MATAVA RESORT on Kadavu Island is one of the most exciting new destinations we have discovered in the South Pacific in 3 decades. MATAVA RESORT is such a uniquely gifted green retreat, that it now ranks among our top seven small resorts anywhere in the Pacific. That’s among a couple hundred tropical island locales we've been blessed to visit & review. MATAVA is run by purpose-driven men who refuse to fudge even a smidge on what they know to be true: this beautiful but weary planet is in trouble from careless developers & wanton resource sponges. Thus it needs constant daily TLC, from every caring person, in even the little things to restore a healthy balance to Good Ol’ Mama Earth. These guys at MATAVA have green ethics down to a system, & we will show you how refined & intelligent that system is. Yet the inspired team at MATAVA RESORT – led by expat Brits Richard Akhtar & Adrian Watt -- keeps the preservationist faith in a humble manner, never tooting horns nor swaggering, never fashioning an idol out of their eco-mission. They go for the green, not the long green, never resorting to self-righteous zeal or stuffy PC (politically correct) politics. This place is about fun in the sun, with an earth-friendly tilt. MATAVA RESORT (MAH’-tah-vah) is just plain exciting to visit, amigos del mar. Here is one reason, a major geographic blessing -- MATAVA RESORT is the only vacation destination of note on the entire 65 km of nearly wilderness south Kadavu shoreline. As the only game in town, they enjoy one enormous advantage. While MATAVA RESORT is a comfy 3½ star retreat, fully civilized & offering lush gardens, well-manicured lawns, delightfully rustic cabins (called “bures”) & meals to-die-for delicious, it is also the only significant resort close enough to the famed Astrolabe Reef to reach most dives in a wink. You’ll recall, the Astrolabe is one the world’s greatest living coral expanses. What’s neat is that from MATAVA you can reach most of the isle’s best diving & snorkeling sites in less than 20-30 minutes. The stunning corals of Astrolabe Reef, which wrap the southern shores on up to the NE wasp’s head in an upside-down fishhook shape, offer more than 80 miles of prime fish habitat & may be the prime polyp-spawning center that seeds much of the entire Fijian archipelago with new coral life each year. However, mind you, there is always a catch in Paradise. Sorry to be blunt, but MATAVA is not for sissies. MATAVA RESORT is not the spot for mincing tenderfoot tea sippers with pinky finger extended a la matrons on the Titanic, nor for obsessive-compulsive white glovers & delicate buttoned-down types who, like Niles Crane, seek chrome ‘n’ whitewashed spas. MATAVA RESORT is not for fussy folks who send their steaks back to the chef because they’re not “medium rare with a pale blush.” This place is for adventure-minded folks seeking some of the best reefs & deep sea fishing in the world. MATAVA is for down-to-earth people who don’t mind roughing it a little, who don’t mind 7-10 nights where cell-phones won’t hound you & TVs won’t blare. MATAVA RESORT is not for cream puffs, nor perfectionists, just straight-ahead folks seeking old-fashioned simple pleasures. I mean TLC service with a smile, perfectly fresh breezes with zero pollution, ocean waters so clean they defy the norm Pacific-wide, & the best Fiji diving or Fiji snorkeling you ever could wish for. MATAVA RESORT offers a square deal for a modest price: great reef diving + world-class deep-sea fishing + easy breezy kayaking & village visits + warmly hospitable service + scintillating supper-table conversations with like-minded eco-travelers.

One of the best things going for Utila Aggressor now is the fact that its toughest competition, the Peter Hughes Wind Dancer, was moved shortly before Hurricane Mitch struck -- in the fall of 1998 -- up north across the Caribbean to Grand Turk, then down to Tobago. That means the only 4-star live-aboard now available for serious scuba divers, that's still plying the waters of Bay Islands, Honduras, is this brand-new live-aboard -- the Utila Aggressor. Another notable fact: the Utila Aggressor is a totally refurbished version of the previous Turks & Caicos Aggressor. When it comes to Honduras diving, if you need some live-aboard action, this is THE nerve center from now on, sports fans -- Utila island. The only game in town. The itinerary for this dynamic new Honduras live-aboard will be the Bay Islands of Utila, Guanaja, Cayos Cochinos, perhaps Roatan if weather permits. You'll visit classic Honduras diving sites off both major coasts of Roatan, such as the deep sea fans & sea mounts of Enchanted Forest, & also "Grand Canyon." Then there will be the elusive caves & bright coral colors of Toon Town, a major dive site just off Los Cochinos islands. Other treats include the wrecks, tunnels & multi-hued virgin reefs off Guanaja island. The warm, calm waters of the Utila offer dramatic underwater grottoes, huge tube sponges & resplendent corals. These islands are still unspoiled, with a peaceful, turn-of-the-century historic flavor. Some of the largest & most vibrantly colorful hard corals & sponges in all of the Caribbean region are found among the secret crannies in the Utila of Honduras. Underwater photographers will be delighted with Honduras diving aboard the Utila Aggressor. You'll have a wonderful time; especially knowing that this Honduras diving vessel offers one of the best-value live-aboard trips in the world. Compare this price, shop around & you'll see this is the best cost-buster the Aggressor Fleet offers. This yacht's top speed is about 15 knots.

