diving destinations Pacific accessible from Tokyo

I am looking for advice on high-quality Pacific dive destinations easily accessible from Tokyo. We're going to be there in April 2011 and I would like to combine the trip with a Pacific divetrip: however flights to PNG, Solomons, Fiji etc from Tokyo seem to be complicated and involving layovers, multiple changes etc. Any thoughts anyone?

Palau should be the obvious choice! One of the best diving spots in the world and also exceptionally beautiful above water. Also consider Yap to dive with the manta rays. (And to experience a really unique people and traditions) Or go even further to ww2 wreck-packed Truk.
Flights to Koror (Palau) Yap and Truk from several cities in Japan via Guam. And even better, I read somwhere that Delta is opening up a direct flight Tokyo-Koror in december 2010.

eflatjan
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http://my.flightmemory.com/eflatjan

Edited by: eflatjan

I agree with #1, there are many flights between Tokyo and Guam, then from there you can head to Yap or Palau. Note I saw no mantas in Yap when I went last month, but I only did 2 "sit at the bottom and wait for the mantas" dives out of the six dives that I did. The diving in Yap and Palau is fantastic.

Someone on another thread mentioned a Taipei-Koror flight on China Airlines, though I don't know anything about this or whether it would be cheaper for you.

You might want to check with a travel agent as I found I could not get information from the airline websites about their flights to Palau (Continental is the only one I could get information from but was quite pricey). But there has to be lots of flights from Tokoyo to Palau as it is a popular spot for Japanese divers - it may be that these are charter flights that don't come up in the regular schedule. JAL is one of the ones I read about with flights to Palau. Palau is an amazing place to visit - good luck with whatever you decide!

Though longer flights away, Fiji, the Solomons and PNG could still be reached with a single change in HK or AU (for Fiji) or Manila, AU (for the Solomons) Singapore or AU (for PNG).
I wouldn't consider Fiji a great diving destination - PNG much more so, but reaching dive spots with that country would require an addition domestic flight. The Solomons could offer good diving, even out of Honiara.

Of course Palau is also a great and very logical choice, just wanted to point out that any of the others are also accessible with a single change of planes, as is Palau.

For nonstop flights to a country with good diving, consider Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, any of which would offer diving as good or better as most countries in the South Pacific proper.

I am inclined to agree with Laszlo - there are probably dozens of flights a week from Tokyo to Brisbane, and generally one daily flight from Brisbane to Honiara.
For cheap flights, check Jetstar flights Tokyo to Bne, and Pacific Blue (Virgin) Bne to Honiara, though there may be other cheap airlines out of Tokyo. Solomon Airlines and Our Airlines also fly Bne Honiara.