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If money is tight then I've always found that Mexico is where the bargains are. Seems like the farther East you go from there the more it costs. As far as air fare goes Puerto Rico might be an option although I've never dove there.
I've only stayed three places in Cozumel. Scuba Club Coz, and Hotel & Resort. Wyndham on the south end--beach there although not a stellar beach and a long way from town. Hotel & Resort has the nicest pool and is a 20 minute walk from town. Scuba Club is more diving oriented so has no beach; nor does the Hotel & Resort.
Across the way at Playa del Carmen there are lots of places to stay, stellar beaches. Lots of AI resrts that the wife would love. You can get some ideas at Apple Vacations, #1 Tour Operator in the U.S.: Book All Inclusive Vacation Packages Online. The diving isn't as good as Coz, but it's what I'd call different. The reefs are more flat and no pinnacles like Coz. Do a search here and ask Jason (Playacountryboy)about the diving on that side.
All told, you should be able to set something up in Coz or the Riviera Maya for about $2500 or so for the two of you. I'm doing the Riviera Maya in June with my family. Staying at the Iberostar (AI) with a dive package for me and it'll run just about $3000 for me and the wife for a full week---flying out of Philly.
I think the keys are a good idea to consider when time is limited. Key Largo you should be able to do a decent priced trip, airfare should be relatively cheap though you'll want a car. While it's not Bonaire the reefs are pleasant and you have the wrecks. But shore diving is not an option there either so you're limited to boat dives and how many you can get in.
While you wouldn't get as many days of diving in Bonaire you might actually get more dives in. But it can be a tough place to fly to for only 5 days, depending on the connections you can get.
I think the keys are a good idea to consider when time is limited. Key Largo you should be able to do a decent priced trip, airfare should be relatively cheap though you'll want a car. While it's not Bonaire the reefs are pleasant and you have the wrecks. But shore diving is not an option there either so you're limited to boat dives and how many you can get in.
While you wouldn't get as many days of diving in Bonaire you might actually get more dives in. But it can be a tough place to fly to for only 5 days, depending on the connections you can get.
Hmm, ok....well then I'll make Bonaire work and see if I can get a 7-day all-inclusive deal. The shore diving is what I'm really after. I love boat dives, but as has been mentioned already, they limit the amount of dives you do to 2-3 per day. Thanks for the info guys.
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Tim Thompson, NREMT-B, PADI OW / AOW / EANx
University of California Davis, Managerial Economics Class of 2010
I've been researching the same thing. Cozumel and Negril kept popping up as the cheapest and easiest to get to. Coz is cheaper, especially if you fly to Cancun, then bus to Playa del Carmen, then ferry to Coz. Lots of inexpensive places to stay and inexpensive diving. But No beaches on the west coast where the diving is done. (my wife is a non-diver also.) Some resorts truck in some sand. And father south of San Miguel some of the more remote resorts have some beaches.
We're trying Negril this summer. Couples resorts includes diving and supposedly has wonderful beaches. I doubt the diving will compare to Cozumel but from what i can gather, most vacation divers seem pleased.
Before I was certified we spent a great week in Key Largo. Stayed at funky little resort called Bay Harbor Lodge. We snorkeled and 'Snubaed" Molasses Reef. It was very nice. That would probably be the cheapest option.
i personally think you're nuts if you think taking a flight to cancun and trucking down to carmen and ferrying across to coz is doable with your luggage PLUS SCUBA GEAR ... but if you dont have your own, im sure its tolerable. my gear is NOT fun to lug around constantly ... i roll it through the airport and stick it in a trunk.
If you have a 5 day vacation, the river will get you 5 days of diving, where Coz will get you 3 if you're lucky.
I'm probably biased, since I like the wrecks more than the reefs, but you do get an extra day (maybe two) of diving and save round-trip airfare for two people, and an 18 hour no-fly time.
Terry
devil's advocate says you end up with NO 18hour no-fly time since you're driving there from jersey ...
but I DOVE coz with only a bathing suit ... and it was 83 degrees at 85 feet in palancar ...
st lawr? uh uh .... i love wrecks and love reefs ... they are too different to say i like one more than the other ... but my wife is sure as hell alot happier on a tropical island than in canada ... (and we recently hit niagara together) ... dont get me wrong, its a lovely vaca. . . but as another said ... compare apples to apples ...
you can drive up to st lawrence any 3 day weekend with buds ... take your wife to tropical paradise (where ever you go)
All told, you should be able to set something up in Coz or the Riviera Maya for about $2500 or so for the two of you. I'm doing the Riviera Maya in June with my family. Staying at the Iberostar (AI) with a dive package for me and it'll run just about $3000 for me and the wife for a full week---flying out of Philly.
Just a thought.
THIS is a smart vacation and you can even drop a few cenotes dives in .... SAWEET!!!
someone asked me to post more about my last coz trip and if it were kid friendly so here ya go:
ill start with number 1, the resort is VERY kid friendly (but not killing couples) and some of the night time activities are geared towards kids like name that tune and its the popular music that is slightly younger than i care to enjoy ... but right where they know it ... the pool activities the beach, the whole resort.
i booked it myself and do tons of research finding the best deals. this one happened to be through continental.com and they beat expedia and travelocity. another plus was the trip gave me 20,000 bonus onepass miles.
the ONLY negative are the sales people who try to sell you timeshare ... you can opt to do it and put up with them for two hours for a free car rental or something, or you can just tell them no thank you a few times.
we put up with it to get the free car rental and took great advantage of the day around the island.
occidental grand is VERY nice and we walked other resorts and found none to be better and several not as nice.
the water in the resort is filtered and we had no stomach ailments whatsoever. int he airport when you land, someone will offer you a car rental for the week for roughly $120 or so, we did not take it and should have. the taxi charges $11 per person no matter what and you can not get off the airport any other way due to local laws.
please feel free to ask more ...
oh yeah ... how old are your kids?
we took a mainland excursion to XCARET and found it well worth every penny ... but you save MONEY if you book it in advance and you catch a ferry to the mainland and a quick taxi to XCARET where you can do some pretty cool stuff from all types of animal exhibits from leopards to bat caves ... a BEAUTIFUL butterfly (one of the worlds largest) pavilion, rivers that go somewhat underground and touch upon cenotes (no one really knows that though because most of them are not divers) as you move along the river with your mask fins and snorkel you can actually see down into caverns.
i was NOT blown away by Xcaret, but my kids would have been if I had any.
back pack when you go and bring water and perhaps sandwiches as just like any park here the food is overpriced. we also brought our own fins mask and snorkel.
safety was never an issue because of how quick off and on everything was. if you happen to speak or have a family member who speaks spanish, you're even a little better off.
ah, but what will the temp be in Coz at the end of July? Comparing apples and oranges here...
to me, there's a big difference between 79 & 75. I can still dive my 1mm in 79. But probably not in 75.
Sure glad you caught this. I can tell you from experience that the water in Coz will be closer to 81-84 degrees in July. Many people dive with a 3mm shorty. Now that "couple" degrees just got to be nearly 10.
Personally I've been to Coz in January, May and June. Being an old guy of 60 years I use the same 1.5 Microprene at all times. In the winter I carry along a 3mm hooded vest. Sometimes I use it. Sometimes I don't.
Bonaire! I don't think any Caribbean destination is cheap, but you can dive all you want to on a budget in Bonaire. To me, the ability to dive as much as you want to on YOUR schedule instead of some boat's schedule makes Bonaire the best trip in the Caribbean. Another option would be Curaçao. Just like Bonaire, only twice as big.
Comparing apples and oranges here...
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