Solo Dive Travel

[maat1976]

I am recently starting to travel solo for diving. Any locations anyone can recommend, particularly for easy coral reef / wall / muck diving for someone on their own that will not break the bank?

Thanks.

 

[MasterChief D]

While Egypt and SE Asia would be obvious choices, may I suggest Sri Lanka and Oman which, in my opinion, offer excellent cost-benefit ratios as well as a wide variety of topside attractions?

 

[WetPup]

Bali is relatively inexpensive as a solo traveller. Good diving, good topside stuff.

Breaking the bank is relative though. I do nearly all my SE Asia dive travel alone, and it hasn't broken the bank (yet). Lembeh, Ambon, Raja Ampat, Komodo, PNG, Malaysian Borneo, Philippines, Thailand...All doable within my budget travelling alone. Certainly not the cheapest holidays ever, but also not exactly breaking the bank.

The only place in Asia I consider financially unrealistic as a solo traveller is Wakatobi.

 

[maat1976]

HI Both. Thanks for your responses. I definitely enjoy SE Asia the most - If you have specific resort recommendations I'd love to have those too!!! Now that I have maximum flexibility, I may as well take advantage when they have deals on. I love Indonesia, the Philippines, I'm probably Thailand'd out a bit but I'd still like to do the Similans, Malaysia appeals, and I'd LOVE to hit PNG.

I've heard Oman is all drift? I'm definitely interested in Sri Lanka as well.

Ironically, I traveled in SEA for years on my own - the solo part then was less of an issue because it was backpacking and you meet people everywhere. Diving tends to be a bit more isolated, requires more transportation, and the luggage heavier!

 

[Tippytoes12]

Hi there

I get more annual leave than my husband and have had a solo dive trip most years for a while now.

I would recommend the following in the Philippines...Liquid Dumaguete in Dauin, Southern Leyte Divers in southern Leyte , Magic Oceans in Anda Bohol and Ocean Vida in Malapascua. You eat with other divers in these properties and of course many many divers travel by themselves. They can all arrange pick ups from airports or ferries.

I also did a couple of Blue O2 liveaboards in the Red Sea by myself when we have very elderly pets that we could not board in kennels....you can either share a cabin or pay a supplement. Liveaboards usually have about half of the passengers traveling by themselves.

We also met solo divers in Boutique Beach in the Maldives who had a lovely time.

I hope that this helps a bit.

Best fishes x

 

[Centrals]

I travel solo most of the time and Philippines is my favourite for various reasons especially language and ease of travelling. I don't speak Tagalog or Cebuano etc etc but English is pretty common all over the country. And Inter-island travelling is readily available at rock bottom rate. The only problem for single diver is the single room supplement!
Puerto Galera, Malapascua, Sipalay and Sogod Bay are all highly recommended. Photographer would love Anilao and Dauin. And Tubattaha Reef(liveaboard) is the best in the country.
A combined trip to Bunaken and Lembeh in Indonesia is also very very nice. While liveaboard in Komodo needs no introduction.

 

[Searcaigh]

I've heard Oman is all drift?

I think you may be referring to the part of Oman that is north of UAE, namely Musandam. However it is not all drift in that area, but there can be fierce currents and some sites are not for the less experienced, while others are good enough to teach OW and AOW.

The main part of Oman has some excellent diving around Muscat area with the Damaniyat Islands one hour outside of Muscat itself, Fal Island just off Muscat, and an excellent wreck and reef diving south of Muscat.

In between the "two" Omans there is UAE, and if you like wrecks there are plenty off Dubai in the Persian Gulf and a few off the east coast from Fujairah to Dibba as well as some reasonable reef and muck diving.

 

[maat1976]

I travel solo most of the time and Philippines is my favourite for various reasons especially language and ease of travelling. I don't speak Tagalog or Cebuano etc etc but English is pretty common all over the country. And Inter-island travelling is readily available at rock bottom rate. The only problem for single diver is the single room supplement!
Puerto Galera, Malapascua, Sipalay and Sogod Bay are all highly recommended. Photographer would love Anilao and Dauin. And Tubattaha Reef(liveaboard) is the best in the country.
A combined trip to Bunaken and Lembeh in Indonesia is also very very nice. While liveaboard in Komodo needs no introduction.

Any recommendations for resorts in Puerto Galera for solo travellers? I've always wanted to go there.

 

[MasterChief D]

I've heard Oman is all drift? I'm definitely interested in Sri Lanka as well.

Searcaigh already responded regarding Oman.

Sri Lanka offers some exceptional diving (location wise, it's in the Indian Ocean so, underwater life-wise, it is very rich) and in terms of cost, it certainly won't break the bank. Like the rest of the region, it has two seasons - you can dive the W/SW part of the island between Oct-Apr and the E/NE Apr-Oct. I've only been to the W/SW part and can highly recommend the divesites around Galle and Unawatuna, as well as in Colombo/Negombo. The E/NE part of the country is less developed but apparently there's some good reef diving (as well as some world class deepish wreck diving). This website (Dive Sri Lanka! - Find out everything about SCUBA diving ship wrecks and coral reefs in paradise!) has plenty of information.

 

[Centrals]

Any recommendations for resorts in Puerto Galera for solo travellers? I've always wanted to go there.

There are several resorts that you should contact:
Blue Ribbon, Frontier and South Sea
If you want to pamper yourself then Atlantis should top the list. This is the place where this yr SB invasion stayed. Asia Divers and La Laguna Beach Club and Dive Centre(LBC) are also pretty good. LBC is situated at Big LaLaguna Beach which is very very quiet unlike those situated in Sabang Beach.