airfares/traveling from SFO

[Brewski]

I flew Continental to Coz last year from SFO.
I think we payed about 600 each. Check on Kayak

 

[FishDiver]

I checked on kayak.com a few days ago and they had flights to Cozumel for under $400.

 

[fuggler]

I went to Roatan in July 2009 on Continental Airlines for $666 air fare. Continental also charged an extra $25 each way for the second checked in bag. If you can carry on your personal items and check in your scuba gear or fit it all in one bag you'll save yourself $50.

Thanks for the tip.

If fares to Roatan and Bonaire don't drop by Feb, I might start looking into Cozumel instead. Diving's not that cheap there compared to the other two but the airfare makes up for it.

 

[kathydee]

I know SE Asia much better than the Caribbean so maybe check back before your next trip . If you are ok with simple accomodations and don't need a resort - I know of a clean simple peaceful ocean side place in utilia with hot shower/kitchen access that should be $20 per night for two. I think it's $18 for a single. Diving should be about $23-$26 a dive if you have your own gear. Prices go down depending on how much you like to rough it .

The problem is that you need to overnight on Roatan then sail to Utilia in the AM. It's a beautiful sail. It's cool on the return because you can use your topside day for the trip, but you will loose a day getting there.

Utilia a very relaxing low key island. Not a resort, more of a backpacker magnet. I stayed 5 weeks and loved it. You may even get to snorkel with a whale shark if you are lucky ;-).

Kathy

Thanks, Kathy. We can only do 9 days max for this trip. (Saving 2 weeks for Asia, hehe.) I have an idea of how much diving and lodging cost in most of the Caribbean destinations. Been reading about Bonaire, Belize, and Roatan, specifically. Hawaii (Oahu and Big Island) wasn't cheap when we went there in July. Gonna look up Maui...

 

[rdjiv]

Utila

 

[kathydee]

Utila

oopps yeah you're right

Hi Rod.

 

[rdjiv]

oopps yeah you're right

Hi Rod.

Hi right back. I couldn't resist after reading it a couple times.

It looks like a nice place to visit and dive. The dive center there made videos of presentation quality skills (on youtube) that I have used numerous times to help me get them down prior to helping out with an OW class. Would love to see a great deal available to fly down there for a trip.

Nice hat.

 

[kathydee]

Hi right back. I couldn't resist after reading it a couple times.

It looks like a nice place to visit and dive. The dive center there made videos of presentation quality skills (on youtube) that I have used numerous times to help me get them down prior to helping out with an OW class. Would love to see a great deal available to fly down there for a trip.

Nice hat.

I'm pretty spoiled by diving in SE Asia but some of the geology in Utila was quite spectacula.r as were the whale sharks. Also, you almost always see at least one octopus on night dives. There's also a strange fish called a Toad fish that actually croaks underwater at night. Most of the shops on Utila cater to students - you wouldn't believe how many DM's & instructors are generated there. One shop told me they issue 200 OW certificates a month. The trick is finding a recreation boat that heads to the best sites because many boats are hitting easy sites and filled with OW students. But I learned a few tricks by hanging around 5 weeks last winter .

Ah this year it's Monterey for 5 weeks of cold water diving over the holiday - Passing on tropical wetsuit diving whose brilliant idea was that? Oh yeah - mine .

Anyone up for mid week diving?

 

[pacificgal]

I might be coerced if conditions are right....

 

[fuggler]

I'm pretty spoiled by diving in SE Asia but some of the geology in Utila was quite spectacula.r as were the whale sharks.

Kathy, I've heard a few people say that the Caribbean is a let down if you've dived anywhere in southeast Asia. Why is this so? Is it because of se asia's marine biodiversity or over all, it just kicks ass? We dived Puerto Galera for a week and then Bohol for another week (posted reports/pics on PPD). Both places were spectacular but we didn't have good viz last month. I'd like to believe that every dive destination has its own personality and story, but man, if it's gonna be such a let down, I'd rather pay the extra $100-200 for a ticket to the Philippines or Indonesia.