Good tropical diving closer to the US

[vondo]

Belize isn't difficult to get to, but 3 tank dives to the Blue Hole is $365! Is most of that for petrol? Can I do 9 Nitrox dives/3 days in Belize for < $500?

Make sure you're looking in $US and not $Belize. It's exactly a 1:2 ratio. That price sounds like $Belize. At least it was no where near that expensive when I went, but that was 5 years ago.

But yeah, on a one month trip, living expenses will dominate and airfare is less important.

 

[Midget]

the Dry Tortugas in the Florida keys offer outstanding liveaboard diving like the Caribbean was 20 years ago. Give it a look.

Thanks for the link, Wookie. How many dives total are included in the 3D/4N Liveaboard? It doesn't state.

 

[Midget]

Make sure you're looking in $US and not $Belize. It's exactly a 1:2 ratio. That price sounds like $Belize. At least it was no where near that expensive when I went, but that was 5 years ago.

But yeah, on a one month trip, living expenses will dominate and airfare is less important.

Good point! I'll go back and look at the website again.

The trip I'm trying to dial in is just a quick escape for about 5 days. My one month journeys are to SE Asia. I want to get to know some of the diving closer into the states if it is worth the cost. Otherwise I'll keep saving those pennies towards a Raja Ampat Liveaboard

 

[Doubler]

It takes just as long to get from Seattle to Grand Cayman as it does to get to Fiji about 10 to 12 Hours.
If you want great diving and NO amenities check out Small Hope Bay Lodge on Androus Island Bahama. There are only a couple of restaurants on the island, no shopping, no Starbucks just stellar diving. Great walls, Ocean Blue Holes, fresh water blue holes, great fishing. Real short hop out of Ft Lauderdale or Miami. Of course if you are all ready in Miami the Keys and Spree are right down the pike.

 

[vladimir]

A 1-stop flight from Salt Lake City to San Jose, Costa Rica, takes about 9 hours and $600-800. You still have a van ride from there to the Pacific Ocean, but it might be worth looking at.

 

[Midget]

A 1-stop flight from Salt Lake City to San Jose, Costa Rica, takes about 9 hours and $600-800. You still have a van ride from there to the Pacific Ocean, but it might be worth looking at.

I've been to Costa Rica 3 times (LOVE IT!), but not for diving. It's barely mediocre, I've heard.

 

[diver 85]

OP, your problem is where you live ie for us(Louisiana) Cozumel is a 2 hr flight & we're diving that same afternoon of morning Houston departure---Roatan is a direct flight leaving Houston after noon & diving that same night.....Just depends I guess.....But other nice(r) destinations do take an overnite stay ie Little Cayman.....

Now for Fiji, we're @ the resort about about 30+ hrs after departing Houston, so it just depends on where you're located...

 

[diversteve]

Roatan is possible but only on certain days. May 7th for example is a 6hr 22min flight/10 hrs back 5 days later - for $822 total:

Salt Lake City (SLC) to Roatan (RTB) - Sat, May 7
Continental Salt Lake City (SLC) to Houston (IAH) - Sat, May 7
Continental 440
Dep: 8:00AM Arr: 11:56AM 2h 56m Boeing 737 Coach (E)

Layover in IAH 1h 4m

Continental Houston (IAH) to Roatan (RTB) - Sat, May 7
Continental 1892
Dep: 1:00PM Arr: 2:42PM 2h 42m Boeing 737 Coach (E)

Roatan (RTB) to Salt Lake City (SLC) - Thu, May 12
Continental Roatan (RTB) to Houston (IAH) - Thu, May 12
Continental 1895
Dep: 1:05PM Arr: 4:51PM 2h 46m Boeing 737 Coach (E)

Layover in IAH 4h 29m

Continental Houston (IAH) to Salt Lake City (SLC) - Thu, May 12
Continental 752
Dep: 9:20PM Arr: 11:37PM 3h 17m Boeing 737 Coach (E)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $822.70
Total cost for 1 passenger $822.70

Stay in the West End for cheap accommodations and $25/30 dives. We used/liked Coconut Tree Divers.
A good general website for everything in that area: http://www.bayislandsdiver.com/

Provo (Turks/Caicos) is $200 cheaper but almost 18hrs. outbound - 11 of that at ATL:

Salt Lake City (SLC) to Providenciales (PLS) - Sat, May 7
Delta Salt Lake City (SLC) to Atlanta (ATL) - Sat, May 7
Delta 1222
Dep: 5:00PM Arr: 10:44PM 3h 44m Boeing 737 Coach (L)

Layover in ATL 11h 11m

Delta Atlanta (ATL) to Providenciales (PLS) - Sun, May 8
Delta 509
Dep: 9:55AM Arr: 12:36PM 2h 41m MD-80 Coach

Providenciales (PLS) to Salt Lake City (SLC) - Fri, May 13
Delta Providenciales (PLS) to Atlanta (ATL) - Fri, May 13
Delta 510
Dep: 1:54PM Arr: 5:02PM 3h 8m MD-80 Coach (L)

Layover in ATL 1h 48m

Delta Atlanta (ATL) to Salt Lake City (SLC) - Fri, May 13
Delta 1333
Dep: 6:50PM Arr: 8:57PM 4h 7m Boeing 757 Coach (L)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $628.20
Total cost for 1 passenger $628.20

Diving off French Cay is some of the best I've ever seen. Coral on coral all the way down the wall, turtles, we saw 2-3 sharks per dive, rays, lobster, etc. We dove it off the T/C Explorer so I don't know about day boats - but there were a couple nearby twice - from Provo according to the DM.

We didn't stay on Provo but people on our boat did before/after - all said it was pricey. Esp. in the Grace Bay area.
When you see the Gucci store next to the Rolex store that's probably likely.

I'm getting this from the Matrix/ITA site. It's where most of the travel sites get their data. They don't sell directly but will give you all the details needed to book with someone else. Nice thing is you can see all flights/airlines for a month. Matrix - ITA Software

 

[mselenaous]

If you are on a budget, you can't beat the deal on this event...Invade Cozumel...and it'll be a BLAST!
$850 (do) all inclusive, 7 nights accomodations, 5 mornings & 4 afternoons of boat dive trips, meals, libations (bar), parties, and lots of Scubaboard hijinks and fellowship.

And SLC-CZM via Dallas dep 6am arr 1:30pm for about $388. Maybe even cheaper.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/in...-2011/361021-whos-going-cozumel-invasion.html

 

[Midget]

Steve, you're an animal!!! Huge thanks for your efforts.

I don't have a whole week and Delta only offers that gorgeous itinerary to Bonaire on Saturdays.

Yesterday, Continental's website wouldn't let me book that Roatan flight with the 1 hr layover in Houston. Are you magic? I'll try again.

Thanks heaps for the Matrix info. I'll use the heck out of it for research.