Suggestions for cheap dive destinations departing Australia (not in Australia)?

[fluff_astrid]

Hey all, I'm a diver living in Sydney and looking to take a break from Australian diving and get out somewhere dive between July and October. I really wanted to do Hawaii this year since I had a barotrauma last year that prevented me from doing the pelagic night dive and some other dives there, but the costs are just too high (flights to Hawaii + lodging are soooo expensive on the Australia dollar right now). And if I'm honest, diving locally in Australia is also quite expensive at the moment, our domestic flights are almost as much as some international flights! And I feel like since COVID I've explored every inch of my local area. Plus, it's getting into the freezing cold months here.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. I travel solo so also need a destination that is safe for a solo female traveler (which I'm sure rules out a few cheaper destinations -- and, no hostel rooming with completely unknown folks).

My dive experience: AOW but not much advanced experience since before COVID, I don't enjoy hectic currents but I'm fine with deep dives/drifts/night dives etc.

TY!

 

[Searcaigh]

Indonesia is on your doorstep, some of the best diving in the world right there.

 

[RedSeaDiver2]

Oceanview Resort in Tulamben, Bali - aim for October - less wind than July.

 

[stiebs]

There's a number of good dive specialist travel agents in Australia. Allways Dive Expeditions, Dive Adventures, Diversion Dive Travel. It'd be worth a call and speaking to them as they'll usually have very good insight to what will suit your individual diving and destination preferences.

Do you travel solo because you don't have diving friends to go with, or because you prefer traveling solo. If the former, most dive clubs run regular trips which often work out cheaper than going it alone because of group discounts.

 

[BatfishCrazy]

If you are after some gentle cheap diving, we just got back from Koh Tao, Thailand. It honestly doesn’t get cheaper than that - we paid under AUD40 per dive. We dove with Master Divers, who were excellent. Small outfit with years of experience on the island - max number we had on the boat was 7, diving with 3 separate instructors / dive masters. Sometimes it was just my husband, 10yr old son and I. Staff were super friendly and fun, but very professional and safety conscious. The diving around Koh Tao is not the most spectacular you will find in asia, but it’s easy diving on warm water with decent visibility and Thailand is very safe to travel in as a single female. The biggest downside are the crowds, so you need to be really careful who you chose to dive with. Master Divers tried to avoid the busysites when they were at their most crowded. Some of the other boats were real cattle trucks. MD is getting a new, bigger boat, but I have no doubt they won’t be packing it to the rafters and you will still continue to get the same personal attention. Fly into champhon and catch the ferry from there.

A live aboard to Similian Islands is another option. Much more interesting diving, but more expensive. Been there twice, and would go again. Still super safe. the boats leave from Kao Lak, an hours drive north of Phuket airport.

Of course, you will need to check the best diving seasons in each location. depending on when you go, it will make the decision for you!

I haven’t been to Koh Lipe, but that is where we are planning our next trip. Now that we are a diving family, we are just hitting the easier and shallower locations as my son is limited to 12m.

 

[Centrals]

@fluff_astrid
July to Oct.
Koh Tao is cheap but diving quality is very restricted to couple of sites only. Master Divers are excellent.
Similan is closed at that time. Both Koh Lanta and Lipe are available but it is the OFF season because of the weather.
East coast of Penisular Malaysia from Tioman, Tenggol, Redang and the two Perhentian Islands are available.

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This is great.

 

[Russjstewart]

My partner did a land based trip to Komodo in the May school holidays. Even allowing for the school holiday premium on air fares she said it worked out quite reasonable. She said it was a really good trip. I think she organised diving and accomodation through Scuba Junkies.

 

[Doc]

Philippines- Sabang/PG, very reasonable and currents? Most of your alternatives will have noted currents.

Yeah, but if you ask for calm water, any decent DM anywhere will oblige.

BTW- embrace currents, extend your BT through much less exertion. Don’t avoid learning such challenges, if you do not master, you may someday learn in the most difficult manner.

 

[DiveDiversions]

Look at Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and I can also recommend the Maldives as a live aboard, surprisingly cheap compared to the resorts, however the Australian dollar is making anywhere expensive at the moment.

Also look at New Zealand and Tasmania, both have some really good diving but just cooler waters.

I was looking at the Cook Islands as Jetstar now goes there but have since been informed that the diving is average as the place got fished out during Covid so marine life and the reefs are in poor condition.