Need Advice on March Dive Location?!

[BarrettOlson]

Hey Everyone,
I am brand new to the board so excited to see how it works out! I am planning on getting my master certification here this coming month or two, and need some help in planning. I am wondering what the best location is for MArch/April to make sure I can see some great stuff. Right now I am leaning towards Belize cay caulker, Roatan, Utila, and even possibly Florida keys, or bahamas. I want to get about a month of diving so diversity is a plus. Plane tickets are all about the same price for each location (excluding florida) with direct flights. Thanks for any input!
-BO

 

[robint]

first thing...... in order to give you good advice, you need to fill our your profile so we can understand who you are as a diver, where you have been, how long you have been diving, etc.

second thing.... do you have a budget?
third thing..... who is going? are you only diver? how many dives do you want to do each day? do you want topside activities? do you want an all-inclusive? do you like fancy or rustic?

robin

 

[BarrettOlson]

thanks, It's my first day on the forum so i needed to do some profile stuff. I have a budget fo about 2500 bucks, and it's only me going. I want to do a divemaster apprenticeship style program, and would love to be around large fish and pelagics. I've done a bit of diving and really get bored staring at sandy or even coral bottom. Touristy dives are not my thing, so the rustic stuff would be my thing. Also would love to do some hiking/sight seeing and maybe a little partying. Also an island is prefurable. Thanks again!

 

[robint]

thanks, It's my first day on the forum so i needed to do some profile stuff. I have a budget fo about 2500 bucks, and it's only me going. I want to do a divemaster apprenticeship style program, and would love to be around large fish and pelagics. I've done a bit of diving and really get bored staring at sandy or even coral bottom. Touristy dives are not my thing, so the rustic stuff would be my thing. Also would love to do some hiking/sight seeing and maybe a little partying. Also an island is prefurable. Thanks again!

Look at Utila or Roatan for the DM training. Both islands have programs at a low cost compared to most destinations, as long as you don't mind rustic. You aren't going to see lots of pelagics, unless you do go to Utila during whale shark season in spring. Check out the Central America Forum, the Bay Island sub-forum... lots of discussion about this there.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bay-islands/

robin

 

[caymaniac]

For large fish I would suggest Turk & Caicos would give you a greater chance to see larger pelagics like sharks, dolphin, rays and a possible whale. Another chance to see bigger animals would be the Big Island of Hawaii. Especially in Mar., and the beginning of April there is good chance to see whales (especially above the water) and then there's those big Mantas that are off the coast, there's "point of refuge" where there's a good possibility to see dolphins