Best day trip diving

[opdg07]

Hello,

Just starting to plan a trip, but my friend is not able to be on a boat for very long, so live aboards are not an option.

I was looking for locations that have great sites that can be reached on day trips. Pretty open geographically, he's in the US and I'm in Europe, so we're pretty open.

Been to the Philippines, Costa Rica, La Paz, Malaysia, Yucatan area, and Sipadan (The best ever!)

Maybe someone can give me some suggestions!

Thanks

 

[gr8jab]

Are you searching specifically for day-long, but not live aboard? The meaning of "day trip" could be considered subjective. Might you mean a 'full day long trip' on the water, versus shorter excursions?

For example, when in Phuket, I took several day trips, leaving at 7:00am and returning after dark (4-tank dives). But when in Roatan, dive sites were no more than 10 minutes from the dock and the boats went on two 2-tank trips a day, with lunch at the resort.

If I assume you are OK with any diving without live aboard, the list is endless. Here's the ones that pop to mind:

• Roatan, Honduras. Including, but not limited to:
  • Cocoview Resort- two 2-tank boat trips a day, plus unlimited excellent shore diving.
  • Anthony's Key Resort - 3 1-tank boat dives per day, plus occasional night diving.
• Curacao
  • Boat and shore diving
• Bonair
  • Can do boat diving, but
  • Possibly the shore diving capital of the world
• Grand Cayman
  • Mostly boat diving, typically 2-tank trips, twice a day
• Key Largo USA
  • No shore diving
  • 30min to 50min to the dive sites
• Phuket Thailand
  • Full day trip toward Phi-Phi, 3-4 tanks
• Cozumel, Mexico
  • All drift diving, 2-tank trips, twice a day (or more)
  • 5 to 30min to the dive sites.

 

[snowdog61]

I haven't been everywhere in the Caribbean Atlantic but have hit most places. Of those places, the ones that i have done (or will do ) return trips are:
1 - Bonaire - shore dive heaven and everything is at your pace. Really look forward to doing this one again and again...
2 - Cozumel - wasn't quite as good as the 1st trip but still worth it. Bag drag from Cancun makes it more affordable
3 - Roatan - again, 2nd trip wasn't quite as spectacular but I'd do it again.

Don't over look West Palm Beach or Key Largo - there's some really good diving to be had though vis may not be the 50+ you'll get in the other places. We are doing Little Cayman next year - Cayman Brac was good, just not great. Curacao was the same. Pretty pretty reefs but no big fish. I'm not unhappy that we went but it just wasn't one that I'd need to do again when there's other places that we haven't been. Palau & the Philippines kinda ruined Caribbean diving for us. Cuba however, is a trip I'd definitely want to do (before it gets ruined by the tourist trade).