Testimonials

All Countries

Costa Rica

Nov 9 2015

"Our trip was wonderful. All the arrangements were perfect, great hotels and wonderful people. The dive shop had some of the most accommodating people we had ever encountered. With Rich's handicap they went out of their way to help him any way they could. The schedule was perfect also out to dive at 8 back by 12:30 leaving us plenty of time for other things. Since we went out every day they checked with us to make sure they weren't repeating dive sites for us. It was poor visibility which we knew going there at this time of year but did get to see some big stuff including four humpback whales that entertained us one morning between dives as we sat on the boat.

Volcano area was great too and had one day where the volcano was perfectly clear all day. It only rained on the day of our drive to San Jose. Again great people. All the guides and the people who drove us around were very friendly and chatty so we learned a lot about Costa Rica just listening to them. I will be writing a review again for the Undercurrent magazine on the diving. If you want I will put your contact in there again. We liked going away at this time of year. Thinking Bali, Cuba or Hawaii. Thanks again for everything. Once again it was a tremendous trip."

Kathleen and Rich- December 2012

Costa Rica- The Springs and Capitan Suizo

Jan 29 2018

December 2017
Overall we had a great time in Costa Rica. We especially liked driving around and exploring under our own steam. They all use Waze there! I don’t know what we would have done without it.

We liked the Springs resort as everything was right there so we didn’t have to think much, but the food was pretty average. Accommodation was amazing though, huge room/suite with kids far away and great view. Activities were great and staff was really great. We did kayaking, tubing, horseback riding, and an amazing night hike right there. They had a walk around their onsite animal sanctuary and then during the night hike they took us back there and we literally came face to face with their resident sloth who was hanging upside down at my head height chomping on a snack. We were inside his enclosure and got to pet him. One of the highlights. The other was my then 12-year old, Ethan, who is animal crazy finding a red eye tree frog on the night hike, being allowed to hold it awhile until we came upon a female and our guide picked up the female and sent her scurrying up a vine and then my son put the male at the bottom of the same vine and watched him scurry up to introduce himself to the female. It was like a nature documentary. So cool. We also went zip lining in Arenal area but it was absolutely pouring with rain that day so a bit cold and Ethan freaked out and didn’t want to continue, the guides were really good with him and got him through it.

We really loved the coast too, Capitan Suizo was amazing and I think we will go back there one day with my older 2 step kids. I’ve attached a picture of Ethan with the buddy he made, Brutus (don’t know if that was the name Ethan gave him or the staff told him), a massive iguana who would hang out around the pool. He made such an impression on Ethan that for his 13th birthday last week he got a pet iguana! He’s only a baby and fits in his hand right now but he could grow as big as Brutus one day. We loved the accommodation and the food here. We went ATV’ing on a 2-hour tour which was amazing, just our family and the guide through all the little towns, beaches and offroad around there. Otherwise mostly boogie boarding. Great sunsets.

Overall we fell in love with Costa Rica so thanks for a great trip!

The Tekstra Family

Okeanos Aggressor II

Aug 29 2016

How is it going? Wanted to let you know that the Cocos Trip was incredible. Best diving so far. Hundreds of hammerheads in each dive, massive tigers sharks , silkies, galapagos, black tips. Also saw one Manta and one whale shark. The crew and the food was excellent. Thank you for your help and guidance.
Luis- August 2016

Sea Hunter Liveaboard & Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica

Nov 9 2015

"I am truly stuck for words which is why it has taken me a few days to write back to you. The entire trip was fantastic and we would both like to thank you and the team for putting it all together so seamlessly.

Pacuare Lodge was a piece of luxury in the middle of the rainforest (rain being the operative word) where we went zip lining, canyoning, hiking and obviously white water rafting. A truly stunning destination that we would both highly recommend.

As for the diving and the Sea Hunter crew, amazing is an understatement! The sea was perfectly flat in both directions and the sun shone for the majority of the trip. The main hammerhead action was at Small Dos Amigos and Alycone. Alcyone on our last day was the best dive of the holiday (if you exclude the bait ball we dove with the previous day - Galapagos and silkies everywhere!). There were huge schools of jacks, snappers and very close up hammerhead action followed by a mobula ray, more snappers and more hammerheads on our safety stop. The silvertips at Silverado had unfortunately followed our lead and gone on holiday but the white tips on the night dive at Manuelita thankfully hadn't and wow, what a spectacle. Needless to say, about five minutes after surfacing from our final dive we decided that this would not be our one and only trip to Cocos! The crew was attentive and efficient and we still remain shocked that we were being fed fresh salads on the way home from a 10 day trip. I think the only complaint I have is of the far too frequently seen speedos in the dining room!

Unfortunately for our bank balances, we decided that a once in a lifetime trip aboard Deep See was not to be missed. It is actually quite hard to explain the experience as it was so alien and yet so beautiful. The highlight was definitely the visit from the mobula rays at 200 metres.

To follow such an action packed two weeks with a stay at Punta Islita was perfect and the views over the Pacific coast from our balcony and the infinity pool were dream-like. Other than a highly comical surf lesson we layed by the beach, had extravagant massages and ate indulgent food for the whole three days. To do anything other than relax at this resort was impossible.

The only downside of the whole trip was having to come home. I know for certain that I have fallen in love with Costa Rica and specifically Cocos. Again we would like to thank you and the team for all of your work. Please also pass on our thanks to the agents in Costa Rica who organised our land trip, everything ran incredibly efficiently and we didn't have to worry about a single thing throughout the entire three weeks - it couldn't have worked better."

Michelle and Nick- April 2009

Sea Hunter, Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Nov 9 2015

"I have just returned home from our 10 day trip to Cocos Island on board the Sea Hunter. I apologize but I forgot to fill out the comment book on board the ship before departing. Please allow me to share my thoughts on the trip.
The Diving: The diving was great! The week started a bit slow on the hammerhead count but by week’s end……..Wow! Great encounters with hammers, white tips, silkies, Galapagos & lots of schooling jacks, a few bait balls & more rays than I can count. All this while enjoying good visibility at all sites.

The Crew: Let me begin by saying that I have sailed on some of the finest live aboard vessels around the world but I have never sailed with a better crew!The crew of the Sea Hunter is the finest collection of people I have encountered in my 20+ years of live aboard dive travel. Speaking for all the guests on board, the crew members were more like long time friends that we had known for years. A very special thanks to Leo, Edwar & Javier. (Javier is one of the hardest working, nicest people I have ever met. You are very lucky to have him on the team!)

I departed Costa Rica with what I consider 12 people who I am proud to call friends! I only hope I can set sail with them again soon.
The Ship: The Sea Hunter was a wonderful base of operations to experience Cocos island. The cabins were comfortable and very well kept. The common areas of the ship were extremely well kept and contained all the comforts a diver might need on an extended trip. The food was very good and plenty of it. Louis was very accommodating on requests and the menu was great.
The dive deck was nice sized and very well thought out. There was plenty of room for suiting up as well as great room/facilities for the underwater photographers on board.

Deep See: Having Deep See on board was a very nice plus for this trip. At first we were worried it might hinder the ability of the ship to relocate closer to dive sites on the far side of the island. As it turned out the great dive skiffs made this a mute point & there was no need to reposition the ship during the week.

