Diving in Vanuatu, Tonga,Samoa or Cook Islands

MY wife and I are currently working at the South Pole and when we leave in February my wife and I want to go diving somewhere WARM and TROPICAL. Can anyone please help us with information about diving opportunities on any of these islands as well as good places to stay or eat. We are trying to decide which ones would be the most fun to visit and dive. Thanks so much.

Of those 4 I would recommend Vanuatu, Hideaway Island (www.hideaway.com.vu/ -) had a very good dive operation.
There is not much diving done in Samoa, and Tonga you would probably need to get to the outer islands rather than Tongatapu.
Cook Islands have a few dive operations and outside the reef is probably reasonably good.
I think Vanuatu would have the most variety of dive sites and great wreck dives on the outer islands as well if you want to venture farther afield.

I second Vanuatu.

It surely has the richest marine life among the 4 countries listed.

I actually found the reefs in northern Vanuatu around Santo much nicer than those around Efate. There are several dive-operators around Lugainville on Santo, I think. That area is also famous for wreck-diving.

Thanks for your quick responses. It definitely helps to have some idea what to focus my research on. If you or anyone else has any info on travel in this area I am all ears. Thanks again. I will check out the link you provided too.

I would root too for Vanuatu but I'm a little biased as I've been living my childhood on Efate for 8 years (though that was a long time ago...). Although I didn't scuba at the time, just snorkeling for shell collecting, aquarium fish and spearfishing, the best corals I remember having seen where in the northern shore of Efate around Hat, Lelepa and Moso islands, almost glowing with colors.. it might have changed though (Laszlo feel free to inform where you've been on Efate, I would like to have some news).

Someone mentioned Hideaway island... well, it could be an option, I wouldn't personnally recommend it as you would be a little bit stranded away from nicer activities and dives.. Mele is away from downtown PortVila where you could dive with Nautilus for instance to go to the northern parts of Efate, Or Pango or elsewhere, Hideaway only dives in The Mele bay area, if my knowledge is still fine... you woud also miss the nice atmospher of PortVila which is probably the prettiest town in the Southern Pacific (Yeah.. I'm biased, but that's the country where I grew up..)

I spent two weeks in the Samoa, Savai'i and wasn't impressed at all with marine life. I wonder why you didint put Fiji and new Caledonia on your list.

I have been snorkeling in Fiji (Beqa lagoon) but that was years ago and was really impressed with the fish life and the many sharks.. fortunately I'm going back to Fiji in two months (after a 30 years break.. second call to Laszlo if you ever have something to say about my questions on Fiji in my own post, you're welcome :) ...).
But for me the top of diving around should be New Caledonia where I also spent two years : good coral life lots of biggies, a mix of French Polynesia and Vanuatu for the coral and smaller stuff. Don't bother with the much too infamous Ile des Pins, but the Grande Terre and the Loyalty islands like Lifou are something for diving...

Edited by: Luko

Luko thanks for your info. New Caledonia wasn't a destination I found from New Zealand CHC ( I will check a bit harder on your recomendation ) and I have been to Fiji in the Yasawas it was fantasic but I am looking to see new areas of the world.

The only time i've been skiing in my Vanuatu childhood was in the southern island of NZ, arriving by CHC airport, and I remember we had to go through Nouméa-NC before reaching Port Vila... what I do not remember is whether we had to stop in Auckland and change flight beforehand...

Anyway that was a long time ago...

I'm surprized : is there a Christchurch/Port Vila direct flight now?

You could go to New Caledonia from Sydney with Air Calin - if you don't want to stick with ANZ only. We also booked Port Vila to New Caledonia with Air Vanuatu - don't know if they still do that route!