Best Diving from Canada?

[DreamingDiver]

Hi there,

I am looking to spend one-two weeks diving in late April or early May. Flying from Calgary, Canada and looking for the best diving for my dollar. Southeast Asia, Australia, and Fiji may be a little far and outside of my budget. I completed my Divemaster in Utila and have done some diving around Tulum in Mexico. Can anyone suggest some good destinations?

Thanks!

[RoatanMan]

You make only a skewed reference to some things "being outside your budget".

You really must define that exactly, as your perception of a week in SE Asia might be a posh resort or a beach shack. Budgets vary, yes?

The additional bogey you set up here is the unknown (to most of the rest of the world) what a Calgary airline ticket adds to your costs.

"Best diving".... in what way, exactly? Your profile says 50-100 dives... what are you looking for?

[ScubaSteve]

I have to agree that more information would be helpful. Budget? Do you like wrecks or reefs? Boat or shore diving? DM led dives or exploring on your own. My immediate reaction is that suggest Bonaire because it is a great spot for divers that like to dive their own schedules on some pretty amazing reefs. But if you prefer wrecks then it is lacking with only a couple to dive (some outside of recreational limits).

Also, if you are OK with cold water diving then you have some amazing diving along the west coast of Canada and the USA (some of the "cold water" is warmer the farther south you go).

[DreamingDiver]

Sorry about the lack of specific information. For budget I would rather spend less than more, my diving has been done in relatively cheap places (Vietnam, Mexico, Utila). When referring to SE Asia I am more referring to the price of a flight. From Calgary roundtrip to Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok runs about $1500 whereas roundtrip to Costa Rica runs about $700.

I am a Divemaster but would like be looking for guided dives, wrecks are interesting, but I would rather see an abundance of aquatic life and some large animals if possible.

[friscuba]

Look into Kona Hawaii. No wrecks, but it's got hard coral reefs (sorry no large sponges or sea fans) and the Manta Dive is a world class dive. You'd get some nice boat dives in, and the shore diving is doable on your own, you could hang out at one or two spots and pick up buddies fairly readily. We've been getting a lot of Canadian divers the last year or so, I think there's some better flight options than in years past.

[gcarter]

Sorry about the lack of specific information. For budget I would rather spend less than more, my diving has been done in relatively cheap places (Vietnam, Mexico, Utila). When referring to SE Asia I am more referring to the price of a flight. From Calgary roundtrip to Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok runs about $1500 whereas roundtrip to Costa Rica runs about $700.

I am a Divemaster but would like be looking for guided dives, wrecks are interesting, but I would rather see an abundance of aquatic life and some large animals if possible.

Spend a little more on airfare, spend less on pretty much everything else. A decent hotel is dirt cheap in SE Asia. Pay at NA standards, and you are living like a king. And, or course if you go low end it is even cheaper. Eat like a "native" and again, dirt cheap. Eating like you were at home is still way less than NA costs.

I haven't been diving in Mexico, but I have been to the Phillipines and Thailand, and I would bet that the overall costs would probably not be that different. The travel time to me would be the bigger issue.

In Phuket, paid ~ 60/night when I was there, January 2009. Bangkok ~ 65. Manila, ~60 September 2010, Boracay ~60, Angeles ~ 50. All 3 star, total for 2 people. You can easily pay ~25 if you aren't fussy.

Both countries, 10 CAD bought a really nice meal, often spent much less.

YMMV.