Christmas warm water trip, need some help/advice

[pushc6]

I am brand new diver (just completed my check dives) and wanted to take a little warm water vacation after Christmas. I have searched my @$$ off on the various destinations, Cozumel, the keys, Bonaire, Roatan, Utila, Turks & Caicos, etc. With all this information I'm having a hard time digesting it, so I'm going to spit out what I think is true, and please correct me if I'm wrong and make suggestions

Cozumel - Seems to be the 'cheapest' destination to get to, but boat diving is more popular than shore diving which would add on to the diving cost area. Also read that the currents are a little more brisk, and having 0 drift diving experience may be a little much for a newbie like me. Looks like I could get a hotel + airfare for $2200ish for me and my dive buddy.

Bonaire - Amazing shore diving, but the flights to here are a bit more expensive and looks like the flight will be about $3000 for the flight alone minus hotel. I'm wondering if the reduced amount of boat diving and increased shore diving could make up the difference. Or should I stick to the boat until I get a few more dives under my belt?

turks & caicos - just looks pricey in general, while I don't want to be 'cheap' I don't want to spend a lot either haha

Roatan & Utila - looks about the same as bonaire, good shore diving, but the flights are a bit expensive.

Keys - expensive to get there, hotels also more expensive, but has good shallow water 'newbie' diving.

Doesn't help that the week after Christmas is one of the more expensive times to fly. So for you diving veterans who have made a trip around this time or others who are planning, you have any advice for me? The trip would be from Dec 26-Jan 2.

I'm gonna head to my LDS to see what advice they have for me since they've been to everywhere I'm looking at, but would love some extra feedback from you guys\gals. Feel free to recommend something you don't see above as well.

 

[Bronson]

When i lived in the States i dived most of these places and found that the weeks around Christmas to be premium priced. You get what you pay for also. So, cheap is just that. Make it a vacation with a little diving moxed in. For my money the Keys are cold in late December and used go to St. Johns that time of the year. Maybe a bit enxpensive but well woth it. Easy diving, good food and great bars. Also, go Stella Maris on Bahama's long key a look. I did that one year for new year's week and had a blast. Enjoy the diving.

 

[diversteve]

If you can leave CVG on Friday night at 5:30P, the flight to Bonaire is only $1116 r/t. There's a Friday night Continental red-eye out of Houston that's one of the normal ways to get there. I'm not sure where you're getting $3000 on Saturday, Expedia is showing about $1600. But it's an overnight flight with a Sunday arrival.

Another option to look at is to fly to Curacao and then on to Bonaire. If you can get to Curacao mid-afternoon, you'll have several options for the short flight over. Dutch Antilles Express, Insel Air, Divi are all options - all have websites. I believe Insel has a flight or two that connect through Curacao and end in Bonaire. Insel also has a couple of flights into Miami, but I think they're during the week.

Given your situation, I'd look at one of the AI resorts on either Roatan or Bonaire. Either will have mostly boat dives as part of the package and you'll be with other divers so easy to find someone to buddy up with. Cocoview or Fantasy Island on Roatan also have easy shore dives just off their property, there's not a lot of other shorediving on Roatan.

On Bonaire, Habitat, Buddy Dive, Divi Flamingo or the Plaza Resort do as well. Actually most of the waterfront resorts do also. Another option might be the Sand Dollar Condo/Den Laman Condo area and diving with Bonaire Dive/Adventure - they're on Bari Reef, the site with the most counted fish species in the Caribbean. Any of the dive resorts on Bonaire will have simple, easy entries, most have divedocks or stairs into the water. Getting out over the ironshore at some shoredive sites is trickier though - most times it's easier with a buddy. However with all the sites, it's easy to move 1/4 mi. down the road to the next one.

On Bonaire it would be difficult not to find a buddy, I met several on the plane, was asked twice while waiting on the dock one morning, and we kept running into the same people at shoredive sites during the week.

