Turks & Caicos, on the Caribbean Explorer II, just newly refitted.

http://www.caribexplorer.com/tcexhtml/turksindex.html

I have been there twice. Excellent wall diving. You will be well looked
after.
Their Itinerary out of St. Martin/St Kitts is also good.

http://www.caribexplorer.com/cexhtml/sabaindex.html

Another option is Cocoview Resort in Roatan (Honduras) I will be there in 8
days.

www.cocoviewresort.com

Further questions, feel free to ask, the email address is valid.

R.

If you are already considering PNG, then you have probably already
recognized the cost and time necessary and found it acceptable. If that is
the case, by all means take that trip. It is far better than any other
option you mentioned. Look at Star Dancer, Febrina, Telita or Golden Dawn as
liveaboard options. Pass on Mike Ball...too many guests. My personal choice
would be Star Dancer, but Alan Rabbe on Golden Dawn and Bob Halstead on
Telita make each respective ship a joy to sail on. Ultimately what boat you
book is dependent upon what itineraries each is running during the time you
want to visit, and what itineraries interest you.

You can't go wrong really, except for Kavieng, I don't find that worthy of
recommendation. Otherwise Milne Bay, Bismark Sea (Duke of Yorks, Fathers) or
Solomon Sea, new itinerary for Star Dancer (I'm doing it for that reason in
early 2006) will all deliver diving nothing in the Caribbean can approach,
let alone equal.

PNG is head and shoulders above the Caribbean in all repects other than
cost,  and unfortunately Red Sea has fallen on hard times over the last 10
years. Unless you head directly South it isn't particularly better than the
best the Caribbean has to offer (of course that is just my opinion).

Another option for you to consider is Wakatobi. Safe, well run, incredible
reef, critter diving as good as anywhere else......better than Mabul even.
The resort holds 30+ people only. Runs like a well-oiled machine and if you
miss the boats or decide to sleep in has, **hands down, without question**,
the best shore diving I have seen anywhere at any time. The reefs around
Wakatobi ARE pristine, and not just called that. I was there for the first
week of this season, for my second time, and I am still amazed at the sheer
quality of diving, critters, reef, diversity it extends to visitors. This is
a place every scuba diver should get a shot at, but few will because it is
small and shuts down for the rainy season. Fewer than 1,000 divers visit
Wakatobi each year.

If you are really considering the time and expense for Red Sea or Pacific,
then right now go ahead and strike the Caribbean off your list. It has
nothing, absolutely nothing, that compares favorably to PNG, Mabul,
Solomons, Wakatobi, Sipidan, Komodo, West Papua/Irian Jaya etc. If you stay
away from the more established diving destinations (Truk/Chuuk, Palau, Yap
Bali) the Indo-pacific is very unlikely to disappoint you.

I found Fiji to be not only a great dive local, but the people are
very open and all greet you with "Bula". A liitle off the beaten path
is Aqua Trek Beqa. No major tourist trap and the crew treats you like
you are a member of their family. Shore diving here is not an option,
but the all dives in Beqa Lagoon were five star to include the shark
dive with bulls and numerous reef sharks. If you do go, must include
the river rafting trip, not for the weak but the three women that came
with us last time were treated with respect and all had a great time.
Liveaboard, can recommend the Caribbean Exploer. Great crew and diving
Saba is one not to be missed. Have never been to the Red Sea, but others
have told me that it is one of the places that should not be missed.
Either local will treat newer divers as well as anyone else on the trip.