Diving Vacation in July

[dolphin7795]

Hello, I am planning on getting married in July and looking for a place to have a honeymoon. My Fiance and I are both dive certified and we have been diving through the Carribean (US V.I, Bonarie, Mexico, etc...). We are looking for going some where further away (we both have passports). We were thinking Thailand (except it would be the rainy season), and also looking at the Red Sea. I have alot of questions about how a vacation to that area would be. We defiently want to go diving (we would love to do a liveaboard), but are there nice romantic places to stay and where would you reccomend. Any help with this would be great. Thank you

 

[smokey braden]

dolphine7795,
welcome to this board.
doing a search will show you alot of info.
congratulations on your wedding.
oct of '03 i went diving in the maldives on a liveaboard.
http://www.sultansoftheseas.it/en/infoSMadivaru.php
there were two couples on the yacht who were on their honeymoon.
the vessel took us to the suvadiva-huvadoo/gaafu atoll where the diving was pristine.
after a week of serious diving off the boat the honeymooners spent another week on resort islands to concentrate on there honeymoon.
one couple was from germany and the other was from switzerland.
i think y'all would find the maldives very romantic.
this board is chock full of good info and i'm sure you will find the perfect destination.
regards,

 

[vladimir]

We were thinking Thailand (except it would be the rainy season)

Southern Thailand borders the Andaman Sea to the west and the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea to the east. One side will have good weather. The east side in July, if I remember correctly.

 

[alijtaylor]

Fiji is great at that time of year. I have snorkeled there rather than dived but just today got a brochure from Matangi Private Island Resort - 10 bures and supposedly great diving. Check it out or search the board for other Fiji options.
Alison

 

[caymaniac]

N.E.Australia is also nice this time of year, even though it's their winter, it is in the 80's and the Coral Sea as long as you stay north of Lizard Island is in the 80's as well.

 

[pigletfish]

My husband and I honeymooned in Bali in August 2003. We spent two weeks there, one week on land and one week on the Mermaid liveaboard, which sailed to Komodo. This was a great trip -- the boat was comfortable, the diving was wonderful, and seeing the "dragons" on Komodo was very cool. Our week on land was fantastic -- we pampered ourselves at the Four Seasons resorts, had lots of massages, toured the beautiful countryside, saw Ubud and the beaches, played with monkeys and elephants, went river rafting...many wonderful memories!

We just returned from an April trip to Queensland, Australia, and I don't recommend it nearly as much, especially for something as special as your honeymoon. Other places we considered for an August honeymoon in the Pacific were Fiji and French Polynesia. Also, although it may sound cliched, you might want to consider Hawaii (if you've not been there). It is gorgeous and has some lovely diving -- we were married on the Big Island and have been there 3 times in the past 5 years.

Congratulations and happy planning!

 

[lynnk]

I just returned from the big Island where I stayed at the Hilton Waikaloa resort. This resort was beautiful, truly breathtaking. Dived with Big Island Divers for a Manta Ray Night dive which was terrific. Two 8 foot wing span rays gorged themnselves on the plankton illuminated by our lights and came within inches of our group kneeling on bottom. This dive operation was very professional and just plain fun. Brand new spacious dive boat. Although there is no garantee that you will see rays, we lucked out. We also dived with Red Sail Sports located at the resort, but weren't thrilled with having to cart our equipment approx. a 3/4 mile along a sand beach to climb onto their boat which was berthed a few yards from the beach. It made it difficult to keep any cameras and such dry as you waded into the water. I have logged about 800 dives in several hot spots around the world, and was not impressed with the divng on either the Kohala or Kono coast. Little color or fish life. Perhaps that is the way it is at the Big Island? The Manta Ray night dive was definitely worth it. Most of the two tank dives run about $100.00. Also toured the Volcano national park and this was well worth the excursion also. Allow yourself at least 2-3 hours to really do it justice.
Have a great honeymoon.
Lynn

 

[scubatwinned]

Welcome to the site and congrats!! Alot of good advice already but if you have not made up your mind you might want to look at the Cook islands. A slower pace and not alot of tourists... Uses New Zealand cash so if you are from the states you would gain about 50cents on the dollar, we went LA - Hawaii - Raratonga. Sort of between Fiji and NZ. First growth jungle because out of the shipping lanes way back when so some really nice walks, some night life in town, they have small - Tieara(sp?) Village 6 rooms with a kitchenette around a small pool to the all inclusive resorts. There are beach houses for rent also. Beaches with all the toys or ones where you will see no one. A short flight to Itutacky(sp?) with a large shallow white sand bottom bay beautiful, very laid back there, Depends on what you are looking for in diving , there are no wrecks just reef. intermediate I would say of the hardest sites. I dove with Cook Isl. Divers, Greg is a character and the staff were great - hard bottom zodiacs, sweet to enter and exit the water. they have a web site. Great snorkeling also.
Have a great honeymoon whereever you go!!

 

[jakubson]

Fiji is great at that time of year. I have snorkeled there rather than dived but just today got a brochure from Matangi Private Island Resort - 10 bures and supposedly great diving. Check it out or search the board for other Fiji options.
Alison

I stayed at Matangi November 2003. Loved it! Send me a PM if you want to know more about it.