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Heh (Reply to this comment)
by Elerad
Wild horses couldn't drag me into the water to go scuba diving (or swimming, or wading, etc..), but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy hearing about it (provided I'm on dry land). Great review.
John
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Jul 25 '01
5:43 pm PDT
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Re: Re:+Great+Review! (Reply to this comment)
by lilynaz
I haven't thought about the Galapagos. I'll have to look into that. I'm also thinking about Greece and Bali. So many places, so little time. If you haven't, look into Bonaire, in the Netherland Antilles, you should think about it. The island isn't as developed yet, and the Dutch don't quite have the French attitude towards luxury that you find in French Polynesia, so the resorts are not spectacularly luxurious, but they're nice and clean and enjoyable and the service is excellent. But the diving was fantastic! Different from Bora Bora etc. (not a lot of large fish, no sharks) but there is an incredible amount of variety underwater. A huge number of dive sites for a small island. Definitely a close second to French Polynesia from a diving perspective.
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Jun 14 '01
7:07 am PDT
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Re: Great+Review! (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Rangiroa probably wouldn't have been a wise choice if you didn't have your certification yet. Now that you do, though, it's definitely worth a try.
Can't wait to hear about the Red Sea!
Still on my list of places to dive:
Red Sea
Galapagos
Maldives
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Jun 13 '01
8:49 am PDT
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Re: The+diving+sounds+fabulous... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
I don't know if you read my Rangiroa review- it discusses some of the beauty and grace involved in diving from Zodiacs.
It's not a pretty sight, but it is soooo worth it. Besides, Dr. kboo and one other guy in our group were the only ones who were actually able to pull themselves aboard. The rest of us were unceremoniously hauled up by our weight belts. Definitely not a "first date" sort of activity!
;)
kboo
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Jun 13 '01
8:47 am PDT
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Great Review! (Reply to this comment)
by lilynaz
My first diving trip with my (then) hubby-to-be was in Bora Bora. If you go back, think about giving the guys at the Bora Bora Dive Shop (no extra points for name creativity) a try. They have a small operation that, at first glance, looks like nothing much. But they were great teachers. I hadn't even done my certification classes at this point, but they have a program where they give you a primer course in diving and the dive instructor takes you on a very carefully guided tour underwater. My dive-guru, Marc, did not leave my side or let go of my hand for a minute. I didn't have much to compare it to at the time, but now I realize how truly fantastic the underwater world is in French Polynesia. We opted for Huahine instead of Morea, hoping for a less touristy, more down-to earth experience, and kicked ourselves for the entire stay there. The diving was not nearly as interesting, and the dive shops were not as conveniently located or as well run.
On our next trip to the French Polynesia, we will definitely give Rangiroa a try. My friend cautioned that it was not a good diving local for a neophyte like myself, so we gave it a miss. Reading your review, I'm kicking myself (and her) about that as well!
Now that my husband and I are in London, our next dive trip is to the Red Sea. Hopefully, that will be as good as they say.
Thanks again for a great review. You give me excellent vacation plans!
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Jun 11 '01
6:47 am PDT
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The diving sounds fabulous... (Reply to this comment)
by diverpam
I guess my list of dive destinations just got longer.
I'm not sure how I would like diving from the zodiac, though. I don't mind doing the back flip to get out, but I hate to think of the struggle climbing back in weighted down with my gear.
Thanks for painting such a beautiful underwater picture for me and making me want to open my "dive closet" just to get a whiff of the neoprene!
Take care,
Pam
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Jun 06 '01
4:23 pm PDT
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Re: Words+Fail.+Riiiight. (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Thanks for reading, hedge-- and thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, the powers-that-be at Epinions seem to be encouraging me to write foodie reviews rather than travel reviews, given my stable Restaurant Advisor status and my apparently probationary Hotels and Travel Advisor status (which I had for all of 2 weeks, it seems, one of which I was out of town with no internet access).
In any event, I will try to write more useful travel stuff, though you could certainly help by pointing out to the Epinions higher-ups that fluctuating temporary advisorship status is not the way to encourage people to write...
Again, thanks for your comment.
kboo
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Jun 01 '01
7:02 am PDT
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Words Fail. Riiiight. (Reply to this comment)
by hedge777
kboo, you gotta lay off that gourmet stuff - you know, the one-red-potato-and-three-carrot-sticks-for-45-bucks meal deals. Presentation isn't everything.
Especially for divers - we're hungry for information that we can sink our teeth into. I rest my case on these previous glowing comments that practical information titillates us. No need to sweat so profusely over the cleverly turned phrasing.
Thanks! Now to plan a dive trip to some exotic spot worth writing about...
Hedge
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May 30 '01
10:58 am PDT
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Re: Re:+Re:+Re:+Re:+I'm+not+bored... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
You mean you don't know how to swim?!!
kboo
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May 30 '01
9:26 am PDT
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nice review!.... (Reply to this comment)
by aika
I know it's none of my buisness but who's "you know who" b/f? oh well I'm kinda nosy so don't mind me. Anyway nice review nI look forward to your next one!
~aika
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May 24 '01
10:00 am PDT
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Re: Re:+Re:+I'm+not+bored... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Like I said, the offer to teach you too, is open.
:)
kboo
p.s. I met you know who today!!
