Doing my Divemaster in Central America?

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AlexinWanderland

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Hi! I'm looking for advice on where in the world to do my Divemaster course.

Currently I'm a rescue diver with about 200 dives. I've worked as an underwater videographer in the Cayman Islands and in Koh Tao and spent three years traveling with my boyfriend who was working as a Staff Instructor, so I'm somewhat familiar with the industry. This year I won a continuing education grant from the Women Divers' Hall of Fame and so I'm finally going to do my Divemaster!

I'm considering options around the globe and wondering whats out there in Central America outside of The Bay Islands. I've been to Utila and Roatan on holiday but I'm not sure if I'd want to spend a few months there (Utila especially). I'm curious if there are similar dive training hotspots in Costa Rica, Panama....

I'm looking for a balance of diving and a youthful, fun lifestyle. Which is to say I don’t want to do it in Koh Tao, for example, where the lifestyle is fantastic but I’m not excited by the diving... and I don’t want to do it in some remote Caribbean island were the diving is mind-blowing but the mood is too relaxed and there won't be independent travelers around. In my ideal world I'd find a place where there will be other Divemasters, good diving, good party and some non-diving activities.

Anyway if anyone can give me a recommendation and information about the diving or lifestyle anywhere in Central America I'd really appreciate it!
 
If you are still somewhat open to Roatan, I did my Divemaster years ago with Anja and Liber who now run Mayan Divers (http://www.mayandivers.com). Roatan gets a variety of people from all over the world. It's not as remote as Utila but not as fast paced as other places. Just a thought.
 

I'm definitely open to South America! Can you tell me more about the diving, the lifestyle, and the safety? Is it a popular place for dive courses, as in would there be other DMs?

---------- Post Merged at 09:29 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:28 PM ----------

If you are still somewhat open to Roatan, I did my Divemaster years ago with Anja and Liber who now run Mayan Divers (http://www.mayandivers.com). Roatan gets a variety of people from all over the world. It's not as remote as Utila but not as fast paced as other places. Just a thought.

I've gone back and forth on Roatan... I really did enjoy being there but in the end I just don't get excited about the idea of returning there for two months...
 
Maybe Belize? Although there might be some sort of issue with non-residents taking advanced courses - IDK any details have just read about it somewhere.

Maybe stay on Ambergris - I think it's the "party" - you can ferry/puddle jump back to the mainland to do the Mayan Ruins, Eco-tours etc. Jaguar Preserve, Howler Monkeys, Cave tubing etc. A friend who lives there said Belize City is a good place to go through. (as fast as possible)

There's some really good diving off the atolls but no DM training afaik - most are just single resorts. Lighthouse, Elbow and the Blue Hole are supposed to be the best of the diving. In late spring there's also diving with the Whalesharks off Gladden Spit - but you'd need to base at one of the offshore resorts or pricier resorts near Hopkins or the Placencia area to dive it. I'm fairly certain Splash Dive does DM training - Placencia is pretty quiet though. It's a good operation some friends just dove with them last month.
 
I'm looking for a balance of diving and a youthful, fun lifestyle.... and I don’t want to do it in some remote Caribbean island were the diving is mind-blowing but the mood is too relaxed and there won't be independent travelers around. In my ideal world I'd find a place where there will be other Divemasters, good diving, good party and some non-diving activities.

I'm definitely open to South America! Can you tell me more about the diving, the lifestyle, and the safety? Is it a popular place for dive courses, as in would there be other DMs?

Margarita VZ .... It is essentially what you have described in your wants list.

(I am very familiar with the diving next door in Los Roques. With its myriad pirate era wrecks, exposed at random by shifting, shallow sands, it is the most interesting and least travelled of the Caribbean.)

Margarita? I will leave that to the locals, at least one of which frequents that regional forum. It's essentially party city for upscale Venezuelans. The dive ops are geared for this in every respect. Do a GOOGLE search and see Enomis Divers for DM courses, among others- they seemed to be the major player for training observed on my brief stopovers there.

Is it safe? The mainland itself is a rat hole, but this isn't the mainland.

The Island Margarita is no worse than any other pumped-up, party till dawn, tropical island vacation destination. It is a huge weekend draw.

