Where to go for 3-4 weeks of diving and AOW cert?

[sup]

The Caymans are one of the most expensive places I've looked into. I'm sure its fun, but I'd only be able to afford 1 or 2 weeks, unless you know something I don't.


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[Kharon]

The Philippines and Thailand - from the east coast??? Wouldn't the airfare be huge?

 

[Lorenzoid]

The Philippines and Thailand - from the east coast??? Wouldn't the airfare be huge?

Yes, but it would be offset by potentially VERY low costs for lodging and food (and perhaps somewhat lower cost of the diving itself), compared with, say, Cayman or the ABCs. If the OP is going for a month and planning to rent a place to live, it could be a wash.

 

[victorzamora]

The Philippines and Thailand - from the east coast??? Wouldn't the airfare be huge?

That was my first thought....but over the span of a month it probably wouldn't be awful because the difference in airfare is split up.

 

[sup]

Airfare will be expensive, but I don't think I'd want to travel all that way for less than 2 or 3 weeks. And while the Carribean or Central America would be much more economical, when will I ever have the chance to go to Thailand or the Philippines again? I'm going to have to make a spreadsheet or something...

 

[victorzamora]

The big features that will change are price per dive, price of cert, price per day of food, price of flight, and price of accomodations.

 

[Kevrumbo]

ATL - MNL roundtrip 01Feb - 01Mar'14 on KAL $1531 (one stop); $1245 on JAL (multiple stops).

 

[sup]

Ok, I've got my spreadsheet pretty well under way. I'm not factoring in food because I'm pretty sure I can eat almost anywhere in the world for less than $300/month, and probably even less than that in most places as I don't drink alcohol or eat meat or seafood. I am budgeting for an apartment with kitchen anywhere I go. So far, I've evaluated Aruba, Bonaire, Utila, Roatan, Phuket, Koh Tao, and I'm in the process of looking at Puerto Galera. Aruba and Bonaire were crossed off the list before I even finished pricing them out - too expensive. Phuket was a lot more expensive than I would have imagined, and has also been crossed off the list. Koh Tao, Utila, and Roatan are all within a few hundred dollars of each other, with Koh Tao being the most expensive because of the airfare, but close enough that it doesn't really matter when you consider how much the trip will cost overall. I'm coming up with a total cost of around $4000, give or take a few hundred. Is there anywhere else I should check out?

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . Koh Tao, Utila, and Roatan are all within a few hundred dollars of each other, with Koh Tao being the most expensive because of the airfare, but close enough that it doesn't really matter when you consider how much the trip will cost overall. I'm coming up with a total cost of around $4000, give or take a few hundred. Is there anywhere else I should check out?

That list is about what I would have guessed would have satisfied your criteria 25 posts ago But I've been enjoying watching the process as you sort it out.

 

[sup]

Yeah, all those places seem to include gear rental in their dive prices as well. I may or may not get my own between now and then - right now all I have is a wetsuit and a dive computer (plus mask/fins/snorkel, of course). Aruba nickel and dimes you to death. Bonaire is close in terms of price (within about $700 of the other three) but I don't think it's going to be as good of a scene for a lone diver. I will keep it in mind for the next dive vacation with the DH though. And with an AOW and rescue cert under my belt I'll probably feel much better about diving without a guide.