Best Value for Early April?

[WanderLust7681]

I am looking for some advice on a getaway I am planning for next April. I will be off from work from April 3rd through the 12th (teacher-April Break) and would like to take the oppurtunity to become Open Water certified. I am looking for the cheapest NON AMERICAN destination from New York. The cost factors I'm considering include flight, lodging, certification, some dives afterward, meals, drinks, etc. So far I have thought about Roatan, Panama, Mexico, and Jamaica. Roatan seems to be the cheapest once on the Island, but flights are upwards of $700. Conversely, flights to Panama City are only 350, but the diving and lodging seem to be more expensive.

What are some options, and about how much might it cost me, all in?

Thanks!

Andy

 

[diversteve]

We spent a week in Roatan last May. On the West End you can find lodging as cheap as $20-30 nt. or less. A/C usually costs $10 more. Dives at most of the shops in the area are $25. I recommend Coconut Tree Divers in that area. It looks like it's about $300 for the course through them. Coconut Tree Divers - PADI 5-Star IDC Dive Resort on Roatan, Honduras - scuba diving courses, divemaster internships, instructor development, tec diving, and more! Roatan would also be a good place for beginning dives, there's good stuff to see in under 30' of water. One of our best dives after going deep off the wall was drifting under the boat in 20' of water, all of sudden there were turtles everywhere.

Surprisingly several in our group commented on the high price of food. I didn't think it was any more than anywhere else in the Caribbean though. Everything costs more on an island. A good site for Roatan options is this one: Dive Bay Islands

I just received an e-mail from Delta, they just started $599 r/t flight to Bonaire from JFK. Saturday only. You could stay at Golden Reef Inn or Wannadive very reasonably. And get certified through Wannadive. Most of the resorts on Bonaire offer a package deal of accommodations, diving, truck rental. Info Bonaire - The Bonaire Information Site - The Most Current and Up-To-Date Information has a lot of detailed info. Bonaire can be a little more expensive though for food - everything is brought in from Curacao or elsewhere.

If you're by yourself, Bonaire is an easy place to meet/dive with other divers. Most people rent 4-person trucks - it's the default dive vehicle there - so have room for others for shorediving. And if you hang around any of the dive resorts, local dive bars etc. you'll likely be asked to go diving with someone - I was at least 4 or 5 times while waiting for my buddy etc. One thing about Bonaire, the diving is so good that it will likely ruin other places for you - it's consistently rated the best diving in the Caribbean in a lot of categories - except no big pelagics. (Sharks, etc.)

Personally I wouldn't go to Jamaica to dive. It's not the greatest. And Cozumel isn't a place for new divers necessarily, a lot of sites are deep, drift diving. Better enjoyed when you've done a couple dozen dives first.

One point to consider wherever you go is that you may want to do the classroom part of your training at home so that you don't have to waste vacation time doing it. You would get a referral from your instructor to be completed by the instructor you dove with on your cert. dives.

PADI offers an e-learning program also so you can do that part at your convenience. They're going to be the predominant dive organization in the areas you named.

 

[tuner fish]

Andy, thanks for the question, I'm looking to get away at the same time. Belize or Honduras are where I'm looking.

 

[robint]

Look at Cozumel. Lots on inexpensive places to stay and dive ops that would love to do your cert. If you can, get your classroom and pool done at home, then you only have to do the dives there. That is what we did 8+ years ago and it made the vacation more about diving and less about sitting in classroom taking tests. Check out:
Cozumel Scuba Diving at Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resort and Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop
Cozumel Scuba Diving with Aqua Safari
Papa Hogs Scuba Emporium of Cozumel - Mexico (we did our OW dives with them, Margaret is a fantastic instructor, very patient)
These dive ops that will do your cert and have hotel packages. Scuba Club is an all-inclusive so your meals are included also there.

or if you want to do it all separately:
Bay Adventures :: Dive Adventures and Island Vacations :: 888.599.3483
or
Caradonna Dive Adventures - Dive Travel and Vacations
have great packages for hotel and diving. Your cert class would be separate. Airfare is usually reasonable to Cozumel, but since you are looking at spring break time you might want to make reservations asap.

robin

 

[Rhone Man]

I'd guess Bonaire or Cozumel would be cheapest for some serious diving.