The thing about Cozumel is that not only are a lot of the dives drift, they're also deep. You'd want to stay away from Grand Cayman now for the same reason. Not that there aren't shallower options but typically at both locations the first dive drops to around or exceeds 100'.

fwiw, my LDS has an affiliated dive travel option next door. I've always been able to beat their price by sending a few e-mails directly to the properties I was interested in. Another option is to contact a dive travel agency, Caradonna and Aquadreams are two that cover the area you're looking at. For Bonaire, contact BonairePros.

 

[pushc6]

If you can leave CVG on Friday night at 5:30P, the flight to Bonaire is only $1116 r/t. There's a Friday night Continental red-eye out of Houston that's one of the normal ways to get there. I'm not sure where you're getting $3000 on Saturday, Expedia is showing about $1600. But it's an overnight flight with a Sunday arrival.

Another option to look at is to fly to Curacao and then on to Bonaire. If you can get to Curacao mid-afternoon, you'll have several options for the short flight over. Dutch Antilles Express, Insel Air, Divi are all options - all have websites. I believe Insel has a flight or two that connect through Curacao and end in Bonaire. Insel also has a couple of flights into Miami, but I think they're during the week.

Given your situation, I'd look at one of the AI resorts on either Roatan or Bonaire. Either will have mostly boat dives as part of the package and you'll be with other divers so easy to find someone to buddy up with. Cocoview or Fantasy Island on Roatan also have easy shore dives just off their property, there's not a lot of other shorediving on Roatan.

On Bonaire, Habitat, Buddy Dive, Divi Flamingo or the Plaza Resort do as well. Actually most of the waterfront resorts do also. Another option might be the Sand Dollar Condo/Den Laman Condo area and diving with Bonaire Dive/Adventure - they're on Bari Reef, the site with the most counted fish species in the Caribbean. Any of the dive resorts on Bonaire will have simple, easy entries, most have divedocks or stairs into the water. Getting out over the ironshore at some shoredive sites is trickier though - most times it's easier with a buddy. However with all the sites, it's easy to move 1/4 mi. down the road to the next one.

On Bonaire it would be difficult not to find a buddy, I met several on the plane, was asked twice while waiting on the dock one morning, and we kept running into the same people at shoredive sites during the week.

The thing about Cozumel is that not only are a lot of the dives drift, they're also deep. You'd want to stay away from Grand Cayman now for the same reason. Not that there aren't shallower options but typically at both locations the first dive drops to around or exceeds 100'.

fwiw, my LDS has an affiliated dive travel option next door. I've always been able to beat their price by sending a few e-mails directly to the properties I was interested in. Another option is to contact a dive travel agency, Caradonna and Aquadreams are two that cover the area you're looking at. For Bonaire, contact BonairePros.

Thanks, that's some awesome information. For the flight I got $3000 because I am bringing my dive buddy with me. So yea, it would be $1500 for me alone, but with their ticket I'm looking at $3000. Now I'm going to continue digesting your post haha

 

[robint]

Christmas time = higher prices and possible dive cancelations due to weather issues, don't forget about that! Cold winter winds might blow in Caribbean Nov-Feb, some weeks will be fine, others will find dive boats can't go out due to rough seas.

Cozumel is definitely the cheapest place to go in Caribbean and if all you want to do is 2 boat dives per day, it would be a good place to start for you. BUT it is all drift diving, reefs are not close enough to shore to dive so all dives are boat. There are a few hotels that have shore diving, but it is really just coral rubble with some fish, nothing more.
check out: Cozumel Scuba Diving at Scuba Club Cozumel Dive Resort and Scuba Cozumel Dive Shop (all-inclusive 2 dives per day)

Bonaire is worth the extra $$$ for airfare as the diving there is much better than Coz, there is more fishlife, and also very little current. Reefs start right at the shoreline so that is why it is the Shore Diving Capital of the World. Worth every penny to get there. Some hotels have boat/shore diving packages, those are great and as a newbie you would probably benefit for 1 boat dive each day and then a couple of shore dives.
check out Welcome to the Buddy Dive Resort website
(also I have videos, http://www.vimeo.com/album/18778 )
Bonaire is also far enough south that weather is usually much better than other places during that timeframe.

