Best place for both diving, living, tempo and cost?

[Dani2007]

There was several similar threads, but I would still like to start a new one, simply because I feel like non of the old ones really gave me any answer, and I don't want to take over a thread with so many different questions..

I just had one world changing epiphany.. I have been chasing all the wrong things in this world.. I need and want to change, to pace down.
That makes me wonder, and have some elite input on the different places.. I would highly value your advice and suggestion.

Here is what I would like to value, if possible:

1.Cost of living.
As I will be a beach bum of some sort, either as a diver, or lifeguard, cost of living must be a lot lower then it is in the States. The lower the better.

2.Pace of living.
San Francisco might have its slow places, but I want Island living. No attitudes, just a friendly atmosphere.. The slower the better.

3.Diving & Temps.
It must be a great dive location in general, with no less then let say 25 degrees Celsius - 77 Fahrenheit- all year around, both in and out of the water. The warmer the better.

3.Work & Culture.
It must be somewhat reasonable to move and in order to get a work permit, no dreadful paperwork that keeps you drowning for the next 18 months..
If there is some friendly people there, and maybe some history for non diving days, that would be perfect.

So, where do I start? From what I can read all the regular names like Belize, Fiji and Cayman and all require difficult work, moving and residency permits. I have a EU passport, what if I move over to Europe? Do I get my temps over there?

Thanks for any and all input in this matter.

 

[Torben]

You keep the cost down by travelling to asia. The living expenses is so low compared to the west. All over Aisa the cost of living is low, salary is of cause low as well, but if you ex. are in the diving industry, the pay is okay compared to much other.

Now it is just a matter of finding the right place to stay, since asia is quite big.

The lowest pace you find in Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Here you oder your food before you get hungry, cos they are so slow
The diving is good, 28 degrees C, corals is really bad but this makes it a sanctuary for turtles. People are nice, lowley island, pay as a instructor is good. If you are not an instructor yet they have IDC courses on the island.

Bali: Lowly place, good diving, the temp doing diving can drop down below 25 C, but usually also 28. There is a lot to see, on the island ass well. It is to big to give the island life but easy to find living and work.

Thailand: A lot of tourists, plenty of islands, just pick one, there is diving on most of them. But Thailand is now not decerted place so the pace is high, because of all the tourist businesses.

Becoming a lifeguard in Aisa might be a problem, this would be taking work, the locals can do them self. Witch is, in many countries, is not allowed.

Diving as either dm or instructor gives plenty of job opportunities. Give it a go the life of a dive pro is great, could not imagine anything better.

Sorry I don't know more islands, but there are plenty, you just need to find them.

Good luck.

 

[drrich2]

Things to think about; are you committed to childlessness or have you completed that phase of your life? Living the life of a low income scuba instructor (not a lucrative lifestyle for most, judging from postings on this forum) may be okay for a young to middle-aged 'live for today' single adult, but family responsibilities can turn that dream on its ear.

And do you have a pension? 'Retirement' living strictly off the state is not real pleasant, and I think most people have a period of invalid status (can't hold down a job) before they die, so worth thinking about.

I know almost nothing of your age, family, plans or financial resources, so I'm throwing out ideas that have come up elsewhere when people ask about living the dream of dive instructing in the tropics. A big problem is that in many areas there's a lot of competition from people with the same ambition.

Richard.

 

[danvolker]

There was several similar threads, but I would still like to start a new one, simply because I feel like non of the old ones really gave me any answer, and I don't want to take over a thread with so many different questions..

I just had one world changing epiphany.. I have been chasing all the wrong things in this world.. I need and want to change, to pace down.
That makes me wonder, and have some elite input on the different places.. I would highly value your advice and suggestion.

Here is what I would like to value, if possible:

1.Cost of living.
As I will be a beach bum of some sort, either as a diver, or lifeguard, cost of living must be a lot lower then it is in the States. The lower the better.