Deep See is wonderful! I cannot stress enough that if you are a serious diver and have a passion for the sea, YOU MUST experience Deep See! Period! Deep See offers you the unique opportunity to visit the deep ocean & and enjoy something that very few people will ever be lucky enough to experience. It is expensive, but when you consider the cost to build such a wonderful vessel & how rare the opportunity to experience a dive of this nature, you will find the cost insignificant. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Deep See Crew: Schmulik is truly a master at his craft. He was very informative and really made the dive fun as well as educational. You cannot help but get excited at his enthusiasm and be impressed with his precise touch in operating Deep See. I have no problem saying that you would be crazy not to take advantage of an opportunity to experience a dive on Deep See, you will never forget it. Eric was also very helpful and is a great addition to the team.

Conclusion: The entire Sea Hunter Group was wonderful and I can’t wait to return! Cocos Island is a very special place and if you are lucky enough to plan a trip there, there is only one operation to sail with. That’s the Sea Hunter family. Please pass on my sincere thanks to the entire crew and let them know I will see them all very soon."

John- April 2009

Sea Hunter, Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Nov 9 2015

"The Cocos trip was a great vacation and adventure and I want to thank you for your assistance. Trip out and back was warm, sunny and calm and seemed to go by fast, the weather at Cocos was the same except for one evening when a storm blew in and later in the week we had a rainy day which fed the beautiful water falls along the island coast. I personally don’t care if it rains while diving, we’re there to get wet anyway. One afternoon we went to the island ranger station and hiked about 45 minutes up to nice waterfall for a swim and back massage under the falling waters.

Diving was amazing, we saw marble rays, mobulus rays, sharks of all kinds including hammerheads, some on our safety stops, the seas and were moderate to calm. Diving from the pangas was easy, roll back into the water and climb the ladder back into the boat. We had a couple of chances to dive and snorkel near a bait ball with dolphins, sharks, and large tuna feeding on the smaller fish in the ball. John and I took the submarine ride down to 200 meters on the Deep See, we saw a palm frond from previous day’s storm lying on the bottom with a moray eel looking out from under it and two frogfish sitting on the branch. A mobulus ray swam by to check out the new neighbors! They gave a certificate of the dive, a tee shirt, and a DVD.

The Sea Hunter was very comfortable and we could wander anywhere we wanted except the bridge and engine room while we were underway. We set up chairs on the bow for the ride back and worked on our tans and the stock of Imperial beer. The cabins were small though comfortable as usual on a live aboard but we spent most of the time on the sun deck or watching movies in the spacious parlor when we weren’t diving. The crew took excellent care of us while diving or back on the boat and we always had a snack waiting on our return from diving or excursion. Food was very good, dinner started with soup, then a steak, chicken, or pork loin and a vegetable along with salad and desert. Eggs, bacon, cold serials, with fresh fruit and juices in the morning and the excellent Costa Rican coffee by the gallon. Lunches were hot meals with rice, beans, and a meat on tray.
All in all it was an excellent trip that I would do over again."

John and Michael- April 2009

Dominican Republic

Turks & Caicos Explorer, Dominican Republic

Mar 30 2016

The weather was not good, the boat stateroom was okay, the food was okay, the humpback whales were amazing and awe-inspiring! We had some very close in-water encounters as well as a lot of surface activity! We are still moved by the experience. There were a few first time snorkelers (I mean really) and some older folks. It is not the same as scuba diving. The water was extremely rough, at times it was hard to get back on the small boat from the water (and up to the large boat from the skiffs), and there was some hard swimming. They did have "noodles" but no snorkeling vests. The dive team person in the water was there to keep us back a safe distance from the whales, not to assist people in the water (although one crew member was extremely helpful getting a first-timer to the whale spot). We thought there should have been one less guest on the boat and one crew member in the water helping the people up the ladder - especially in rough seas. We think we were extremely lucky however for our whale experience and heard from repeat guests that this was their best trip as there was usually more "see nothing" time. Of course, the company can do neither about the weather or the experience although they really did spend long days on the water trying to find the whales.

Sharon & Klaus- February 2016

Ecuador & the Galapagos

Nortada, Galapagos, Ecuador

Oct 26 2015

The Nortada was great.

A small boat – but a boat designed by divers for divers.

We got 39 dives in during the two week period plus snorkelling with the young sea lions. We ticked off all the “big stuff”

To enjoy it you need to be an experienced diver. However the Guides were way above average – I was most impressed.

Due to El Nino – water temperatures were significantly higher that expected and the guides felt that visibility and numbers were a bit down compared to other years

Fortunately I am a good sailor - pretty choppy and the boat rolls a lot.

The group got on very well indeed, a great bunch of divers!

Cabin mate Pedro – had done a degree in Dublin in Ireland, same College as me but about 40 years later!

We all had a really good trip – we won’t forget it. Thank you for your help on this.

David A.- 2015

Seamen Journey & La Selva

May 16 2024

We would be totally remiss if we did not put in writing what a wonderful time we had on our recent trip to the Galapagos and to the Ecuadorian Rainforest. All we can say is WOW! As always, your planning proved to be perfection and we truly enjoyed every part of this adventure.

The Seaman Journey in the Galapagos was exactly what we wanted, a small comfortable boat, fresh food, non-stop activities, a crew that bent over backwards to ensure we were comfortable, happy and then, eye popping island experiences and unforgettable visuals. Our days started early, due to the regulations protecting the individual islands, with either a trek or a snorkel, then a return to the boat and a quick change for the next activity. We were constantly on the go and we loved every second.

The option to stay aboard is always an option, but as each island provided us with new opportunities, we became quick change artists and we were ready to go in moments as were most of the other guests on the boat. Our nature guide and leader, Marco, was a delight offering us insight into all of the islands’ variations and adaptations, all given with intelligence and humor. Every night, he were briefed us on the following days activities and he couldn’t have been more thorough. As this is a locally owned boat, the crew and Marco all had personal knowledge of this area, their pride and experience truly enriched our trip even more. Also, thanks for your recommendation to explore the western islands as they were amazing. We even got to witness a volcano spewing into the ocean, just one of the amazing moments on this part of our trip.

Then off to the rainforest and what an idyllic location La Selva was. Our room overlooked the mirrored lake and boy did we love that lake, canoeing whenever the option was available. That canoeing was, unto itself, a purely Zen experience as we glided over the water watching and listening to the birds while witnessing to the various monkey species swinging from tree to tree. The staff at this lodge could not have been more welcoming even providing us with a candlelit dinner in their gazebo on their dock. The food was delicious and its’ presentation always artistic with the chef preparing at least 4 separate entree choices daily. We did stay longer than the usual 3-4 day visit and we found 7 days to be enough time to really see and do what we wanted.

Our last day's canoe ride gave us rainbows, caymans and the sighting of a rare giant river otter. Our native guide had the eyes of a hawk and spotted what only he could see hidden among the tree limbs and roots. He was amazing. Our translator, a birder, was an endless source of bird calls and unbelievable ability to name every bird he saw.

We could have stayed longer and thank you again for so seamlessly arranging our vacation!

Thanks again for everything.

Jo Beth and Mark (Apr 2024)

Micronesia

Truk Master

Feb 13 2018

Your recommendation for Truk Master to host our dive was spot on. Their customer service was outstanding. Anything we wanted to do could be arranged. There was no “we can’t do that”…. Every time I went in or got out of the water there was a warm towel and a drink handed to me. The food was exceptional, the crew was great, I have nothing but praise for the Captain and the staff. They all sincerely worked hard to keep us happy.

I dove 23 times that week and every time it was something different. The history and the wrecks were exactly what I was hoping for . The Captain and Cruise director were very knowledgeable on the history of the attack and gave outstanding briefing before the dives.

