I see so many threads about this vs that, what's your favourite place to dive, but no one asks "where have you been?". If someone says Bahamas is the best but the only other place they've ever dove is a quarry, well that doesn't say much. If someone says Grand Cayman sucks but they were there for a day on a cruise and went out on a cattleboat to wrecked reef that's an important detail. So where have you been? What was your favourite(s)? What trips were a disappointment? Why?
I'll start, and since my list is short I'll write a little review for each.
1- Cozumel (14 dives): Great vis. Awesome coral formations, towers, and swim throughs. But very little marine life on deep dives and shallow dives would have a couple turtles, eels, nurse sharks, or eagle rays, few fish here and there, etc.. but that's about it. Cenotes on mainland were -stunning-. Crystal clear water, shafts of light, etc. loved every minute. I would return because it's a great value, reef diving might not be the best in the world (or Caribbean?) but it's cheap and the ability to dive cenotes, with bull sharks, and snorkel with whale sharks is a nice variety.
2- Zanzibar, Tanzania (8 dives): Did 4 dives off Kendwa, crap vis, very disappointing. Did 4 dives at Mnemba: crystal clear visibility, lots of fish, few sharks, turtles, etc.. loved it.
3. Dahab, Egypt (8 dives): Very little coral, very little sealife, decent visibility. Would return to red sea but would go somewhere else entirely, Dahab diving is medicore at best, disappointing.
I'd like to explore the Caribbean some more because it's convenient but part of me thinks I might not find what I'm looking for and I'm better off saving up for one big trip to the Pacific rather than 2-3 mediocre trips to the Caribbean, quality vs quantity. I want to go somewhere that will give me sensory overload the moment I hit the water. Crystal clear visibility, more fish than I can count, more colors than my brain can process. I want my jaw to drop. I like big fish and schools of small fish, but don't care about hidden critters and macro stuff. Can't help it, I'm a wide angle kind of guy. I want spectacle. If you have any suggestions, please share!
I'll start, and since my list is short I'll write a little review for each.
1- Cozumel (14 dives): Great vis. Awesome coral formations, towers, and swim throughs. But very little marine life on deep dives and shallow dives would have a couple turtles, eels, nurse sharks, or eagle rays, few fish here and there, etc.. but that's about it. Cenotes on mainland were -stunning-. Crystal clear water, shafts of light, etc. loved every minute. I would return because it's a great value, reef diving might not be the best in the world (or Caribbean?) but it's cheap and the ability to dive cenotes, with bull sharks, and snorkel with whale sharks is a nice variety.
2- Zanzibar, Tanzania (8 dives): Did 4 dives off Kendwa, crap vis, very disappointing. Did 4 dives at Mnemba: crystal clear visibility, lots of fish, few sharks, turtles, etc.. loved it.
3. Dahab, Egypt (8 dives): Very little coral, very little sealife, decent visibility. Would return to red sea but would go somewhere else entirely, Dahab diving is medicore at best, disappointing.
I'd like to explore the Caribbean some more because it's convenient but part of me thinks I might not find what I'm looking for and I'm better off saving up for one big trip to the Pacific rather than 2-3 mediocre trips to the Caribbean, quality vs quantity. I want to go somewhere that will give me sensory overload the moment I hit the water. Crystal clear visibility, more fish than I can count, more colors than my brain can process. I want my jaw to drop. I like big fish and schools of small fish, but don't care about hidden critters and macro stuff. Can't help it, I'm a wide angle kind of guy. I want spectacle. If you have any suggestions, please share!