Just Returned from Another Coz Trip, Looking for New Dive Destinations

[ReefHound]

I've never thought of Liberia as a pleasure trip.

The city in Costa Rica, not the African country. From Liberia, it's a 20 minute taxi to Playa Cocos which is about like 1980's Cozumel except everyone has internet now. One main strip with a dozen bars and restaurants. No cruise ships. None. We walked around all week and only needed a taxi to/from airport and a day jungle tour. This is it. Much of the diving was around the rock islands just outside the bay.

The main street downtown, very few street hawkers, most souvenirs local products.

 

[drrich2]

I don't think an ideal match for the criteria will be found, but there are some reasonable compromises. Sounds like we're looking at Southeastern Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean region. Okay, if we put aside Cozumel and shore diving as desirable, and go with land-based (unless you guys are interested in live-aboard diving?), mainstream options are...

1.) Key Largo in the Florida Keys - such as my old 2013 trip with Rainbow Reef Dive Center. Viz. wasn't as good as these other options, but there was the option for deep wrecks where Goliath grouper might be seen. I found it pretty fish, and it's quite aways from the places you've already been. Land-based entertainments on the mainland may be a draw.

2.) Roatan - a different part from where you went before? Turquoise Bay Resort seems popular for A.I. package deals with plenty of good diving.

3.) Belize - Ambergris Caye diving doesn't have the rep. for the quality of diving the outer atolls (I did the latter via live-aboard), but should be cheaper than, say, Turneffe Island Resort.

4.) Curacao - while shore diving is part of the charm, you can have a good time boat diving.

5.) Perhaps the Juliet live-aboard hitting the Bahamas would appeal?

6.) The Caymans don't have a rep. for being cheap, but perhaps a sale at Cayman Brac Beach Resort? Sunset House in Grand Cayman has had some deals in the past.

7.) St. Croix didn't strike me as a 'cheap' destination, but it's got its own charm. I like the diving in Belize's outer atolls and Little Cayman better, but when topside is factored in, it's a cool, laid back place.

Richard.

 

[yanque]

We have a group of 4 guys, been diving Cozumel for over 20 years, obviously we love it. The
attraction for us is the excellent and convenient diving, we stay in town to take advantage of the good local restaurants, overall cost, easy flight access through either CZM or CUN plus a friendly local population.
Every 4 or 5 years we try somewhere else just for a change of scenery. We have done Blackbeard's cruise, twice, a totally different experience, lots of diving, Although I think the diving was better when they operated out of Freeport as opposed to Nassau now, getting a little to old for that now. Food was all on board, basically home cooking, very good. Carasou, diving was pretty good , stayed at a Marriott, not my thing, Didn't get to experience the local restaurant thing much. Ambergris Caye Belize, Stayed in town, San Pedro, local restaurants very good, easy to walk around. Diving was good but not a lot of variety. Easier flight connections than I had thought. This year going to try Bonaire, just because we have never been. Next year back to Cozumel.

 

[KathyV]

My wife and I just returned from another fun trip to Cozumel. We have been going 2 to 3 times a year for the past 3 years. We always love Cozumel, but are looking for other places that would give a similar level of dive quality and value. We have been diving in Puerto Vallarta in Roatan, which we liked, but are thinking of venturing somewhere new. We will probably only be able to do 8 to 9 days total as my wife doesn't like leaving the pets for too long. We looked at Egypt and other more exotic destinations but when you factor in 4 days to travel there and back at a minimum, it means we will spend almost as much time in transit as we spend diving. Is there another spot that will offer the same mix of great diving and reasonable cost that Mexico and Roatan offer? Thanks in advance.

How difficult is it for you to travel to Denver Colorado? Cayman Airways offers some non-stop, 4.5 hour flights from DEN to GCM. If Grand Cayman is your final destination you might be able to get there same day. If you wanted to travel to the Cayman Sister Islands of Cayman Brac or Little Cayman then you might have to overnight on Grand Cayman.

