Discussion
I think it would depend on why you would want to go there. I went to Palau (strictly speaking not a part of the Micronesian states but often included for holiday purposes) and Chuuk (Truk)in 2006 purely to dive. Both places live up to their reputation as world class diving destinations but I would doubt either (especially Chuuk) would suit a non diving holiday. Certainly Palau has a much higher infrastructure than any of the 4 member states of Chuk, Yap, Kosrae and Pohnpei. Travel between the separate states was not straightforward in 2006, one then having to use Guam as a hub for each state, with all the hassle of paranoid U.S. customs (sorry-Homeland Security).
Fezant Pluckah said:
Hi Carl
I've been to all of Micronesia (except to actually "stay" in Guam, I've only flown through it.)
It's my line of bizniz, see.
If you want any assistance, let me know, as I've got some very good deals on airfares :cough:
Out of interest, where would you recommend for a beginner diver (experience is a 1 hour intro in Spain only), how long, and what kind of price flying from Glasgow?I've been to all of Micronesia (except to actually "stay" in Guam, I've only flown through it.)
It's my line of bizniz, see.
If you want any assistance, let me know, as I've got some very good deals on airfares :cough:
Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 17th November 15:46
Edited by Stevenj214 on Wednesday 17th November 15:52
Hi Steven
OK, so I assume that you're looking for a learn to dive package that allows you to end up with a PADI (or equivelant) dive certificate?
When are you looking to travel? The time of year will determine the cost.
Also, are you looking for something relatively good value for money or a little bit more special?
Either way, the two logical places to consider (expecially if you're looking to travel next summer) would be the Med or Red Sea. I'd personally go for the Red Sea; it's only marginally more expensive, but the diving is FAR superior to anything you would ever get in the Med.
If you can let me have some vague parameters (period of travel, number of people, vague budget etc etc), I will see what I can come up with.
Ta!
OK, so I assume that you're looking for a learn to dive package that allows you to end up with a PADI (or equivelant) dive certificate?
When are you looking to travel? The time of year will determine the cost.
Also, are you looking for something relatively good value for money or a little bit more special?
Either way, the two logical places to consider (expecially if you're looking to travel next summer) would be the Med or Red Sea. I'd personally go for the Red Sea; it's only marginally more expensive, but the diving is FAR superior to anything you would ever get in the Med.
If you can let me have some vague parameters (period of travel, number of people, vague budget etc etc), I will see what I can come up with.
Ta!
Fezant Pluckah's advice to get qualified in the Red Sea should be strongly heeded. I would not suggest Micronesia as a diving destination for divers until they are comfortable in heavy current (Blue Corner, Pelilou Express etc in Palau) or are experienced/qualified in wreck penetration (Chuuk/Truc is just about 100% and reasonably deep wreck diving). Micronesia is however a "must do" once you have a fair bit more experience. Good luck training.
Indeed John. Micronesia is not a place for beginners! It's a place that you go when you've got plenty of experience under your belt, and are entirely confident in the water.
Anyway, Red Sea....
April is easter hols and half term is towards the end of May, so they will bump the price up.
I can only get you to Sharm from Glasgow, so IF you wanted to go to Marsa Alam or somewhere like that, then you'd have to get to Manchester or Gatwick first, which probably isn;t what you want to do.
If you travelled on 11 May 2011 I can do 7 nights Camel (B&B) in a superior room, OW course (inc materials and kit hire) and transfers for £975pp. And there's 35 euros to pay locally for PIC (PADi certification card)
Flight times are a bit of a stinker though:
11/5/11 Glasgow Sharm 13:55 21:35
18/5/11 Sharm Glasgow 22:35 02:40
Let me know what you think!
Regards
Jim
Anyway, Red Sea....
April is easter hols and half term is towards the end of May, so they will bump the price up.
I can only get you to Sharm from Glasgow, so IF you wanted to go to Marsa Alam or somewhere like that, then you'd have to get to Manchester or Gatwick first, which probably isn;t what you want to do.
If you travelled on 11 May 2011 I can do 7 nights Camel (B&B) in a superior room, OW course (inc materials and kit hire) and transfers for £975pp. And there's 35 euros to pay locally for PIC (PADi certification card)
Flight times are a bit of a stinker though:
11/5/11 Glasgow Sharm 13:55 21:35
18/5/11 Sharm Glasgow 22:35 02:40
Let me know what you think!
