Closest warm water diving

[Storker]

Another option, albeit with somewhat cooler water, is the Azores

 

[Alastor]

Some friends did speak rather well about Cipro - they say the location is really nice, but there are very few diving so you have to organize in advance before getting there - mail exchange is their preferred way to do it - a couple of them dive SM.
I didn't have any chance to get there, so I just trust them.

 

[Alastor]

Uh, and also don't forget the fantastic Italian location: Ustica - my favorite - and Lampedusa. Be prepared to get a Kilo every 2 or 3 days because the food !
Sardinia has fantastic dives also - then Giglio, Giannutri and Argentario in front of Tuscany.
A bit colder, but fantastic is the Ligurian Sea - Portofino is a protected area and very well organized for divers.

 

[KathyV]

I am glad that I had the chance to visit and tour parts of Egypt and take a liveaboard dive trip on the Red Sea. It was a wonderful experience and it would be fantastic to visit again, but the US State Department has issued a current travel alert warning citizens against visiting, see the link below.

I know that there is no place that is truly "safe", just turn on the news right now and see the terrible events happening at Ft Lauderdale at this moment, with multiple people dead and injured.

But I don't think I could even get travel insurance if I tried to visit Egypt while there is a warning in place from the State Department - does anyone know if that is the case?

We met kind and friendly people in Egypt, the history and culture are amazing, and the diving is wonderful. I am saddened to think about the economic impact due to the loss of tourism on their economy, but I won't be going back anytime soon.

Egypt Travel Warning

 

[scubadada]

I am glad that I had the chance to visit and tour parts of Egypt and take a liveaboard dive trip on the Red Sea. It was a wonderful experience and it would be fantastic to visit again, but the US State Department has issued a current travel alert warning citizens against visiting, see the link below.

I know that there is no place that is truly "safe" - turn on the news right now and see the terrible events happening at Ft Lauderdale at this moment, with multiple people dead and injured.

But I don't think I could even get travel insurance if I tried to visit Egypt while there is a warning in place from the State Department - does anyone know if that is the case?

We met kind and friendly people in Egypt, the history and culture are amazing, and the diving is wonderful. I am saddened to think about the economic impact due to the loss of tourism on their economy, but I won't be going back anytime soon.

Egypt Travel Warning

I would encourage anyone considering travel to Egypt to read the warning. I would not consider travel to the Western Desert or the Sinai Peninsula. Though the beach resort area of Sharm El Sheikh is considered safer than the rest of the Sinai, one can choose travel to Hurghada or Marsa Alam for Red Sea diving.

To put things in some perspective, there is a general travel alert for all of Europe that does not expire until Feb 20. There is a travel warning for many parts of Mexico including Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. There is a travel warning for Honduras and, even though considered safer, there is a statement to exercise caution on Roatan and the Bay Islands.

I just returned from my home in Florida and some post Christmas diving. Though I traveled out of Palm Beach, the news today of the shooting in Ft Lauderdale certainly makes the point that you can encounter violence anywhere.

Take care, safe travels, good diving

 

[centraal]

Thank you all for the suggestions thus far -- lots to think about. Hurghada sounds like very nice diving and probably presents an acceptable risk for myself, but I do have a family's comfort level to consider, which makes it questionable.
I'm very intrigued by Ustica. Looks like the temps get pretty warm in the summer, and Sicily sounds like a great vacation for plenty of reasons other than diving.
I've seen a few posts about the Canary Islands, though it seems like it's heavy wetsuit territory for most of the year, and haven't seen too much on if it's particularly good, or more about what happens to be available. That said, definitely more encouraged than I was a few days ago.

 

[Storker]

I'm very intrigued by Ustica

I've been there. Not bad, but not mind-blowing either. It's claimed to be among the better dives in the Mediterranean since large areas around the island has been protected from fishing for some years, but it's still the Med. And it's Italy, so don't trust the op's or the guide's risk assessment.

I'm going to Tenerife in late February, so in March I can give you a first-hand report on that place

 

[KenGordon]

There is a handy colour coded map here - Egypt travel advice - GOV.UK

I am relaxed in Egypt and the diving is very easy and good. I have been to Marsa Shagra and on a Southern livaboard the last couple of years. Both were excellent.

Really though you are missing out on some very good diving if you ignore the European sites.

 

[diversteve]

Interestingly there is One Non-Stop morning flight on American from Berlin (Tegel) to Miami, Florida for $831 r/t. 8AM departure - 2PM arrival due to the time zone changes. From there you could dive the SE Florida coast or drive/shuttle down to the Keys. I checked the flight on Saturday in May - it may exist other times.

One of the best macro/muck dives in the U.S. is Blue Heron Bridge near West Palm Beach (east coast) and you'll pass almost 20 shore dives while driving there. Many less expensive resorts are either waterfront or across the street from it.

Not to mention the dozens of boat dive operations, wreck dives and deep shark dives in the area. From Ft. Lauderdale there's also a fast ferry to the Bahamas - would require an overnight 1st - and about 4-5 dive liveaboards leave from various SE Fl. ports. including Miami or West Palm Beach. Julliet (sailjuliet.com) is a decent 100' steel hulled sailboat diving the Bahamas from Miami weekly and Jim Abernethy runs from West Palm to Tiger Beach off the Bahamas. Non-cage diving with some of the biggest Tiger Sharks you'll ever see. Neither of these divers is me.

Also from there the two main Bahamas Islands are accessible. Nassau/New Provicence - 90 min. flight or Freeport, Grand Bahama is a 50 min. flight All boat diving - both islands have a canned shark feed and Unexso on Frepoert also a dolphin dive.

Since you arrive at 3PM, the continuation flights are all closer to 6PM so there would be a few hours layover. Providenciales, Turks/Caicos is 2 hrs. away also. It would even be possible to meet the Explorer liveaboard that same day (Saturday) 9 months of the year as they don't sail til 3AM that night and about 1/2 the weekly divers are on a 5PM flight from NYC. The other 3 months they Whale watch (snorkel) off the D.R.

T/C is great deep wall diving with an impressive amount of large pelagics. Our week I counted over 2 dozen reef sharks, closer to 50 stingrays (25 sleeping at one mooring alone) the biggest Eagle Ray I've ever seen, lots of turtles, and lots of smaller fish on lush deep current fed reefs. IMO among the best in the Caribbean.

 

[centraal]

You have excellent taste. I was born and raised in South Florida/FL Keys -- will keep some of that in mind when visiting family.

Interestingly there is One Non-Stop morning flight on American from Berlin (Tegel) to Miami, Florida for $831 r/t. 8AM departure - 2PM arrival due to the time zone changes. From there you could dive the SE Florida coast or drive/shuttle down to the Keys. I checked the flight on Saturday in May - it may exist other times.