Best Places for Referral Dives?

[BlueGirlGoes]

I'm doing a dive article encouraging people who have put off diving because they don't want to dive locally, and don't want to spend valuable vacation time in class. While the resort courses are quickies, the focus of this will be on taking your time with class and pool work at home, and then going somewhere turquoise and lovely for your check-out dives.

Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[dlndavid]

I'm doing a dive article encouraging people who have put off diving because they don't want to dive locally, and don't want to spend valuable vacation time in class. While the resort courses are quickies, the focus of this will be on taking your time with class and pool work at home, and then going somewhere turquoise and lovely for your check-out dives.

Suggestions? Thanks.

I did my padi pool and course work nearby, then did my ow check out in Cancun with Scuba Cancun. Then after passing went to Cozumel for a couple of dives. Fantastic diving!

 

[ctmax]

Idid my class room and pool work local and then went to Maui and did my OW certs with Kapalua Dive Co. I can't say enough how great this shop is. They made me feel like part of their family and quite relaxed. The diving was nothing short of incredible, there were always turtles watching me do my skills and Whales providing background music. My instructor even went as far as to suggest and schedule a trip to Molokini crater with Lahaina Divers, she even came with me. I can't wait to go back.

 

[Rondo]

I've noticed the location is often based on where a person is from,often tied to cheaper airline routes.

I see alot of East coast folks like Florida ,Bahamas,or Aruba for Ow

Many of us westerners can get to Cancun and Cozumel cheaply.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I strongly suggest my student certify in our local quarry. While not a bad dive it makes them appreciate the carribean so much more.

 

[TheDavil]

Here's another vote for Maui. My wife and I did ours several years ago with Scuba Shack and thoroughly enjoyed it...

David

 

[chenry]

I recently did my classroom and confined dives locally. We went on vacation to a Sandals resort in Antigua. My wife and I were able to do our PADI OW refferal dives there and get our temporary certification cards. It was more expensive to do the OW dives there, $80 locally vs. $200 in Antigua. This is not meant to be a commercial for Sandals, but if you stay at a Sandals or Beaches resort, scuba diving is included in the "all inclusive" package. We still had to pay the $200 because we did OW certification refferal dives. They took the dive boat out twice a day. The diving wasn't great by any means, but it sure was warm :11ztongue .

 

[davsholm423]

I was planning to do my checkouts locally, but the weather was very cold so decided it was best to do them in Cozumel. Even though doing the checkouts in the warm Caribbean was great, I would recommend doing them locally. Taking a buoyancy class would be a good idea also. This way you could get more out of your vacation dives, be more comfortable, and not have to use your precious time underwater on skills and similar things.

 

[dive_lover88]

i would think that doing ow dives shld be in places where conditions are not good,so that when they go other places then they can really appriatate good dives sites.
i was certified in muck conditions(50cm-1m) and on my graduation dive i did a drift dive.

 

[MaraGirl]

I recently did my classroom and confined dives locally. We went on vacation to a Sandals resort in Antigua. My wife and I were able to do our PADI OW refferal dives there and get our temporary certification cards. It was more expensive to do the OW dives there, $80 locally vs. $200 in Antigua. This is not meant to be a commercial for Sandals, but if you stay at a Sandals or Beaches resort, scuba diving is included in the "all inclusive" package. We still had to pay the $200 because we did OW certification refferal dives. They took the dive boat out twice a day. The diving wasn't great by any means, but it sure was warm :11ztongue .

Do you mean that an open water referral (4 dives) is only $80 US stateside ? A regular open water two-tank dive is between $80 -$100+ here on the island (Antigua) depending on who you dive with and whether or not you have equipment. As you know, there are 4 open water dives to complete your certification but with the exception of dive number 1, there are considered training dives and all dive shops price these above regular open water dives. Paying $200 for your 4 dives is the norm. And yes, even though diving is included in the Sandals package, it only applies to regular excursion dives, that is quite typical of most resorts.