Least expensive warm water diving for a few weeks

[WizardTrips]

Opinions wanted! If you were going to spend a few weeks diving in warm water (good diving) for the best bang for your buck where would it be?

Bonaire has so much shore diving and diving freedom but the plane tickets are not super cheap. Ability to cook for yourself is a plus. And you can get the tank refills.

Almost any other spot you would have to hook up with a dive operation...perhaps boat operation and that could drive the price up. I think the Keys are excellent and you can rent a condo but for 2 weeks would be it less expensive overall than Bonaire?

I have not read anything on this topic. Interested.

 

[Hintermann]

It depends on where in the world one is from. For residents of north America for example, it will be cheaper to fly to Caribbean destinations like Bonaire or Cozumel. But those of us from Europe would find it cheaper to go on one of the Red Sea packages.

 

[diversteve]

Curacao is generally a cheaper option than Bonaire since most flights to Bonaire stop there first. The ABC Islands on a map are actually ACB..

Same shore diving, lots of waterfront condo options not necessarily at dive resorts either - many of the dive operators there situate on the beaches/dive sites and offer discounts to nearby condo guests so they're not tied to one specific resort. And there's several options for weekly tank/wt. rental packages. Or you can do like we do and rent on-site - most of the dive sites there are beaches with on-site operations. Food costs are a lot less also - besides more "U.S." options (Dennys, McD's, etc.) most of Bonaire's food comes over by container from Curacao - the deepwater container port for the region is there.

Curacao even has an option for escorted shore diving with the Dive Bus - they pick up at most places in Willemstad. Nothing like that on Bonaire. Not inexpensive though just 15-20% cheaper than boat diving. What we found at several shore dive sites was someone's dive boat on/near the same ball. So paying for a lot of boat dives there doesn't make as much sense as it might on Bonaire since you've got all the Klein sites.

At both you save if you get off the water inland a short distance. Also the Bonaire condo dive resorts waterfront typically price PP/DO with a single surcharge. The Curacao condo/apt's I've stayed in are per unit, not PP.

I think Cozumel is about the cheapest though but you have drive around more to shore dive. Cheaper still if you fly into Cancun and do the bag drag/ferry both ways.

 

[KathyV]

Opinions wanted! If you were going to spend a few weeks diving in warm water (good diving) for the best bang for your buck where would it be? Bonaire has so much shore diving and diving freedom but the plane tickets are not super cheap. Ability to cook for yourself is a plus. And you can get the tank refills. Almost any other spot you would have to hook up with a dive operation...perhaps boat operation and that could drive the price up. I think the Keys are excellent and you can rent a condo but for 2 weeks would be it less expensive overall than Bonaire? I have not read anything on this topic. Interested.

Since you are in Nevada you could probably get cheap airfare to Cabo San Lucas Mexico. Cabo is not cheap but you can comparison shop for reasonably priced accommodations and diving.

 

[WizardTrips]

Sorry I should have put the North America tag. You're right.

Very interesting post on Curacao. I was there for a day last summer. Loved it and plenty to do in town.

Thanks for the feedback. Loving the research.

---------- Post added February 12th, 2015 at 02:14 PM ----------

I would think Cabo is not that warm. I have yet to go to SD but plan to before summer. Bought a 7mm last week. Fun to get into huh?

How much warmer is Cabo over SD?

 

[KathyV]

I would think Cabo is not that warm. I have yet to go to SD but plan to before summer. Bought a 7mm last week. Fun to get into huh? How much warmer is Cabo over SD?

By SD do you mean San Diego? I don't know I've never dived there. Cabo water temps vary with the time of year, when do you plan to go? Bonaire and Curacao are off the cost of Venezuela and they are always warm.

 

[WizardTrips]

Summer. Just researching. I am doing so many other fun interesting diving this year (Bonaire, Roatan, Hawaii...hopefully Upper Florida Keys) but if I could find something on a budget maybe I could do something else? Haha. I may be developing a dive fixation! Just trying to fit in one more thing...on a budget... for a few weeks.
I may be delusional

I can break down a trip for a person to Italy and pretty much tell them how many steps to take to various locations but I am not as educated on all the is dive related. Yet It actually so vast and complex of a topic.

San Diego = SD. Sorry.

 

[KathyV]

You might also think about Saba, another Dutch Caribbean island like Curacao and Bonaire. The Explorer Adventures livaboard dive op is offering $300 off per person on their Saba/St. Kitts itinerary so you would spend around $1700 per person for accommodations, lodging, almost all meals and alcoholic beverages, and LOTS of great diving for one week.

When we did that trip we gave it 2 weeks. We traveled mid-week and spent a few days on St. Martin (the Dutch side), then we got on the boat and spent a week of terrific diving off St. Kitts and Saba, and then we got off in Saba and spent a few days there and flew back to St. Martin It was a great trip.

Are you traveling alone or with a companion? I only asked because some scuba vacation operators charge a single supplement if you travel alone.

 

[diversteve]

San Diego is reliably 60's all year. Up to low 70's in some areas in July/August.

La Jolla Cove Water Temperature (Sea) and Wetsuit Guide (CAL - San Diego County, USA)

Scripps Pier listed here samples deeper IIRC.

https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/spac.html

 

[KathyV]

Riding Rock Inn on San Salvador is another option that includes lodging, meals, and good diving:
Bahamas dive resort for scuba diving walls, big game fishing San Salvador island

I don't think I would want to spend 2 weeks there because it is tiny and quiet; maybe a week in Nassau and a week on San Sal.

Don't get me wrong, I love Curacao and Bonaire, I was just trying to suggest other options.

Dominica is nice too, but kind of hard to get to - you have to overnight in San Juan PR.