alwayssummer
Fish out of Water
Hi fellow divers. I'm looking for some advice on how to best use my limited diving budget while I'm in the Mesoamerican reef region. I have lots of time, but not a lot of money. I don't mind traveling about for the best diving.
EDIT: Budget clarification
- Experience level: I have about 150 dives under my belt, but only 2 in the past couple of years. Fine with drift diving.
- Max certification level: DSAT Tec-Deep 40 meters of deco diving on air/nitrox.
- Gear: Essentially none (to make it easy to travel on public transit and change locations). I'll plan to rent.
- Interests and preferences: Just want to see whatever's great.
- Travel dates and duration: I'm already in Cancun. I will be in the region until mid-June.
- Budget: I'm trying to find the best way to spend about $500 on diving anywhere along the meso-American reef.
- Group size and composition: solo.
- Logistics and transportation: public transit (for budget reasons).
- Previous diving experience in the area: 40+ dives on Utila.
- Specific question: What's the best possible use of a $500 budget over the next 1.5 months, given that I can travel to wherever the diving is best? (By this I mean I can spend about $500 with my dive operators, don't worry about travel/accommodation, I think I can figure that on similar budgets, except maybe in Belize.)
- Should I consider liveaboards?
- Of course I'm also interested in operator recommendations, but that's next after I decide where to dive.
- What are my odds of being able to buy and sell some dive gear in Cancun in order to improve the experience. E.g. I'm not carrying fins or booties right now. I also might prefer a wetsuit, even in 80 degree water.
- Tips on saving money to stretch my limited budget.
- Tips on connecting with the local dive community. For example, my dives with locals in Perth were a positively amazing experience and way cooler than the traditional commercial transaction.
EDIT: Budget clarification