I have completed my classes and am now just waiting until the first weekend in September to do my certification dives. I am chomping at the bit to get out there and dive right after and haven't yet taken a vacation this year. I'd like to hear some opinions on noob friendly places to dive. I have my passport so it can be anywhere in the world (although sticking to the states would save on cost).
I also wouldn't be opposed to getting my AOW while vacationing either. So, what places come to mind?
Honestly, you can pick pretty much any popular dive destination and be certain of finding noob-friendly diving. Sure, there are places like Bikini Atoll that cater to tech divers, but unless you're already a diver, you've probably never heard of those sort of places.
One of my favorite places to recommend to new divers, though, is Cancun. The diving is outstanding. There's a hard bottom at about 60' on virtually all the sites, so a slip in your buoyancy can't send you to your death in the inky depths. The reefs are vibrant and healthy. There's a ton of sealife, everything from tiny macro critters to rays, 'cuda and sharks. Visibility is excellent, with 100+ not unusual. There's little current.
We always dive with Alvaro from AlwaysDiving. As a matter of fact, one of our kids is in Playa del Carmen for his honeymoon right now, and our wedding gift was to have Alvaro meet them, do a DSD and a two tank with them today. They're probably getting started right this instant.
Wow, this place looks amazing. What's the night life like? I'll most likely be traveling solo (my friends are lame) so it would be cool to mingle after a day of diving.
Dude... it's Cancun... Do I really need to say more? Go stay someplace like Temptation. If you can't find a party there, you need to check your pulse.