We did a land excursion that I asked the Captain about if he could set it up. It used one of our dive periods to do it, but all 8 of us agreed to the outing to see Japanese war relics on the shore. The crew set it up, we visited to different areas and met the locals. The Captain said he has only done it a handful of times, but it was one of the highlights of our trip.

I had the use of a dive master guide on every dive. The group of 6 other divers preferred to dive without a guide. He showed me so much. I would not have done some of the deep dives if it wasn’t for the encouragement of the Captain and being under the watchful eye of the guide. Definitely felt the experience would not have been as good without the personal attention.
Mark A- Jan 2018

Fiji

Nov 9 2015

"I have been so swamped since we returned from Fiji, but have been meaning to contact you to let you know that we LOVED Fiji and had a fantastic time! Both places we stayed were terrific. We especially loved the resort. The family was great, it was beautiful, wonderful food, just a great family feeling. The dive instructors (their daughter and her boyfriend) were fantastic teachers and helped me so patiently. And the diving was so amazing!! Biggest problem is that we have started scuba at one of the best places there is, from what I hear.

Anyway, I can’t say enough good things about the trip. Everyone thought it was our best vacation ever! I so appreciate all your efforts on our behalf and working within our budget to the extent possible. I have already told several people about you, and one in particular has already checked out your website and seems very interested in Fiji. Thanks again,"

Jan- December 2009

Fiji

Nov 9 2015

I wanted to write and let you know what a wonderful time we had and to sing the praises of the resort. The resort is just lovely with ten acres to explore. Jim was so gracious to speak about all of their gardens and efforts to control their own use of resources. Robin runs a first class facility with a wonderful staff of people to accommodate all of our needs. The food was exceptional - some of the best we have ever had in all of our travels! The bures were roomy and very comfortable - October is a wonderful time to go - nice cool breezes to fall asleep to at night. The views from the facility are just beautiful. The dive operation is outstanding. Julie and Aaron (along with boat captain Tiko) run a first class operation. The most divers they will accommodate is eight with the two of them diving with us showing us all the critters. We had a good briefing of the boat, safety and marine life before we left the bay - one of the more detailed we have experienced in the past. They took care of everything including washing all of our gear each and every day and folding it right beside our BC. We also had wonderful snacks, hot cocoa and even a hot shower to use after diving. They treated us so well. The only caution I would give is for 1st time divers - the currents are quite strong at times and might be scary and intimidating.

We would highly recommend this resort to anyone that may ask and when we left on Sunday we had a tears in our eyes as they sang the Fijian goodbye song. The day room in Nadi worked our very well and we appreciate Tuula putting that together for us at the last minute."

Julia W.- October 2009

Fiji Aggressor (formerly the Island Dancer), Fiji

Nov 9 2015

"The trip on Island Dancer was very good. Super crew, great captain, wonderful food and good diving tempered only by some rainy weather and overcast. Since we had some non-divers on the boat we did more shore excursions, by choice, than other trips probably do, and it was a nice balance. The boat is in good condition and very comfortable. I love the fact that the service is so personalized with just ten guests…makes a huge difference. Thanks for your assistance with the trip."

Debby B.- September 2009

Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu

Nov 12 2015

"Thanks for all your help in making our trip to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu a wonderful experience. I don't see how things could have been any better. The Bilikiki experience was outstanding. I will be reliving those great dives for years. The contrast between the WWII wreck dives and mother nature covering the ugliness of war with beautiful coral community jewels glistening in the sunlight is a lasting impression. That is the greatest diving that I can ever hope to experience. The gentleman that met us at the Brisbane Airport to give us all our vouchers, maps, etc. was quite helpful, as was the car rental agency. Binna Burra was fabulous. Didn't see any koalas, but saw our first wallabies. We met a gal there that, with her boyfriend, wined and dined us around Brisbane rather than let us stay in a motel on a Friday night. I can't thank you for planning that, but you did put us in the right places at the right times to make that wonderful experience happen.

The Farmstay and B&B in the Northland were perfect. The Kauri Museum and giant Kauri trees were impressive. A highlight was getting to paddle the big war canoe and learn about the Maori culture. The leader did a fantastic job. It was kind of him to call the B&B in Christchurch prior to our arrival to let them know that he had mistakenly kept the B&B voucher. The Auckland car rental agency was also quite helpful. I only got one warning, but no ticket, from a nice policeman that saw me drive on the wrong side of the street heading back to Auckland and took pity on the dumb American driver. We really enjoyed the APT tour; very small group, lovely people, fantastic tour director and bus driver, and super meals and optional excursions.

Without a doubt, New Zealand offers great natural resource diversity and beauty within short distances. It is a compressed jade-green jewel with snow-capped mountains, Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea, beautiful lakes and interesting agricultural regions and friendly folks. Great white wines, but I gave up trying to find a good red wine. We could not get over how beautiful Eliza's Manor On Bealey in Christchurch was. What a fabulous place to spend our last night in lovely Christchurch. We are most pleased with all that you did to make this a very memorable trip. Well done, Kirsten!"

Roger and Sandy- October 2008

Nai'a, Fiji

Nov 9 2015

"Hi there- Sadly, back to the world. Great trip, but not without difficulty (not arrangements). Had much trouble with the Rebreather and finally ran into a problem I didn't have a spare part for and threw in the towel. But was able to cobble together an open circuit rig from assorted parts I brought and press on. Will bring many more rebreather spares next time. But ended up carrying back that scrubber all the way to Boston again. Grrrr.

As for the amenities, I'd pick the Novatell over Raffles for day rooms. Raffles was nice, but there were so many ravenous mosquitoes IN the room I arrived at the boat scratching like a mangy chimp. No such problems at the Novatell coming back.

The diving was great and we got lucky - the trip before us lost three days due to a cyclone passing through. We just had a few showers and clouds/wind. Highlights: a swell canyon that was a Grey Reef Shark nursery. We stuffed ourselves into a Peanut Gallery as the big mom sharks paraded in front of us coming very close over and over. A couple of dozen baby sharks came by in their group and were as cute as can be. A few really ornery Titan Triggers were guarding the exit from the canyon that did their best to goose as many of us as possible when we left. Plenty of lovely mantas around on other dives. Coral was quite spectacular - the most healthy I've seen this side of Raja Ampat. Essentially no bleaching at all. Very fishy, very sharky, plenty of octopus around. Almost no macro life - strange, but one can't have everything, apparently.

The boat Nai'a had a severe burnout and refit and the accommodations were all new and lovely. I lucked out and ended up with a single room after all. Crew was great, schedule was great.

That's all I can think of, except that the TSA is getting out of control. They had no problem with my gear, however I got the double treatment both in Boston & LAX. Full scan, shirt removed (!), pockets emptied, wallet searched (!)... Thanks for all the help!"

James- November 2010

Honduras

CocoView Resort, Honduras

Nov 9 2015

"Hi-- trip was great. No problem at all with flights even though it was TACA! CocoView is a great place. I went alone and had no problem meeting people. Great topography on the dives -- swim throughs etc. and lots of good fish. Not a lot of bigger animals though -- not sure if that's just the time of the year or the area we dove."

Gordon- February 2010

Honduras and Belize

Nov 9 2015

"What a fantastic trip we had to Belize and Honduras! Chaa Creek was wonderful. The treetop jacuzzi suite was just amazing. We heard the howler monkeys one evening. Well, one howler monkey. He was so loud I swear it was just outside our villa. Very cool. As you mentioned, the food was good but very pricey. We enjoyed the cave tubing and took the zip line although I would not recommend the zip line. We did take the canoe trip to San Ignacio and really enjoyed that.

