I guess there are a few boxes that might be worth ticking? For example:
* Needs to be affordable (so might be local or somewhere someone is already on holiday)
* Should be good enough diving that someone is likely to enjoy the experience and want to go again
* Should be comfortable enough that someone wants to go again (e.g., not diving in cold water in a wetsuit)
* Should be a competent instructor, good equipment, etc
* Conditions shouldn't be dangerous (e.g., sketchy currents) or anxiety-provoking (e.g., bad vis)
I also think what's best varies a lot according to someone's dispositions and ability to learn — probably most of us have seen open water divers with 10 dives do 60-min dives with solid technique at dive sites with moderate currents, and then there are divers with over 500 dives who look like noobs.
Of the places I've been, I think good options include Bunaken, Menjangan, Amed, Sharm, Malapascua (I did my OW there, so I'm probably biased!), Moalboal, Panglao, and Mabul
* Needs to be affordable (so might be local or somewhere someone is already on holiday)
* Should be good enough diving that someone is likely to enjoy the experience and want to go again
* Should be comfortable enough that someone wants to go again (e.g., not diving in cold water in a wetsuit)
* Should be a competent instructor, good equipment, etc
* Conditions shouldn't be dangerous (e.g., sketchy currents) or anxiety-provoking (e.g., bad vis)
I also think what's best varies a lot according to someone's dispositions and ability to learn — probably most of us have seen open water divers with 10 dives do 60-min dives with solid technique at dive sites with moderate currents, and then there are divers with over 500 dives who look like noobs.
Of the places I've been, I think good options include Bunaken, Menjangan, Amed, Sharm, Malapascua (I did my OW there, so I'm probably biased!), Moalboal, Panglao, and Mabul
