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#1 ScubaTex

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Posted 24 April 2009 - 01:53 PM

I've decided to take an Around the World dive trip in 2011. I plan to coordinate my trip with the Chuuk and Palau trips Kamala is planning.

With over 5000 members of SingleDivers.com, and their varied experiences, I would like to get their recommendations concerning accomodations, dive operators, liveaboards, etc. for the following destinations;

Red Sea

Seychelles

Maldives

Lembeh, Indonesia

Ambon, Indonesia

If any of you would like to join me for this adventure or any part of it, you would be more than welcome.

Bill

Update: I have refined the destinations for the trip to include the 4 must stops to be:

Red Sea

Maldives

Phillipines

Chuuk - the SingleDivers.com Truk Lagoon April 24 - May 1, 2011

I have removed the Seychelles from the list - too hard to get to. I've also removed the Indonesian destinations since I could easily spend another month or two there.

I'm still waiting to see how the addition of Continental Air to the "Star Alliance" will help in makig the necessary flight connections

Edited by ScubaTex, 17 August 2009 - 02:03 PM.

Time on earth is precious, time underwater even more so. Live life one day at a time. Dive your @$$ off!!!


#2 secretsea18

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Posted 25 April 2009 - 07:29 PM

I've decided to take an Around the World dive trip in 2011. I plan to coordinate my trip with the Chuuk and Palau trips Kamala is planning.


Lembeh, Indonesia

Ambon, Indonesia

If any of you would like to join me for this adventure or any part of it, you would be more than welcome.

Bill


Lembeh is fantastic. It is MUCK!!!! :lmao: :birthday: :birthday: Glorious Muck.

The best three places to dive there are 1. Kunkungan Bay Resort (KBR) 2. Lembeh Resort 3. Kasawari Resort.

There are many other smaller places but these three are considered to be the best in accommodation, food and dive guides (all three have the guides that were trained by Larry Smith (Indonesia pioneer in Muck diving) and their trainees). You will not go wrong with any of these three places. I have dived at KBR once and Lembeh Resort twice, and want to go to Kasawari (but is more expensive for a single person than the other two) and would go back to any of them in a heartbeat! I have been for up to 14 days without tiring of the muck. It is so nice. The animals are so nice. The guides (NOT DMs) are so nice and find so many nice things. Can you tell I just love it there?

You have forgotten some awesome places on your list: Cocos Island, PNG, Tonga, Thailand, etc

How long will your trip be and what is your budget???

Hope you have a great trip.
Robin

#3 shadragon

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 05:05 AM

If you are going to do it, do it right. :lmao:
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

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#4 Capn Jack

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 07:06 AM

You really should hire a DM to care for you, keep you safe, haul your tanks, sample your food, booze and play toys for quality....
No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea. And no dolphin who inhabits one of those aquariums or one of those marine lands can be considered normal.
Jacques Yves Cousteau

#5 secretsea18

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 09:29 AM

You really should hire a DM to care for you, keep you safe, haul your tanks, sample your food, booze and play toys for quality....



Mark, I assume you are available for the job???

#6 ScubaTex

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 11:05 AM

Lembeh is fantastic. It is MUCK!!!! :cool2: :birthday: :dance: Glorious Muck.

The best three places to dive there are 1. Kunkungan Bay Resort (KBR) 2. Lembeh Resort 3. Kasawari Resort.

You have forgotten some awesome places on your list: Cocos Island, PNG, Tonga, Thailand, etc

How long will your trip be and what is your budget???

Hope you have a great trip.
Robin


Love the MUCK, dove it last year in Bali before we went to Wakatobi. Not only want to do Lembeh, but while I'm in the area, Bangka and Bunaken, too. It's just a question of how many days at each stop, or do the Paradise Dancer for 11 days.

Might trade PNG for Ambon, or might do a Raja Ampat liveaboard from Sorong to Ambon. Spent 12 days at Misool Eco Resort [after Wakatobi] last year, and want to go back. I'm sure this won't be my last trip to the area.

I estimate the total time of the trip to be 60-80 days. I haven't set a specific $ amount for the trip, but I'm more of 2-3 star guy and definitely not a 5 * player.