Robert's Grove was wonderful as soon as they upgraded us (for a small fee) to a more comfortable and spacious room. We ended up in one of the timeshare rooms. We were on the ground floor with two huge bedrooms, each with their own bath. A living room and dining room. The best part we had a view of the ocean which was just steps from our front door. We also had a large veranda with a hammock and chairs. I must say the food at Robert's Grove was excellent, and very reasonable. The weather was nice. It rained late in the evening almost every night, which was great. The days were perfect. Some clear and warm and others with a bit of cloud cover which was a nice change. The kids passed their certifications with flying colors and absolutely love diving. Jerry and I were thrilled. The entire staff at Robert's Grove is wonderful. We took the bikes into town several days and enjoyed the Tutti Frutti gelato. The best I have ever had. Rumfish and The French Connection were wonderful. We also stopped into Francis Ford Coppola's place for drinks one evening. Very, very nice place.

As you probably know, all flights out of Belize to Honduras were cancelled because of the military coup. We had to extend our stay at Robert's for a few days, which was fine. We took a boat to Honduras, then a cab to SPS, which was an adventure in itself.

Our stay at CocoView was amazing. The beach house was very funky indeed, but we loved it. There was no air conditioning so it took us a night or two to get used to it. They provided beach cruisers to get to and from the dining/bar area and dive boats from the beach houses. It was great. I would recommend the Flamingo Beach House to anyone. Also, we had full use of the washer and dryer in the house which was much needed. CocoView is the most organized and amazing dive resort Jerry and I have ever seen. If every dive resort ran like this one it would be a complete joy. While at CocoView we took the Extreme Zip Line which was wild. This is one not to be missed. The platforms are very high with eight or so of them and the lines stretched out as far as 200 to 300 yards.

Jerry and I want to thank you again for putting together such a wonderful trip. We had a fantastic time and can't wait to plan the next dive trip. The kids are looking forward to diving with sharks."

Karen P.- October 2009

Indonesia

Amira, Indonesia

Oct 24 2015

Yes, we have returned to NYC and are only just getting re-accustomed to the time change and the crisp fall weather. I have to admit, I do miss those balmy days and warmer waters.

Our time on the Amira could not have been more wonderful. We have remarked to many of our friends that the only thing we had to do on the boat was chew our own food and breath and kick underwater for ourselves. Everything else was graciously done for us by the crew including pulling our wet suits on for us before every dive and handing us hot, sweet, ginger tea upon our return after our dives. The spaciousness of the boat gave us all the opportunity to find personal space if needed and other areas to mix and chat with the other divers if company was wanted. The ample size of our cabins made us feel totally comfortable and the windows or portholes always gave us plenty of fresh air. The air-conditioning was never needed. Your chef provided us with varied, delicious meals, I loved the sashimi, and the fresh fruit and veggies available onboard, especially in this part of the world, was a delight. We all agreed, we couldn’t have been pampered more and we totally enjoyed it!

My husband Mark described the diving, after searching for the right word, as majestic. The variety of fish, the abundance of coral and the joy of seeing such a healthy, teeming reef not only was a wonder to our eyes, but it also gave us hope that the oceans still have a chance to not only survive, but to also thrive. I can only hope that this will remain true in the future. It is apparent that the efforts of the crew and owners of the Amira and the keepers of Sorido Bay are all striving to protect this ocean treasure and for this I am truly grateful.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Bruno, Ikel (sp?) and in particular, your dive crew. Their ability to spot even the smallest of marvels was astounding. We had to laugh as they had us stop in the midst of a ripping current to point out a pygmy seahorse. The briefings were very informative and on days when the currents were strong, alternative dive sites were offered to those who did not feel confident to dive in those situations. My husband and son took the opportunity to go night diving whenever possible and the boat and crew always accommodated their desires. As the amount of passengers was limited, my husband, son and I along with our dive guide dove as a small group together. What a luxury to feel that the reef belonged to our small ‘school’ with no other divers in sight.

What a surprise we all had to find Uli aboard, our very own marine biologist ready to give us nightly lectures and to offer insight into what we were seeing every day.

Not only were his lectures informative but his delivery was beyond humorous and I know I will remember much of what he taught us. That, to me, is the true sign of a great teacher.

The two weeks passed only too quickly aboard and as we waved goodbye to our son, my husband and I headed to Sorido Bay. We did enjoy being on land, but as this area has been discovered by others, we were joined on the reefs by other dive groups staying near by. Six of us who had been on The Amira also traveled to Sorido Bay. On our first dive, we laughed as we had to dress ourselves. Talk about spoiled divers! The water temps were somewhat warmer for us here and that made the diving more pleasant. I did appreciate your ‘alert’ email forewarning us of the colder waters awaiting us in the southern waters and took a thicker suit due to that, thank goodness. I know I would have been cold without your heads up.

Max and the staff at Sorido Bay were charming, helpful and like the crew of The Amira, always greeting us with big smiles. We truly loved the diving, felt relaxed and rejuvenated and after all, that is why we travel. It was an amazing holiday and the images and experiences are locked in our brains forever.

Thanks to you and all of your crew for all for your efforts. As a team, you made this a trip to remember forever.

Hope to see you all sometime, somewhere in the future.

Best,

Jo Beth R.- November 2015

Arenui Forgotten Island Cruise October 14 to 26, 2016

Nov 14 2016

I cannot speak highly enough about this experience. The diving was all that I expected, but the Arenui crew made the trip for me. This was my 3rd diving trip to Indonesia, first time on this boat, and the diving was all that I expected. There are only 16 guests and there were 23 crew to attend to our needs, and attend they did. The other guests were all very friendly and our trip organizer was also very attentive to the needs of the guests.

The diving set up was great. By using 2 fast boats the dive groups were limited to 4 divers to each guide. The groups were whisked to the dive sites, entered the water together, and proceeded to enjoy the diving. Upon surfacing the fast boats were right there is pick up up. The dive groups were the "early" groups and the "lazy" groups, which were switched each day. This allowed each group to have the entire boat to get kitted up and gave us a chance to get in the water without a large group of divers heading out to the same site at the same time. The eagle eyed guides spotted everything no matter how small.

The boat is very comfortable and the food was fantastic!! Individual selections were available at every meal. The boat has no bunk beds and all cabins have en-suite facilities, as well as a public one for all to use. Lots of public space for the guests to congregate and socialize.

Overall the diving was great, but the days spent in Ambon Bay doing muck diving was the icing on the cake. This was my first experience doing muck diving and it exceeded my very high expectations. My guide, Ronald, was eagle eyed. He found multiple subjects at the same time to keep all the photographers busy rather than waiting in line for each shooter to get his/her shots.

Arenui has various diving locations during the year and I am looking forward to my next opportunity to sail with her and her great crew.

Kathy C.- October 2016

Bali, Indonesia

Nov 9 2015

"Indonesia was incredible, better than when I dove it 10 years ago. Plenty of small and big stuff. Komodo Dragons were really cool. Both hotels were amazing, peaceful, decadent. We have the boat to ourselves. The crew as superb, divemaster deserved extra KUDOS!!!"

Tony and Heather- September 2011

Indo Siren, Indonesia

Nov 9 2015

"First things first. The last few weeks cruising and diving the Komodo national park on the Siren was superb, I don't go on holiday to find fault but this holiday was genuinely without fault. Frank and the rest of the crew are most welcoming and I would not hesitate to go on one of their other trips. Now having returned with post holiday blues it's time to look at something for next year, either in February or March, have you got any suggestions or deals on for that time of year? All the best."

