a pretty place -- fjiords and palm
trees. The diving is not bad...I would rate it a step down from Fiji
though. Not as much coral in Va V'au. Also the infrastructure -- roads,
et al ....are poor and are made of ground coral....so all of the taxi
drivers have hacking coughs. I felt very sorry for them...clouds of fine
coral cust. The country is rather run down.

New Caledonia....I've been there twice. The place is wrecked with all of
the strife they've had there ....French colonial masters vs. the
indigenous Melanesian population. There's some good diving at the Ille
des Pins, a pretty destination with talcom-lie powder sand. Again, we're
talking about a French island group -- I don't think serious divers go to
Nouvelle Caldeonia and very few Aussies or Kiwis go there even though
efforts have been made to sell the islands to tourists from Australia and
NZ. I like the French, but some think they are rather "frosty" to
outsiders and the native people (melanesians) look very angry because
their hopes for independence have been thwarted. And there's that big
nickel mine there.

Vanuatu....land of coral and ashes......(ashes from active
volcanoes--after all this is the subduction zone and seizmically active)
I've been there 5/6 times. Not much of interest to dive beyond "Santo"
and the famous wreck of the US luxury liner. Efforts have been made to
sell charter diving there but don't seem to get anywhere. Natives are not
too friendly.

Appia...that's the country of Westsern Samoa....forget about it. No reefs
there. Interesting island where Robert Louis Stevenson is burried and
the movie "Return to Paradise" was filmed there many years ago. Aggie
Grey was near 90 when I stayed at her famous inn (Appia) and she appeared
and threw a lei around my neck as I was greeted upon arrival-- she was
reportedly the original "Bloody Mary." I felt that I had been covered
with glory. She's dead now.

Norfolk Island -- that is relatively cold water...a former penal colony of
a thousand horrors and the home of that odd looking pine. I've never been
there but curious about it (half way bet'n Australia and NZ). Probably
not many flights there ...so you would be stuck for several days before
you could get out.

Roratonga...some report the diving to be poor. No dive charter diving
groups ever go there. That must say something. Roratonga and Aituti-taki
or whatever it is called are structly for NZ tourists and scuba diving of
any consequence is low anyone's horizon.

in your list, you neglected the Solomons. Uepi might be a good place for
you to visit. Just walk right out by the main dock and jump in (a pass in
the reef makes this a wonderful sight and no need for boat transport).
Also, Ghizo might be a good place to finish off your trip. Some good
diving there. The hotel in Ghizo has A/C but Uepi does not, but there is
a breeze -- most of the time.

You also missed mention of PNG. Max Benjamin's place on New Brittain had
good diving with many beautiful corals, elephants ear and a lot of exotic
things you wouldn't see anywhere else. Max has some beautiful diving up
there that is not boat charter based. I don't any of his cabins have
A/C.


John Wells wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have some time off and am considering going diving in the S.
> Pacific.
>
> Here are the locations that are available to me due to airline
> requirements:
> Tonga
> Norfolk Isl
> New Caledonia
> Fiji
> Tonga
> Cook Islands
> Rarotonga
> Apia (not sure where that is)
>
> I might be able toget to Vanuatu also.. but not sure.
>
> Im an advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt. Ive basically
> just done Oz, Thailand, Florida and Brazil. Nothing major in the
> Carribean, but since Im over here on this side of the world, Id like
> to check out the S. Pacific. Im not sure if these places are better
> seen on a live aboard, or since im on the island anyway, I can just do
> day dives. Im not looking to spend thousands on accomodation, just
> have some good diving and maybe feel like I really enjoyed what I saw
> and the time I spent there.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> I already booked temporarily a flight to Tonga, but after reading some
> of the posts about Tonga, Im inclined to change it to one of the other
> destinations.
>
> Ok. Looking forward to any advice
>
> Regards
> John

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 13:56:56 +0000, Daniel Kessler wrote:

> Vanuatu....land of coral and ashes......(ashes from active
> volcanoes--after all this is the subduction zone and seizmically active)
> I've been there 5/6 times. Not much of interest to dive beyond "Santo"
> and the famous wreck of the US luxury liner. Efforts have been made to
> sell charter diving there but don't seem to get anywhere. Natives are not
> too friendly.

I have to disagree. Vanuatu is one of the friendliest places I've ever
been. Everyone says hello to you as you pass them in the streets.

Not sure the President Coolidge is a good idea for someone with 50 dives
though.

Jason
--
http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for Australian trip reports including
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia

John,

Fiji is a prime Dive destination with color and culture. There are
variety of islands to choose from.
PNG and Solomons come close second but more virigin reefs and Malaria
is definitely a problem there.
If you interested in some high drift diving along the channels then
head to Tahiti (Manihi, Tikahoe, Fakarava are very good).
Don't waste your time in Carribean as they are very weak when compared
to the above.

