Don't forget where you left your Keys! No passport required to come dive here in Key Largo. Beautiful dives, awesome reefs and even better dive ops.
Alternatives to Cozumel
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mobeachlovers
Contributor
The keys would be awesome, but prices I'm finding not so much!
Hey Doc,
Any tips on lodging in the keys? Airfare can be cheap to Miami or FLL, diving is reasonable for the trip but I think you have to rent tanks and weights so it works out to the same "standard" rate in Coz., car rental is doable.....but the lodging was pretty steep. A couple of days at Blue Heron Bridge and 3 in the keys could be fun. $150-$200 a night for decent lodging puts us back in Cozumel.
Scuba Diving & Snorkeling Rates | Florida Keys Dive Center
What's the local secret for decent lodging for under $100 a night?
Thanks,
Jay
GJC
Contributor
I went to St Croix in Feb.
Healthy coral. Lots of big and small animals. You can shore dive from just about anywhere on the north and west coasts (you will have to swim 100-200 yards). Frederiksted Pier is the easiest shore dive with lots of fish and bottom dwellers. Short boat rides to dive sites and the dive operators are good.
No passport required for US citizens. Airfare about the same as the rest of the Caribbean.
You can AirBNB or VRBO an entire house for as little as $45/night. We stayed at one for 80/night that had 2 bedrooms.
I don't know why St Croix is not mentioned more as a dive destination.
Healthy coral. Lots of big and small animals. You can shore dive from just about anywhere on the north and west coasts (you will have to swim 100-200 yards). Frederiksted Pier is the easiest shore dive with lots of fish and bottom dwellers. Short boat rides to dive sites and the dive operators are good.
No passport required for US citizens. Airfare about the same as the rest of the Caribbean.
You can AirBNB or VRBO an entire house for as little as $45/night. We stayed at one for 80/night that had 2 bedrooms.
I don't know why St Croix is not mentioned more as a dive destination.
DeputyDan
Contributor
We are newly certified divers that have been to Cozumel a few times. We are wondering if there are any other destinations that have as good or better diving (that is good for beginners), and as economical as Cozumel?
Thanks
The short answer is no.
You will not find the entire Cozumel experience anywhere else for close to the price.
That is a big reason that locale has so many return visitors.
drrich2
Contributor
People vary in how they compare Cozumel to other destinations; how important to you is...
1.) Warm water?
2.) Very good viz. (e.g.: 100 foot vs. 50 foot)?
3.) Varied reef topography vs. a 'main look' over much of the sites (e.g.: Bonaire's west coast sloping reef wall)?
4.) Lush reef?
5.) Large number of small creatures (e.g.: schools of fish)?
6.) Number of big creatures (e.g.: black grouper, goliath grouper, barracuda)?
7.) Are sharks (mainly reef & nurse) a pro. or a con.?
8.) Location - airfare is the killer on Bonaire trips. For me, Southwest airlines 'Gotta Get Away' tickets with 2 free checked bags/person flying out of Nashville are a factor in trip cost.
3 Local dive group organizers in my area have all used Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan, Undercurrent did a nice write-up on in awhile back, the price was great, and what I read of the diving & # of dives impressed me. Haven't been there, but it'd be on my short list.
If you wanna do Bonaire cheap, look at Dive Hut or similar (my 2012 trip report).
The Florida Keys aren't usually considered cheap, but some years back I found Key Largo a good value trip (my report); doing 4 dives/day with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, probably the cheapest boat diving I've done.
Never been to Ambergris Caye (Belize), but it's often mentioned - might be worth a look.
Blackbeard's in the Bahamas is famous for budget diving. Live-aboards really stack up well for solo travelers who judge value considering the # of dives on the trip. On a land-based trip, the more people you pack into a non-dive resort hotel, the cheaper it gets.
T.C.’s Report on Blackbeards May 2014 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bahamas/484271-trip-report-blackbeard-s-cruises-24-30-may.html
Kimbalabala’s Blackbeards review 2013 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/wo...-liveaboard.html?highlight=Blackbeards+review
Craig66’s Question thread about Blackbeards - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...stion-about-dives-blackbeards-liveaboard.html
But I'd consider the upcharge to go on the Juliet, or watch around February or March and see if Aggressor Fleet does another big sale fleet-wide, and go on the Bahamas Aggressor for more dives off a more expensive niche boat. But it does have 2 separate itineraries; if you do the Grand Bahama/Tiger Beach one, of which I hear good things, consider if you're willing to dive with tiger and lemon sharks.
Picking a Caribbean Live-aboard - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ats/495738-picking-caribbean-live-aboard.html
When you're a little more seasoned & comfortable with deep diving, you could try Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, North Carolina during the summer. They've got a Dive Lodge that offers very cheap, basic housing. Trip report.
If you want cheap, don't require much assistance (e.g.: no guide) and are cool with more spartan housing (e.g.: bunk bed), and you're willing to trade warm water, high viz. & coral reef for kelp forest, sea lions, harbor seals & a whole different set of marine life, the cold water diving on a California live-aboard trip (trip report) might appeal. A more advanced trip, but consider for later.
Richard.
1.) Warm water?
2.) Very good viz. (e.g.: 100 foot vs. 50 foot)?
3.) Varied reef topography vs. a 'main look' over much of the sites (e.g.: Bonaire's west coast sloping reef wall)?
4.) Lush reef?
5.) Large number of small creatures (e.g.: schools of fish)?
6.) Number of big creatures (e.g.: black grouper, goliath grouper, barracuda)?
7.) Are sharks (mainly reef & nurse) a pro. or a con.?
8.) Location - airfare is the killer on Bonaire trips. For me, Southwest airlines 'Gotta Get Away' tickets with 2 free checked bags/person flying out of Nashville are a factor in trip cost.