 

[WanderLust7681]

Thanks for all your helpful replies, guys! I'll try to do the classroom hours here, but it might not be feasible, as I coach 2 swim teams besides teaching and have approximately zero free time.

Quick question: Bonaire sounds appealing. Just how much more expensive are meals there than they would be in Roatan or Cozumel?

What about beers? I definitely enjoy a few cold ones after sunset?

Thanks guys!

Andy

 

[oly5050user]

Thanks for all your helpful replies, guys! I'll try to do the classroom hours here, but it might not be feasible, as I coach 2 swim teams besides teaching and have approximately zero free time.

Quick question: Bonaire sounds appealing. Just how much more expensive are meals there than they would be in Roatan or Cozumel?

What about beers? I definitely enjoy a few cold ones after sunset?

Thanks guys!

Andy

Andy; hello from a fellow NY'er.
If you need a ow course I teach both as an independent and for an LDS.As an independent I can charge a bit less for a private course than a LDS and can schedule whatever time/day that you need.The pool I use is indoor/heated at a LDS in Yonkers NY and I have truly 24hr access to it.,
Bonaire would be my recommendation also.I have a group trip for there leaving May 31-June 7th.Includes unlimited diving-free nitrox-breakfast-rental vehicle-hotel - r/t transfers from airport to hotel- r/t airfare out of Newark-ow training dives/adv/specialties are available also.Discounts at hotel bar and restaurant.Meals there can be as inexpensive or as expensive as you want.I find it is usually less than ny-Westchester prices. Cost of trip is $1800.,
Based on dbl occ and I try to get a roomie for you if you are a single.
PM me if interested and I'll get you my cell #..

 

[mksmith713]

Ditto on Roatan.
Check with PJ and Gay (the owners) about staying in the dorms.
I believe they let you stay if you take a course with them and the rates are very very inexpensive.
I may be mistaken but it never hurts to check.

 

[diversteve]

Check with PJ and Gay (the owners) about staying in the dorms.

Gay posts here often. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/members/cocoloca.html. The single cabins at Coconut Tree are $40/nt. My friends stayed in a couple, the 1BR had just a small refrigerator, the 2BR had a full kitchen - not sure if they're all the same.

Another shared option is Chillies just down the street. Native Sons is their onsite diveop. Right across the street is Sundowner, it's a local watering hole with decent sandwiches.

Food in Bonaire ranged from KFC to over $50/entree. There's a KFC(the chain) and Wattaburger(not the chain) downtown. We also found a sandwich shop outside Plaza Resort's entrance that was well under $10. We had a fairly inexpensive meal at RumRunner's at Habitat one night - like $25-30 for two of us including drinks. Pizza at Donna/Giorgio's in town was around that also. There's also Bobby Jan's takeout BBQ (recommended just from the smell) downtown and we had a late sandwich at Zee Zicht that wasn't more than $10-12 - or less. One option is to go to Casablanca and order the Mixed Grill for two - and take 1/2 home for the next day(s). It's pricey but a lot of food. Casablanca and It Rains Fishes were the priciest meals we had.

For comparison, here's a couple of menus with prices:
Cactus Blue ~ bar & restaurant
Papaya Moon Cantina--The Menu

Anything purchased in the market - Cultimara - was about what you'd expect for a caribbean island. There's two warehouse food type stores also.

On Bonaire the beer is Polar - or Amstel Bright. They're either 8 or 10oz. Depending on where you go, they may have American or Dutch beer but they're typically a dollar or two more.

 

[underseasian]

Check out Thatch Caye in southern Belize, great diving for courses, lovely place to stay, guaranteed your own instructor......