Dive Review of Bathys Diving/Novotel in
French Polynesia/Bora Bora

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Bathys Diving/Novotel, Jun, 2009, by Elizabeth Crapo, ca, usa ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports). Report 5014.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Good dive operation, good boats, helpful staff. Be advised that the regular air tanks have European-style valves, and although they can be fitted with adapters, some US regs (including mine) won't fit. But their Nitrox tanks fit, and it's free. They have a pre-paid ten-dive pass that you can use on their shops on other islands, which is a good deal if you plan to dive more than one island. The shop is on the other side of the island from most of the hotels (at the now-closed TopDive resort) but they'll pick you up. In a rare example of diver-friendliness in the airline industry, Air Tahiti, the inter-island airline, allows an extra 5 kg of baggage if you have dive gear and show your c-card (check their website for more details). As far as the diving, it's OK. The corals seemed rather drab -- much more so than I remember seeing on Moorea 3 years ago. There was a good number of interesting reef tropicals, including lionfish, flame angelfish and the endemic Tahitian butterflyfish. The highlight is the sharks, which are numerous. The only drawback is, it's obvious they are accustomed to being fed. They weren't aggressive toward us, but they did seem to approach more closely then normal. Like dogs begging for food, only better behaved. Unfortunately it's hard to find a dive operator or lagoon tour in French Polynesia that doesn't do shark feedings, although this operator at least only did it once in the 5 days I was there. Overall, I enjoyed my diving, but Bora Bora is not someplace I'd go just for the diving. You'll want to check out topside activities as well. I went on a sunset sail, a lagoon cruise with a picnic on one of the motus (small islands out in the lagoon), a half-day 4x4 tour. The highlight was parasailing -- expensive, but you get a spectacular view of the lagoon. I could see eagle rays and stingrays cruising the shallows. And of course, you have to eat at Bloody Mary's. It's touristy but fun, and the food is good. The Novotel was a great deal. It has a beach, an activities desk, restaurant and bar, kayaks, a pool, etc. The room was clean and comfortable, and had a small refrigerator. After converting to US dollars, my room (booked on their website) cost somewhere between $130-150/night, which is a steal for Bora Bora. Fare Manuia and La Bounty are two restaurants within walking distance that had good food, and there is a convenience store very close by. Buy munchies here if you dive with Bathys, since they pick you up before the hotel restaurant opens for breakfast.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	[Unspecified]
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	choppy, currents
Water Temp	75-°F / 24-°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	75-125 Ft/ 23-38 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	None
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Bathys Diving/Novotel in French Polynesia/Bora Bora

Bathys Diving/Novotel, Jun, 2009,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Bathys Diving/Novotel in
French Polynesia/Bora Bora