2019 - 2020 Scuba Diving Holidays, Liveaboards and Learn to Dive Courses to the Maldives, Red Sea, Canary Islands, Far East, Caribbean and the Pacific.
Micronesia and Pacific - Liveaboards
Choose a scuba diving holiday to Micronesia and the Pacific which offers adventures for those wanting an exploratory and exotic diving holiday. Meet unique and rare marine creatures and dive sites of unsurpassed beauty that will leave memories for a lifetime. Dive holidays in Micronesia are famous for the chance to see World War II wrecks.
Palau, made up of 300 mostly unihabited islands that look like 'mushrooms'. From caves to soft corals, mantas to giant shoals, sharks and 1500 variety of fish. This is a truly special destination.
Truk Lagoon famously has hundreds of World War II japanese wrecks lying in 35m water almost intact. Historically facinating and an excellent twin centre trip with Palau.
Explore the magic of Fiji and Hawaii aboard a luxury liveaboard or enjoy the pure escapism on the paradise island of Bora Bora in your own water villa. For a once in a lifetime trip visit the Galapagos, Darwin and Wolf Islands.
Palau Ocean Hunter I and III - Palau, Micronesia and Pacific
NEWLY FEATURED
The Ocean Hunter I and III liveaboards offer an unforgettable scuba diving holiday to Palau.
The Ocean Hunter I liveaboard is a 60ft steel dive yacht and has been cruising the pristine Palau waters since 1993. With a capacity of only 6 divers, a personal and intimate experience is guaranteed, with the flexibility to customise the dive itinerary for each diver. Its smaller size gives the Ocean Hunter I the ability to access parts of dive sites that other larger vessels cannot, and with the opportunity to complete up to 7 dives a day, there is a total freedom to explore Palau’s incredible marine life in a way not found with other liveaboards.
The Ocean Hunter III liveaboard is a 96ft dive yacht built for comfort. Born out of over 25 years experience running liveaboards, the newest addition to the Ocean Hunter fleet will offer a comfortable diving holiday, with every detail meticulously thought out as a result of it being designed by divers, for divers. In the same way as the Ocean Hunter I, the liveaboard operates with a flexible dive schedule so each diver can decide exactly how much diving they wish to do.
Location
The Palau Ocean Hunters I and III dock next to the Palau dive centre, approximately a 10 minute walk from downtown Koror, with complimentary hotel transfers.
Accommodation
The Ocean Hunter I offers an exclusive and intimate liveaboard experience, with three cosy double cabins, for up to six, air conditioned and with private head and shower.
The Ocean Hunter III sleeps 16 guests and consists of two Standard cabins (one queen size bed, one single), four Deluxe cabins (one king size bed, one single) and two Upper Deck Master Staterooms (one king size bed, one single), all air conditioned and with private head and shower as standard. The Upper Deck Master Staterooms are fitted with portholes and offer views over the calm azure waters.
Facilities
The Ocean Hunter I offers a spacious dive deck with room for each diver to get kitted up. The yacht’s shallow draft allows for the close navigation to reefs and drop offs, and most dives can be done from the dive platform at the stern. There is a working area with more than 60 electrical outlets and extra storage space, providing photographers with all the facilities they need to process the day’s photographs. After diving, the lounge area provides a comfortable and homely environment in which to relax, with a TV/DVD, stereo and an assortment of films, CDs and books.
The Ocean Hunter III is specifically designed for underwater photography with a sizeable computer station and powerful software for loading and editing photos and videos, with download, email and CD burning services. The dive deck is spacious and equipped with personal gear boxes, as well as a semi-dry gear room with camera tables. The rear of the dive deck is fitted with an exit ladder. In between dives you can relax in either of the two on board heated jacuzzis, the large shaded sun deck or in the plush saloon with comfortable sofas and a flat screen TV. There is a separate dining area serving fresh cuisine in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Diving
One of the main reasons the Ocean Hunter I is so unique is due to the flexibility of the quantity and length of dives available, made possible by the small number of guests on board. This makes the liveaboard highly attractive for divers wishing to tailor their dive plan – some divers have made as many as seven dives per day aboard the Ocean Hunter whilst others stick to two.
The Ocean Hunter III offers the opportunity to visit the must see dive spots in Palau and more – its superior size and speed make travelling further afield possible, with trips planned to Northern Papua New Guinea, Yap, the Northern Marianas to name a few. These virtually untouched reefs are in pristine condition representing a once-in-a-lifetime dive experience.
The Ocean Hunter liveaboards give the opportunity to maximise your dive time in one of the best diving locations in the world, with an incredible quantity and diversity of marine life waiting to be discovered. You’ll be diving in water that ranges from 27-30˚C, so a 3mm wetsuit should be more than adequate. Most diving in Palau is drift diving so best suited to more experienced divers comfortable with a current, although reef hooks can be used on some dives. All guests are required to dive with a safety sausage, which can be purchased at the dive centre before boarding if necessary. Visibility is often fantastic, with a seemingly endless view on a good day in Palau’s crystal clear waters. In reality it reaches around 200ft, or 60 metres. The wrecks closer to the mainland will have slightly diminished visibility due to nearby Koror. Palau can be dived all year round, with the optimum times in the dry months between October and April. Free nitrox 32% is offered with both Ocean Hunter liveaboards.
There is also a wide range of activities on offer between dives, including kayak tours through the rock islands and to various derelict Japanese WWII fortifications, sunken aeroplanes and submerged limestone caves. Land tours visit lush rainforests and remote waterfalls, as well as ancient abandoned villages and WWII artefacts.
Days 2-6 Wake up 6:00-6:30am with tea, coffee and sweet rolls. 7:00am First dive Day 7 The final day of the trip often includes a shipwreck dive (Iro or Chuyo Maru) and then Chandelier Cave as the Ocean Hunter makes its way back towards Koror. If time permits then a trip to nearby Mandarinfish Lake can be offered. Return to dock late afternoon. Day 8 Breakfast at 7:00am before disembarking Ocean Hunter at 8:00am. Transportation to the hotel or airport is included. Itinerary may vary as all trips are tailored to take advantage of the best weather and sea conditions. |
Fact File
Best Time: October - April. Average Air temps: 29°C Average Water temps: 27-29°C Visibility: 25-60m Top Dive Sites: World War II freighter, warships and aircraft including Japanese Wrecks - Iro Maru, Teshio Maru, Bichu Maru and Japanese Zero fighter, Jake Seaplane. Chandelier Cave, Peleliu Wall, Cut and Expressway. Highly recommended is the Blue Holes and Blue Corner Wall at Koror Island, New and Big drop offs, German and Ulong Channels. |
Great Reasons to Dive in Palau
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