What was your favourite trip? But more importantly: Where else have you been?

[qwimjim]

I see so many threads about this vs that, what's your favourite place to dive, but no one asks "where have you been?". If someone says Bahamas is the best but the only other place they've ever dove is a quarry, well that doesn't say much. If someone says Grand Cayman sucks but they were there for a day on a cruise and went out on a cattleboat to wrecked reef that's an important detail. So where have you been? What was your favourite(s)? What trips were a disappointment? Why?

I'll start, and since my list is short I'll write a little review for each.

1- Cozumel (14 dives): Great vis. Awesome coral formations, towers, and swim throughs. But very little marine life on deep dives and shallow dives would have a couple turtles, eels, nurse sharks, or eagle rays, few fish here and there, etc.. but that's about it. Cenotes on mainland were -stunning-. Crystal clear water, shafts of light, etc. loved every minute. I would return because it's a great value, reef diving might not be the best in the world (or Caribbean?) but it's cheap and the ability to dive cenotes, with bull sharks, and snorkel with whale sharks is a nice variety.

2- Zanzibar, Tanzania (8 dives): Did 4 dives off Kendwa, crap vis, very disappointing. Did 4 dives at Mnemba: crystal clear visibility, lots of fish, few sharks, turtles, etc.. loved it.

3. Dahab, Egypt (8 dives): Very little coral, very little sealife, decent visibility. Would return to red sea but would go somewhere else entirely, Dahab diving is medicore at best, disappointing.


I'd like to explore the Caribbean some more because it's convenient but part of me thinks I might not find what I'm looking for and I'm better off saving up for one big trip to the Pacific rather than 2-3 mediocre trips to the Caribbean, quality vs quantity. I want to go somewhere that will give me sensory overload the moment I hit the water. Crystal clear visibility, more fish than I can count, more colors than my brain can process. I want my jaw to drop. I like big fish and schools of small fish, but don't care about hidden critters and macro stuff. Can't help it, I'm a wide angle kind of guy. I want spectacle. If you have any suggestions, please share!

 

[ronscuba]

Been all over the Caribbean. It's convenient from the US and I like the diving, but it's not jaw dropping diving.

The visibility was not crystal clear, but my favorites so far are Galapagos and Indonesia.

 

[qwimjim]

Been all over the Caribbean. It's convenient from the US and I like the diving, but it's not jaw dropping diving.

The visibility was not crystal clear, but my favorites so far are Galapagos and Indonesia.

Ok glad I'm not the only one who didn't find the Caribbean jaw dropping (though I did find the cenotes jaw dropping), I picked Cozumel because it's probably the number one place I've heard and seen mentioned more than any other destination, since the day I started diving. I may need to go to Indonesia to get what I'm looking for. As far as the Caribbean is concerned, what area impressed you the most?

 

[Wandersome]

In the last 13 months I have enjoyed over 50 dives in Asia. Prior to that I dove the Roatan, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, San Andres Columbia, Okinawa Japan and a few other places. Addressing the last 13 months though...

Pattaya Thailand, Early 2013, Decent diving about 15 dives with Mermaids. Unfortunately Pataya is better known for after hours activities and I was not impressed.

Anilao Philippines, May/June 2013, Dove about 15 dives. My daughter was certified there while we were on holiday. Great Vis and good people. Resorts are a bit isolated. You either eat at the resort or you taxi quite far to local restaurants. This is great for Photography buffs. Turtles and Nudibranches all over. I cant remember the dive operator but he was GREAT! (I lost my log book in Sabang last month)

Krabi Ao Nang Thailand, Above average diving. About 20 dives. In October and later November or 2013, (two different trips) I dove with Poseidon Dive Center. The people were great and the diving above average. Vis and weather varies. Poseidon is a first class outfit and I plan to return to dive with Danny and his team in late March or April of 2014. The issue in Ao Nang is the distance from the shore to the dive sites. Often 1 to 2 hours boat ride. Dive interval is on the boat but good food and company!

Puerto Galera, Sabang, Philippines, Dec 21, 2013 - Jan 3, 2014. About 20 dives. Quality diving with "South Sea Divers." Most dive sites 5 to 15 minutes on a small boat. Vis great. Some very good drift dives and a few wrecks. Lost of Mantis, Nudis, and other sea life. We found an electric shell... awesome electrified clam like species. My experience in the PI is limited to Anilao and Sabang but both were great experiences. I would recommend the dive shops noted above as good operators.

Just my opinion! Wandersome and see the world!

 

[Wingy]

Absolute favourite trip all round - spending the first month and NYE of 2013 diving French Polynesia - Rangiroa has my heart.

Second favourite - Papua New Guinea and Solomons for 17 sea days

Other places I have dived..all of the diveable countries in south east asia now ticked off the list. Thailand groove suits me and particularly diving with Dan Sasse at Poseidon in Krabi, Phuket meh, Khao Lak, Similans, Richeleiu Rock, disputed if thailand or not - Burma Banks and Merguii Archipeligo. According to burmese military was there waters.