Since your wife prefers valet dive service (me too!) then one of the Clearly Cayman Resorts with Reef Divers would probably work for you, what time of year are you looking to travel?

 

[Clevelandguy]

2020 is already too full for me, unfortunately. 2021 is wide open though. I will message you.

Just looked it up. Inexpensive flights from Cleveland and lodging is cheap. My 2020 is booked but I'm looking already for 2021.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I would look at Bayahibe. It is a small fishing village on the south Caribbean sea coast of the Dominican Republic. There is reef diving, wall diving, wreck diving and even a cave dive if you are so certified. I always dive with ScubaFun | Dive Center Bayahibe They a small local dive shop in Bayahibe.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Given that the worst (non fatal) dive is better than a day behind a desk, I can't take issue with many of the recommendations so far. But one I can is Puerta Galera in the Philippines. Rocky/no beach, ugly town, poor vis and no valet dive ops…and none of them carry O2, at least 2 years ago.

Only two plus: Disco Clam (wow) and Memo Mendoza holding a banded sea snake by the tail while it just hung there.

Dave Dillehay

 

[tmassey]

We looked at Egypt and other more exotic destinations but when you factor in 4 days to travel there and back at a minimum, it means we will spend almost as much time in transit as we spend diving.

I can empathize about getting to Egypt. I spent about 2 weeks trying to figure out how to do it. The secret was: go through Canada. All of the flights in the US go through Europe (or Turkey, which doesn't change much), and then to Egypt. The problem being that with time zones, etc. you end up in Europe at night, and a 12 hour layover (sleeping in the airport...), then a multi-hour flight to Egypt.

I live outside Detroit, Michigan. By flying out of Toronto, I was able to find a flight direct to Cairo that left at 1 P.M., and got me into Hurghada, Egypt at 10AM the next morning. Sleeping on the *plane*, not in an airport. (Not that the plane is great, but it's better than some bench somewhere...)

And it was 60% of the price. I paid $900 in October, 2018 round-trip.

For me, Toronto is 4 hours away. But you could leave at 6 AM, and be in Egypt the next day. It's one *long* day, but just one.

And I have to say, the reefs in Egypt are *very* different than the Caribbean. And the prices were really affordable: I paid $1300 for a liveaboard with a one-person private cabin with bathroom on Emperor Superior.

So don't give up on Egypt just yet! Maybe Calgary might be close enough? (Depends on where in that great big state you live, of course...)

 

[Guitarcrazy]

We can fly out of Calgary, My wife just flew from Calgary to Ethiopia in October. It was cheaper, and took around 25 hours to get there and 32 hours coming home. Not great, but not terrible. We have never done a live aboard but my wife isn't sure she wants to be on a vacation where there is nothing other than diving. We like to go out to good restaurants and sight see and that isn't an option on the boats unfortunately. I would definitely do it, but probably not my wife.

 

[ReefHound]

Given that the worst (non fatal) dive is better than a day behind a desk, I can't take issue with many of the recommendations so far. But one I can is Puerta Galera in the Philippines. Rocky/no beach, ugly town, poor vis and no valet dive ops…and none of them carry O2, at least 2 years ago.

Sounds like you didn't do your research and visited with false expectations. Or is this hearsay?

Sabang Beach isn't rocky and everyone goes barefoot but definitely a "working" beach for boats not meant for sunbathing. A few miles away ScandiDivers or LaLaguna resorts have big sandy beaches. No "valet" diving but the DMs will carry the gear to boat. You typically wade to the boat and climb a ladder. Asia Divers at El Galleon if you want a pier. I found the town no uglier than downtown San Miguel or PDC. And definitely "exotic". The poorest viz we had in 10 days was 60'. It's not and never has been advertized as 100'+ Caribbean viz but the marine life was about 5x more abundant in both quantity and diversity as Cozumel. And definitely "exotic".

Below are three videos I made of my visit there. The opening clip of #1 is walking the ugly streets.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3