Suggest where to go in a month from now...

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OceanicRocks

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The wife does not dive... I do. B-day coming up and she asks what would I like for your present. Like I should know the answer to that one. LOL:D So she sais off the top of your head name anything. That made it easy... I said I'd love to go diving. She immediatly said than thats your present. She was seriouse. Well, I live in a cold climate north east US so I need advice where to go. This one I will be on my own. No kids, no wife cause she's recovering from an auto accident.

Been to and dove turks and caicos, mexico, cozumel, jamaica, curcau and the bahamas. I have heard lots of stuff about Belize, Cayman islands, Bonair. I would like to keep my budget at $2000 for air, hotel and diving for a 7 night accomodation 5 day diving trip. But I'm not penny foolish and willing to spend a bit more to go somewhere the corals and diving are hot. I don't want to spend all of my time in an airplain getting there and know that some destinations mentioned will take 7-8 hours or more door to door. I would like a place as close as possible and dive in so no Hawaii, figi or anything like that. I think it will need to be no farther than Bonair is from the north east.

I have about 50 or so dives logged and purchased all of my gear last year except the tank. I love drift diving and looking at corals... live corals work for me not the dead stuff. I don't dive to go deep. not into that. I'm into seeing the coral life under there. I've been to 120 feet but wasn't for me. The wreck was cool but darker color and no/little corals. most of the corals are at 30-70 feet where I've been so far and thats fine with me.

So, if you had this opportunity? where would you go? and why? please share any expierience with specific dive operators, destinations, and hotels you enjoyed or disliked. I need to decide within a week so I can book it and go by this time next month.

Thanks so much!
 
Have you considered the Florida Keys? Cheap and quick to get to from the NE USA. You can fly into Fort Lauderdale or Miami and rent a car for an ~1.5 hour drive to the Keys and with the short flight, I would guess that you can definitely get there w/in 7-8 hours assuming you are near a fair-sized airport and wouldn't have any long layovers on the way. If we hop an early a.m. flight, we're there for a late lunch...

I was recently diving in the Bahamas, and the coral on the wall dives was great, but IMHO the diving is much better in the Florida Keys. Unlike the Bahamas, the Keys are all part of a marine protected area, so they are not overfished. I was amazed at the relative lack of fish in the Bahamas compared to the nearby Keys. The dives in the Keys are typically very shallow and the diving is easy with tons to see.

As for operators, I have fairly limited experience, so I'd recommend that you checkout other threads such as the Conch Divers forum. I've dove with Amy Slate in Key Largo and had a great time, but know there have been some mixed reviews. We were there in the off-season (January-after the holiday break season), so there were never more than 4 divers on their big boat. We had a nice package deal with lodging and the staff was great--absolutely no complaints. I've also dove with Looe Key Divers/Resort on Ramrod Key. They were fine, the bar was fun (but loud music on the weekends--just FYI if you're not into that), but the accomodations were VERY basic (and I don't mind basic, but an alarm clock, hair drier, and a small fridge at least would have been nice) and the diving felt a little rushed, so I'll be diving with another op this December when I'm back there.

Good luck with a fun decision!
 
Oct-Nov are still the rainy season in the Caribbean so you are looking at cheaper prices but a chance of rain and storms. If you don't mind that.....
You can do what you are looking for around $2000 in Bonaire or Roatan, unlimited diving, and great diving. Also, Cozumel but diving 24/7 wouldn't be available. But since you have been to Coz before, maybe you would prefer something new. Little Cayman would work too but might be stretching your budget. Belize also would meet your budget but you don't have the 24/7 diving option. So it depends what you are looking for.

Check out Welcome to CoCo View Resort (I know they have a "singles" rooming program where they can have you share a room with another single and not have to pay a penalty. A friend here did this and thought it was great.)

Going solo can be more expensive though as you may get stuck paying extra $$$ with hotel room. Since you are looking for something short notice, I would call Caradonna Dive Adventures - Dive Travel and Vacations and see what DEALS they can come up with for you. I know that since it is LOW season, many resorts are not full and they might be able to work you a great deal, even as a single.

that is what I would do, call Caradonna and see what deal they can up with. Or I would book another trip to Cozumel.

robin:D

edit: check out the deal here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/tr...uda/256189-bonaire-599-00-per-person-wow.html
this might be your best bet!!!
 
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Thank you guys/gals... I will be looking into both of those reccomendations. Didn't think about florida and I've been to the keys but at the time was not certified. Never thought of florida as a good diving destination. I did snorkel there and was ok.

I will also be calling the dive travel agency mentioned so special thanks to you robin.

Any other suggestions or personal expieriences with locations or dive operators?
 
Not sure what the airfare would be from where you live, but SingleDivers.com has a trip to Curacao during November that might meet your requirements.
 
Not sure what the airfare would be from where you live, but SingleDivers.com has a trip to Curacao during November that might meet your requirements.


do you have any more detail? perhaps a direct link... thanks
 
I was looking back at my vacation pictures and see that my trip to cazumel I was not certified and it was a snorkel trip not dive trip.... after talking to the wife she reminded me of the trip and apparently I was confusing it with another place we went to.

when we snorkeled cazumel both my wife and I did not think that it was so great. However, the day we were out on the water the currents had kicked up and vis was lower.

So why am I hearing so many people on here saying that cazumel is a great scuba destination. Is it? if you've been there please offer comparitive places you've been to. I would love to get your perspective. thanks
 
I was looking back at my vacation pictures and see that my trip to cazumel I was not certified and it was a snorkel trip not dive trip.... after talking to the wife she reminded me of the trip and apparently I was confusing it with another place we went to.

when we snorkeled cazumel both my wife and I did not think that it was so great. However, the day we were out on the water the currents had kicked up and vis was lower.

So why am I hearing so many people on here saying that cazumel is a great scuba destination. Is it? if you've been there please offer comparitive places you've been to. I would love to get your perspective. thanks

Cozumel is excellent for diving and not so much for snorkeling. The reason is that the current at most dive sites isn't great for snorkelers as they get caught and drift too far. Also the reefs that are the best are too deep for snorkelers to see anything. The best reefs are 60' - 90' deep and vis is usually 100' or more, some reefs have 200' vis. So you really have not seen what Cozumel has to offer underwater. Go to YouTube and do a search on "Cozumel scuba" and watch some videos.

robin:D
 
It sounds like you are limited to the carribean. Since you have already been to T&C and Cozumel, The Caymans seem like the next obvious choice to me.
I would go with little Cayman if I could bring it in under budget. If not, I would try the East end of Grand cayman.
If I still was over budget, Bonaire would be my third choice.
Belize can get very expensive. The inland topside stuff was far better than the diving, for me. We were a bit disapointed with the diving. And, this is a trip you do if you want diving and topside activities (great if you are with non-divers).
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
 
It sounds like you are limited to the carribean. Since you have already been to T&C and Cozumel, The Caymans seem like the next obvious choice to me.
I would go with little Cayman if I could bring it in under budget. If not, I would try the East end of Grand cayman.
If I still was over budget, Bonaire would be my third choice.
Belize can get very expensive. The inland topside stuff was far better than the diving, for me. We were a bit disapointed with the diving. And, this is a trip you do if you want diving and topside activities (great if you are with non-divers).
Enjoy!
Enjoy!


So I'm interested to know why you felt that belize diving was not good? Please advise... anyone else feels this way?
 
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