Simon- September 2008

Indo Siren, Indonesia

Nov 9 2015

"The trip was really fabulous! And Komodo was, as you said, good as ever. Weather conditions were good fo cold diving in the south we were well prepared - so no any problems. Accommodation was really very good. The food was one of the best I had ever on liveabords, thank you Siren! Crew was very helpful and performed in the highest level of service! All the arrangements and flights moved smoothly and without any problems. Thank you very much! In general I've got an idea that diving in Komodo is more for macro than for big stuff. Of course seeing mantas on manta alley was wonderful and unforgettable! Yes, this adventure went down as one of the better ones and not the last role for me played Komodo dragons themself! Once again thank you very much!! We are very happy and excited!"

Rytis and Raimundas- October 2008

Indonesia

Nov 9 2015

From Denise: "The trip was fantastic! Alam Shanti was absolutely gorgeous – what a view we had. The Cheng Ho was everything I could ask for, very attentive crew always ready to please. The diving was something I'll never forget and Kerri was the best! She was the one who suggested the "newbie" needed to dive in the most beautiful spot in the world and she was right. Whitewater rafting, biking down the mountain, seeing the dragons were all great activities...I wouldn't have changed anything except the 508 stairs we had to go down to get to the river LOL. All in all it was a trip of a lifetime and I would like to thank you for helping to put it all together for us. Can't wait for the next adventure to begin!"

From Steve: "OK that was Denise now it’s my turn. As always the trip as a whole was great. The Cheng Ho is not for everybody hence the Cheng slow talk, but for me it is perfect. I love a wooden boat. It is more of what a boat should be. You feel every creak and groan the old girl gives out. You just don't get that on a steel or fiberglass hull. The food on board was great for me. Tasted good and what seemed to be a never ending supply. Maybe I am easy to please but I was at home onboard even with breaking a toe on the second day. All the other trips that were put together were great. My butt still hurts from the bike ride but still well worth it. Thanks a bunch!"

Denise & Steve- September 2009

Kenya

Nov 9 2015

"My family and I recently went on safari in Kenya with your company. Our guide/driver was Walter Karanja and this note is to let you know what an outstanding job he and your company did. We had such a great time on the safari, going to Ol Tukai in Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, and also Sienna Springs Tented Camp. While we would love to tell you which one we liked best, there is no way we could decide. Each one offered something new and different. Never did we dream of seeing so many animals and so close up. Walter was amazing. I don't only mean his knowledge and professionalism but he just had a good personality that was a good fit with ours. We are very experienced travelers and it is sometimes difficult what with language and/or cultural barriers to form a relationship. We are folks who prefer to build friendships with guides and or other folks we meet in our travels rather than just "being served" by them.

I also made some observations regarding your operations and others that we saw. Our vehicle was spotless every morning inside and out no matter that we took it "mud bogging" the day before. Walter was always on time and in a spotless and clean uniform. We noticed other operators whose guides had a body odor, wore dirty t-shirts, and whose vehicles were dirty and crowded. I could probably go on and on but suffice it to say that we had a great time and that we give much much credit to Walter (and of course you, our travel agent) for the success of our safari."

Jack & Family- June 2007

Kenya

Nov 9 2015

"Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much for setting up our Africa trip. I must say, when people ask me "What's your favorite place you've been?" from now on I am going to say Loisaba Ranch. The star beds are AMAZING!!!!! The whole thing was wonderful, thank you so much. We will be in touch when we get our wits together about Indonesia. I really want a liveaboard instead of land based...maybe we shoud try Tonga or some other place. I'll do a bit of research myself and then get back to you. We are getting itchy to get underwater. "

Laura- August 2006

Mexico

Cozumel & Isla Holbox,Mexico

Nov 9 2015

“Mexico was wonderful. This is the third time I have been to Cozumel and it never fails to impress. The diving set up turned out great. Because we were six for the morning dives each day, I went to them on the day we arrived to see if we could get a small boat for just us each morning. We were assigned a small, fast boat with a great dive master. Having been doing this since 1976 I have learned that when you get good service tip heavily on the first day and you will get even better service, which we always do. The dive master took us under his wing and gave us a wonderful experience. Even when just Heidi and I (the two hard core divers) went diving alone, he joined the crew on the bigger boat and acted as our personal dive master, taking just Heidi and I separately. He even worked on his day off for us - GREAT!! The hotel in Cozumel was wonderful and as Heidi predicted having an all inclusive was perfect since we had three growing teenagers with us. They could eat whenever they wanted and as much as they wanted. The rooms were nice. They have lots of activities which you could choose to join and the boys did so, keeping them occupied when not diving.

We were met at the ferry just fine once we got to Holbox. Holbox is a very quaint area. Holbox Dreams was very nice. Rooms were nice and they have a pool in the middle court which was refreshing to dip in after the all day boat rides. Snorkeling with the sharks was everything I expected and MORE!! We did not see huge numbers of sharks like they saw later in July, but we saw enough to exhaust us completely. From the surface the sharks appear to be just strolling along, until you get in the water with them and try to keep up!! They are cruising right along and it a great effort to keep up. The VIP boat was worth every penny. With six people going in two at a time, you were just able to catch your breath before it was your turn again. After all the other boats went in for the day we were able to stay out and have sole access to the sharks. As a hard core shark enthusiast for several decades, I was in my glory!! Even my nephew, who never shows enthusiasm for anything (that's not cool!), was smiling and excited by the experience. I will definitely do it again, especially since my dive buddy Jane was not able to join me on this trip.

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for all of your great assistance in making this experience possible. I hope that now that you have set up this trip for us you will offer it to other people and spread the word about the sharks and Holbox so that these magnificent creatures might be saved from extinction by getting tourist dollars down there to support Holbox's efforts to turn LIVE whale sharks into a profitable resource!! “

Kathy C.- August 2009

Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Sep 23 2019

"The Socorro Vortex is an excellent boat in pristine condition. The dive team was first rate, which is essential when cage diving with Great White Sharks. Spending 12 hours just a few feet away from Great Whites is amazing and a great trip for non-divers. The trip seems like the right amount of time as the main activity is cage-diving with the great whites. Amazing Adventures Travel did a great job planning the trip and finding me a sweet deal."

Greg Mooradian - Aug 2019

Nautilus Explorer, Mexcio

Oct 26 2015

My trip was fantastic!! Great Shark activity. Only 1 lady shark, which was disappointing, but the big males were out in force and very cheeky, bumping the cages and checking us out very closely. Very curious. The water was warmer this year than in 2012 when I went before. This made it possible to comfortably enjoy back to back stays in the submersible cages, when available. My 1mm suit with heated shirt was perfect. Only thing I need to remember is to bring kneepads next time as I find myself crawling around the bottom the cage looking for the sharks coming up from the blue.

Our weather could have been better for the many photographers, including me, and the crew who had to stand out in the rain all day some days, as it was always overcast and usually raining. The hot tub got heavy use because there was no sun to warm us up. We celebrated when there were the few sun sightings. While we were on anchor with the cages down, the seas were mostly steady. I think we caught the very early leading edge of Patricia on the way back and many people were sick. I felt sorry for them while I was enjoying all the scheduled meals!! The chef put out fantastic meals the entire week, the crew was extremely helpful, dive masters were johnnie on the spot and safety was a priority so I give the entire boat a 5***** rating. The guests were all very nice and made the experience that much better since I was traveling alone. There were an odd number of single females on the boat so I got a single room to myself. Very Nice. Another Amazing Adventures Travel success story.