Cambodia, Vietnam....i got wet

Sulawesi numerous times - Bunaken Lembeh and Bangka, Sanhige Archipeligo,

Sumatra - Cubadak island out towards the Mentawis

Komodo Flores Alor

West Papua - Raja and Cenderwasih

Moluccan and Banda islands

Ambon and Timor

Bali Lemongan Nusa Penida Tulumben Gilis

Malaysia - Perenhtians, Sipidan, Mabul

Phillipines - yes that electric shell was cool and love the drifts - Puerto Galera

Australia - Ningaloo Reef, Perth, Rottnest, Abrohlos islands, Montebelo Islands, GBR, Osprey Reef, Sydney......manly aquarium in the middle of winter

New Zealand - Poor Knights

Trukk

Still got a long way to go.

 

[robint]

It is all personal objectives and opinions really.

We have been to Cozumel (over 150 dives there over 14 years) and can say we like it BEST of the Caribbean. It just has the best variety (beautiful reefs, amazing fishlife big and small, best vis, relaxed days of diving with friendly people, cheap diving and food, easy to get to so no long travel times). Plan to go back again this year... yeah, we love it that much and go over and over for that. Highly recommend ScubaClubCozumel for people who like to do nothing but eat, dive, sleep at a Diver Only resort.

Been to Bonaire twice (great fishlife but reefs all the same so can get boring, LOVE the shore diving option so no need for boats, not much big fish, topside people can be rude, prices higher than other places for food). Like it overall but wouldn't go there too often.
Been to Mexico PDC and Cenotes... great but not something I would do more than once or twice. I am really into fishlife and reefs.

Been to Roatan twice (Cocoview resort is best resort we have ever been to for fun, easy diving, fabulous DMS and boats, can really dive 5+ dives a day all included with room over the water, walk in shore diving 24/7, but very little big life and vis can be good or bad).

Been on 2 liveaboards to outer Bahamas (fantastic diving then but that was before the lionfish invasion, nuff said).
Been to Keys and Fla south end... just okay, limited vis and crowded everything.

Been to California 5 times (best diving in USA in my opinion but cold water, amazing fishlife and kelp diving but boats can be crowded and some divers complete idiots).
Been to Kona, okay diving but alot of trouble to get around and expensive diving, food, everything.
Been to Palau on a Liveaboard.... KNOCKOUT diving, like sharks every dive sometimes dozens, mantas, freaking incredible reefs, expensive to get there and 2 days travel each way making it a bummer but it is A PLACE EVERY DIVER SHOULD GO AT LEAST ONCE.

I have trip reports, photos and videos of eveywhere on my website under my signature.

 

[ronscuba]

In the Caribbean, my favorite diving is Cozumel and Belize live aboard.

Palau is on my must dive list. It consistently comes up as a favorite by experienced divers whose opinions I respect.

 

[Doc]

I see so many threads about this vs that, what's your favourite place to dive, but no one asks "where have you been?". If someone says Bahamas is the best but the only other place they've ever dove is a quarry, well that doesn't say much. If someone says Grand Cayman sucks but they were there for a day on a cruise and went out on a cattleboat to wrecked reef that's an important detail.

If only there was a SB questionnaire page within the "profile" section that would in some fashion give us a "breadth of experience" in travel rating.

This is fraught with impossibilities as you allude- it all depends upon the real breadth- even among various available options at one given island destination.

 

[Mike]

I'd like to explore the Caribbean some more because it's convenient but part of me thinks I might not find what I'm looking for and I'm better off saving up for one big trip to the Pacific rather than 2-3 mediocre trips to the Caribbean, quality vs quantity. I want to go somewhere that will give me sensory overload the moment I hit the water. Crystal clear visibility, more fish than I can count, more colors than my brain can process. I want my jaw to drop. I like big fish and schools of small fish, but don't care about hidden critters and macro stuff. Can't help it, I'm a wide angle kind of guy. I want spectacle. If you have any suggestions, please share!

The carib is close, relatively inexpensive and has an established dive industry and offers a decent dive experience. People don't dive it because it's jaw dropping, but because its close, relatively inexpensive and they get a decent dive experience. Jaw dropping means getting to south pacific, indo, oceana.

The carib offers a decent experience to those who don't, won't or can't put in the effort to wring more from it. If you've got the will, the patience and the wear with all you can get better than average diving experiences in the carib. You must heavily research the diving in each country you are going to. Each place has above average diving experiences but you must put in the effort. For example Bonaire offers a nice diving experience for the majority of people who visit, it offers exceptional diving for those willing to go for it and put in the time, money and effort to realize it. You'd do this by exerting the effort to dive the far north and far south sites that are more difficult to get to, more dangerous depending on the conditions, you'd pay to dive the east side with a specialty operator. I'd say 99% of anyone diving Bonaire does nothing but the average middle west coast dive sites, rarely dives the north or south sites and has never dived the east side ever, nor probably is even aware you can.

This effort is typical in every dive destination in the carib. There is good diving in Roatan, Belize, T&C, the Bahamas etc... and there is also some way above average diving in these places but you won't see it by just showing up. Cozumel is no different. What Coz offers is average or better diving more consistently than anywhere else. You can just about guarantee that if you dive their for a week you're going to get in some good diving just about no matter what you do. The draw to Coz is the consistency of the diving. Cozumel also has some exceptional diving and again, you won't ever see it unless you put in the effort to seek out how and who to dive with to get to it.

There is some really good carib diving, but you won't see it unless you research it and put in more effort and spend more money to see it.

 

[qwimjim]

I guess my expectations were unrealistic, I was always under the impression diving in the Caribbean was world class, if I return though at least my expectations will be in check. Saving up for Indonesia or Palau I guess