Davis

rip_saw777@yahoo.com (John Wells) wrote in message news:<75313447.0406290129.20d776f9@posting.google. com>...
> Hello,
>
> I have some time off and am considering going diving in the S.
> Pacific.
>
>
> Here are the locations that are available to me due to airline
> requirements:
> Tonga
> Norfolk Isl
> New Caledonia
> Fiji
> Tonga
> Cook Islands
> Rarotonga
> Apia (not sure where that is)
>
> I might be able toget to Vanuatu also.. but not sure.
>
> Im an advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt. Ive basically
> just done Oz, Thailand, Florida and Brazil. Nothing major in the
> Carribean, but since Im over here on this side of the world, Id like
> to check out the S. Pacific. Im not sure if these places are better
> seen on a live aboard, or since im on the island anyway, I can just do
> day dives. Im not looking to spend thousands on accomodation, just
> have some good diving and maybe feel like I really enjoyed what I saw
> and the time I spent there.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> I already booked temporarily a flight to Tonga, but after reading some
> of the posts about Tonga, Im inclined to change it to one of the other
> destinations.
>
> Ok. Looking forward to any advice
>
> Regards
> John

I forgot to mention that Tahiti is a possibility.


Im only limited because I have to fly with Air NZ. They dont fly to
the Solomons I think. I believe you have only Solomon air, but I could
be wrong.

So sounds like your overall recommendation would be Fiji.

What else is there to do there? Is it sort of like Cancun or some
resort type city or are there locals who live there too.

Thanks
John

Daniel Kessler <dkessler@pop.cybernex.net> wrote in message news:<40E17576.17646117@pop.cybernex.net>...
> Fiji wins "hands-down" this time of year, in my opinion. I've made over
> 13 trips to Fiji over the years.
>
> I made two trips to Tonga. Va V'au is a pretty place -- fjiords and palm
> trees. The diving is not bad...I would rate it a step down from Fiji
> though. Not as much coral in Va V'au. Also the infrastructure -- roads,
> et al ....are poor and are made of ground coral....so all of the taxi
> drivers have hacking coughs. I felt very sorry for them...clouds of fine
> coral cust. The country is rather run down.
>
> New Caledonia....I've been there twice. The place is wrecked with all of
> the strife they've had there ....French colonial masters vs. the
> indigenous Melanesian population. There's some good diving at the Ille
> des Pins, a pretty destination with talcom-lie powder sand. Again, we're
> talking about a French island group -- I don't think serious divers go to
> Nouvelle Caldeonia and very few Aussies or Kiwis go there even though
> efforts have been made to sell the islands to tourists from Australia and
> NZ. I like the French, but some think they are rather "frosty" to
> outsiders and the native people (melanesians) look very angry because
> their hopes for independence have been thwarted. And there's that big
> nickel mine there.
>
> Vanuatu....land of coral and ashes......(ashes from active
> volcanoes--after all this is the subduction zone and seizmically active)
> I've been there 5/6 times. Not much of interest to dive beyond "Santo"
> and the famous wreck of the US luxury liner. Efforts have been made to
> sell charter diving there but don't seem to get anywhere. Natives are not
> too friendly.
>
> Appia...that's the country of Westsern Samoa....forget about it. No reefs
> there. Interesting island where Robert Louis Stevenson is burried and
> the movie "Return to Paradise" was filmed there many years ago. Aggie
> Grey was near 90 when I stayed at her famous inn (Appia) and she appeared
> and threw a lei around my neck as I was greeted upon arrival-- she was
> reportedly the original "Bloody Mary." I felt that I had been covered
> with glory. She's dead now.
>
> Norfolk Island -- that is relatively cold water...a former penal colony of
> a thousand horrors and the home of that odd looking pine. I've never been
> there but curious about it (half way bet'n Australia and NZ). Probably
> not many flights there ...so you would be stuck for several days before
> you could get out.
>
> Roratonga...some report the diving to be poor. No dive charter diving
> groups ever go there. That must say something. Roratonga and Aituti-taki
> or whatever it is called are structly for NZ tourists and scuba diving of
> any consequence is low anyone's horizon.
>
> in your list, you neglected the Solomons. Uepi might be a good place for
> you to visit. Just walk right out by the main dock and jump in (a pass in
> the reef makes this a wonderful sight and no need for boat transport).
> Also, Ghizo might be a good place to finish off your trip. Some good
> diving there. The hotel in Ghizo has A/C but Uepi does not, but there is
> a breeze -- most of the time.
>
> You also missed mention of PNG. Max Benjamin's place on New Brittain had
> good diving with many beautiful corals, elephants ear and a lot of exotic
> things you wouldn't see anywhere else. Max has some beautiful diving up
> there that is not boat charter based. I don't any of his cabins have
> A/C.
>
>
> John Wells wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have some time off and am considering going diving in the S.
> > Pacific.
> >
> > Here are the locations that are available to me due to airline
> > requirements:
> > Tonga
> > Norfolk Isl
> > New Caledonia
> > Fiji
> > Tonga
> > Cook Islands
> > Rarotonga
> > Apia (not sure where that is)
> >
> > I might be able toget to Vanuatu also.. but not sure.
> >
> > Im an advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt. Ive basically
> > just done Oz, Thailand, Florida and Brazil. Nothing major in the
> > Carribean, but since Im over here on this side of the world, Id like
> > to check out the S. Pacific. Im not sure if these places are better
> > seen on a live aboard, or since im on the island anyway, I can just do
> > day dives. Im not looking to spend thousands on accomodation, just
> > have some good diving and maybe feel like I really enjoyed what I saw
> > and the time I spent there.
> >
> > Any advice would be appreciated.
> >
> > I already booked temporarily a flight to Tonga, but after reading some
> > of the posts about Tonga, Im inclined to change it to one of the other
> > destinations.
> >
> > Ok. Looking forward to any advice
> >
> > Regards
> > John