Kathy C- October 2015

Sandy's Great White Shark Trip

Aug 20 2018

Nautilus Belle Amie (Jul 20-25, 2018) Guadalupe Great White Shark trip
Ticking a major item off the old bucket list is the best feeling ever. Cage diving with Great White Sharks has been hovering at the top of my list for ages. I’ve tried before in both the Farallones in Northern California and South Africa with no luck. The first trip, the sharks were a no show and in South Africa, the weather was too rough. So, Guadalupe was going to be my third attempt.

We, (my husband, son, a buddy and I), met up in San Diego the first day of the trip and boarded a big bus with a giant Great White Shark painted on the side. We were off to Ensenada, Mexico to board the Nautilus Belle Amie for a 5 night journey out to the island. When they put Jaws on the TV on board the bus, I instantly knew this was going to be a fun trip. It took a couple hours to reach Ensenada with an easy passage over the border. It was late when we boarded so it was a quick snack, welcome drink, brief briefing to meet the fabulous captain and crew, and off to slumber land. The overnight journey to Guadalupe was calm and took about 18 hours. We had downloaded lots of old shows to watch during the trip, but ended up not watching any. Instead, we played games with the other passengers, watched goofy movies in the lounge, got our gear in order, relaxed up on the top deck, watched pods of dolphins and got to know our fellow passengers who were all a great group. We also had a much more thorough orientation, safety drill and shark talk by the energetic and fun, Martin!

After lunch on Day 2, we spotted Guadalupe Island. It was much larger than what I expected and seemed to have its own weather system as it was shrouded in a mysterious mist. We anchored not far off shore and this would be our stop for the next 3 days. On the shore, we could make out Guadalupe Fur Seals, Sea Lions and even Elephant Seals who come ashore to molt in the summer months. Smartly, they all seemed to stay on the beaches and rocks and didn’t venture too far into the sea. They were all pretty vocal throughout our stay. And, then it was time!

Early in the morning, we suited up with our 6mm wetsuits (which we happily rented from the boat), hoods, booties and masks and got ready to descend for our first cage dive! I have to admit; I was equal parts scared and excited. Hector, our dive guide, helped us on with our weights and into the cage. He passed us our hose regulators and we were ready to descend. The visibility was truly amazing. Just looking at all the fish swarming towards the two tuna bait hunks was pretty cool, but then….we saw them! Two magnificent male great whites came into view and we all squealed with delight. They circled above and below and around the entire dive and made passes at the bait every once in a while. It was awesome and I was completely stoked. We dove twice more that day in the cage to about 30 feet and saw 2-4 sharks on each dive. We also hopped in the surface cage which was a thrill as we could really see them close-up going for the bait.

There were 30 passengers on board and basically a third of them were non-divers so they went in the surface cages only. This is a great way to go as you do see loads of great action on the surface. Most of the non-divers were very satisfied and a lot of them said that they would definitely go for their certifications. Our 3 days were spent cage diving and surface cage diving and we saw lots of action on every dive except one. Not bad! In between, we checked out each other’s photos, shared tales, hit the hot tub, and relaxed in the lounge or top side. We also watched the seal action on the shore. Since I volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, which is a hospital for sick and injured seals and sea lions, I was happy to see that they were not on the lunch menu while we were there.

Everyone asks if it was scary and it wasn’t really. The sharks are fascinating to watch when you are in the cages as they circle around. These creatures have been around for a very long time so they are cautious. They do not go all Hollywood and bash into cages to try and eat us. Probably, the most exhilarating moment for me was our last dive on the surface. The sharks were super into the bait that afternoon and we were all clamoring to spend a lot of time in the surface cages. The crew made one of the submersible cages, a surface cage on the port side. We were in that cage when a shark circled around and then decided to zoom towards the bait. When they do this, their eyes roll back, their jaws gape open, those rows of gnarly teeth come into view and they go adrenalin mode to attack the bait. This happened when the bait was drifting towards our cage, so we got a great close up view of the attack. And then, after the shark took the bait, he swung around to get away and came right towards our cage and me! This was the first time that I jumped back in the cage, let out a girlie scream, and took a great picture of my foot.

I cannot say enough good stuff about the boat and the crew and the food! The Nautilus Belle Amie was very comfortable and the staff were exceptional. They were able to achieve that rare quality of making you feel like part of the family while taking extremely good care of you. The food was terrific as were the margaritas. This was one of the best liveaboard experiences I have ever done – just a wonderful mix of terrific boat, crew, passengers and fish action.

Late in the afternoon on day 5, we took our final shark dives and prepared to steam back to Ensenada. Three full days with the sharks was just the perfect amount. Since we couldn’t really do anything else (like swim, kayak or go on the island), the timing felt right for me. The entire time, we were the only boat out there, except for that day when the Nautilus Undersea showed up. This was fortuitous as we needed to borrow some of their bait. It was a longer (20 hour) crossing back to port and the seas were rocking and rolling. By now, most of us were completely bonded with the other guests and crew so the crossing was fun. We reached Ensenada in the afternoon and boarded our shark bus back to San Diego. Most of us went straight to the airport for our flights home. This trip was amazing; thank you Nautilus Belle Amie!

Namibia

Jo Beth & Mark do Namibia

Dec 4 2023

Our recent trip to Namibia, thanks to your help, was absolutely delightful. The country itself is a kaleidoscope of colors and never ending changing topographies. The itinerary you recommended, generally three nights in each lodge, gave us ample time to visit differing environments and we were constantly amazed at the variety.

First stop, Omaanda with a gracious room and time to unwind from our flight.

Our guide, Usko, from Ultimate Safaris met us there and he was perfection! Throughout our 2 1/2 weeks, he constantly amazed us with his knowledge, ability to find animals, wit, charm and never-ending attention to detail. He made us feel special and took care to make sure we always felt safe, secure and happy.

Our two lodges near Etosha, Onguma and Ongava, both had great watering holes and we enjoyed watching the animals visiting the sites while we dined. Etosha, itself, was teeming with life and we had the thrilling opportunity of watching a cheetah feast on a springbok for over a half an hour. That was something we will remember for a lifetime. I think my husband shot more photos that day than any time in his life!

Onguma’s Onkolo hide offered us a new perspective of seeing animals close up and I think we never imagined we’d see so much in such a short amount of time. Kirsten also booked us on The Dream Cruiser at Onguma. The Cruiser is a repurposed landcruiser with every amenity needed for the night. Dinner was delivered to us in a remote area by a waterhole in the middle of paradise, we were provided with a walkie talkie, and then left to enjoy dinner and the wonders of the overhead stars in a canopied bed atop the cruiser.

Ongava, tented camp offered us a different perspective again and we do love staying in a tented lodge. Their night drives, after dinner were unique. They offered us the opportunity of seeing both black and white rhinos. And a pride of lions, at the golden hour, created some spectacular photos. Unbelievable!

Every stop on our trip offered equally memorable moments. The golden glow on the granite boulders in Damaraland was spectacular, as was Onduli lodge nestled into the rocks with the ability to roll out our bed at night offering our first night time star gazing. Never in my life did I think I would hear myself say, today I’m going rhino tracking, but I did and elephant tracking as well. We also enjoyed seeing the petroglyphs. Namibia constantly amazed us.

Then, at your suggestion, we headed to Swakopmund, a cosmopolitan beach town, which we thought could easily have been found on any US coastline. The proximity to the coast gave us the opportunity of kayaking with an enormous herd of seals, both on land and in the water with their pups, thrill riding on the dunes at Sandwich Harbor and a champagne picnic with oysters on the beach by the Shawnee ship wreck, which only this concession was allowed to visit. Sound good? Beyond good!

