Why are scuba holiday packages so expensive?

[Lucifer911]

hey guys I’ve only scuba dived locally.

I’ve noticed travel packages for popular scuba locations e.g. Truk Lagoon, Bali, Great Barrier Reef all seem to cost around $2000 for approximately 5 days not including plane flight costs.

Here’s an offer recently pitched to me. Keep in mind Bali is a third world country so how a dive holiday costs $200 per day which doesn’t include gear hire is beyond me.

 

[Tippytoes12]

We do Bali trips all the time for way less than that. We book a dive resort direct with the owner and book transfers, dives and meals when you are there. That way the cost is spread and you are not locked into eating and diving in a particular resort.

 

[runsongas]

truk is remote and a lot of things need to be imported which makes everything expensive. GBR has high costs because Australia.

the bali trip may be a little overpriced depending on the hotel quality and number of dives included. staying at a cheap backpacker hostel can lower your cost, but if you don't want to rough it then forking over more money for a decent hotel adds up for 8 nights. bali is also very touristy, so prices reflect that.

 

[bamafan]

A lot of times with pre packaged trips you are paying for the convenience of someone putting everything together for you. With the internet and sites like Airbnb you can generally beat their prices substantially but you have to do the work and conceivably your risk is increased in something going wrong.

 

[Lucifer911]

Even the added labour costs of setting up equipment for divers (in this case it’s only air tanks) it still doesn’t calculate to $1950 pp. over 8 nights in shared accomodation excluding beverages and evening meals. This is Bali not Tahiti...

As I’m Australian I think I’d much rather spend my money on a live aboard boat for a few nights on the GBR. All food and beverages are provided and I’m sure the experience would beat any location in Indonesia.

 

[runsongas]

anything other than the spirit of freedom or mike ball is a waste of time from cairns.

 

[Lucifer911]

anything other than the spirit of freedom or mike ball is a waste of time from cairns.

Thanks the spirit of freedom is exactly what I had in mind.

 

[Wookie]

anything other than the spirit of freedom or mike ball is a waste of time from cairns.

Been on 2 GBR liveaboards. Have been to the far north, and to the south, although not as far south as Townsville. AFAIC, anything out of Cairns is a waste of time, except the Air Nuguini flight to Madang. The 5 day holiday for $AUS950 was breathtaking, right up until the resort filled with oilfield workers who had been run out of the highlands by marauding natives, but they had great stories to share. I would dive the GBR again if I lived there, but to go there, I wouldn't waste my time.

 

[Lucifer911]

Been on 2 GBR liveaboards. Have been to the far north, and to the south, although not as far south as Townsville. AFAIC, anything out of Cairns is a waste of time, except the Air Nuguini flight to Madang. The 5 day holiday for $AUS950 was breathtaking, right up until the resort filled with oilfield workers who had been run out of the highlands by marauding natives, but they had great stories to share. I would dive the GBR again if I lived there, but to go there, I wouldn't waste my time.

$950 for 5 days? The cheapest starts from $1700 3 nights on the spirit of freedom...

 

[Wookie]

No, $950 for 5 days in Madang. I think the Nimrod Explorer was 2495 US and the Taka was $750 for 3 days.