best bang for the buck dive trip

[drrich2]

"Hawaii for us as just a vacation usually turns out to be cheaper than any where else. Even with air fair. Great lodging is affordable car rentals are cheap and the things we do on The Big Island involve gas and food for the most part. I have rented some flat out palaces to stay in for half the cost of really cheap hotels. 11 of us went for 12 days a few years back I rented this goliath house for $225 a day and it was really nice I mean really nice."

I was trying to wrap my brain around the idea of Hawaii being a cheap place to stay, since that ran against what I've been told before. Then I saw where you rented a house for 11 people. Yes, sizable groups can get lodging like in condo.s, homes, etc...in some places much more economically than the per person dual occupancy rate at some dive resorts.

And if you go the route of renting somebody's private home (I've heard people often use VRBO - Vacation Rental by Owner - for that sort of thing), your rates may be a bit different that what some of us are used to figuring.

But is this trip just you & your wife? If so, the cost scenario may be different.

If you want shore diving, some other things to do, not stuck at a resort all the time, maybe Curacao would appeal to you? Often cheaper airfare than Bonaire. Don't know how long or how much it'd cost you to fly there.

Richard.

 

[Wookie]

Best bang for your buck is a liveaboard. however you want to compare pricing, a liveaboard will be less expensive than a similar land based adventure for the same number of dives. If you aren't looking for 4-5 dives a day, maybe a liveaboard isn't for you, but you can pick up last minute discounts all over the Caribbean if you can find airfare to match. Discounters include Aggressor Fleet, Dancer Fleet, Explorer Ventures and some others, but whatever you choose, you will get more dives per dollar (with a fixed cost, you know exactly what it will cost you the minute you book) on a liveaboard than in Cozumel, or really anywhere else.

 

[SeaHorse81]

Best bang for your buck is a liveaboard. however you want to compare pricing, a liveaboard will be less expensive than a similar land based adventure for the same number of dives. If you aren't looking for 4-5 dives a day, maybe a liveaboard isn't for you

This has been my finding, exactly. I'm not all that interested in travel itself, but I travel to dive. As such, I'm looking for as much diving as I can safely get in, at the lowest total cost per dive. Total cost means absolutely everything I spent on the trip (the liveaboard, airfare, parking fees, baggage fees, everything), divided by the number of dives. Nothing touches a good deal on a liveaboard. That works for me because I have no interest in doing anything but diving, but it sounds like you might like to do more land-based things than I would, so the math wouldn't be the same for you.

I'm under the impression that dollars/dive may be less if you shore dive in Belize, but I'm not interested in renting a truck, schlepping gear, and having to just assume the truck will be raided while we're underwater. It may be cheaper per dive, but it wouldn't be worth it for me. Just one example of how it depends on what your personal priorities are. I'm sure you'll start figuring out the economics a bit better as you get additional trips in.

 

[lowlysubaruguy]

OK if you had these for options

8 nights in Bonaire might actually be 7 nights and one late long flight in for the first day with basically an all inclusive dive hotel meal package and I am thinking in two weeks. so its time to book something the lower end flights have some serious delays. even the expensive flights are long. im figuring there will be some expenses here that prevent me from making this a 2 week trip

13 nights in Cozumel all inclusive same picture less flight time and probably $1200 less money This trips sounds like its well within our budget

close to three weeks Florida little diving with a buddy ( nice 26 foot seaworthy boat) cramped sleeping quarters maybe a 4 to 5 day liveaboard dive a couple days in the keys with dive shops. Probably the same money as the Bonaire trip. I may also find myself fishing for Bone Fish or Tarpon? I have already done most of these dive sights. On that note we have killed Hawaii mainly because we have been there a number of times and we want to open new doors. I expect this to run more when its done but I actually expect that with any vacation but three weeks is a lot more time for the things go that direction. I may also be able to get down here for a short trip later this year by myself.

It does look like Cozumel is much cheaper all the way around. Any weather related reason to do one over the other mid January.
Im already tired of winter and it just started.

 

[DandyDon]

Oh, weather can be a problem anywhere in January, maybe more so in Cozumel as northers hit there hard, while the Florida Keys diving gets some shelter from the islands, and Bonaire is far enough south to be less likely to get hit by a norther. Nortes as they call them in Coz are not the rule tho, hardly ever last more than a couple of days, and I'd think you'd want to get away from the diving a few days anyway - to see more of the island, dive mainland cenotes, tour mainland ruins & jungle, or whatever. Even if you left things in your AI room while you overnighted on the mainland a night or two - just explain to the desk manager so they won't call the police to look for you. I've done that actually.

