Diving the same place for a number of years to come ...

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hey scubaboard: I am negotiating a contract offer with an organization that would require me to travel to a foreign country twice a year for 2 -3 weeks. It is a renewable contract so every year it would get renewed which means that if I choose a country then I will be traveling there for a number of years. The money is not that good and normally I would not bother since this is not a full time job. Yet as I looked through the list of places some places sprang up as exotic dive destinations.

Fiji
Sudan
Philippines

Now who would reject a free-flight to one of these places twice a year??? See what I mean?

If you were in my position which of the above would you go to? It would have to be a place that offers diversity in diving so every time you land there it can not be the same dive site or it would get redundant after a few years. Sudan has some nice liveaboard routes. Fiji has three major islands. Philippines has many! If you had to choose one place where you would travel for the next ten years on someone else's expense which of the above makes the best choice?

If I ever take up this offer it would be for this reason not anything else.

Where where where?

 

[Doc]

I would grab the Philippines. Huge diversity and so many inexpensive options. Inexpensive inter-island travel, living large for not a lot of cash, generally a very happy and welcoming attitude from service oriented locals.

The Sudan has always been "presented to me" on past visits as a "gotta see me some more sharks" kind of place, I suppose this is mostly because of the British/Euro demand, and besides- that's what they got. The DMs and guests on-board were usually not interested in (or familiar with) micro/macro or night diving. In that you're not getting a lot of remuneration, I don't know if that, or any amount of money would entice me to ge my passport stamped there. Your SB thumbnail might come to life.

Fiji just always seemed to drain my wallet on the land portion, where you spend 19+ hours a day? It never came close to the picture on the water bottle. Kinda' grimy. Great u/w diversity, easily accessed.

Nominally, my answer would be to defer to the one with the highest airfare cost, since that's the freebie here, but the Philippines would likely be the lowest cost airfare. Might also be the easiest connections form the US. Another big plus to the Philippines...you can easily access many inexpensive air flights from Manilla to the main continent and make easy branching connections from there to other local regional dive exotica.

The options or the provided corporate housing for your work week might be a very big consideration, although not on topic here.

 

[KathyV]

Hey scubaboard: I am negotiating a contract offer with an organization that would require me to travel to a foreign country twice a year for 2 -3 weeks. It is a renewable contract so every year it would get renewed which means that if I choose a country then I will be traveling there for a number of years. The money is not that good and normally I would not bother since this is not a full time job. Yet as I looked through the list of places some places sprang up as exotic dive destinations.
Fiji
Sudan
Philippines

Now who would reject a free-flight to one of these places twice a year??? See what I mean?

If you were in my position which of the above would you go to? It would have to be a place that offers diversity in diving so every time you land there it can not be the same dive site or it would get redundant after a few years. Sudan has some nice liveaboard routes. Fiji has three major islands. Philippines has many! If you had to choose one place where you would travel for the next ten years on someone else's expense which of the above makes the best choice?

If I ever take up this offer it would be for this reason not anything else.

Where where where?

Although it sounds like a wonderful opportunity, I suggest using caution in agreeing to a long term commitment to a low-paying, part-time job that may require a lot of work. Being tied to this job might prevent you from taking a more attractive and lucrative offer in the future. Or you might find yourself committed to multiple jobs with little free time to enjoy activities like diving.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it. I'm just suggesting that you weigh the pros and cons carefully and objectively before making the decision. Only you are in a position to decide if this really is a good deal or not. Good luck!

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Agreed Kathy V. This is not a full time job but a short term contract offer to run a training workshop. I go there, do a training workshop for a week or 10 days and then come back. I can stay on my own money for more and dive. Return ticket paid! This is something that I would do on the side besides my real job(s). Most likely the money I will make there will be blown there depending on how long I over-stay to dive.

 

[Damselfish]

while I haven't been to Sudan (or intend to) or Fiji (yet) - I'm pretty sure the Philippines gives you by far the most options for diving within a short domestic flight and/or ferry ride. Fairly inexpensive place in general to stay, eat, dive. You could also use Manila as a hub to get to some other places in the region, for example there is a direct flight twice a week to Palau.