Roatan is a great option if you really want to do more than a couple of dives per day. CoCoView Resort and Fantasy Island are both all-inclusives on southside (best to dive there during winter months as it is more protected.) BUT I would be CCV is sold out already for Xmas, but check on FI. You can get in 3-4 dives per day, all meals, relax and dive to your heart's content.

Christmas time is a tough time to get a good deal, it is the most expensive time of the year.
Try some of the deals on these websites:
Caradonna Dive Adventures - Dive Travel and Vacations
Bay Adventures :: Dive Adventures and Island Vacations :: 888.599.3483
Island Dreams Travel scuba diving vacations, cozumel scuba diving, dive travel, dive resorts, diving trips

robin

 

[dvrliz1]

Push....

I actually found the flights for about $900 each RT on Continental from Cin. to Bon. Pricing for the hotels on Bonaire is depending on your budget. You've got everything from Harbour Village, which is five star, huge pricing to smaller properties not on the water that are budget.

You are best getting a package including vehicle and diving. As always, I suggest that you wait to book the boat dives until you get here. Even for a novice diver, there are a lot of sites that are very easy in and out.

Please let me know if I can be of help, I live here...

Liz

 

[pushc6]

I'm starting to throw around the idea of driving down to the keys. It would be a bit of a trek, but I could use the saved money (about $1500-2000) to save for a trip to bonaire when airfare gets a bit cheaper and the risk of called dives is lower. It looks to be about a 20 hour drive from cincinnati, what kind of water temps can I expect in late December in the keys? It looks like the avg. air temp is 77 and from what I've read low-mid 70's water temp?

 

[robint]

I'm starting to throw around the idea of driving down to the keys. It would be a bit of a trek, but I could use the saved money (about $1500-2000) to save for a trip to bonaire when airfare gets a bit cheaper and the risk of called dives is lower. It looks to be about a 20 hour drive from cincinnati, what kind of water temps can I expect in late December in the keys? It looks like the avg. air temp is 77 and from what I've read low-mid 70's water temp?

Florida Keys is always a good choice for beginners.

Driving from Ohio to Florida in Dec??? I wouldn't drive down, you are looking at going through a mt range in winter, roads may be ugly or even closed. :shocked2: Fly down to MIA or FLL, whichever is cheaper for you, rent a car and drive to Key Largo.

Best if you go to the Florida Forum for specific info of diving there, water temps, dive ops. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-conch-divers/

robin

 

[tadeotadeo]

Water temps in keys in Dec can vary and will most likely to be 65 to 75
I would suggest trying to get to the Dry Tortugas the diving there is superior to anywhere else in the keys. Ultimate getaway runs a 4 day live a board out of Fort Myers to the Dry Tortugas.

 

[scubafan99]

Water temps in keys in Dec can vary and will most likely to be 65 to 75
I would suggest trying to get to the Dry Tortugas the diving there is superior to anywhere else in the keys. Ultimate getaway runs a 4 day live a board out of Fort Myers to the Dry Tortugas.

Tad, do you know how fast the temp drops in the Keys? I'm looking HARD for an affordable way to take my son diving for his winter break in mid Jan. We were in Key West 2 yrs ago and found 72 degrees & air about the same. It was a bit too chilly for us to fully enjoy...

I'd been posting elsewhere about finding someplace warm to go without breaking the budget. First I thought about Cozumel & we'd both take a drift diving course, but I've been told Jan can be really cold & rough there. Are the Tortugas any warmer than Key West? What about the Bahamas? There are some really cheap deals on Carnival cruises that go there or to Grand Cayman. I really need to decide soon before everything affordable in any category is sold out...

Any opinions out there?

Thanks!