Last stop, the NamibRand Desert Reserve, with the tallest red, sand dunes in the world (Quartz that has been oxidized over the centuries causing it to turn red! I should have paid closer attention to my general science classes.) Big Daddy, the biggest dune of all was our challenge and although we only made it 1/2 way in the tortuous heat, we felt accomplished. The Deadvlei, a white pan, at the bottom is home to 900 to 1000 year old dead, gnarled, skeletal acacia trees and they are the perfect backdrop for our new refrigerator pictures. Kwessi Dunes, in the dark zone, our lodge for 4 nights at this location, provided us with an open-air bed room, to sleep under the stars. We went quad-biking and ballooning, and although there was not much wind, it was fun being suspended over the dunes as the sunrise provided sensational shadows and pictures beneath us. All in all it was a perfect ending for our trip. Thanks for the non-stop fun. We’re exhausted and ready for a vacation.

Thank you Kirsten. Another fabulous trip and of course, an Amazing Adventure.

Panama

Yemaya, Panama

Nov 9 2015

"Bianca and Reinhald do a great job. Reinhald even met us at the hotel when we arrived which was not necessary but very kind of him. Everything they arranged went perfectly and Reinhald called us often to check on things. The ride to Puerto Muntis was exciting, Otmar got stopped three times for speeding and it was educational to watch how he dealt with the police!

The trip on the Yemaya was great. Juan Carlos does an amazing job with the meals. Our cabin was great. We really enjoyed the crew. Juan and Franchesca were fun to dive with. Some of the diving was very challenging, with some really strong currents. But we enjoyed it all. Some of the diving is really not for divers that don't have alot of experience. Juan (divemaster) said the diving is more difficult here than at Malpelo or Cocos.

The Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a nice place but we were probably there a couple days too many. It's not really the type of place we like, it has a sanitized theme park feel to it, but that's just our preference. I'm sure there are other people that would like it just fine. All in all Panama is a great destination and diving on the Yemaya is a really good time. The captain, David, said we were some of the only people from the US that they have had on the boat. I would think that with the direct flights from Houston and California that this should be a very marketable destination for divers from Texas and Cal. Thanks for all you did setting this up for us!"

Earl- March 2011

Yemaya, Panama

Nov 9 2015

"We had a great time. Hotel was nice, the Yemaya was incredible, food was awesome, service unbelievable!! Diving was solid, lots of big stuff, mixture of pelagics and reef fish, even game fish."

Tony- January 2010

Rwanda

Dinah & David do Africa

Oct 14 2023

Kirsten put together the most wonderful trip to Rwanda and Tanzania for us-- we were greeted at every airport and transported each step of the way by wonderful and attentive guides. The accommodations were nothing short of luxurious and the food was wonderful (and a bit too plentiful!). She offered great tips -- for example to hire a porter for Gorilla trekking-- since our first trek was 6 hours on very steep and muddy mountains, the porter was really helpful. And I had no concept of how close we would be to the gorillas --two of them touched my husband! And in Tanzania, Kirsten had us stay at Alex Walker's wonderful Serian-- it was late in the tourist season and the region was accessible only by plane, so there were very few tourists (or people at all--don't look for souvenir shops in the Lamai) and our amazing guide, Seni, was able to drive us right up to lions, cheetahs, and a leopard. We were in the exact right region for the wildebeest migration and saw 4 river crossings. It was the best vacation we have ever taken, and a blow-out anniversary trip. My aging iPhone took photos that looked they were from National Geographic. Everything went smoothly and without any hitches.

Dinah WATCH HERE

Dinah & David do Africa

Oct 14 2023

Dinah WATCH HERE

Thailand

Nov 9 2015

"Thailand was an amazing trip, once in a lifetime experience that we will always treasure.

All the hotels were first class. They were all so different. The Chedi Chiang Mai was beautiful and sleek and probably one of the best values for what we got. The Raffles was perfect colonial for Christmas and the Zeavola was rustic and primitive but lovely. The Shangri-La was also well located and good value. Not only was there a FULL breakfast but high English tea AND early evening appetizers and cocktails each day. The least good value was the Phuket Chedi. I get that this was the tippy top high season and we were renting a two-bedroom cottage but it was over $1000 per night! But the beach was spectacular.

The best meals outside of the inclusive breakfasts were the ones outside of the hotels at the local places. The guide in Bangkok was invaluable in taking us to local, nice places for not very much money. We ate almost exclusively Thai and Cambodian the entire trip except for breakfast and some lunches and the kids were fine with that. The tours were fine. We skipped the temple tour and craft village tour in Chiang Mai because we knew we were going to Angkor Wat the next day. Oh, going to the umbrella factory was cool, where the kids got custom painted umbrellas. We loved Elephant Farm, it was the highlight of the trip. Tell any and all of your clients going to Thailand. It was life transforming.

Guides were all good. Ying in Bangkok was great. She was so knowledgeable and helpful. Phone in Chiang Mai we barely used but he was great too. Kong in Siem Reap was fantastic and has been leading groups there for 22 years. Drew and I LOVED Angkor Wat. Kids less so but it was amazing and I’m glad we went.

In addition, we did snorkeling in Phi Phi and rock climbing there too. These were great excursions and we wish we could have done more rock climbing. We also chartered a fishing boat in Phuket and the kids really enjoyed it. They caught lots of fish and they prepared a really nice lunch for us of fresh steamed fish, fish we caught, grilled squid and shrimp and fresh fruit. Kids ate it all! If I were to do this trip again, I would skip Phuket and go to Krabi and do rock climbing and more snorkeling.

I am happy to speak to any clients you have who are considering this trip and would tell them our opinions. Thanks again for all your help and guidance."

Katrina and Family- December 2009

Tonga

JoBeth + Mark Tonga

Oct 21 2024

Tonga - Aug 2024
We wanted to send you a thank you for booking us on yet another fabulous vacation. We don’t know how you managed to book us to Tonga during the height of their high, whale calving season but we couldn’t have been more excited and delighted.

After a very long flight and an overnight in Tongatapu, (you were so right, absolutely nothing happens on Sundays in Tonga), we arrived in Vava’u to begin our 50th anniversary vacation. The Reef Resort was lovely and just what we needed, a spacious fale overlooking a bay of the Pacific, swaying palms, delicious food, an extremely and helpful hands-on owner and his daughter, charming guests, exciting snorkeling with humpback whales and their calves and some diving into the blue, blue water. As the resort has only 5 fales, the quiet was perfection and the chef individually prepared our meals to suit our palettes creating not only delicious meals but artistic presentations.

After 7 nights and a day of whale snorkeling, we were transferred by boat and in our wetsuits to The Tongan Beach Resort closer to town. Miraculously, our luggage and dive gear awaited us upon our arrival. This resort, while we were there, seemed to service larger groups all of whom, quite rightly, were in Tonga to view the whales. The rooms were comfortable, the food ample and again a hands on owner assuring us that all our needs would be met, and they were.

About snorkeling with the whales, there was no guarantee that whales would be seen during our outings, but every time our captain and crew did get us in the water multiple times. Only four snorkelers and a guide are allowed in the water at one time. We were alerted to a sighting, the captain would wait to see if the whales would ’settle', if they did, we would as quietly as possible slide into the water and follow our guide to get as close as possible to the mother and calf. At times there would be male escorts far below in the water and we would wait for the calves, who needed to surface around every 6 minutes to breathe. The mothers, bigger than our 30’ boat, would keep a close, dinner plate sized, eye on their calves and on us, and sometimes they would surface with their babes. Rules prevented us from diving down with the calves but at times we were close enough to reach out and touch them, which was also forbidden. The boat would then come for us and allow the remaining 4 snorkelers a chance to experience this heart pounding encounter. This would be repeated for the 7-8 hours we were aboard and every time we watched a whale breach or heard their song, we awaited the opportunity of sliding into the water. Absolutely thrilling! So much thanks for once again helping us to experience this once in a lifetime adventure.

