Budget Diving With Flights From UK

[EViS]

We're both AOW divers living in the UK. We are looking for a diving holiday this year, sometime in June for 10 - 14 days, although we're very flexible. However, we only have around £1k each to spend on the whole trip (flights, accommodation, food, diving and gear rental). We are finding that all of the dive sites listed on the various 'top 100' lists either involve very expensive flights or accommodation which blows our budget (out of the water haha).

Can anyone recommend any destinations which aren't hugely expensive to get to from the UK? Or websites which list discounted 'package' holidays which are good value for money?

Egypt seems to be the only option, and we're looking for alternatives at the moment .

 

[Ste Wart]

Skip the package and look at 'flights only'.

For Example 'Blue Hole' Dahab No 25. Easyjet flights to Sharm El Shiekh, transfer to Dahab and then stay in the cheap accomodation in Dahab. For around £10-15 a night you find a chilled out place to stay, nothing fancy. Then look up one of the local dive centres. I recommend Sea Dancer Home

Or try Malta 'Cirkewwa' No 69 & another 'Blue Hole' #66:

Head to the Air Malta site. If you book early enough you can find a good deal on flights even at peak times. Airport transfers are only 30 euros and rooms around 20 a night. For diving I recommend my old workplace Welcome to Buddies Malta 5* IDC Centre in the Heart of Bugibba & a short walk from Qawra in St Pauls Bay - For ALL your Scuba Diving needs

Most other things are too far away from the UK. But the Yongala (#1) is well worth the money.

 

[EViS]

99% of the time I book everything individually. However, having not found a single thing so far, I wondered about whether there are any package deal sites which may offer more bang for the buck (pound).

How does Malta compare to Egypt (Sharm) for the chances of seeing the big stuff as well as colour?

 

[mala]

if its just diving then wrecks and reefs liveaboard in egypt is great value for money.
malta is good
lanzarote
teneriffe
you might get to cancun/cuba/dominican.

good luck in your search.

 

[Ste Wart]

99% of the time I book everything individually. However, having not found a single thing so far, I wondered about whether there are any package deal sites which may offer more bang for the buck (pound).

How does Malta compare to Egypt (Sharm) for the chances of seeing the big stuff as well as colour?

Malta is about stunning Viz, semi deep wrecks (and very deep ones) and underwater topography. Fish life isn't the greatest, the med is not coral and colour.
That said I enjoy the diving on Malta and I've been back as tourist since I finished working there sole to dive again. I still have to go back to hit up a few more deep wrecks and get around to seeing the Neolithic Temples on the island.

 

[mala]

the poly is one of my favourite wrecks of all time.

 

[robint]

We're both AOW divers living in the UK. We are looking for a diving holiday this year, sometime in June for 10 - 14 days, although we're very flexible. However, we only have around £1k each to spend on the whole trip (flights, accommodation, food, diving and gear rental). We are finding that all of the dive sites listed on the various 'top 100' lists either involve very expensive flights or accommodation which blows our budget (out of the water haha).

Can anyone recommend any destinations which aren't hugely expensive to get to from the UK? Or websites which list discounted 'package' holidays which are good value for money?

Egypt seems to be the only option, and we're looking for alternatives at the moment .

look at some DIVE travel websites like:
Island Dreams Travel scuba diving vacations, cozumel scuba diving, dive travel, dive resorts, diving trips
Scuba Diving Vacations - Caradonna Dive Adventures

they can book your airfare also, and you don't pay the fees. Look at those websites and give them a call. It can't hurt and you might be surprised what they can come up with for you.

as far as cheap destinations... lots of Choices in Caribbean, but I have no idea what airfare runs for you. Cozumel is the cheapest place for most of us in USA, and has great diving.

 

[bigbluedahab]

Hi there ,
I saw your message and i thought to drop a line to offer you the following package which i hope it will gain your satisfaction.
We are Big Blue Dahab dive centre and we are located in Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt, you may check our web site to know more information about us and diving in Dahab.
As you mentioned that Egypt will be a cheap option for you so i believe that it will be a good choice to come to our destination.

We will be happy to offer you the following package
20 X guided dives ( Full Equipment included ).
14 nights accommodation based on sharing DBL room @ oricana hotel ORICANA HOTEL : DAHAB : SOUTH SINAI : EGYPT

Transfer (Sharm-DahabSharm )

The package will cost you per person 500 Euro which is around 415 Sterling.
You will only need to look up flights through easy jet and i am sure you can get a good deal

If you will be interested or you need more deatils please drop us a line at dive @bigbluedahab.com
Take acre
Mohamed.

 

[chillyinCanada]

How far are you willing to go? Just for example, would you like to go to Roatan? Check out the flights pricing/length/stop overs here at this site: Cheap flights - Search and Compare Flights with Momondo. This is not a booking site. It does all the searches for you and even helps determine the best selection based on travel/flight time combined with price. Using Roatan in June, I found you a flight for approx £750. You should be able to get decent accommodation for around £35 a night per person or even for both with two tank dives at $60 US.

 

[Gasper25]

Would you consider Croatia - well within your budget and some nice walls and wrecks in the south Adriatic Sea