Regards
Jim
Been to Guam and Saipan. Both around 8 odd years ago so things may have changed. Never dived so can't comment on that aspect, but given how far it is (best bet is fly to Tokyo, from where there are reasonably frequent connections and it's around 2 or so hours flying time iirc), neither were worth it. Guam is a giant US military base, couple of semi-decent hotels, Hard Rock type restaurants and not much else. Can get fairly rowdy on the main strip. Saipan was smaller and better. Less built up but still nothing to write home about.
Most tourists are Japanese and Korean and so the islands are geared to cater to them in all respects. Both had the feeling of having seen better days, with plenty of boarded up restaurants and empty shops. Having said that, the people were lovely, the hotels decent enough and the weather is almost always sunny and clear year-round.
Most tourists are Japanese and Korean and so the islands are geared to cater to them in all respects. Both had the feeling of having seen better days, with plenty of boarded up restaurants and empty shops. Having said that, the people were lovely, the hotels decent enough and the weather is almost always sunny and clear year-round.
Well, despite Carl having seemingly gone AWOL, here's what Micronesia is all about.
First, we'll get one thing straight. Micronesia is a geographical area in the W Pacific to the East of the Philippines and north of NE Indonesia, the Solomons and PNG. The Federated States of Micronesia is a nation consisting of 4 states - Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape) and Kosrae within the geographical boundaries of Micronesia. The geographical region of Micronesia also include the following island groups: the Marshalls, the Gilberts (part of Kiribati), the Marianas (Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Rota etc), Wake Island, Nauru and a few other specks of land.
The main reason to go to Micronesia is scuba diving. Yap has quite a strong cultural heritage (stone money etc) and Pohnpei is home to Nan Madol, a large city made of basalt blocks similar to those found at the Giant's Causeway, and should be a World Heritage Site but isn't. People who are interested in WW2 stuff also go and visit as there are lots of runways, gun emplacements etc in the forests, particularly in Palau. Palau & Truk are famous for the WW2 shipwrecks, Yap is the finest place to see manta rays in the world, Kosrae is not far behind, Palau has good reef (though not as good as it was cos El Nino always batters it) and excellent shark action. Guam is a Japanese shoppers paradise. Tinian is from where the US set off to drop their nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Marshall si where the US did their nuclear tests, but you can't currently get to Bikini and the only atolls even vaguely capable of offering the most basic of tourist facilities are Majuro and Arno.
Unless you are a diver, a WW2 buff or particularly want to go to Nan Madol I really cannot see any reason for someone to slog half way round the world to visit Micronesia. They're expensive to get to, expensive (relative to SE Asia) when you're there and tourist infrastructure is limited, particularly in Truk, Yap (though Yap does have one very nice hotel), Kosrae and Pohnpei. If you want a beach holiday, there are a million and one places better suited.
Hope that helps...
PS, nice beach at Rongelap Atoll in the Marshalls!
First, we'll get one thing straight. Micronesia is a geographical area in the W Pacific to the East of the Philippines and north of NE Indonesia, the Solomons and PNG. The Federated States of Micronesia is a nation consisting of 4 states - Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape) and Kosrae within the geographical boundaries of Micronesia. The geographical region of Micronesia also include the following island groups: the Marshalls, the Gilberts (part of Kiribati), the Marianas (Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Rota etc), Wake Island, Nauru and a few other specks of land.
The main reason to go to Micronesia is scuba diving. Yap has quite a strong cultural heritage (stone money etc) and Pohnpei is home to Nan Madol, a large city made of basalt blocks similar to those found at the Giant's Causeway, and should be a World Heritage Site but isn't. People who are interested in WW2 stuff also go and visit as there are lots of runways, gun emplacements etc in the forests, particularly in Palau. Palau & Truk are famous for the WW2 shipwrecks, Yap is the finest place to see manta rays in the world, Kosrae is not far behind, Palau has good reef (though not as good as it was cos El Nino always batters it) and excellent shark action. Guam is a Japanese shoppers paradise. Tinian is from where the US set off to drop their nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Marshall si where the US did their nuclear tests, but you can't currently get to Bikini and the only atolls even vaguely capable of offering the most basic of tourist facilities are Majuro and Arno.
Unless you are a diver, a WW2 buff or particularly want to go to Nan Madol I really cannot see any reason for someone to slog half way round the world to visit Micronesia. They're expensive to get to, expensive (relative to SE Asia) when you're there and tourist infrastructure is limited, particularly in Truk, Yap (though Yap does have one very nice hotel), Kosrae and Pohnpei. If you want a beach holiday, there are a million and one places better suited.
Hope that helps...
PS, nice beach at Rongelap Atoll in the Marshalls!
