Destination Recommendations?

[Babydamulag]

I always tell everyone "GO TO THE PHILIPPINES!" The cradle of marine life is the Indo-Pacific. If you want warm water diving, affordable prices (GREAT PRICES!!), comforts of home, and everyone speaks english then the Philippines is for you. The night life is awesome, shopping is great, food is over-the-top, and you will be WARM!!!!

 

[AXL72]

May I recommend that you pick up a copy of the PADI Sport Diver's mazine Volume 13, No. 11 issue / 2006 edition of, "The World's Best Diving and Resoirts....50 Perfect Places to Dive Into the Ultimate Adventure", that is on newsstands right now!!! for a meer $9.95

You will see a lot of credibility in the posts that you have read thus far on Scubaboard, because the places mentioned here on Scubaboard are also included in this issue.

You will have to weigh your interests and budget with the destination you choose, such as wrecks or walls ....walls or reefs...etc.....and $ vs. $$$)

Hope this helps.

P.S. If anyone here works for PADI Sport Diver, can I get a discount on my membership for this plug?

 

[-hh]

My husband and I are pretty new to diving, so we don't know where all of the best destinations are yet.

For the east coast-centric American traveller, the general direction to warm water is the Caribbean.

As novices, I'd be personally inclined to discourage you from going to places that may be overly challenging: places that mostly have deep wall drop-offs, rougher waters (in Feb/March). Also, if you're not seasoned international travellers, also away from places that are hassles to get to/from.

As such, I'd cross the Caymans off your list (bottomless walls, plus seasonal weather for Brac & LC), probably Cozumel too (walls, plus drift diving from live boats), and unfortunately, Bonaire (flight hassles)...even though these are the classic "Top 3" Destination for divers travelling from the USA.

For the Caribbean, this probably leaves the Florida Keys as the most typically recommended destination. You don't need a passport or to know another language. They're also very used to getting novices, and while some divers will complain about "overdived" sites and it not being "top-notch" diving, its IMO a good starting point...my most general recommendation is to not worry about it and to save the more expensive "Really Good Stuff" until after you have 50-100 dives under your belt and have your diving skills to the point where you can enjoy the scenery more.

For example, my wife doesn't dive, but if she were to go get certified tomorrow, I'd not have her first real OW dives on Cayman Brac where we go every year...I'd land her either in the Keys, or, since we're pretty seasoned travellers, Bonaire. The last thing I want is for my last sight of her to be 200fsw down the wall and sinking.

-hh

 

[dolphin adventures]

Hi:

Today a new airfare to Tahiti of $198 each way was just announced for travel Jan, Feb. and Mar. There are also some great accommodation specials which make it pretty affordable......and incredibly beautiful. Rangiroa passage is one of my favorite dives. But there are current specials on all of the islands. If you want some more information just send me an email: mjaugustine2000@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Mary Jane

 

[-hh]

Hi:

Today a new airfare to Tahiti of $198 each way was just announced for travel Jan, Feb. and Mar.

To/From FPP to where? LAX? The OP's from Houston, and a quick search in Travelocity with flexible dates in late January and midweek, says the damage is roughly $2000/pp-RT. Not that this really matters all that much for my next comment...

Rangiroa passage is one of my favorite dives.

The OP stated that they're Novices, so they're unqualified to dive Rangiroa's Tiputa Pass because that's a deep, Advanced drift dive. Ditto for several of the other passes there too...and Rangiroa's the world's 2nd largest atoll, which may be too "open" water for their current skills and comfort levels.

Granted, this doesn't mean that there aren't easy dive sites too (such as The Aquarium), but I personally wouldn't go through the time/cost/effort to go to someplace when I knew beforehand that I wasn't qualified to go visit the major (premier) attractions for a particular destination...one doesn't send Day Hikers to go climb Mount Everest.


-hh

 

[AlohaDiver]

Looking for recommendations for a destination for JANUARY, where water is still warm and viz is still good that time of year.

Thanks for your suggestions . . .

Aloha!

 

[BDSC]

Looking for recommendations for a destination for JANUARY, where water is still warm and viz is still good that time of year.

Thanks for your suggestions . . .

Aloha!

Highly recommend Bonaire! I will be there in February and have been twice in January. The weather that time of year is perfect and the diving is awesome.

BDSC