how do you choose?

[spankey]

how do you choose?

- which place you going to stay at?
- which dive op you going to use?
- where you are actualy going to go?

etc etc.

 

[dive_lover88]

For me, I would normally ask my friends or instructors where is a good place to go and is it suitable for my level of diving.
After that it would be the consideration of the cost, then comes the dive ops and place(which i would try to get a dive resort which has both in it and save me the hassle)

 

[Gary D.]

That’s easy:

Tom Tom is their a route that’s direct without any delays?

Just pick a place that interests you then ask about it.

Gary D.

 

[Rick Inman]

I do my research mainly on ScubaBoard.

 

[kevguthrie]

Just ask on this board or at your LDS.....there are so many people that are really trustworthy and the advice is free!

 

[piikki]

how do you choose?

- which place you going to stay at?
- which dive op you going to use?
- where you are actualy going to go?

etc etc.

I find that short-listing a couple of candidates (based on info on net and word-of-mouth) is best way for me to go. I know what I want from a hotel and location usually, so that is easy, just have to compare what you get in other that you can't get in another and for what price. I am very self-sufficient when it comes to travel plans (I don't use companies to plan for me) but piece-mealing the dive details can be hard first-time around. Dive ops - reading scubaboard has helped. Hard to find detailed info for lot of them. I tend to prefer places that announce their stuff openly at this point when I do not have so many contacts.

 

[victor]

Loads of research on the net, on scubaboard, by phone.
In the end it comes down to gut feel.

Or if I am being really much more intelegent than I normally am.
Let My Wife Choose

 

[String]

Internet. Thats good for everything from flights to accomodation to dive operators.

Look at forums etc.

When choosing a dive operator i generally email a few im interested in. If they dont respond in 2 days or so i cross them off my list, of the ones that do respond i then compare details like prices, times etc.

FWIW, if a dive operation has no or a very poor website generally i dont give them time of day.

 

[TSandM]

I've gotten good advice from Scubaboard, but Googling your possibilities can turn up a lot of reviews and trip reports elsewhere as well.

 

[String]

Actually the way i work now is look at the budget airline offers to see whats cheap at the moment. Then think "can i dive there"...so head off to the internet.

If you can, book the flight before the offer goes, then book the hotel online with one of the many companies that do it. Then start sifting through dive operators.

My destination choice is usually dictated by whatever flights are cheap for whenever i can go.