newdivertoronto
New
Hi, I'm planning to do get AOW certified next week in Taiwan. I'm leaving Taiwan in mid June and would like to do a little more diving and would love to hear suggestions from people here on possible dive sites. I don't have to fly back home to Canada for a few months so there's flexibility in terms of travel time.
Diving Experience: I'm about to get AOW certification - after certification, I will still have less than 15 dives under my belt. All of them have been warm water (Greece, Turks and Caicos, Taiwan). Would prefer no/mild current and sites where I can build my comfort level, experience. Am planning to do everything with guides/DM.
What I'd like to see/don't care about while diving: I think I'm pretty conventional for a new diver and like schools of fish, colorful coral, big animals like turtles, interesting rock formations; I don't mind sharks or macro but don't find them exciting enough to go sites mainly focused on those.
Other non-diving preferences, in order of importance: I don't think most of the good diving locations usually recommended match all of my preferences here and so I am looking for recommendations that would be the best compromise.
Diving Experience: I'm about to get AOW certification - after certification, I will still have less than 15 dives under my belt. All of them have been warm water (Greece, Turks and Caicos, Taiwan). Would prefer no/mild current and sites where I can build my comfort level, experience. Am planning to do everything with guides/DM.
What I'd like to see/don't care about while diving: I think I'm pretty conventional for a new diver and like schools of fish, colorful coral, big animals like turtles, interesting rock formations; I don't mind sharks or macro but don't find them exciting enough to go sites mainly focused on those.
Other non-diving preferences, in order of importance: I don't think most of the good diving locations usually recommended match all of my preferences here and so I am looking for recommendations that would be the best compromise.
1. I would prefer an "easier" country to travel in (e.g., where it's safe, basic systems such as electricity/internet/public transportation consistently work well).
2. Would love to combine the diving with another activity relatively close by such as awesome hiking, great historical/archaeological sites, good food
3. It's not too expensive - e.g. a private room can be had for less than 100USD/night; hoping for less than $1500USD/week all in excluding flights
Some locations I've considered/am considering: - Palau - serious contender since there is a direct flight from Taipei. Sightly concerned that the best sites might be better for someone more experienced
- Philippines - under consideration, but a little concerned with how it matches the "other considerations"
- Indonesia - I understand that some of the best sites are here, but my passport has some water damage and I've heard that they are very strict about that. As such, I think this is out
- Okinawa - not sure how the diving is - would it be too similar to Taiwan?
