drrich2
Contributor
Hi:
The idea for this thread came when BowlOfPetunias posted in another and described a PNG trip. I'd heard PNG mentioned often in the scuba hobby in glowing terms as a wondrous far away exotic dive destination, one of the true greats in scuba diving. I'd never heard the topside was scary. Here's the post I'm talking about:
I believe dive trip reports often focus on the positive, and maybe omit some of the negative. After all, they're generally written by people who chose to go to the destination in question, and did so over other options.
The Question: Worldwide, what dive destinations (if any) do you consider dangerous above & beyond the major destinations we're used to?
My main focus is topside danger (e.g.: violent crime, drug cartels, terrorist organizations, etc...), but if you want to throw in high disease risk (e.g.: malaria), dangerous dive conditions (e.g.: current), etc..., that's okay, too. And if people are apt to offer you drugs there, or there are otherwise blatant displays of crime, that's worth mentioning. If you need a litmus test, how about this...if a family with a couple of kids were planning a dive trip, should it concern them? If so, it's fair game.
I want to be fair. For example, while mainland Honduras has an awful reputation, the Bay Islands (Roatan and Honduras) are offshore and a different matter, and Cozumel seems free of much of what scares people about parts of Mexico. Belize City has a 'rough' reputation, but outside of there not so much & from what I'm told the best diving is off the mainland, so probably not a big problem for most.
Richard.
The idea for this thread came when BowlOfPetunias posted in another and described a PNG trip. I'd heard PNG mentioned often in the scuba hobby in glowing terms as a wondrous far away exotic dive destination, one of the true greats in scuba diving. I'd never heard the topside was scary. Here's the post I'm talking about:
The other things that need to be considered of course are security and safety. PNG was an eye opener for me. Armed security guards patrolling the airport. Our hotel was 100M from the airport but sent a van to pick us up because it wasn't safe to walk it. The chain link fences topped with barbed wire around most places and all but the poorest homes (homes is an exaggeration).
Research research research folks. I never felt unsafe because we were going somewhere I knew a friend had been before. We were dealing with a top level resort catering in particular to American dive tourism. They had security covering us everywhere. Sad reality is you just don't want to strike out on your own in some of those third world countries. Check how many tourists are kidnapped and held for ransom in some of those places.
We went into a pizza place under our Hotel in Port Moresby and when we came out a fellow coming towards us stopped to say HI. Two security guards moved in to our sides to ask if he was bothering us. We had some untouched pizza which we gave to the security guards as we left. Likely the only meal they got that day the wages were so bad!
At Tawalli resort the staff was excellent, the service great but it took two days to be able to get anything in from town. There was a generator failure one evening. I opened the door to our cabin to get the shoes I left outside and immediately a security guard was there to reassure me... "You safe.. you go inside... you safe" Really is a different world out there. It was 5 years ago so I don't know if is better worse or the same.
I believe dive trip reports often focus on the positive, and maybe omit some of the negative. After all, they're generally written by people who chose to go to the destination in question, and did so over other options.
The Question: Worldwide, what dive destinations (if any) do you consider dangerous above & beyond the major destinations we're used to?
My main focus is topside danger (e.g.: violent crime, drug cartels, terrorist organizations, etc...), but if you want to throw in high disease risk (e.g.: malaria), dangerous dive conditions (e.g.: current), etc..., that's okay, too. And if people are apt to offer you drugs there, or there are otherwise blatant displays of crime, that's worth mentioning. If you need a litmus test, how about this...if a family with a couple of kids were planning a dive trip, should it concern them? If so, it's fair game.
I want to be fair. For example, while mainland Honduras has an awful reputation, the Bay Islands (Roatan and Honduras) are offshore and a different matter, and Cozumel seems free of much of what scares people about parts of Mexico. Belize City has a 'rough' reputation, but outside of there not so much & from what I'm told the best diving is off the mainland, so probably not a big problem for most.
Richard.