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Diving Seychelles

Coral reef diving is the main sporting attraction in the islands. Fish are unafraid of divers and spearfishing is forbidden. The waters are home to more than 900 fish species and over 100 species of coral, and visibility enables perfect underwater photography conditions. Seychelles specialty is live aboard diving, which provides opportunities to dive the many reefs around the islands.

Best time to dive

Diving is best in March, April, May, September, October, and November.

Visibility

Visibility averages 100 to 200+ feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperature averages 78 to 82 °F.

Weather and climate

Although tropical and generally warm and humid, there are two distinct seasons:

May to September: Southeast trade winds bring cooler temperatures, lower humidity (average 70%) and less rain along with gentle breezes.

November to March: Northwest monsoons bring more rain, sometimes in heavy squalls, higher humidity (average 80%) and warmer weather. The heaviest rainfall is usually during mid-December to mid-January.

The transition periods of April and October are fairly hot, with little breeze and calm seas.

Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt and enjoys stable weather year round with a mean maximum temperature of 84 ºF and 12 hours of daylight.

Language

English and French

Passport/Visa requirements

Everyone traveling to Seychelles must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of travel. Visas are not required. A Visitor’s Permit, good for 4 weeks, is issued upon arrival at the airport. Travelers must have a return or onward ticket, pre-booked accommodations and sufficient money for their stay.

Currency

Seychelles Rupee – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

240 volts, 50 Hz

Capital

Victoria

General information

The Seychelles is a group of about 115 islands, which lie 990 miles off the coast of east Africa. The three central islands – Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue – are granite, while the outlying islands are coral atolls. The Seychelles has four marine national parks, and more than 150 species of tropical reef fish have been identified.

Map

Get a map of the Seychelles from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea possesses some of the best dive spots in the world. About twice the amount of fish species as compared to the Red Sea and roughly ten times as many species of corals are found here compared to the Caribbean. A very special characteristic for PNG’s diving is the deep water, which comes very close to the shore. Only a couple of feet away from the beaches are vertical dropping reef walls that go down to a 1000 feet or more. This can be found on most parts of the northern coastline, on the southern shores of New Ireland and New Hanover (Kavieng area) as well in some areas of the Milne Bay.

In the more sheltered bays delicate coral formations are spreading to enormous size, which cannot be found on barrier reefs. This is typical for Kimbe Bay in West New Britain.

Another fantastic dive destination is the Eastern Fields, which is southwest of Port Moresby. Located between Papua New Guinea and Australia, the Eastern Fields are a truly unspoiled part of the Coral Sea.

Hundreds of wrecks, many of them WWII wrecks are scattered across the nation above and below the waterline. Boats, planes, barges, and submarines, some of them still in excellent condition, have been transformed into living coral reefs. Rabaul, Kavieng, Loloata (Port Moresby), and Madang are good places for wreck diving.

Best time to dive

Year-round the diving is great in Papua New Guinea.

Visibility

Visibility averages 100 to 150+ feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperature averages 74 to 87 °F.

Weather and climate

Papua New Guinea’s climate is tropical being located just south of the Equator. December to March is the wet season, although occasional rain falls year-round. Port Moresby and other towns on the coast are quite hot in the summer months and temperatures are considerably cooler in the Highlands.

Language

English

Passport/Visa requirements

Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports, visas and proof of onward passage and sufficient funds. If you arrive by plane, you can get a visa at the airport, but it’s recommended that you get a visa before arrival.

Currency

Kina – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

220-230 volts AC, 50 Hz, mainly three-point plugs in hotels.

Capital

Port Moresby

General information

Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the rugged tropical island of New Guinea (which it shares with the Indonesian territory of Irian Jaya) as well as numerous smaller islands and atolls in the Pacific. The central part of the island rises into a wide ridge of mountains known as the Highlands, a territory that is so densely forested and topographically forbidding that the island’s local peoples remained isolated from each other for millennia. The coastline is liberally endowed with spectacular coral reefs. The smaller island groups of Papua New Guinea include the Bismarck Archipelago, New Britain, New Ireland and the North Solomons. Some of these islands are volcanic, with dramatic mountain ranges, and all are relatively undeveloped.

Nearly 85 percent of the main island is carpeted with tropical rain forest, containing vegetation that is a combination of Asian and Australian species. The country is also home to an impressive variety of exotic birds, including virtually all of the known species of birds of paradise, and it is blessed with more kinds of orchids than any other country.

PNG likes to be called the “land of the unexpected” and it is one of the most exciting, remote, and adventurous places in the world to travel.

Map

Get a map of Papua New Guinea from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving Palau

Palau is one of the most extraordinary diving spots in the world. Palau’s profuse, unspoiled reefs offer a wealth of marine life, coral formations and wrecks. Dives begin in knee-deep water and plunge straight down to depths of 1000 feet and more. Blue holes, huge caverns and an immense variety of rare and exotic marine species are easily accessible. Vast numbers, not found anywhere else in the world, of large pelagic predators, sharks, turtles, dolphins, and many species of migratory fish gather at a unique crossroads of three of the world’s major ocean currents. Land locked marine lakes, accessible from the sea through tunnels beneath the island’s steep shorelines, are home to rare jellyfish, anemones, and soft corals.

Best time to dive

There’s little difference between the wet and dry season, although January to March is considered the most comfortable season because of lower humidity and slightly cooler temperatures. Although visibility is slightly reduced by run-off during the July to October monsoons, the wind is also milder during this season, producing flatter seas.

Visibility

Visibility averages 100 to 200+ feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperature averages 80 to 86 °F.

