General help

[tmeketa]

I am looking for my best options.
I would like advice on a vacation with scuba/snorkeling as the main activity.
I am looking for cheap airfare but nice accommodations and safe equipment rental.
I had a very scary experience in Puerto Rico once.
I am not interested in deep diving.
Just relaxing having some fun in the evenings and maybe one dive a day with some snorkeling thrown in.
I am traveling by myself and would need dive buddies or groups available.
Any advice is welcome and appreciated.
Tom

 

[TexasMike]

Well...

There are lots of places that would fit your bill....but it depends on where you want to go. Can you provide more info on which region you want to visit. And also how much do you have to budget?

 

[herman]

Hi Tom,

Like Mike, it does depend on what price range you are talking about and the kind of diving you are looking for. The 3 suggestions I have off the top of my head are:

Upper keys around Key Largo- most likely the lowest cost, good diving and snorkling but both really require boats. For a short trip, long weekend for example, this is a good choice.

Freeport Bahama- Good diving and snorkling, air fare is not too bad and it's a safe place to go, street venders can be a pain though.

Bonaire- By far the best(and easiest) diving and snorkling, and a safe place to travel. Cost for air is going to be a bit more but lodging/food cost are about the same as the others. If I had the option, this would be my choice. Just got back from a week there myself and already thinking about going back next year.

 

[mattiedread]

I'll go. I want to do more diving than that (3 or 4/day). With the exception of liveaboards, travelling alone is considerably more expensive. This time of year Bonaire has the advantage that is out of the hurricane belt... but, from what I understand Bonaire is not a place to go alone.

Cozumel prices out cheaply... and, last minute air deals are possible on charters. Check the travel section of your local paper. (I dove with two guys from Dallas who have been to Coz 100+ times because they get $99 air, last minute, all the time). You can dive Coz alone, but stay in town or you'll pay alot more...

Once September rolls around, off season kicks in. You may be able to find good deals by just showing up someplace, but, I can't confirm this in the Carribean, I've only done this in Thailand (where advance booking is not recommended except for certain weeks).

I hear the Solomons are very cheap right now (hassle to get to, Hawaii->Fiji->Solomons). But, they are on US, UK and Oz's state departments of dangerous places... that is why they are so cheap right now. I bet the tourist centers are far away from any political strife, too. So, visiting there is probably safer than driving to work.

And, seriously, pick a place, if I can work it in (I have large holes in my schedule from mid September->November), I'll go... Especially if you'd like to hit someplace like the Solomons... or Thailand. Air to Bangkok is <900, and once you get there Thailand is cheap.. and beautiful. Three days roundtrip, though. (26k Frequent Flyer miles from NY).

 

[joewr]

Tom,

I think the most cost-effective vacation where the diving is superb is Cozumel. For a good package rate try Island Dreams at http://www.islandream.com.island/index.html. The Fiesta Americana has a nice place to snorkel, nice swimming pool, reasonable food, and a dive shop on the premises. It is a bit far out of town--a blessing to some--and costs about $5.00 one way to taxi into town.

A little more expensive--but under the good ole Stars and Stripes--is Hawaii. I have never used a package to do any of the islands so I cannot help there. However, the diving off Maui and off the Kona Coast on the Big Island is wonderful. A little research on the net will surely land you some appropriate digs.

As far as dive shops go, on the Big Island, I recommend Sandwich Isle Divers. Warhammer, one of my electronic compatriots, dove with Jack's Dive Locker there and gave them high marks.

On Maui, Ed Armstrong is the Mercedes of dive shops in my opinion. But the Maui Dive Shop and Lahaina Divers both run excellent shops.

Oh, yes, all the above are full service ops and can offer you that refresher course you were considering. If you go to the Big Island, you will get very personal service from Steve and Walt--the Sandwich Isle Divers takes only 6 divers per trip. And if I remember correctly, they take a refresher diver on as a single--with others in the boat going with another DM.

One more thing--sorry to be so verbose--On the Big Island snorkling is not awfully convenient since there are so few sandy beaches. This island is relatively young and has lots of "new" volcanic rock right down to the shore. But, at a place called the Refuge--not far from Kailua where the dive shop and hotels of the Kona Coast are located--the snorkling is very nice. This is especially so in the AM.

Joewr

 

[BetterLateThannever]

Hey Joe,

Couldn't get there from your link, I think this is it:

http://www.islandream.com/island/index.html

 

[joewr]

BLT (not the sandwich),

Geezz, my reputation is really going down the tubes fast. It reminds me of the title of a book I once read, Been Down So Long It Looks Up to Me.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[terrydarc]

Tom,
Don't know where you are, but that $99 to Cozumel would be hard to beat if you have last minute flexibility. Here are a couple other suggestions - the Sunday travel section of a major airport near you. The San Francisco Chronicle for us even though it's a 6 hour drive. Also, the web is a great place to pick up good deals. We flew from the West Coast to Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Bali over a 30 day period (and back ;-)) a couple years ago. This for $900 on Cathay Pacific and a hundred bucks less than non-internet.

Stuck our faces into the waters in Thailand (Ko Phi Phi) and Bali. Both fabulous places to snorkel - plenty of gorgeous fish and coral. Saw plenty of divers at the time. You may find that package deals for diving and flying are better for you than unbundled deals.

Here's a metasite for diving locations world wide that's fun to play with:

http://www.diveguide.com/operindex.htm DiveGuide

 

[BetterLateThannever]

I think your reputation is just about right LOL!

Sorry, couldn't pass that one up.

OBTW< I think I wrote that book.

 

[donooo]

Geeze Tom, this time of year, from Dallas. I think nothing could be cheaper and better then Cozumel. You can be drinking Margaritas this afternoon. Hawaii, a great ideal, will take you a "long" time to get to and a lot of money.

Watch the weather, one of the reasons it's cheap now is it can be too hot and wet. (but you're from Dallas)

If you don't like it you can get out.

good luck don O