Good warm destination for AOW training?

[Artimas]

I'm not sure this is the best thread for this, but couldn't decide where it would fit, so I apologize in advance if this question should be somewhere else.

A friend is open water certified and wants to go to a warm destination and do a complete AOW cert while on vacation there.

Any suggestions for a good destination and/or operator?

Thank you very much!

 

[Zoomer]

Well the first question I would have before recommending anyone is what 5 dives are you wanting to do?

 

[Nismo]

Bonaire is good because it has a great underwater landscape that keeps you in the reef while doing your safety stop instead of just hovering in the nothingness. It also has basically no current underwater. Cozumel would be a great place too but the currents may make navigation a little tricky depending how they do it.

 

[Garrobo]

Cozumel.

 

[Meng_Tze]

Anywhere close to the equator would be warm most of the year.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Depends where in the U.S. you are...and if you are even in the U.S. If you are on the east coast, South FL is often a much cheaper flight than the Caribbean, and it's great diving.

 

[Trixxie]

I'd vote for Roatan or Bonaire - good night diving (night), both have wrecks (wreck) and lots of Fish (fish ID). doing checkout dives for an AOW class in Bonaire in 2 weeks! YAY

 

[vel525]

i think it depends on where you are. if you are in the continental US, i would say the FL Keys. you can find cheap flights into FLL or MIA and then drive down. There are plenty of FL locals on the board here so I'm sure you can link up with someone or at least get some great recommendations. I have had personal experience (just diving, not taking a class) with Conch Republic and they were great.

Good luck.

 

[highdesert]

Utila ... that is, if you can get a good deal on the air travel. Once there, it's the cheapest diving in the Caribbean, and there are many good dive ops/schools there.

 

[TSandM]

If you're West Coast, you might want to think about Hawaii. Kidspot and Scuba and Dreams are two very good instructors who post here on SB -- One's on Maui, the other on Oahu.