3 Local dive group organizers in my area have all used Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan, Undercurrent did a nice write-up on in awhile back, the price was great, and what I read of the diving & # of dives impressed me. Haven't been there, but it'd be on my short list.
If you wanna do Bonaire cheap, look at Dive Hut or similar (my 2012 trip report).
The Florida Keys aren't usually considered cheap, but some years back I found Key Largo a good value trip (my report); doing 4 dives/day with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, probably the cheapest boat diving I've done.
Never been to Ambergris Caye (Belize), but it's often mentioned - might be worth a look.
Blackbeard's in the Bahamas is famous for budget diving. Live-aboards really stack up well for solo travelers who judge value considering the # of dives on the trip. On a land-based trip, the more people you pack into a non-dive resort hotel, the cheaper it gets.
T.C.’s Report on Blackbeards May 2014 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bahamas/484271-trip-report-blackbeard-s-cruises-24-30-may.html
Kimbalabala’s Blackbeards review 2013 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/wo...-liveaboard.html?highlight=Blackbeards+review
Craig66’s Question thread about Blackbeards - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...stion-about-dives-blackbeards-liveaboard.html
But I'd consider the upcharge to go on the Juliet, or watch around February or March and see if Aggressor Fleet does another big sale fleet-wide, and go on the Bahamas Aggressor for more dives off a more expensive niche boat. But it does have 2 separate itineraries; if you do the Grand Bahama/Tiger Beach one, of which I hear good things, consider if you're willing to dive with tiger and lemon sharks.
Picking a Caribbean Live-aboard - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ats/495738-picking-caribbean-live-aboard.html
When you're a little more seasoned & comfortable with deep diving, you could try Olympus Dive Center in Morehead City, North Carolina during the summer. They've got a Dive Lodge that offers very cheap, basic housing. Trip report.
If you want cheap, don't require much assistance (e.g.: no guide) and are cool with more spartan housing (e.g.: bunk bed), and you're willing to trade warm water, high viz. & coral reef for kelp forest, sea lions, harbor seals & a whole different set of marine life, the cold water diving on a California live-aboard trip (trip report) might appeal. A more advanced trip, but consider for later.
Richard.
Most of the shops have deals with the dive shops. I know Rainbow Reef does. @mselenaous has a good line on a number of 'quaint' places to stay, and if you travel in a group, then you can get the price way down. Don't plan on finding cheap lodging during peak times, like holidays or mini-season. It ain't happening.
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This year Anthony's Key on Roatan could be an option. Flights look to be just under $800 from St. Louiis (arriving around noon) and the bogo price on their lieast expensive room (hillside standard) is $1259 for two - includes room, 3 meals, 3 boat dives/day - a really mediocre shore dive, airport shuttle etc. I think the Dolphin Encounter is included but the snorkel/dive is extra. They do give guests a slight discount on the dive.
I'd pay the upgrade to Superior since that includes A/C - in Roatan you want that.
Buy One Get One Free | Anthony's Key Resort | Roatan | Honduras
Curacao would be an easy $1500pp trip if you shore dove. Flights seem to be $7-800 this summer. Out of town a 1br apt - waterfront (just 60' above it) cost me $85/day. Later we moved closer to town and 4 nights at a 2 br. condo (by myself) cost me $400+ $95 cleaning. Across the street from the water - 2 miles north of downtown.
It's easier diving there than Bonaire since most of the entries are off nice sandy beaches with dive shops on-site. Also to get you started, pay the DiveBus or Bas Harts Diving to show you the process once first. An operation like Goby Divers does 2 tank boat dives for $88 - as with everyone you save a little more booking multiple days.
It's easy there, the reef parallels the shore, there's no current unless you specifically look for it and most of the week we were there - late spring - it was pretty much flat calm.
All sorts of accommodation options in town or outside of it. We rented apts./condos - there's also the Sunscape AI resort in town - the SB trip was there. We found it less expensive to rent condos and at least do breakfast ourselves most of the time. Curacao flights are ususally less expensive than Bonaire also. Especially American Airlines.
I agree with the above poster, for reasonable flights/rooms, Cozumel is hard to beat.
I'd pay the upgrade to Superior since that includes A/C - in Roatan you want that.
Buy One Get One Free | Anthony's Key Resort | Roatan | Honduras
Curacao would be an easy $1500pp trip if you shore dove. Flights seem to be $7-800 this summer. Out of town a 1br apt - waterfront (just 60' above it) cost me $85/day. Later we moved closer to town and 4 nights at a 2 br. condo (by myself) cost me $400+ $95 cleaning. Across the street from the water - 2 miles north of downtown.
It's easier diving there than Bonaire since most of the entries are off nice sandy beaches with dive shops on-site. Also to get you started, pay the DiveBus or Bas Harts Diving to show you the process once first. An operation like Goby Divers does 2 tank boat dives for $88 - as with everyone you save a little more booking multiple days.
It's easy there, the reef parallels the shore, there's no current unless you specifically look for it and most of the week we were there - late spring - it was pretty much flat calm.
All sorts of accommodation options in town or outside of it. We rented apts./condos - there's also the Sunscape AI resort in town - the SB trip was there. We found it less expensive to rent condos and at least do breakfast ourselves most of the time. Curacao flights are ususally less expensive than Bonaire also. Especially American Airlines.
I agree with the above poster, for reasonable flights/rooms, Cozumel is hard to beat.
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scubafanatic
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I did find the 'desert island' look to be a bit unexpected, like scuba diving in Arizona/New Mexico, but still beautiful in it's own unique way, the water displays an achingly beautiful array of different 'blues'! Moreover, grocery shopping in a Dutch grocery store is an amusing adventure as well, not everything is exactly as it seems, and not everything tastes like what you are used to in the USA.
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