All our very best,

Jo Beth and Mark Ravitz

Uganda

Angela & George - Uganda/Rwanda

Jun 1 2024

I just wanted both Palast Tours and Kirsten Treais (our US travel agent) to know about how fantastic and memorable our recent trip to Rwanda and Uganda was (May 20-June 3). Anaclet did a wonderful job and we appreciate all the effort he went to, despite being away from his family for 2 weeks, to make sure everything was perfect. We appreciated all of his knowledge and perspectives on his country, especially sharing his personal genocide experience. We learned a lot about Rwanda’s rich and interesting culture and history and left the country more educated than when we arrived. When we arrived he asked us if we were birdwatchers, to which we replied “meh, not really” but because of his vast knowledge and ability to identify each bird, we definitely got into it, as evidenced by being so excited to find a malachite kingfisher (photo attached)!

He kept asking us for feedback to improve the experience and we couldn’t think of anything to make it better until today, because everything was so perfect. So, the one piece of advice would be to provide us a little more information about how to navigate the Uganda/Rwanda border crossing. Specifically, that we first have to go in the Rwanda exit line and then the Uganda entry line. Also it would have been helpful to know that because I got the East African Tourist visa in Rwanda, I needed to fill out that pink slip before getting to the Uganda entry window. But again, that was a very minor issue in an otherwise very memorable trip.

Thank you also to Kirsten for always working with us, listening to our basic, albeit usually pretty clueless thoughts about a trip, and transforming them into a magical experience. Also, your personal perspective by having just been on a similar trip is definitely appreciated!

So thank you all for filling our minds and cameras with amazing memories that we will cherish for our lifetimes! Attached our some photos I promised Anaclet I’d send him. Murakoze! Angela and George Clarke

Vietnam

Liliana in Vietnam

Nov 5 2024

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Saigon - Oct 2024

Thank you for organizing such a beautiful trip. I enjoyed my time with friends, meeting the wonderful tour guides and drivers, and getting to know more about Vietnam and its people. This has been a great experience and I am grateful for everything you did to bring joy into my life. Be blessing and I hope for the opportunity to use your services in the future.

All the best,

Liliana

Zambia

South Africa and Zambia

Nov 9 2015

"All flights and transfers were smooth. If we could do it again we’d pay extra for first class it was extremely long travel and fairly uncomfortable especially the 18 hour flight to Johannesburg. There is little you could have done to make the trip better. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

We loved the Victoria Alfred Hotel. It was beautiful, comfortable and similar to what we are used to in the US. It was well located and the guest service was fantastic. The view was beautiful as well. We enjoyed the food, the all inclusive breakfast had a nice variety and we’d recommend this hotel to anyone.

Klein Oliphants Hoek Bed and Breakfast was quaint, clean and comfortable. The accommodations were lovely and the views were fantastic. The restaurant in house was excellent as well. We did not do any wine tastings at wineries due to a lack of time, but we did wander the town and found several nice shops and restaurants. We loved the area and enjoyed our stay.

Taita Falcon Lodge was beautiful. We were nervous at first because of the long drive down the dirt road, and when we arrived we found out we were the only people staying in the lodge for several days. We became comfortable fast and the staff was welcoming and professional. We thought the view was spectacular and the lodge itself was well represented in the brochures. It was luxuriously rugged. We enjoyed the lodge and each chalet was built out of bamboo walls and grass roof, a very nice African experience.

Victoria Falls was unbelievable and breathtaking. We did the microlite flight over the falls and I’d recommend that to anyone. It gives a great view of the falls and we were able to see several different animals from above as well. We also enjoyed the sunset cruise and village tour. I would remind guests to wear clothing suitable for getting wet, as we were drenched when we were near the falls.

The Mfuwe Lodge was fantastic as well. The guest service was excellent and the accommodations were wonderful. We did have a very nature like experience including frogs, mice, and spiders in our bathroom on different days. We had hippos eating right outside of our chalet in the middle of the night. We saw lions hunting and sleeping on several occasions, hippos, giraffe, zebra, elephants & baby elephants, baboons, impala, kudu, puku, waterbuck, many birds, we watched an eagle eat a snake, crocodile and much more. Apparently the rhino is no longer in the reserve due to poachers and that was disappointing. We had surprise lunches, and sundown fires on our game drives which were fun (the staff would set up and cook food for us in the middle of the reserve) the food was excellent and far beyond our expectations for a third world country.

We ended up canceling the rental car and hiring Ralph (tour guide) to drive us to the winelands, we were concerned about driving on the other side of the road and that was a good idea. The only thing I would recommend is to really enforce packing lightly, and perhaps upgrade flights if possible."

Catie and Brandon- May 2009

South Africa, Zambia & Botswana

Nov 9 2015

"Our flights and transfers all went very smoothly. The guides and transfer people took very good care of us and they were friendly and went out of their way to make sure transfers went smoothly. First of all, the guides were very knowledgeable. Our guide at Vumbura, Brian, was superb. His knowledge of the animals, birds and terrain were just amazing. The people who picked us up at Johannesburg and Livingston could not have been better. The Saxon is just marvelous. The room was beautiful, accessible and the food and service could not have been better. We totally enjoyed the Royal Livingston and it was air-conditioned which was a help but it was not as nice as what I had expected. That is probably my problem. We enjoyed the tour to the village which gave us a good perspective on life in Zambia. We did not go on the booze cruise as Dave was not feeling up to snuff but we enjoyed the helicopter trip.

The flights to the camps went exactly as planned and there were no problems handling the wheelchair. Dave is a very good aircraft assistant baggage handler and knows how everything comes apart. We enjoyed all of the camps. Each provided a little different experience. The birdlife was amazing and we enjoyed seeing different types of antelope at different camps. We saw two beautiful sable antelopes at Vumbura. The camps were elegant to say the least and the food was just superb. My favorites were Shumba, Kings Pool, and Vumbura. We saw the greatest variety of animal and bird life in Kings Pool and had an amazing flight via helicopter between Vumbura and Jao over the Delta. Jao Camp was beautiful but unfortunately their boats were not running properly when we were there.

The timing for each camp was quite good. It took us a little bit to get used to the heat and how to handle it. The most difficult camp for me personally was Chiawa as I could not get into the shower but we rigged up a substitute shower head and everything got organized. Each of the camp personnel were very happy to assist in any way that they could. I cannot say enough good things about the camps and personnel.

No problems at the borders; I did remain on the plane in Kasane while everyone else got off to go through customs as it was much easier. Our two nights at the end of the trip to Johannesburg were great as it gave us a little time to get organized again. The tour by Robin Binkes was excellent. We went to the Apartheid Museum, the house where Mandela’s supporters were arrested and into the township of Alexander. Robin is an excellent historian and a most interesting guide."

Jeanne and Dave- November 2008

Iceland

Jana & Kristen May 2022

May 18 2024

Kristen and I had a great trip to Iceland! Even with some winter weather it was still beautiful, and the clear days were stunning. Diving the Silfra fissure was amazing! Photo attached for proof :) though I guess you’ll just have to believe me when I say that it’s me in the photo! Thanks again for organizing this for us. We loved it. For a relatively few number of people in Iceland that host millions of tourists every year, everyone was so very nice.
Jana & Kristen May 2022