You really should hire a DM to care for you, keep you safe, haul your tanks, sample your food, booze and play toys for quality....


Mark, I wish you could join me, but I start DM training in 2 weeks, it's a prerequisite for the trip.

Time on earth is precious, time underwater even more so. Live life one day at a time. Dive your @$$ off!!!


#7 Kuraman

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 10:34 PM

Bill,
Here are my comments. Bubba

Lembeh – World class muck diving, If you go there, you might as well do Manado (again), even for a few days, NO flying btwn them.
Eco-Divers (high end) http://www.eco-diver...ving_lembeh.php
I have done Eco-Divers both Lembeh & Manado/Bunaken. They are a good outfit, but some of their dive guides leave much to be desired, particularly the girls.
Jim & Cary (the owners) are great people and it is a first class operation all they way except the food at the resort in Manado. Dove w/ them 4 times, and would definitely go back but they are getting $$$$

Murex http://www.murexdive.com/
I have been with them 3 times, great dive guides, but Danny (the son-in-law) who used to run things is now on the outs w/ his inlaws, and I’m not sure about them. The food was fantastic, fresh seafood everyday (Sulawesi style. The resort at Manado is a little basic, but Lembeh was very nice

Lembeh Resort http://www.lembehresort.com/
I heard this was the best place to stay, and I don’t know anything about it.

Ambon
Not much choice http://www.divingmaluku.com/
Diving is fantastic, did a day there on a liveaboard on our way from Makassar to Sarong (don’t ask), it was free.

Maldives – What can I say, one of my best dive trips ever. Definitely want to go back.
The Maldives has to be done from a live-aboard. A lot of the islands that make up the Atoll have dive shops, but you can only do the sites around that Island, and maybe 1 or 2 of the nearby islands if you are land based. I did it on the Barutheela, a replica of a Spanish galleon. The accommodations were great, food fantastic, free beer, diving fantastic, and it only holds 12 divers (2 dive guides) so nothing was ever crowded. Pelagics, macro, whatever you want. Go during ‘shoulder season, a lot cheaper.
http://www.barutheel...lish/index.html
Formerly known as "DixieDiver25" but changed for a nice donation to SingleDivers.com. Kuraman means 'Turtle Man".

#8 Kuraman

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Posted 26 April 2009 - 11:00 PM

Lembeh is fantastic. It is MUCK!!!! :cool2: :teeth: :teeth: Glorious Muck.

The best three places to dive there are 1. Kunkungan Bay Resort (KBR) 2. Lembeh Resort 3. Kasawari Resort.

You have forgotten some awesome places on your list: Cocos Island, PNG, Tonga, Thailand, etc

How long will your trip be and what is your budget???

Hope you have a great trip.
Robin


Love the MUCK, dove it last year in Bali before we went to Wakatobi. Not only want to do Lembeh, but while I'm in the area, Bangka and Bunaken, too. It's just a question of how many days at each stop, or do the Paradise Dancer for 11 days.

Might trade PNG for Ambon, or might do a Raja Ampat liveaboard from Sorong to Ambon. Spent 12 days at Misool Eco Resort [after Wakatobi] last year, and want to go back. I'm sure this won't be my last trip to the area.

I estimate the total time of the trip to be 60-80 days. I haven't set a specific $ amount for the trip, but I'm more of 2-3 star guy and definitely not a 5 * player.


You really should hire a DM to care for you, keep you safe, haul your tanks, sample your food, booze and play toys for quality....


Mark, I wish you could join me, but I start DM training in 2 weeks, it's a prerequisite for the trip.




Bill,
If you do Truk, you have to do Palau (7days) and Yap (2-3 days) or Kosrae at the same time. Continental used to have a "Micronesia special" one price to fly to all the islands in 30 days, which was the same as flying to 2.

Go back and do Raja Emapt the right way, my 10 day trip last year was my best dive trip ever as far as the diving is concered. Great boat, very nice people, and for $2000 great price. Food was hit of miss, but evrything else was fantastic. A week at Missol would have made me crazy, we were there for 2 1/2 day, and everyone was ready to move on to new things.

