Best "Value" Dive Trips

[jpassov]

I have been certified for a couple of years but haven't had the chance to do much diving yet. This summer, my GF & I are going to Mexico and we are going to get in at least 6 dives while we are there. Can't wait!

What are your suggestions for other locations for dive trips that are a good value?

We live in Phoenix, AZ.

 

[RJP]

This summer, my GF & I are going to Mexico and we are going to get in at least 6 dives while we are there!

Not bad, if you're only going for one day!



Are you looking for a dive destination, or a nice vacation spot that also has diving?

 

[jpassov]

If this wasn't a "family" vacation, I would definitely be doing more than 6!

I am looking for ideas for both.

Thanks!

 

[DiveMaven]

I'd say that if you do cost per dive, it's tough to beat places like Roatan or Bonaire.

 

[cappyjon431]

If you want to relax in a place with a great Caribbean vibe and do some great diving as well, consider diving in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Topside we have gorgeous beaches, beautiful rainforests chock full of howler monkeys, sloths, ocelots, poison dart frogs, parrots, and other beautiful creatures. Accomodations range from $10/night hostels to $300/night all inclusive resorts. Excellent rooms can be found for about $50/night. Food runs the gamut from street vendors to gourmet restaurants, with Panamanian, Chinese, Indian, Seafood, Thai, Soul, Italian and American food well represented. A good breakfast can be found for $2, while excellent lunches and dinners are served for $3-$7.

Diving is excellent. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Station is based in Bocas del Toro and they have identified over 90 species of coral (with virtually no black band disease or coral bleaching), 140 species of tropical fish, and almost 200 species of other invertebrates (excluding corals). The diving is easy--little if any current, flat calm seas, low to mid-80 degree water temperature all year round. Diving is some of the cheapest in the Caribbean, with $60 for half day two-tank dives, $70 for full day two-tank dives, $35 for single tank dives, and $50 for night dives. All prices include all dive gear (brand new ScubaPro) and an experienced certified local divemaster.

English is widely spoken in Bocas del Toro and Panama uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency. Once you visit Bocas, you may want to return year after year. For some good, basic info on Bocas del Toro, check out BOCAS DEL TORO - Ecotourism in this Panama Caribbean region

 

[robint]

I'd say that if you do cost per dive, it's tough to beat places like Roatan or Bonaire.

ditto...... for the $$$, you can't beat the unlimited diving you can do in Bonaire (look at Buddy Dive Resort, SandDollar Resort, or Den Lamen Resort) or places like CoCoView Resort on Roatan. Either place you can do 3-6 dives per day.
Welcome to the Buddy Dive Resort website
Welcome to CoCo View Resort

A couple of good websites to check for info and prices of trips:
www.caradonna.com
www.bayadventures.com
www.divetrip.com

Cozumel is also cheap but I wouldn't call the diving first quality. When we were there a few months ago, the best diving we did was in front of the resort, diving in the rubble. Boat dives were a loooong ride and sites were crowded. We didn't enjoy it like we had past trips there.

Another great value, is the Nekton liveaboard to Bahamas. Though the trips cost a bit more overall, you get in 4-5 dives per day so at the end of the week you have spent alot of time underwater.
Nekton Cruises > Home

I have trip reports to all these places on my website.

robin

 

[Doc]

I have been certified for a couple of years but haven't had the chance to do much diving yet. This summer, my GF & I are going to Mexico and we are going to get in at least 6 dives while we are there. Can't wait!

What are your suggestions for other locations for dive trips that are a good value?

It is apparently not a cost per dive equation here. If you want to do six dives in a week, I would stick with Cozumel.

You will lose money at a Dive Resort with unlimited diving. There are Resorts that also offer diving, and that's where I would send you to look.

Roatan is in general a comparative bargain... If you'd like to try that, there are any number of guest house options available that will make your 6x/wk practical.

Bonaire is expensive even for a non-diver.

