Girl_Next_Door wrote:I have a colleague who works in Guam. He have dived in Guam and Yap, and thought it was mediocre. On the other hand, he recommends Palau. Do you know much about this place? My husband has been bugging me to go to Palau... but its not a simple trip given the transfers.
That's interesting, and damn these triangulations can be hard to gauge.
I mean, if I'd only quarry dived in the UK, I'd recommend the English North Sea or Ireland. If I'd only dived the North Sea I'd suggest Malta, Croatia, or Egypt. If I knew the latter I'd recommend Thailand or the Maldives. If I dived in the latter I might recommend Tioman or Perhentians... and if... Borneo/Lembeh-Sipidan, and then... Komodo, and then... PNG and the Galapagos... etc., [until I'd emptied my bank account].
So yes, for a person who lives and works in those places they might be nothing spectacular. But a first time visitor does not usually experience it the same way. Witness how a guide working in the Egyptian Red Sea will usually only (privately) rate a divesite that's either off-limits, or not on the tourist agenda.
Besides diving would not be the sole reason to visit Micronesia. I'd be interested to see the culture first hand. Just staying on a tiny atoll ring of coral hrs from anywhere should be an interesting experience in itself. That sense of extreme isolation is a rare and curiously contemplative experience one doesn't often get these days. For that and previously stated reasons, now is probably the one and only time such a trip will probably be possible, and work well.
re: Palau
Haven't dived there, but looked into it years ago, so don't know. As an oceanic atoll I expect it might be big on the pelagics (in season?). Given it's isolation, I expect it's $$$$ though!
This might interest you...
http://www.footprinttravelguides.com/ac ... nce=DSET01
'Diving Southeast Asia
I have this and it gives useful 'no bull' overviews, maps, species lists 'Getting there' etc etc. Unfortunately right now I don't know where I left my copy!...
... possible rule of thumb... the more connections you have to make from 'civilisation' to a dive destination, the better the diving should be... ?
