Diving cost by islands?

[glocklt4]

Does anyone know of a place that lists some decent avg prices by Caribbean island for diving?

Wife and I are trying to make some plans for Feb/March and are pretty open to where we end up as long as we can use some AA/BA miles to get there. Just got back from Curacao/Bonaire a month ago and enjoyed CHEAP diving there. Looking for some place that is not too pricey ($20-30/dive maybe?). Been to St Croix, St Lucia, and Turks/Caicos already as well, so somewhere new. (edit: Also to Roatan, but only snorkel. And Cozumel but only for my very first ever Discover dive a long time ago).

Initially we are thinking Barbados (direct flight from DFW), Grand Cayman, or St Thomas (virgin gorda area). Maybe Bahamas... but all of these appear to have rather expensive diving at $50/dive almost. Possibility of Cuba with friends there but getting there may be a challenge. Any recommendations? Prefer smaller dive oriented islands (Bonaire was amazing in that manner!), but good diving and being able to do lots of it is best. Thanks!

 

[Alex777]

The Grand Cayman average is probably about $80 for a 2-tank dive.

 

[mathauck0814]

I don't think you're going to find anything that's cheaper than Curacao/Bonaire in the Caribbean...

 

[glocklt4]

The Grand Cayman average is probably about $80 for a 2-tank dive.

Ok, great. Thanks.

 

[glocklt4]

I don't think you're going to find anything that's cheaper than Curacao/Bonaire in the Caribbean...

Yeah, I am pretty sure of that as well, ha! I couldn't believe how many dives I was able to get in for around $100. Just looking for somewhere that is decently priced, which is why I was hoping someone had put together a map with some averages by island perhaps... but doesn't look like that exists. Sounds like a good project .

 

[diversteve]

Virgin Gorda is going to be just under $50/dive with a 4-5 day package thru DiveBVI. It's all 2-tank boat diving. Pricey to stay there though. Fly into St. Thomas and take the ferries over - they're fast and run often.

Coconut Tree Divers on Roatan with your own gear is $30/dive. Or 10/$300 including rental gear. Accommodations at all price points also. And inexpensive food options. Some options: http://www.bayislandsdiver.com/ Or - Subway Watersports rates:

For individual dives we charge the following prices
1 – 4 dives $ 38 per dive/person
5 – 9 dives $ 32 per dive/person
10 - 14 dives $ 30 per dive/person
15 or more dives $ 28 per dive/person

Or there's the less expensive AI's like Fantasy Island or Reef House resort - no idea what they breakdown to per dive.

Another inexpensive option is Utila - an AI resort like Deep Blue low season (July-Oct)is $850/wk - including room, meals and diving. Spring High season (think Whalesharks - snorkel only) is $1200/pp unless you book the research weeks. Other months are $10OOpp D/O

 

[freshorangina]

I would say the cheapest place I have ever gone diving was Utila in Honduras. Not only is the diving cheap ($25-$30 per boat dive), but accomodations are cheap too. I stayed at the Lighthouse and its an awesome place and about $350 per week with kitchenette, satellite tv, a/c, hot water, great beds, super clean, bay view, fresh soft hammok, and a toilet that actually lets you flush the paper! You can eat in town for as little as 30 lempiras ($1.50) or can induldge in Lobster with all the fixings for 200 lempiras ($12). The diving isn't the best ever, but I loved it and there is lots to see there. I wouold make sure to get on the early dives, as they go to the North Shore where the water is clearer. Oh, and did I mention my flight from Washington D.C. was like $300 return? I dove with Utila Dive Centre and loved them. Oh, there is also really fun nightlife, try La Cuerva for natural fruit flavored rum shots for 20 lemps (about a buck).

I have pics from that trip in one of my albums on here.

 

[glocklt4]

Thanks for the recommendations to you both. I haven't looked into Utila at all before. Snorkeled at Roatan before I was a diver and remember it being nice so I'm sure it's very similar since it appears to be right next to it. Because I've been to Honduras twice already (Roatan and Tegucigalpa) I think I'm slightly less inclined to go to Utila or back to Roatan since there are many other islands I haven't been too yet (and my goal of course is to visit them all), however price may justify a trip back.

 

[divejay]

Grand Cayman has awesome shore diving like Bonaire. $10 for air tanks or $12 for Nitrox. At Divetech they have unlimited air and Nitrox packages which makes shore diving even cheaper, plus they have 2 full service shore diving shops that give great dive site briefings. There are surface and underwater navigations markers and lines from their docks to mini-wall and deep wall for peace of mind.

I heard Cayman Airways is starting a direct flight from Dallas (DFW). If you fly AA you have to stop in Miami.

 

[glocklt4]

Grand Cayman has awesome shore diving like Bonaire. $10 for air tanks or $12 for Nitrox. At Divetech they have unlimited air and Nitrox packages which makes shore diving even cheaper, plus they have 2 full service shore diving shops that give great dive site briefings. There are surface and underwater navigations markers and lines from their docks to mini-wall and deep wall for peace of mind.

I heard Cayman Airways is starting a direct flight from Dallas (DFW). If you fly AA you have to stop in Miami.

Now this would be perfect! I think we wouldn't mind the stop in Miami for the ability to use BA/AA miles. They are from an account we setup under my grandmother but she is in poor health so we need to go ahead and use them (BA miles can't transfer upon death, FYI). It does look like the shore diving there is good. I am having a problem, however, trying to find accommodations for less than $200/night (yikes). Any recommendations there?