"older" not-very-experienced diver and a prospective-diver adult son looking for advice on where to go

[MStar]

Hi. I got PADI certified at age 64 about 7 years ago but haven't dived in about 4 years now. But this Christmas holiday, my 32 year old non-diver son and I are looking to do a trip for him to get certified and me to take a reactivate refresher course. We're tentatively thinking about the Caribbean ( Caymans, Belize, Turks and Caicos, Roatan) . Would really LOVE some advice about our best options! Here's what's on our "wish list": A good school, where he can get certified and I can do the needed refresher/reactivate course. All boat dives....I'm just not up to or for lugging gear acorss the shore anymore! Good marine life, good visibility, warm (ish) water in late Dec. (I hate wet suits and would really love to dive in just a skin and am comfortable doing so in temps in the low 80s. ) Enough folks around, bars and restaurants, etc. to go to in the evenings for my son to enjoy on his own. Clean, nice place to stay with decent food options , but doesn't (in fact, shouldn't be) overly fancy (or pricey!)

All suggestions and advice welcome!

 

[The Chairman]

I have no idea where to go in Italy. Are you wanting to travel to learn? If so, the Florida Keys is an awesome destination with fairly shallow diving in which to learn. Rainbow Reef is the biggest op down there, but there are many to choose from.

 

[MStar]

I have no idea where to go in Italy. Are you wanting to travel to learn? If so, the Florida Keys is an awesome destination with fairly shallow diving in which to learn. Rainbow Reef is the biggest op down there, but there are many to choose from.

Not looking for a place to go in Italy! We're thinking about the Caribean...maybe the Caymans, Turks and Caicos, Belize or Roatan. I just live in Italy, and he's in Rochester, NY...so we'd be traveling regardless!

 

[The Chairman]

He won't need a passport in the Keys. Beautiful reefs with lots of fish. I lived there for 10 years or more.

Not looking for a place to go in Italy!

However, I would love to dive some areas in Italy and Greece. Imagine the sunken archeology you could see around there.

 

[Centrals]

Koh Lipe in Thailand.
Meet at Bangkok, a bit of sight seeing, fly down to Hat Yai and then land and sea transfer to the island.
Alternatively, fly down to Phuket and then either speed boat or van/ferry transfer to Koh Lanta.
Do not waste any unnecessary time in Phuket.

 

[boulderjohn]

Not looking for a place to go in Italy! We're thinking about the Caribean...maybe the Caymans, Turks and Caicos, Belize or Roatan. I just live in Italy, and he's in Rochester, NY...so we'd be traveling regardless!

The simple fact is that any of those places will do. It comes down to individual operators. I suggest you go to the travel area of ScubaBoard and look through some threads there. You will probably find other people who have asked similar questions about places there.

 

[MStar]

He won't need a passport in the Keys. Beautiful reefs with lots of fish. I lived there for 10 years or more.

However, I would love to dive some areas in Italy and Greece. Imagine the sunken archeology you could see around there.

Both of us have passports ! We're travelers.... I actually got my certification in Greece. Gotta say, it wasn't the best diving...poor visibility and not much marine life. But that was on Corfu. Other islands may be better!

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Both of us have passports ! We're travelers.... I actually got my certification in Greece. Gotta say, it wasn't the best diving...poor visibility and not much marine life. But that was on Corfu. Other islands may be better!

Egypt, shore based diving or a liveaboard. If you do a refresher before, you could dive MV Legends. Not the nicest boat but they have a dive lift. Marine life is spectacular in Egypt. It might be cold in December.

Or as another poster suggested, Thailand is fantastic, for marine life, travel, culture and food.

 

[Khoujo1]

We had a great trip with Living the Dream Divers in Grand Cayman. My brother in law got certified with them on the trip, and they did a great job. Dive Masters were great, and in fact noticed immediately when my wife’s hose to her second stage began leaking. We stayed in their dive resort, Ocean Cabanas, which are lovely and reasonably priced.

Cancun and Playa de Carmen have many options, but currents can be a bit strong.

Can’t help you with Europe as we’ve never been diving there.

 

[lowwall]

Cozumel has everything you want.