Wait until you see these inside photos of the Maui Guest House. The value factor here is incredible on one of the priciest isles of the Pacific -- good ol' Maui. These superbly low rates come in at least USD $200 per room night below the average lodging cost on Maui's famous Ka'anapali Coast, or in the Wailea area, where the mainland glitterati pay WAY too much to play, wine & dine. Meals in Lahaina will run at least 25% - 30% more economical than in Wailea or the Ka'anapali Coast area. Your savings + the less frantic atmosphere are evident immediately, the first day on West Maui. Plus these two beautiful guest homes are within easy driving distance from an excellent dive tour operator -- Extended Horizons -- whose specialty is the pristine & uncrowded diving off Lanai island, right across the channel. Founded by Erik Stein & Chris Millen, Extended Horizons offers a spacious custom-built aluminum dive vessel -- a 36-footer that caters to only 12 divers at a time -- ideal for clients who prefer a less-crowded scuba experience. Extended Horizons will depart for beautiful Lanai island most days at 6:45 am from Mala Wharf in Lahaina, near the old Cannery at the northern end of Old Lahaina Village. The dive guiding team run by Erik & Chris is one of the most amiable & professionally solid we have worked with in the Hawaiian Islands since the early 1990s. These guys will be big fun to dive with. Plus their divemaster team knows more than 60 classic Lanai dive sites, thoroughly. One neat fact here, the Mala Wharf is only a couple minutes easy drive downhill from Tanna's Maui Guest House. Super convenient location + you avoid all the Lahaina Village traffic. Like we always say -- "Here today, gone t' Maui !"

Like some delightful reminder of Aspen or Vail in the 1970s, before commercialism ran rampant, this classic country-style guest inn is perfectly located -- within quick strolling distance from the best scuba center in the village -- LAHAINA DIVERS. We have worked with LAHAINA DIVERS for more than 14 years now, & since day one they have had the top-rated diving yachts on Maui -- big powerful Newton 46s -- the "Dauntless & the Dominion." These boats pack two Cummins turbo-Diesel 430s at the stern, & they really haul when the skip needs to. These boats are roomy enough to accommodate 49 passengers, but they typically carry no more than 20-24 pax at a time. LAHAINA DIVERS offers Nitrox, even custom blends, as well as 56 cf & 100 cf tanks for extra petite gals & extra-large guys. Clean, quiet, managed by pleasant folks who bend over backwards to accommodate you, LAHAINA INN is nestled smack dab in the heart of this vibrant, colorful village. LAHAINA INN is only walkin' minutes from all the nighttime action, the best restaurants, art galleries, shops & dessert locales; & it's less than 3 blocks easy jaunt from the Lahaina Boat Harbor, where LAHAINA DIVERS two beautiful vessels are moored. LAHAINA INN + LAHAINA DIVERS = a thrifty, convenient, comfortable alternative to the big-buck high-rises on the Ka'anapali Coast, or the prefab crowded hotels in the Kihei area, or the tourist-inundated condo villages of NW Maui. We love Lahaina village, folks; it's a li'l bit country & a l'il bit rock 'n' roll. Ideal for a relaxing, refreshing Maui snorkeling vacation package, or Maui diving vacation, or Maui honeymoon escape. Once you experience LAHAINA INN, we feel confident you will likely never wrestle with the $350-$450 / night median price at so many coastal hotels on West Maui. This place has our attention, & it deserves yours.

EXCITING NEW ECO-TOURS --
After your island stay why not consider
a cloud forest trek, or a photo safari
to mysterious & moody Mayan Ruins?

Before or after your dive trip, are you in the mood for volcanoes, ancient Mayan temples, jungle hiking, cloud forest monkeys, exotic birds & big jungle cats? Have you been bitten by the eco-tour bug yet? We certainly have & we know how it feels. The lure of the lush rain forests is pretty tough to ignore. The pull of the mystery-shrouded Mayan ruins is deeply compelling. Consider joining John Hessburg & Susan Hessburg & our USDT partner-guides for some exotic yet affordable addendae to these dive tours that you'll never forget. After your dive vacation on the Belize Barrier Reef, or the Costa Rican Pacific Coast, or in the Honduras Bay Islands, check out these exciting eco-tourism options in the green highland jungles of the Central American Interior, where countless archeological excavations, colorful flora & bizarre fauna await your exploration. Our guides will show you a great time, as you walk softly, but carry a big lens. You will leave only footprints, & take away only great memories, plus rolls of classic adventure photos. That's eco-travel, amigos de la tierra. A dive tour done the right way, A to Z, all T's crossed & all I's dotted.