As I said in my other post, if your going to Lembeh, do Bunaken/Bangka and maybe Sangihe (2-3 weeks).

Might want to try Sipidan (Malaysia) while your out this way too (1 week).
Similans (Thailand) another week
I personally would not recommend the GBR, been there, and I would not honestly recommend this to anyone unless you were in Aus for other things.

On to Maldives (1 week) then Red Sea , you'll be out of time and $$$$ by then my friend.

Bubba
Formerly known as "DixieDiver25" but changed for a nice donation to SingleDivers.com. Kuraman means 'Turtle Man".

#9 Kuraman

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Posted 27 April 2009 - 07:29 AM

Bill,
Not making any promises (except one). Would love to make the Truk trip but go to that post and see what I said, but I will definitely try to make Palau (afeter Raja Empat that is still #2). If a Kamala can n ot get a group to go, I will pick us a good dive shop depending on the guide they will guaranty us. There are 2 really good dive shops there (NO NEED to do a live-aboard). And the beer and whiskey are a lot better on the beach.
I will promise you that if you make the Maldives part of your trip, I'll be there, but i get to pick the boat.

Bubba
Formerly known as "DixieDiver25" but changed for a nice donation to SingleDivers.com. Kuraman means 'Turtle Man".

#10 secretsea18

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Posted 27 April 2009 - 08:01 AM

Bill,
Not making any promises (except one). Would love to make the Truk trip but go to that post and see what I said, but I will definitely try to make Palau (afeter Raja Empat that is still #2). If a Kamala can n ot get a group to go, I will pick us a good dive shop depending on the guide they will guaranty us. There are 2 really good dive shops there (NO NEED to do a live-aboard). And the beer and whiskey are a lot better on the beach.
I will promise you that if you make the Maldives part of your trip, I'll be there, but i get to pick the boat.

Bubba


Dear Bubba,
Don't get PMs anymore. Contact via threads at this point..

Thanks,
Robin

#11 Capn Jack

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Posted 27 April 2009 - 05:34 PM

You really should hire a DM to care for you, keep you safe, haul your tanks, sample your food, booze and play toys for quality....



Mark, I assume you are available for the job???

Available. REASONABLE fees - for you, an occasional beer and pat on the head will be all the comp I need.
No aquarium, no tank in a marine land, however spacious it may be, can begin to duplicate the conditions of the sea. And no dolphin who inhabits one of those aquariums or one of those marine lands can be considered normal.
Jacques Yves Cousteau

#12 weescot

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Posted 28 April 2009 - 09:54 AM

Oh Bill - what a trip! Certainly if I am still in the Middle East, I may be able to join you in either the Red Sea or the Maldives.

For the Red Sea, it depends on your budget, how much time you'll have and where in the Red Sea you want to dive. I spent most of my weekends diving in the Sharm/Dahab area and recommed Oonas (Sharm) and Posiedon (Dahab). Sharm has great diving (Ras Mohammed and Straits of Tiran) but it is on an industrial scale and be prepared for crowds. Dahab is more laid back, but the trade off is the diving is less dramatic. Going South you really have to do a liveaboard from Hurgada or even Sudan. Alternative is to go to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where the diving is less developed but absolutely pristine.

For the Maldives you have to do a liveaboard - there are two routes North and south Atols. both are good I hear, although the Southern route is supposed to be less dived. When you dive depends on what you want to see. Bruce was there eariler this year so can advise when he is back from his current trip. the Maldives are expensive though....

I would give the Seychelles a miss. I know a few people that have been recently. its average to good, and the type of place you go for a holiday with some diving. Would advise against a liveaboard as one was hijacked by pirates recently - luckily the divers were ashore, less lucky for the crew. A cruise liner was also hijacked in the last week or so. I have put on hold my Zanzibar plans because of the Somali pirates in the area.

I would also give consideration to Thailand on your trip - you can do liveaboards in the Andaman sea.

I am going to Nigaloo, Oz in July, Monado in September and the Andaman islands in March next year so can report back then :banghead:
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#13 shadragon

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Posted 28 April 2009 - 10:14 AM

Going South you really have to do a liveaboard from Hurgada or even Sudan. Alternative is to go to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where the diving is less developed but absolutely pristine.