By your statement of desired criteria alone, you are taking a huge step outside of a "secure zone".

If you want just to go and learn to be a DM, you can do that at an AI resort and stay on premises at resort based student housing, at least on Roatan: Roatan Divemaster Internship at Dockside Dive Center, Western Caribbean

The moment that you walk into a party scene, the moment you mix on a personal level with locals, the more personal situations become, the further out of the "secure zone" you place yourself.

Another alternative comes to mind: Tobago Dive Services & Dive Guides - the myTobago guide to SCUBA Diving Operators on Tobago Look at region 1, the Crown Point area.
 
Margarita VZ .... It is essentially what you have described in your wants list.

(I am very familiar with the diving next door in Los Roques. With its myriad pirate era wrecks, exposed at random by shifting, shallow sands, it is the most interesting and least travelled of the Caribbean.)

Margarita? I will leave that to the locals, at least one of which frequents that regional forum. It's essentially party city for upscale Venezuelans. The dive ops are geared for this in every respect. Do a GOOGLE search and see Enomis Divers for DM courses, among others- they seemed to be the major player for training observed on my brief stopovers there.

Is it safe? The mainland itself is a rat hole, but this isn't the mainland.

The Island Margarita is no worse than any other pumped-up, party till dawn, tropical island vacation destination. It is a huge weekend draw.

By your statement of desired criteria alone, you are taking a huge step outside of a "secure zone".

If you want just to go and learn to be a DM, you can do that at an AI resort and stay on premises at resort based student housing, at least on Roatan: Roatan Divemaster Internship at Dockside Dive Center, Western Caribbean

The moment that you walk into a party scene, the moment you mix on a personal level with locals, the more personal situations become, the further out of the "secure zone" you place yourself.

Another alternative comes to mind: Tobago Dive Services & Dive Guides - the myTobago guide to SCUBA Diving Operators on Tobago Look at region 1, the Crown Point area.

I've traveled extensively through Southeast Asia, sometimes solo, and I've always felt safe. Still, Venezuela is definitely one of those places that until you've been there (and maybe after as well!) you're going to have a gut reaction about safety.

I admit I'm doing my DM to further my video career, not on the track to becoming an instructor. And I'm young and I'll be traveling solo, so the nightlife and the general travelers' scene is very important to me... I want to make friends and have fun about as much as I want to do good diving. Hope that doesn't get me kicked off Scuba Board! :wink:

And now that we are talking about South America... I started a separate thread on that forum but I've also been looking at Taganga, Colombia...
 
I think you know the answer to your question: The training hotspots in Central America that have a "balance of diving and a youthful, fun lifestyle" are Utila and Roatan. As far as I know, you're not going to find Thailand-style partying anywhere in Central America. I liked the balance on Utila and enjoyed a few months there--there was just enough camaraderie and partying but not too much. Then again, I'm no doubt older than you.
 
I would seriously consider Bocas del Toro, Panama. Bocas Water Sports is a PADI 5-Star Dive Center offering training through instructor. There are other ops in Bocas, but BWS has the best reputation and excellent instructors.

Bocas is an international backpackers' mecca. Along with snorkeling and diving, it's also a surfing destination. Food and fun are plentiful and cheap with a great variety of inexpensive restaurants from traditional Panamanian buffet to excellent Indian and Thai.
 

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It's not Central America but given any thought to Curacao? Curacao Travel- Caribbean, Curacao, Dutch Caribbean

The diving is the same as Bonaire, except a little more spread out. Easier entries also. A lot more to do on the surface also including famous shopping, some clubs, casinos, nice beaches/w bars etc. Bonaire is also $50 one way during the week for short trips.

It's sort of South America also - 60mi. from Venezuela. Below the hurricane belt and there's a hospital with chamber if needed. Also a lot of dive operators to choose from. It's also the deepwater port for the area so things are readily available. Cruise ships dock downtown so there's activities around that also. You'd probably want a car to dive the more remote sites but there is reliable bus service also according to a friend who lived there. It even goes by a couple of the west side dive sites. Dollars are good and many people speak English.
 
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