Thanks for the replies.
When you say expensive is that in term of Indonesia/S E Asia or expenesive as in GB/US expensive?
WHats the best place to fly from and to? I can only find contiental prices on the internet and they seem rather bloody expensive. Any suggestions?
Is it possible to get a cheap backpackers type hotel?
When you say expensive is that in term of Indonesia/S E Asia or expenesive as in GB/US expensive?
WHats the best place to fly from and to? I can only find contiental prices on the internet and they seem rather bloody expensive. Any suggestions?
Is it possible to get a cheap backpackers type hotel?
Edited by carl carlson on Monday 22 November 14:30
carl carlson said:
Thanks for the replies.
When you say expensive is that in term of Indonesia/S E Asia or expenesive as in GB/US expensive?
WHats the best place to fly from and to? I can only find contiental prices on the internet and they seem rather bloody expensive. Any suggestions?
Is it possible to get a cheap backpackers type hotel?
Expensive in terms of SE Asia, yes.When you say expensive is that in term of Indonesia/S E Asia or expenesive as in GB/US expensive?
WHats the best place to fly from and to? I can only find contiental prices on the internet and they seem rather bloody expensive. Any suggestions?
Is it possible to get a cheap backpackers type hotel?
Edited by carl carlson on Monday 22 November 14:30
I have a special contract with CO that makes single and multi centre trips much more affordable
It's cheapest to fly to Manila and then on from there.
But, Carl, it all depends on what you want to do as to where you ought to go...
Any ideas?
Well as long as there is a good mix of interesting land stuff and some exceptional diving I would be happy. Can't afford to do a liveaboard they are stupidly priced plus the land stuff would be very limited if any at all.
Want to do turk and see the WW2 stuff after that then yap or Palau. What I really want is somewhere where I can film a whole bunch of stuff from critters to big stuff, from pretty reefs to WW2 wrecks.
Want to do turk and see the WW2 stuff after that then yap or Palau. What I really want is somewhere where I can film a whole bunch of stuff from critters to big stuff, from pretty reefs to WW2 wrecks.
carl carlson said:
Well as long as there is a good mix of interesting land stuff and some exceptional diving I would be happy. Can't afford to do a liveaboard they are stupidly priced plus the land stuff would be very limited if any at all.
Want to do turk and see the WW2 stuff after that then yap or Palau. What I really want is somewhere where I can film a whole bunch of stuff from critters to big stuff, from pretty reefs to WW2 wrecks.
Well wrecks are obviously found in Truk, but there are also plenty in Palau as well, though a lot of them have been partially salvaged and some are not worth diving. But there are a few decent wrecks (Iro, AMastu Maru, Teshio Maru and a few good plane wrecks) but Palau is probably best known for it's big fish action, particularly at dives sites likes Blue Corner and Peleliu Express/Cut. There's good manta action at the ridge at the s side of German Channel and good critter stuff on Ngemelis Wall, Pinchers Reef etcWant to do turk and see the WW2 stuff after that then yap or Palau. What I really want is somewhere where I can film a whole bunch of stuff from critters to big stuff, from pretty reefs to WW2 wrecks.
Yap's obviously famous for its mantas but it also has some good critters, especially mandarin fish. It;s also quite good for sharks.
If you want, I'd be happy to give you some ideas and costs, but if you want to take this off here, I am happy to do that. My email address is either info or scubajim at scuba hyphen safaris dot com Please put the word "scuba" in the subject line and you'll be filtered into my friendlies.
Jim,
Don't want to mess you about but if you have the time can you see what you can do for a flight,cheap accom and dive package for 3 weeks in micronesia. The cheaper the better and 5 star luxury is not needed as I have stayed in places where you have to get a bucket to flush the toilet, hot water was not even heard off and running cold water came occasionally.
Don't want to mess you about but if you have the time can you see what you can do for a flight,cheap accom and dive package for 3 weeks in micronesia. The cheaper the better and 5 star luxury is not needed as I have stayed in places where you have to get a bucket to flush the toilet, hot water was not even heard off and running cold water came occasionally.
2 people, Manchester is our nearest airport but if it works out more than 100 cheaper from a london based airport then thats cool.
Would be looking at May time for 2/3 weeks.
Cheap as chips B & B accomodation.
Less we spend on flights and fancy accomodation the more money we have to spend on diving.
Would be looking at May time for 2/3 weeks.
Cheap as chips B & B accomodation.
Less we spend on flights and fancy accomodation the more money we have to spend on diving.
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