October diving holiday - Vanuatu?

Hi all,

I live in Australia and am keen to do a week of diving during my October holidays - we're looking for crystal waters, sandy beaches and coral reefs. We've done plenty of diving in SE Asia (especially Philippines and Indonesia) and are looking to give the Pacific a try.

We've been thinking of Vanuatu - does anyone have experience of diving there? How was it? Is there anywhere you'd recommend in particular? Somewhere better than Vanuatu? Either way, it has to be (more or less) easily accessible from Australia, as - even as a teacher! - my holidays are limited in length!

Thanks in advance for any input!

Will

I haven't been to Vanuatu, but I can say that the diving in Palau is out of this world. Beautiful wall reefs, lovely little beaches in the rock islands (where your dive boat will stop), and even better beaches if you don't mind rustic accomodation and a trek to Kayangel (where you can see lots of giant clams close-up in the lagoon that are owned by various families).