Weather and climate

Palau enjoys a pleasantly warm climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82° degrees F. Rainfall can occur throughout the year, and the annual average is 150 inches. The average relative humidity is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare as Palau is located outside the typhoon zone.

Language

English, Palauan, and Japanese

Passport/Visa requirements

Proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate) by U.S. citizens is required. Visas are not required. Non-U.S. citizens must have a valid passport. All visitors must have return travel arrangements or approval by the Chief of Immigration for an extended stay.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

Standard 110 volt and U.S. type outlets are used.

Capital

Koror

General information

The banana-shaped Palau Islands group – part of the western Caroline Islands – lies at the far western end of Micronesia in the Philippine Sea. A tightly bunched archipelago, Palau consists of the high islands of Babeldaob, Koror, Peleliu and Angaur; the low coral atolls of Kayangel and Ngeruangel; and the limestone Rock Islands, of which there are more than 200. Nearly all of the islands in the group sit inside a single barrier reef. The nation’s boundaries also encompass six small, isolated islands, collectively called the South-West Islands, which extend some 370 miles to the southwest, almost as far as Indonesia.

Map

Get a map of Palau from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving Micronesia

There are many islands that make up Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and diving is one of the greatest adventures on any of the islands. Enjoy drift diving, shallow and deep wreck diving and a greater variety of colorful sea life. Marine biologists have discovered more species in Micronesia than in any other part of the planet. Micronesian dive destinations such as Bikini, Guam, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Saipan, Tinian & Rota, and Ulithi are some of the greatest anywhere. Many WWII Pacific Campaign battles were fought throughout Micronesia. Well-preserved wrecks are artificial reefs over half a century old and overgrown with great variety of sealife. Micronesia islands are truly world-class diving.

Best time to dive

The best conditions are from January through May.

Visibility

Visibility averages 100 to 150 feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperature averages 82 to 86 °F.

Weather and climate

FSM enjoys a tropical climate, with relatively even, warm temperatures throughout the year. The climate averages 80 °F year round, with highs in the high 80s and lows in the high 70s. Rainfall is heaviest during the summer months. Trade winds come mainly from the northeast from December through June.

Language

English and some Japanese

Passport/Visa requirements

U.S. citizens may enter any FSM state with a U.S. passport or proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate). Non U.S. citizens must have a valid passport from their country of origin.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

Standard 110 volt and U.S. type outlets are used.

Capital

Each island in Micronesia has its own capital city.

General information

The Federated States of Micronesia is the collective name given for two thousand tropical islands scattered over more than three million square miles of the Pacific Ocean. The islands lie North of the Equator in the Western Pacific. The distance from one end of Micronesia to the other is 2,040 nautical miles. Micronesia is not a single country. It is a loose collection of different countries that all once formed part of the U.S. Trust Territory of Micronesia.

The eight island groups that form Micronesia are Guam, the Republic of Palau (Belau), the Marianas, Ponhpei, Yap, Truk (Chuuk), the Marshalls, and Kosrae — each unique group with its own culture, language, history and tropical attractions. These islands and atolls are the result of volcanic activity that took place millions of years ago. Many of these islands are the summits of huge underwater mountains or the rims of sunken volcano craters peaking over the water surface to surround tropical lagoons. Not only are Micronesia’s island spread out over a great distance but each island group also has it’s own culture and character where their traditional lifestyles still prosper to varying degrees.

Map

Get a map of Micronesia from WorldAtlas.com.

Diving Marshall Islands

On Bikini Atoll there are nine shipwrecks to dive, most notably is the USS Saratoga, a 900 foot aircraft carrier. The Saratoga has eight decks to explore. Also, there is the Nagato, which was Admiral Yamamoto’s flagship in World War II from where he ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor. There are also two submarines, two attack transports, one other battleship, and two destroyers. The Marshall Islands are a wreck divers dream. Note: Due to average diving depth beyond130 feet all dives on Bikini Atoll are decompression dives and only suitable for advanced divers with considerable experience in deep and wreck diving.

Best time to dive

Diving is at its best from May through October, when the water is calmest.

Visibility

Visibility averages 100 to 200+ feet.

Water temperatures

Water temperatures remain around 80°F year-round.

Weather and climate

The average daily temperature is 81°F, with the chilliest days coming during the rainy season, from September through November. The driest period is January through March. June to August are the hottest months. Mild trade winds and tropical showers are the daily norm. Full-blown tropical storms and typhoons are rare.

Language

Japanese, Marshallese, and English

Passport/Visa requirements

Visas are not required for U.S. citizens. A valid passport, sufficient funds for a stay, and an onward/return ticket are required for stays up to 30 days. Citizens of Canada require a passport and visa (issued on arrival), sufficient funds and proof of onward passage. Other countries should check requirements before departing.

Currency

U.S. Dollar – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Electrical current

Standard 110 volt and U.S. type outlets are used.

Capital

Majuro

General information

The Marshall Islands are comprised of 1200+ islands and atolls. The islands are grouped into two main chains, Ratak (Sunrise) in the east and Ralik (Sunset) in the west. Both run north-south and together spread out across some 750,000 square miles of the central Pacific. The Marshalls consist of low coral limestone and sand islands and islets, the vast majority of which form scattered atolls. Only five are single islands.

Japan governed the islands from WWI to WWII. Following WWII, the United States served as an administrator under United Nations Trust Territory created for all Micronesia. The Republic of the Marshall Islands came into being and declared its independence in 1979.

Map

Get a map of the Marshall Islands from WorldAtlas.com.