Caribbean January 2017

[hogge]

Hi,
I will do 2 posts, one in this forum and one in the Asian forum as I don't know where to go.

Living in Europe so traveling to east or west takes almost the same time.
I have 150 dives behind me and am interested in big stuff, wrecks and corals. Not that much into nudi branches. I have AOW and Nitrox, am not the fittest av all divers

I want to be away for roughly 2 weeks between 5th - 25th January 2017. The cost for living (if possible including diving) should not exceed € 2000 or USD 2250, flights NOT included.

 

[KathyV]

I think that you mean January 2018? You can ask a Scuba Board moderator to fix the title of your thread.

That is the high season in the Caribbean and your price seems very low for even one week of living and diving at many destinations. Will you be traveling alone or with a buddy? Many dive resorts and liveaboards charge a single supplement that significantly increases the price.

Shore diving Bonaire is one of the cheapest options and you can find economical living quarters there but you will have to rent a jeep or van. Nice reefs, healthy sea life, and a very interesting wreck but not a lot of big stuff. Airfare can be expensive. Take a look at the Plaza Resort all-inclusive in Bonaire that includes meals, diving, and accommodations.

Spending a week on a Blackbeard's Cruise out of Nassau is a very economical way to get a lot of dives, and you can probably find cheap airfare there, but living/diving in Nassau in January for the second week can be pricey.

You may find cheap diving and cheap living in Cozumel and there are beautiful corals and large animals, and some wrecks.

Look at the 2 for 1 all-inclusive offering at Anthony's Key Resort in Roatan, Honduras. Nice reefs and sea life but not much big stuff or wrecks. Airfare may be expensive.

Have you looked at liveaboards in Egypt and the Red Sea? They are probably your best option pricewise for great diving, although travel to the Mideast right now may not be of interest.

 

[KathyV]

I just thought of another option that might work for you, take a look at the Scuba Board Surge trip to Plaza Resort Bonaire planned for January during your dates - see the link below.

You can arrange a second week at the discounted rate for the surge, and there are usually a few SB members looking for a room mate to lower the costs and provide a dive buddy.

The all-inclusive price is $1300 per week for double occupancy, but it increases to $1740 for single occupancy - still quite good considering that it includes diving, food, beverages, accommodations, and transfers.

I know that Scuba Board recruits sponsors for their trips so you will probably also get some free gifts and perks as a member of the surge group. I don't know if this event has sold out yet.

ScubaBoard SURGE 2018 Bonaire Package Deal

 

[KathyV]

They just posted that they have arranged more spots on the SB Surge trip to Bonaire:

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8035642/

 

[diversteve]

i'd look at Cozumel first. I know we don't need to consider flights but if you're paying for them - there's some directs from Europe into Cancun - from there you do the ferry/bag drag the same day to Cozumel - details are in their forum.

Lots of sharks in the Bahamas but you'd almost have to double your budget to stay there two weeks. Nothing is cheap since it's all imported. All the big stuff places I've been to $2K is barely going to buy you a week.

I'd look to your other thread for better options. Isn't January Summer there - might be nice and warm diving. January in the upper Caribbean can be rougher weather off some of the islands. It's not hurricane season but several dive islands I've been to have options to move boats to the leeward sides during the winter months - Cayman or Roatan are two.

About the biggest big thing on Bonaire is a lot of turtles and quite a few stingrays. In a week we never glimpsed a shark - there's allegedly some on the East Side but they're pricier boat excursions.

 

[AhmedSalem]

I think you can get on a 1 week shore diving and a 1 week liveaboard in egypt with this budget. Have a look at marsa alam (a camp called marsa shagra) Happy to help you further if needed.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @hogge

I would consider 2 weeks of liveaboard in the Red Sea. You could find that in you price guidance You could do Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone and a Southern itinerary. The flight price down would probably not be too bad either. The diving is world class.

Good diving, Craig

 

[diver0008]

Hi,
I will do 2 posts, one in this forum and one in the Asian forum as I don't know where to go.

Living in Europe so traveling to east or west takes almost the same time.
I have 150 dives behind me and am interested in big stuff, wrecks and corals. Not that much into nudi branches. I have AOW and Nitrox, am not the fittest av all divers

I want to be away for roughly 2 weeks between 5th - 25th January 2017. The cost for living (if possible including diving) should not exceed € 2000 or USD 2250, flights NOT included.

2 weeks diving high season for $2,000.00 in the Caribbean may be a little tough.

I'd suggest Roatan or Cozumel for nice coral formations. If you're not that fit, much of the diving on Cozumel is drift diving...quite effortless. Bonaire is a great destination for the do-it-yourself type of trip, and very cost-effective. Not too hard to get there on KLM.

 

[drrich2]

Not going to get into the Caribbean vs. rest of the world, or specifically try to pack a trip into your budget. Let's look at Caribbean options considered to be budget, with this in mind:

...am interested in big stuff, wrecks and corals.

The budget option with lots of diving in Roatan that I see local groups organize to, and read good trip reports of, is Turquoise Bay Resort. But Roatan reports have repeatedly criticized the lack of 'big stuff,' unless you count the specialty paid shark and dolphin dive options, and those cost extra.

The budget dive op. I read praise about in Cozumel, including free gear rental, is Dive with Martin. Hotel would be separate. I'd also look at AI package cost at Scuba Club Cozumel.

Cayman Brac Beach Resort has a reputation for being cheaper than Little Cayman, and you could quickly get a sense of total trip cost for a set number of dives.

If you tell us what you like or don't about some options recommended, it might help narrow things down.

Richard.