Red Sea Diving Safari in Marsa Shagra just north of Marsa Alam. 5 Star reference from me. No need for a liveaboard and they are in the south of Egypt. Excellent operation with house reef, local truck diving and excursions to the outer reefs. Very affordable and three ranges of accomadation from a tent on the beach to private hut. It is quiet and relaxing. Not a party place if that is what you are looking for.
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! ;)

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#14 ScubaShafer

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Posted 30 June 2009 - 01:59 PM

I've decided to take an Around the World dive trip in 2011. I plan to coordinate my trip with the Chuuk and Palau trips Kamala is planning.

With over 5000 members of SingleDivers.com, and their varied experiences, I would like to get their recommendations concerning accomodations, dive operators, liveaboards, etc. for the following destinations;

Red Sea

Seychelles

Maldives

Lembeh, Indonesia

Ambon, Indonesia

If any of you would like to join me for this adventure or any part of it, you would be more than welcome.

Bill

Bill,

Sorry for getting to this a bit late, but you still have some time before 2011. :usflag:

Everyone has given GR8 advice so far. :teeth: I've dove all these locations except for the Seychelles, which is not a high priority of mine. Well, not all as I'll be doing Ambon this Fall. GR8 choice of locations, but you might want to add the Philippines to the list.

Make sure you check out the VISA requirements for each area. I will be obtaining an extended VISA for Indonesia for my Fall trip as they only give a 30-day visitor VISA at the airport. Let me know if you need the link to the Indonesian Embassy in DC.

Cheers - Bruce
It's a GR8 day to be alive!

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"Good things come to those who wait." Guinness - 1990s
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#15 secretsea18

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Posted 16 August 2009 - 11:37 AM

Since you requested some info on PI diving (funny I did not see PI listed in your OP list! :P ), here is what I know and have done:

The months you mention March and April are considered HIGH season in some parts of PI. This is the only time (end of Mar-June) when the liveaboards do Tubbataha In the Sulu Sea, a world heritage site. I have never been, due to my schedule in PI, but hear it is wonderful with lovely reefs. Certainly something to consider.

March - May is also high season for places like Anilao where I have dived the most, (and am going to in 2 weeks time for a 1 1/2 week vacation). Mar-Apr will be quite busy in Anilao, as it has the best weather, and that is when all my pro friends/photographer friends book, usually a full year in advance. I have been 8 times, and upcoming trip will make it 9 times, (planning trip #10 for Feb 2010). Fabulous place for macro photography, and it is full of fabulous nudis, and critters found in much more difficult to get to and $$$ places in the world, such as Lembeh (not so hard to get to, but $$$) and PNG (both hard to get too and $$$$). You will not see any big fish, though. The reef is quite healthy and there is plenty of variety. Most trips I get to dive a new place I have never been to, and is not on the dive site map, as my operation does exploratories, and keeps them secret as long as possible. :o :teeth:

I also have been to Malapascua (home of the thresher sharks) two times. I did not get lucky enough to see them up close, unfortunately, and the rest of the diving there was good. The best place to stay there is Malapascua Exotic Resort. They have air con, hot water, and power for 24 hours a day. They have a beautiful beach, and the food was decent. They, nor any other resort (I think) has running fresh water. I bought bottled water, and made my own camera rinse tank. :)

Other places that are quite dive worthy include: Dumaguette, and Balicasag Island in Bohol. If you need entertainment, you can go to Puerto Gallera, as I hear they have lots of bars and girlie pickup places, but as far as the diving goes it is NOT as good as it is across the Mindoro straits in Anilao.

A new liveaboard in PI is called Philippine Siren by Worldwide Dive and Sail. I was on it's sister ship in Andaman Islands, and can vouch for the excellence of the boat, free nitrox, and delicious food. A plus is also free soda and beer! :P and free dive gear (excellent quality gear). The boat is in the Komodo area now and is transferring to PI later this year. I have not dived the specific regions they offer.

Hope you put together a good trip.
Robin

Edited by secretsea18, 16 August 2009 - 11:43 AM.





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