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 21:29:58 +1200, John Wells wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have some time off and am considering going diving in the S. Pacific.
>
>
> Here are the locations that are available to me due to airline
> requirements:
> Tonga
> Norfolk Isl
> New Caledonia
> Fiji
> Tonga
> Cook Islands
> Rarotonga
> Apia (not sure where that is)
>
> I might be able toget to Vanuatu also.. but not sure.
>
> Im an advanced diver with about 50 dives under my belt. Ive basically
> just done Oz, Thailand, Florida and Brazil. Nothing major in the
> Carribean, but since Im over here on this side of the world, Id like to
> check out the S. Pacific. Im not sure if these places are better seen on
> a live aboard, or since im on the island anyway, I can just do day
> dives. Im not looking to spend thousands on accomodation, just have some
> good diving and maybe feel like I really enjoyed what I saw and the time
> I spent there.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> I already booked temporarily a flight to Tonga, but after reading some
> of the posts about Tonga, Im inclined to change it to one of the other
> destinations.
>
> Ok. Looking forward to any advice
>
> Regards
> John

Hi John.
Apia is the capital of Western Samoa.
Rarotonga is the main island of the Cooks.
My personal pick would be Fiji for the corals.
http://www.fijidive.com/
Second choice would be Rarotonga because it is
such a beautiful place. There are some wrecks dives,
and accommodation is plentiful and cheap.
http://www.thedivecentre-rarotonga.com/

hth
Brian

BrianM wrote:

> Hi John.
> Apia is the capital of Western Samoa.
> Rarotonga is the main island of the Cooks.
> My personal pick would be Fiji for the corals.
> http://www.fijidive.com/
> Second choice would be Rarotonga because it is
> such a beautiful place. There are some wrecks dives,
> and accommodation is plentiful and cheap.
> http://www.thedivecentre-rarotonga.com/
>
> hth
> Brian
HI Brian,

I guess like most opinions YMMV, but as a dive destination. It obviously
depends on what your main priority is. If it is mainly diving, I would not
return to Raro is a dive 'destination'. I would go back for a holiday and
do a few dives, but not go bezerk diving there.

I spent my honeymoon there in April. I am kiwi - Have only dived Most of
New Zealand (Temperate stuff poor knights, Coromandel, Fiordland, Stewart
Island etc) Malaysia (tioman), and Rarotonga but would not recommend Raro
in terms of Diving. Great Honeymoon destination,culture and cruisy
lifestyle, pretty lagoon etc [you can feel the blood pressure dropping when
you wake up on the first morning]. But would suggest the Diving is far
from being in the top destinations for diving only (but still well worth
getting in the 26-29deg water!). Send email for some pics of the diving
there if you like

John if you do go there, I dived with both Pacific Divers and Cook Island
Divers and found Cook Island Divers the better operation (albeit more
expensive) as the sites were not the same as the other operators and the
boats more comfy.

From other Divers I have talked to about diving in the south Pacific, Fiji,
PNG, Samoa in that order. I know it is not on your list but..... My
personal hankering is for the Solomoms (by liveaboard). If all you want to
do is dive that is... Safety has been an issue - but as far as I know not
at them moment.