2.Pace of living.
San Francisco might have its slow places, but I want Island living. No attitudes, just a friendly atmosphere.. The slower the better.

3.Diving & Temps.
It must be a great dive location in general, with no less then let say 25 degrees Celsius - 77 Fahrenheit- all year around, both in and out of the water. The warmer the better.

3.Work & Culture.
It must be somewhat reasonable to move and in order to get a work permit, no dreadful paperwork that keeps you drowning for the next 18 months..
If there is some friendly people there, and maybe some history for non diving days, that would be perfect.

So, where do I start? From what I can read all the regular names like Belize, Fiji and Cayman and all require difficult work, moving and residency permits. I have a EU passport, what if I move over to Europe? Do I get my temps over there?

Thanks for any and all input in this matter.

If you are going to list the Florida Keys in here, then you need to include Palm Beach Florida as well....many of us consider it to be far superior for diving, and clearly the things to do when NOT diving are dramatic in PAlm Beach....

 

[vladimir]

The living expenses is so low compared to the west in places a dive bum is likely to live. [-]All over[/-] In many places in Aisa the cost of living is low

I edited that because all over Asia includes some places where you might find the cost of living quite shocking, not just compared to the west, but even compared to the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

 

[Mantaman]

I agree with Asia being cheap and expensive. There are some really nice places like the Maldives which would meet all your needs but the diving work usually restricts you to a specific island and the boredom gets the best of most.

Raja Ampat is a nice area and the diving is wonderful. Its just beginning to open up and there are operators looking for help there as well.

Bali was mentioned earlier and you can live either end of the spectrum there from wonderful condos to inexpensive rooms in Kuta. Diving is wonderful.

Most of Thailand has a high season and a low season so people move from one side of the country to the other for work. Getting a work permit is not easy but most folks take buses to another country once every few months and get passport visa renewal.

The Philippines has something like 17000 islands and most have some kind of diving. Living expenses are lower for the most part but like all two class societies, the wealthy live very high standards and pay for it.

PM me if you have other questions. Be Brave.... get out of the Americas

 

[Rhone Man]

Yeah, based on your criteria I would have thought either Thailand or Indonesia would fit the bill best.

Question: how the heck did Isle of Man get on your list? It is an armpit of a place, expensive, and has no diving to speak of. Did you mean somewhere else?

 

[diversteve]

1.Cost of living.
As I will be a beach bum of some sort, either as a diver, or lifeguard, cost of living must be a lot lower then it is in the States. The lower the better.

That pretty much rules out Cayman. Most expensive place I've ever been diving.

Looked into Roatan?

 

[Dani2007]

Awesome, and a lot of good reading. Lets see if I cant try to respond to some of the additional questions asked.

I am 35 with no kids and a empty bank account after six year in hell of a marriage and a even worse divorce. I do not want kids, and if they come along down the line, I do not want to raise them in the States.

Isle of Man was on my list simply because as you said, its an armpit of a place. Its deserted but if there is no diving I guess we can take it off the list.

As far as low income goes, am used to being broke at the end of the month, after having supported my husband the last few year while he went to school. As long as I can afford margaritas on the weekends, am happy.

Indonesia is mentioned as a good option. How are the beaches over there, nice and white? Bali was mentioned as another option.. Anyone know anything about Bonaire? I know they use the USD..

Thanks again for all the great input.

 

[vladimir]

Indonesia is mentioned as a good option. How are the beaches over there, nice and white? Bali was mentioned as another option.. Anyone know anything about Bonaire? I know they use the USD..

Bali is part of Indonesia. White beaches are pretty much a Caribbean phenomenon, in my experience. That white sand is mostly from the back ends of parrotfish. Indonesia is an archipelago that is about as long as the distance between California and New York, and is incredibly diverse, geologically and biologically. You will find sandy beaches, black sandy beaches, sulfurous sandy beaches, and rocky shorelines, but no white sandy beaches.