 

[Tjack]

For a 3 week trip I would consider Philippines or Indonesia, the difference in airfare can be made up for in cheap lodgings and food. Thailand is another option along the same lines.

 

[diversteve]

The Bay Islands could be an option. Roatan's West End can be done very reasonably. Flights will likely be more than to Coz but you can do everything else there cheaply. $100/nt total buys a really nice place - even some houses or newer condos. Properties are listed on vrbo.com or there's some options here: Roatan Vacation Rentals | Beach Houses Condos Villas | Holiday Rental Home Listings in Roatan Honduras

Dives are 10/$300 and you don't need/want a car if you stay within walking distance of the West End. Some friends did their DM there for about $1500/month total in their own apt. Food can be really cheap, there's street vendors selling fresh stuff daily. There's also several big markets about 20mins away in French Harbor. Coconut Tree has a good basic info page on the area: Roatán, West End | Scuba Diving | Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras | PADI

I personally could not spend 3 weeks on Roatan without being bored though. Besides the diving, ziplines and a few other attractions, there's not a lot to do there. The West End is where most of the restaurants and nightlife are concentrated. Much of that caters to younger people.

From there you could also fly over to Utila for around $200PP - it's a dive training area so there's a lot of cheap accommodations in/near town there also. You have to fly back to Roatan or the mainland to get home though. I don't know the rental/dive prices on Utila since we stay at an AI resort. Utila Official Site - Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras - Tropical Island Paradise

If it matters, there's generally a lot of bugs on either island. Sand Fleas, Sand Flies and no-see-ums. So liberal use of Deet is how we survived.

 

[Peter Guy]

The following is written only partially tongue-in-cheek.

Let's see, you live somewhere around the Dalles (I'm guessing), you and your wife are both newish divers and you want to have a dive trip. Well, what else do you want to do while diving?

As far as "bang-for-the-buck" -- hey, some of the best diving in the world is quite close to you -- from Olympia north to Port Hardy. A problem, perhaps, is that it is, well, let's just say "not tropical" in water temp and air temp! But what do you want? Great diving or something else?

On a perhaps more serious "bang-for-the-buck" point -- perhaps plan some serious instruction along with your simple dives. IF diving is an activity about which you and your wife wish to pursue actively, you will be diving up here (Puget Sound/Hood Canal). So to get the "best bang-for-your-buck" contact one of the many very good Puget Sound area instructors who can not only show you some great diving but bring your diving to a much higher level.*

And, if you also want to do other things (Opera, Plays, Symphony, Great Restaurants, hiking, museums) the Puget Sound area has them in abundance.

Last comment -- I've done a fair amount of diving off Maui (not the other islands however) and while I very much enjoy the warm, clear water, the diving closer to your home is far superior in many, many ways.

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*I'll gladly provide you with a list of instructors who I believe can provide you with a very high level of training -- PADI, NAUI, GUE, UTD -- just PM me or NWGratefulDiver

 

[DandyDon]

I remember the time I flew to Seattle to dive the Sound there. Other divers wondered why I came and were surprised to hear I came just for the diving. Loved it.

 

[heehee62]

Another Portlander here . I don't think you should go back to BI this time around but if you haven't done the Manta and Pelagic Magic night dives - I really recommend going back someday cause those two dives are amazing (fly into BI, stay couple nights, and do a cruise or fly to other islands if you've had your fill of BI already). There's a dolphin swim there too with hundreds of dolphins.

Personally, with 3 weeks, I'd fly someplace far away. Especially since it sounds like you're not going to get the chance to spend that much time again for quite some time. Even if it costed more, I'd do this.

Phillipines had a huge typhoon so be careful which areas you choose to go to (though they could use the patronage there).

If you stay close by, I personally could spend 3 weeks in Fl since it's a big state but it's about your interests. I could go up to Crystal River to snorkel with manatee, visit the everglades, do the theme parks in Orlando and Tampa, spearfish, catch lobster if in season, catch scallops if in season, as well as dive.

Cozumel is fantastic and great bang for buck - but if you only go to the Rivera Maya once, I'd go when you can see whale sharks up in the Cancun area (they aren't in season when you want to go).

Belize is fantastic and you can definitely spend 3 weeks there (I think you can even take a ferry to Honduras but don't quote me as I'm not sure if this is still available). But still, I'd travel farther away if it were me with 3 weeks.