If this wasn't a "family" vacation, I would definitely be doing more than 6!

I am looking for ideas for both.

"Both" as in a dive-dive-dive vacation as well? That has been beaten to death here and other travel forums on SB, at least in terms of where to go for a bargain vacation that is centered on diving.

 

[RJP]

My non-diving wife and non-diving kids like Curacao. In fact we're going back this August. Staying at the Marriott...again.

- Dive op on site for easy shore diving right there, including night dives, boat dives too

- Dive lockers, etc right on site

- They have a "branch" of their dive op up north at a beautiful beach (Cas Abou) where you can access Mushroom Forest and other sites via Zodiac while the wife/kids hang out on a beautiful beach

- Nice beaches and pool at Marriott

- Dive Bus can pick you up/drop you off easily enough for other shore dives

Curacao Diving is world class, but plenty to do for the non-divers as well.

As my wife often points out "diving comes right before divorce in the Yellow Pages"

Another good point for the Marriott (or any place with a shop on site and a decent house reef) is that you can get a dive in and only be "gone" for the amount of time you're in the water.

Most days we set up camp at the beach right by the dive shop (Carribean Sea Sports) which happened to be the nicest/quietest beach at the Marriott and has the wonderful "Board Room" beach bar too. So I was able to hang out and "be with the family" right up until the moment I put my gear on and walked into the water. At the end of the dive my wife and kids were under an umbrella right there when I exited the water. So I was only "gone" for 45min. If I had gone to another dive site or did a boat dive it would have been 3-4hrs away from the family, probably missing one if not two meals.

Night dive was same sort of thing. We'd all walk to the water, and as I submerged my wife and kids sat down at the beach bar for a drink and played "spot daddy's dive light" for a bit while I enjoyed my dive. I surfaced 35-40min later, tossed my gear in the rinse tank and we all walked over to Hooks Hut for dinner.

When I did Mushroom Forest and another great dive up that way ("Scary Stairs") we went from Carribean Sea Sports location on Cas Abou beach. Beautiful beach with a bar/restaurant, bathroom/shower facilities, lounge chairs, umbrellas, etc. Drove up to Cas Abou after a great breakfast together at the Marriott. Played with the family on the beach for a while, then jumped in the Zodiac and zipped off to the Mushroom Forest for a dive. Returned to the beach for surface interval, during which I swam with the kids and got some snacks. Then jumped back in the Zodiac for the second dive, returning about an hour later to have lunch with the family and spend the rest of the day on the beach. In my wife's mind we had a great day with the whole family on a beautiful beach, even though I did get in two fantastic dives. Had I done the exact same two dives as a typical "two tank morning boat trip" I would have left the hotel before breakfast and not gotten back until well after lunch, thereby selfishly abandoning my wife for most of the day to watch the two kids all by herself.

Was able to do a total of 6 dives during our week there in this sort of "stealth" fashion and my wife hardly even noticed. First time in a long time where she didn't feel that diving monopolized the vacation.

 

[fmichaelk]

I operate a crew house in Fort Lauderdale. You can get a large studio with a Queen bed, kitchenette and semi-private patio for $325 a week. I do two or three shore dives every morning with guests. We have living reefs just 50 yards off the beach. Check out my pictures at Picasa Web Albums - michael.

On weekends we generally do a wreck and a reef from one of the local dive charter boats. Shore diving is free and the charter boats are usually $60 for a 2-tank dive. We furnish the tanks and weights.

You can take most of the PADI curriculm and get certified at a discounted price as a registered guest of the hotel, or just do the dives. You only pay for for certification.

In addition to the diving, there are restaurants all along the beaches and plenty of shopping and other touristy things for non-divers to do, including trips to Key West or Orlando.

Michael
Bridge @ Cordova
Home Page

 

[Scuba Laura]

St Thomas USVI has excellent diving (south side has many wrecks and reefs) and Admiralty is offering a 6 day, 5 night with a 6 tank package for $500 per person. That's a great deal!