Again YMMV
Cheers
Troy

I would say that the natives are extremely shy to the point of unfriendliness.
You've only made one trip there, right? As I say, I've made 5/6 including
visits to other islands in that group as well, including the one with the Yasur
volcano (can't recall the name of it right now). Climbing up on the side of
that thing (active volcano) with fumeroles and sulphur in the air and seeing the
magma down at the bottom was rather frightening.

Jason wrote:

> On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 13:56:56 +0000, Daniel Kessler wrote:
>
> > Vanuatu....land of coral and ashes......(ashes from active
> > volcanoes--after all this is the subduction zone and seizmically active)
> > I've been there 5/6 times. Not much of interest to dive beyond "Santo"
> > and the famous wreck of the US luxury liner. Efforts have been made to
> > sell charter diving there but don't seem to get anywhere. Natives are not
> > too friendly.
>
> I have to disagree. Vanuatu is one of the friendliest places I've ever
> been. Everyone says hello to you as you pass them in the streets.
>
> Not sure the President Coolidge is a good idea for someone with 50 dives
> though.
>
> Jason
> --
> http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for Australian trip reports including
> New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia

> "Trouser" <Trouser@removethis.free.net.nz> wrote in message
> news:40e2a52e@news.orcon.net.nz...
> >>
> (snip)>
> around 30-40', and we hung out at the top of the coral formation with
them.
> It was very enjoyable.
>
> Raro is a good destination for an all around vacation, that includes some
> diving.
>
> (snip)

Another thing I'll add about your remark that Cook Island Divers took you to
better/different dive sites. This is interesting and I believe merely a
perception on your part. It is the tide, the wind and the currents that
generally dictates what side of the island the boats launch from for the day
and which sites they may go to. It was a rare day that Cook Islands boats,
and every other op for that matter, weren't launching from the same launch
area.

I dove almost every day of a 14 day holiday, sometime 4 dives a day. It
wasn't so bad. Heck, it was a lot better than Koh Tao, Thailand. ;^)

>
>



>
>

chilly wrote:

>
>> "Trouser" <Trouser@removethis.free.net.nz> wrote in message
>> news:40e2a52e@news.orcon.net.nz...
>> >>
>> (snip)>
>> around 30-40', and we hung out at the top of the coral formation with
> them.
>> It was very enjoyable.
>>
>> Raro is a good destination for an all around vacation, that includes some
>> diving.
>>
>> (snip)
>

I agree with your statement about a good all round destination. As you will
notice my global diving experience is not overly broad, I just felt it was
good diving, nothing stunning (apart from the wicked Vis!).

> Another thing I'll add about your remark that Cook Island Divers took you
> to
> better/different dive sites. This is interesting and I believe merely a
> perception on your part. It is the tide, the wind and the currents that
> generally dictates what side of the island the boats launch from for the
> day
> and which sites they may go to. It was a rare day that Cook Islands
> boats, and every other op for that matter, weren't launching from the same
> launch area.

My 'perception'- about the number dives per day and where we dived: Cook Is
do 2 in AM one PM. I dived with them twice in the afternoon [as it fit in
with my honeymooning schedule :) ]. Once it was just me and the DM, we
dived one side of island (west side I think), [half a dozen coral bommies]
to 28 metres and were only limited by the air in my tank (times were
limited with Pacific - sometimes to 45mins, so that they could back to dock
and have enough surface interval/no deco time b/w morning and afternoon
trips). That afternoon I never saw another operator, and talked to other
divers who were on the other side of the island with other operators doing
the dives below (sand river etc).

I dived the [very broken up] wrecks, sand river[no sharks spotted:)],
paradise the one at the end of the airport runway, (Ngatangiia? and/or
Black rock?) with pacific Divers (eight dives in total). I in fact took
your recommendation on this group about who to dive with and was mostly
happy at first with Pacific while I dealt with Thomas their son (who was/is
running the show as Graham his father was back in NZ, apparently quite Ill
:(.)

Another aspect that was frustrating with Pacific was that after talking to
Christina, who after telling me they do 2 times 2 dives per day started not
doing afternoon dives [not for weather] because she was doing lagoon
training dives. They showed (to me) a lack of hands on deck and therefore
the ability to live up to the expectation of 2 in the am two in the PM,
which I agree is more flexible for most divers.

I feel rude and am honestly not somebody to complain much, but whilst
Christina warrants special mention. Whilst she makes the cookies and
baking that blow your mind during surface intervals, her customer service
skills are somewhat lacking. When I am diving I don't expect the people
taking us diving to be so short and abrupt to the point of rudeness. I
watched plenty of people arrive at the shop and enquire about diving and
based on her response walk away with screwed up faces.

Based on your experience Chilly the above was obviously not 'standard' but
warrants mention all the same. I will read trip reports I just think that
peoples' experiences can (and do) differ for one reason or another.