Solo traveler looking for ideas for a <$2,500 weeklong vacation

[Rekcals83]

Hello, I am based out of the US and would like to stay within an 8 hour flight out of Miami. I have my rescue cert, nitrox and cavern. I'm down for wrecks, reefs and caverns.

I don't want to go on a live aboard.

I'd like to stay in a hotel near a dive shop or preferably one with a dive shop/boats at the resort.

Not a big deal, but it would be nice if it's a place where a lot of other solo divers go so I'm not in a position where I have to play the 3rd wheel to other people's groups.

If any of you have any good ideas or suggestions I would greatly appreciate the input.

 

[tarponchik]

Roatan/TBR? Check their prices. They do not care if you are solo or not. You dive in a group but buddy rule is not enforced.

 

[Rekcals83]

Thanks, I'll look into Roatan. What does TBR stand for?

 

[drrich2]

I haven't been to Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan, suggested by tarponchik, but it's such a popular choice for local dive trip organizers and gets good reviews, plus it's a budget option...I'd take a look at them with your criteria.

Bonaire can be done if you can get the airfare cheaply enough; Dive Hut (I was there in 2012), and a couple of options I've been looking at for a possible future stay, Tropical Divers Resort and Aqua Viva Suites (the latter using V.I.P. Divers next door to them), each have some attractive budget package deals. There are other options. I don't know if you're inclined to dive solo, or want a dive buddy...those are details worth checking into.

Round trip airfare to/from Fort Lauderdale tends to be pretty cheap, and I think Miami is that way, too. If you can use Southwest, 2 free checked bags! While it adds a rental vehicle to your expenses, don't forget southeastern FL...I enjoyed Key Largo back in 2013. Rainbow Reef Dive Center let me pack in 4 dives/day with a cheap package deal. They've moved and grown a bit since then. I don't know what lodging cost you can nail down, or how far you're willing to commute to/from the boat to get cheaper rates.

Now that I've said all that, let me plug Cozumel, which is a strong rep. as a budget destination with an enjoyable topside, good but not expensive food and good Caribbean diving.
My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip Especially if you care to rent gear, I'd look into Dive With Martin, and they have a good rep. for being budget-friendly. I dove with Tres Pelicanos.

Richard.

 

[Hoyden]

If you are looking at Roatan, you might be able to make CoCo View in your budget.

 

[GR8FUL]

I'm a solo traveler / diver as well, so I can definitely relate.

Bonaire is great shore diving, but there's not much to do there topside. You definitely would need to rent a car, overall I don't think it's a particularly good choice for a solo diver. Curacao is a much prettier island and there's more to do there, but it's not an inexpensive choice.

Roatan might be a better choice, plenty of bars, restaurants, and other divers & travelers to meet & hang-out with if you stay in the West End area.

I don't know how old you are, but if all you want to do is dive dive dive & drink a few beers at night, Utila is a cheap dive destination. It's a younger backpacker scene, so that can be good or bad depending upon your point of view.

I haven't been to Belize so I can't comment on the diving, but it would likely be a good choice for a solo traveler.

Cozumel is a solid choice--very good diving & good value for your money. Plenty of good reasonably priced bars and restaurants, and overall a very relaxed vibe. IMO the diving in Coz is more interesting and varied than most Caribbean dive destinations. There are lots of dive shops to choose from, so mediocre dive shops don't last. Anyone you dive with will likely give you a good experience, but +1 for Tres Pelicanos. Book their dive/hotel package and you'll save money over trying to book things separately yourself. Most people recommend staying at Casa Mexicana, but I actually prefer their sister hotel Colonial Suites. It's slightly cheaper, but the reason I prefer it over Casa Mexicana is that the rooms are larger & you get a separate sitting area, and it's a bit closer to town, yet quieter. You'll have to walk to Casa Mexicana in the morning for breakfast (included in the price) but it's only a brief 5 minute stroll away.

If you do choose to go to Cozumel and haven't dove the cenotes (caves) in the Playa del Carmen / Tulum area, definitely add on a few extra days to the trip and take the ferry over to Playa del Carmen and dive a few of the cenotes. A truly amazing experience. LOTS of eating / shopping / drinking options in Playa del Carmen.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Protec Tulum. Stay above the dive shop. First class shop.

 

[scrane]

I like Chillies/Native Sons on Roatan. Cheap, and laid back. Family operated.

 

[MacroFan]

I solo travelled (I'm a woman) to Roatan and Utila and preferred Utila. Stayed at the Lighthouse and dove with Alton's. There are plenty of solo travelers and Alton's is full of people from all over the world training to be dive masters. You can easily go and hang out with them at one of their parties if that's of interest. It felt very normal to be single diner in all places. I've been back with my husband who then returned by himself again. We are in our 40s but the backpacker atmosphere didn't bother us. Lighthouse is very quiet.

 

[Rekcals83]

Thank you all for the advice, I'll definitely be checking back here for my next trip. I decided I was going to stay stateside for one more year and went with Rainbow Reef in Key Largo. I had never been to the keys before and I'm glad I went.

I saw my first sharks... and I apparently missed seeing quite a few sharks. It's amazing how close something that big can get to you without you even realizing it's there, even when you're actively looking for them.

I did end up going through Rainbow Reef and I'm glad I did. It was a very positive experience for me and if I'm ever in the Keys again I will be going through them again.

My trip ended up being a bit more expensive than I planned. My flight got delayed for maintenance, I got there late at night and missed the shuttle. I had to pay $200 for an uber. I'm not sure how much a cab would have been. It would not have been that much more expensive for me to just rent a car for the duration of my trip. I think that if I go back, then that is what I'll do.