Looking for Early January Dive Suggestion!

[doublea]

My friend and I recently recieved our open water dive certification. We are looking to go somewhere warm and fun for anout $1500-$2000 overall (1-1.5 weeks).

Any suggestions, perferably outside the United States (have snorkeled Key Largo already, which was amazing btw).

Thanks!

 

[Jonathan]

I'm told the Phillipines is good that time of year. Never been myself but this is the advice of a Phillipino I work with - also it is meant to be cheap, once you get there.

Jonathan

 

[raviepoo]

The cost of your trip will depend a lot on how much you have to spend on transportation.

A week on Blackbeards Cruises will cost less than a grand each, but you have to factor in tips and airfare. It's kind of chilly in the Bahamas that time of year. Can you tolerate tempratures in the mid 70s?

Cozumel is pretty cheap, (and GREAT for diving) but there's that airfare question again.

 

[buff]

Cozumel is cheap and so is airfare if you live in a southern U.S. city.

It 's the least expensive "outside the U.S." diving destination.

Oh, great diving too. Try the cenotes on the Yucatan for an extra thrill.

 

[leolo]

i've been diving in the phillipines throughout march and april. fantastic diving. i believe the weather is good in jan. and feb. as well. febuary is prime-time for whale sharks off of northern cebu. there are liveaboards to the tubataha reef out of puerto princessa on palawan island-they are meant to be the bet diving in the phillipines. puerta galera (action divers saabang) has loads of great diving. the marine sanctuary around apo island (paul's diving) is heavenly. u.s. dollars go a long way once you've arrived, travel around the phillipine is fun and exciting with very little language-barrier problems, and most operators will give discounts for repetitive dives.
i hope this is of use.
- leolo

 

[AllenG]

DoubleA -

You write that you and your friend want to "go somewhere warm and fun for anout $1500-$2000 overall (1-1.5 weeks)." Lest all of us unofficial travel agents start proposing things, a few questions:

1. Where are you traveling from? Airfare often costs more than the trip itself!

2. Are you thinking "$1500-2000 overall" covers both of you (i.e., total), or per person?

3. Are you thinking "$1500-2000 overall" covers air, taxes, immigration fees, lodging, food, and diving?

 

[mapman]

I highly recommend Cozumel. We go in May, From Pensacola, Florida for $1500 per person. This is air, dives, meals, lodging at Scuba Club. Two tank boat dives and all the shore dives you want to do (house reef) We even take a taxi a mile or so up the road to a lighthouse and do a drift dive back to the resort. This place is a $4.00 cab ride from town and walking distance from Chedraui, a Walmart style local store for beer and supplies. Say Hi to Sophie for us if you go.

 

[doublea]

AllenG:

Traveling from the North East

$1500-$2000 Per person for airfair, diving and logging

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

-DoubleA

 

[blawler1]

For pure diving and overall weather conditions, Bonaire is hard to match in January. As it is in the Southern Caribbean, Bonaire has the longest winter days in the Caribbean and has never known overnight temperatures below the mid-sixties. Besides , it has some of the best shore diving and easiest beginner diving anywhere.

You can expect little or no current with gentle sloping reefs starting about 50 yards off shore in 20' to 30'of gin clear 80 degree warm water with the reefs extending down to about 130'. No dive location in the Caribbean can boast more species sighted than Bonaire.

With American now flying to Bonaire, the air options are much better than ever (we got Miami to Bonaire for $267 each on American this January) Dutch Caribbean Airlines and Air Jamaica also offer specials from Miami.

Cheap accomodations are available although there are no chain hotels on the island (other than the Divi Flamingo). We always stay at a long term apartment (the Yachtsclub) for about $55 a night for a one bedroom apartment. Check out www.infobonaire.com for more information.

Shore diving is the way to go, most dive operators offer unlimited air and weights for around $100 for a week (available 24 hours a day) and there is an abundance of good operators so it is hard to go wrong. If you would like to do maybe a boat trip or two over to Klein, these are reasonable and, usually fairly short for around $25 each for one tank.

All you need is one truck rental ($200 week)(we got$600 per week for truck/apt for 2 complete this January) to get around town and out to all of the dive sites.

While the nightlife is not quite like Cozumel (no Senor Frogs sping break danceathons), there are two casinos (including the Divi, the world's only barefoot casino) and a few good dance bars including our favorite, Karel's on the pier in downtown Kralendijk.

Finally, you can drink the water with no fear. As it is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it is a generally clean island with first world infrastruture. While I love Cozumel and like to spend considerable time in Mexico, potable tap water is a nice touch.

 

[Poseidon]

A group from my local dive club is doing a trip in January to Cozumel . $450 and that includes lodging and food since it's a cruize. 5 days 4 nights. We just started putting things together a few days ago so the details won't be hammered out for another few weeks. Once I get the information I'll let you know exactly what cruize line was giving out this deal.