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May 19 '01
11:41 pm PDT
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Re: Re:+I'm+not+bored... (Reply to this comment)
by Epicure
and I don't even dive! Having heard these diving stories from you firsthand, I bet this was a review that just wrote itself, meaning you know more about this subject than anyone else I know. Sounds like such an amazingly breathtaking world down there! One of these days, I'll learn. A wonderful thorough review!
Epicure
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May 17 '01
7:58 am PDT
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Re: :-) (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
LOL!
It's never too late to learn. I could teach you...
;)
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May 16 '01
9:29 pm PDT
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Re: I'm+saving.... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Yup. I toil and toil at the Law Firm, saving my money (I have no time to spend it anyway), to spend on these crazy trips. I've heard amazing things about diving in the Galapagos, the Red Sea, and the Maldives. But perhaps another trip to French Polynesia (Rangi) should be planned for our fall/winter (Nov-Jan) to look for hammerheads and whale sharks...
sigh!
Thanks for reading!
:-)
kboo
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May 16 '01
9:27 pm PDT
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Re: I'm+not+bored... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Thanks, Mark, for taking the time to read, and for the compliment. It means a great deal, coming from you. I've been trying to write travel reviews like yours since I started here at Epinions.
kboo
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May 16 '01
9:24 pm PDT
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Re: Going+broke... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Thanks for reading, Raf! Yeah, the diving was NOT cheap, but so worth it. On one dive we were along a wall outside the edge of Rangi, and I looked down into the deep, deep blue, only to see hundreds of sharks of all sizes going on down into the depths. Simply amazing.
Another reason why the fewer dives is that we had to take flights between each island, so that knocked a few days of diving out of the equation!
kboo
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May 16 '01
9:23 pm PDT
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I'm not bored... (Reply to this comment)
by mrkstvns
Sounds to me like you had a first-rate trip!
...now if only I could swing some free time for a little jaunt out to Bora Bora...
Great review!
Mark
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May 16 '01
10:55 am PDT
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:-) (Reply to this comment)
by deannajjones
That sounds like such a great trip! Now if only I could swim...
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May 16 '01
10:16 am PDT
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Going broke... (Reply to this comment)
by Raf_K
I was going to tell you off for *only* doing 12 dives in 13 days, but when I got to the $ 50 per dive part I guess I understood why...
French Polynesia is on my list as a honeymoon trip: probably only in about 4 years or so!
Thanks for a great insight and a wonderful review as always!
Raf
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May 16 '01
1:43 am PDT
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I'm saving.... (Reply to this comment)
by shurie
my pennies for a diving trip there. But after this review I think I'll be dumping in the dollars! Or perhaps I'd better cash in my Epinions earnings! (HaHa).
What a riveting review. I couldn't stop reading till the end, and then I wanted to go back and start all over. I'm jealous.
Lee
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May 16 '01
1:00 am PDT
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Re: The+Dive+Not+Taken... (Reply to this comment)
by kboo
Jim---
You are 100% correct.
I would NOT recommend getting diver certification at Blue Dolphin (the conditions are just too challenging). The guys at Bora Blue Nui did do checkout dives for an American couple that had done (and passed) all of the other skills tests in the states. Bathy's Club, even though it is the only "5-star PADI facility" in French Polynesia, also seems to fly a little fast and loose (though not like Blue Dolphin).
I forgot to mention, too, that I have logged about 45 dives and probably have as many unlogged dives, and it was only because of that experience and my experience as a swimmer and lifeguard, that I felt comfortable in some of the situations that I mention. (I feel like saying, "Don't try this at home, kids.")
But you do highlight a very important point, which is that a decision to do a full diving certification course is an important decision and not one to be made on impulse. Thus, if you even think you might want to get certified in French Polynesia, you should do your research well in advance to find competent instructors. This is not something to do on the spur of the moment because it's offered. I do think that there are outfits that are fully capable of providing excellent training (Bora Blue Nui sticks out in my mind), but the research really should be done well in advance, stateside.
I would also add that I have seen some really inexperienced divers attempting things they shouldn't be doing, like drift dives when they didn't have enough buoyancy control. Scary.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Jim. As always, your comments are insightful and very helpful.
kboo
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May 15 '01
9:36 pm PDT
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The Dive Not Taken... (Reply to this comment)
by 29th_Candidate
This is a wonderful, comprehensive and interesting travel review, kboo... I would only add that potential "1st-time divers" interested in diving for the first time on their next vacation, should plan on getting their diver certifications BEFORE they leave home. Though admittedly, my knowledge of the "resort-affiliated" diving instructors/schools is limited to what I've seen and heard personally, I've engaged in some seriously reckless and risky scuba diving activity while diving with those to whom I refer. I'm an experienced diver, so I knew what I was doing and what I was up against. I cannot and would not say the same for a "first-timer."
My other reason for saying this, derives from discussions I've had with some of the instructors themselves. Though I received my certification from a non-resort connected diving instructor, I've been told by more than one of the "resort" instructors that they (the RI) are often "fast and loose" when it comes to potentially life-threatening details (virtually any omitted details are life-threatening details when it comes to scuba diving training,) and often skip CPR training (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) altogether If I'm wrong, please correct me, but this is one activity for which I'm willing to take that risk... .
Cheers--
29th
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May 15 '01
6:04 pm PDT
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