Awarded a travel grant! Looking for recommendations.

[Doc]

Hit a button and know... the OP hasn’t signed in to SB since May 23rd.

Maybe they just read the thread and went over dere by Trip Advisor.

 

[caydiver]

The Galapagos or NW Oz. You have a wonderful opportunity. Don’t waste it on something you could do with just a little push. Also Lizard Island on the N GBR. Island has a resort and research station. Phenomenal place. Diving was awesome and snorkeling was incredible. We hadn’t really snorkeled for years and basically snorkeled around the island after diving each morning. History of island is incredible.

 

[buck3647]

Hi all! I'm a longtime lurker finally taking the plunge and making my first post! I've been awarded a travel grant (!) through work and am trying to figure out where to go. Only stipulations for travel are that it be international (from the US) and during the coming summer. After taxes, I'll have about $6000 for both me and my husband. We'd be willing to throw a bit of our own money into the mix for the right trip, but don't want to go too crazy.

We're open to both land-based and liveaboards. The trip would need to happen sometime between the second half of July and the first half of August. We are flexible in terms of length of stay.

Places we've been diving in order of preference: Komodo (liveaboard), Belize (Lighthouse Reef), Bonaire, Hawaii, Cozumel, Iceland (Silfra), and Aruba.

Trips we already have planned: Hawaii (June 2019) and Raja Ampat (December 2019 on the Samambaia).

Certs: AOW, Nitrox, and drysuit. I'm at 136 dives, he's at a little over 100.

We're in our early to mid-30's, active, and have the "sleep when we're dead" mentality when it comes to travel. We live on the East Coast and would likely be flying out of NYC or Boston. After just booking or flights to Sorong, I'd prefer a slightly easier flight itinerary - at least for this trip! I teach environmental science, so any trips that include a citizen science component would be especially welcome, but not required.

Where should we go?!

I have coupons for Vidanta Resorts anywhere Mexico golf and dive center onsite 2 bedroom as low as $1,000 a week very secure
videos
Vidanta Resort Mayan Riviera rental NON all inclusive 18 hole golf waterpark dive shop - YouTube

 

[Footprints and Bubbles]

@Footprints and Bubbles where did you decide to go diving this summer to spend your travel grant?

My apologies for falling off the face of the earth. Once a lurker, always a lurker?

After all of that, we ended up going to Saba. It had been on our radar for a while, and after a difficult spring, we decided to opt for something that was easier to get to (maybe we are getting old?!). We ended up having an amazing time and because flights were inexpensive we were able to splurge a bit more on our accommodations.

I did, however, end up traveling to Baja for a grad school trip in June. No diving, but I did snorkel with a whale shark. So that was awesome. Thankfully my husband didn't divorce me for seeing one for the first time without him. It was close though

I've filed all of the suggestions away for future trips. Thanks for all who contributed! Much appreciated.

 

[KathyV]

My apologies for falling off the face of the earth. Once a lurker, always a lurker?

After all of that, we ended up going to Saba. It had been on our radar for a while, and after a difficult spring, we decided to opt for something that was easier to get to (maybe we are getting old?!). We ended up having an amazing time and because flights were inexpensive we were able to splurge a bit more on our accommodations.

I did, however, end up traveling to Baja for a grad school trip in June. No diving, but I did snorkel with a whale shark. So that was awesome. Thankfully my husband didn't divorce me for seeing one for the first time without him. It was close though

I've filed all of the suggestions away for future trips. Thanks for all who contributed! Much appreciated.

Saba is great! Where did you stay? Did you fly there on a Twin Otter - that runway is quite an experience, isn't it?

How lucky you were to snorkel with a whale shark in Baja!

 

[Footprints and Bubbles]

Saba is great! Where did you stay? Did you fly there on a Twin Otter - that runway is quite an experience, isn't it?

How lucky you were to snorkel with a whale shark in Baja![/QUOT

We rented a house in the center of Windwardside. It was wonderful. Yes, flying in and out was an EXPERIENCE.

 

[btscott]

You might think about diving in Bali. Diving isn't bad and actually pretty great off Nusa Penida. Gili's at least when we were there wasn't great due to visibility. Lots to do on land as well. Might make your $$$ go a long way as diving is pretty cheap.

BTW, miss me some CT pizza. Sally's mmmm...

 

[tarponchik]

Does anyone have thoughts on the Maldives? Seems like a fairly easy (albeit long) flight from NYC to Malé for about $1300 and boats aren't too outrageous.

True. However, there are 2 problems with diving Maldives:

1. Excluding remote atolls that I know nothing about, you'll find better reefs and more bright coral fish to the north from Male; more sharks and rays to the south of Male. Thus, you either have to choose between the two or manage to combine both.

2. Scuba diving in Maldives is over-regulated by the government laws. Solo diving and any diving below 100 ft ist streng verboten, so if you are used to the Florida/Bonaire kind of freedom, you'll be irritated by the DMs constantly showing you the "buddies together!" and "go up!" signs.

I'd suggest Australia or Fiji, if this fits into your calendar. You can dive the Yongala wreck from Alva Beach couple times, this is a dive to die for (make sure to make reservations ahead!). Then take a trip on SOF liveaboard to the GBR. Since you'll probably fly via Brisbane anyway, you can take a detour and dive in Byron Bay, which is colder (reminds me of NC) but quite interesting. There were so many Wobbegongs there I lost count, plus their old resident Loggerhead shows up.

In Fiji's Beqa, they have pretty good diving, including shark feed dives 3 times a week. They feed Tiger sharks, and Bulls, Lemons and various reef sharks also come around, so this is quite spectacular. I personally regard this to be a circus, so once was enough, but many people watch it more than once (daily, you have a choice of 2-3 boats, where to go diving).

Another interesting destination is the Pacific Costa Rica, but you have to do it in December or January.