Best vacation spots for completing your certification dives.

[dsimm]

I have enrolled in scuba lessons at a local SSI Dive Center. I would like to complete my certification dives in a more tropical location than a sandpit lake in the Midwest. The trips offered through the dive center won't work with my schedule. The dive center and several friends have recommended Cozumel, however I have also been told that the current can be strong at times and wouldn't be a good place for a beginner on their certification dives. Any recommendations?

 

[ronscuba]

Florida Keys if you want cheap. Cozumel or any of the top Caribbean dive locations would be nice. Don't worry about the Coz currents. They will take you someplace calm for your cert dives.

 

[jstef]

We did ours in Key Largo. The good diving there can be in 40 -50,' and warm. I also like Silent World Diving there.

 

[grantwiscour]

FLL or the Key Largo are both good places for OW cert. Calm and pretty water and typically good staff.

 

[diversteve]

Maui Dive Shop is SSI...

Maui Dive Courses | Maui Scuba Diving Instruction | Maui Scuba Diving Certification | Learn to Dive on Maui

So is St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures - http://www.stcroixscuba.com/
The Frederickstad Pier is a great shallow dive. And you don't need a passport.

Another option might be Divetech on Grand Cayman. Downside is it's probably more expensive to stay there than just about anywhere else in the Caribbean (I haven't priced St. Croix lately) but the advantage they might have is that both of their facilities have good shallow dives off the property. http://www.divetech.com/files/recreation.htm

One of the best shore dives there - Turtle Reef - is a few minutes away and most of it is around 40-50' deep. Tarpon, Turtles, lots of fish are a given there. http://idiveglobal.com/locations/turtle-reef-scuba/. Sundivers is on-site and Happy Fish Divers works with them to hire a DM for the dive if desired. Divetech used to run the operations there also.

Once you get your card, you could dive the Kittiwake - it's an easily penetrable wreck that Divetech was instrumental in putting down a few years ago for divers. With O/W you could safely explore the 1st three decks accompanied by your DM - they cut big holes in it for access. http://www.kittiwakecayman.com/

The other signature Cayman Dive - Stingray City - is 15' deep. http://idiveglobal.com/locations/stingray-city-east/

Grand Cayman annually makes the top 5 Caribbean Dive Destination lists - the water is stunningly clear.

 

[Quero]

Thailand!!! No doubt about it! We have lots of SSI shops here where you can complete your training. And the culture, food, marine life, climate, etc. are outstanding!

 

[chinacat46]

There are so many places but I think going with a place like Key Largo for your first dives would be easiest. Easy to get to and you could go for a 3 day weekend and get certified. Fly in Friday night and do your cert dives on Saturday & Sunday and fly home Monday. You could also extend your trip and do more diving.

 

[DeputyDan]

First "dive trip" - go to key largo.
Excellent beginner dives -
Excellent other dives as well.

 

[funnyfarm299]

FLL or the Key Largo are both good places for OW cert. Calm and pretty water and typically good staff.

I did mine in Fort Lauderdale. Had a great time with "Undersea Sports". It's an SSI shop too. Better diving than the trip my class took to Ginnie Springs.

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[H2O Gal]

Stuart Cove's in Nassau, Bahamas will do cert dives, and they use great newbie dive spots.