CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
This is written purely from the perspective of a US based East coast diver. Everyone talks about places to go to before you die so I thought it would be a great idea to compile a list of places to not go to. The reason is not that these places are bad diving but mostly because the type of diving experience they offer can be had for a cheaper price somewhere else. Feel free to add to this list based on your experience too.
1. Caribbean: Most destinations here need to be avoided because the dive prices seem to be up there with the worlds best destinations but the quality of diving is not. The only exception is Bonaire where cost / dive evens out as it allows unlimited diving. Cozumel could also be one of the places to go because it offers Cenote dives along with the reef dive experience and there are not a lot of places that enable you to combine both in one trip. The rest of the Caribbean (Belize, Caymans etc) would force the tourist to pay more for the same type of dives that one can have in Bonaire (or even Florida Keys).
2. Australia: Needs to be avoided, once again for high prices. Great Barrier reef is "Great" for being the largest reef but not necessarily the prettiest. Better reef diving can be done in Indonesia for a cheaper price tag.
3. Hawaii: Needs to be avoided because the lack of color makes diving bland! The large animal encounters that it boasts can be had for a cheaper price in Bahamas and also in Azores (Which has a volcano too).
4. Florida Gulf Coast: Now I am not too entirely convinced on this myself but the overall perception tends to be that the best diving is on the Atlantic coast. For someone who is visiting Florida only for diving, it would be a waste of $$$ to leave the Atlantic coast and go West to dive the Gulf coast. Exception to this would be technical dives on the Oriskany.
5. Galapagos: Once again I have to force myself to write this. There is an iconic value attached to this place but Socorro and Cocos offer the same kind of animal encounters without the price tag. If one could do both the Cocos liveaboard and the Soccorro liveaboard for the same price as one Galapagos trip then Galapagos loses on price vs quality to the combined trip value of both these areas combined.
6. Virgin Islands: Reviews generally say that for diving alone, this is not in the same league as rest of the Caribbean.
Just thinking loud and trying to generate a controversy . Did I miss something?
1. Caribbean: Most destinations here need to be avoided because the dive prices seem to be up there with the worlds best destinations but the quality of diving is not. The only exception is Bonaire where cost / dive evens out as it allows unlimited diving. Cozumel could also be one of the places to go because it offers Cenote dives along with the reef dive experience and there are not a lot of places that enable you to combine both in one trip. The rest of the Caribbean (Belize, Caymans etc) would force the tourist to pay more for the same type of dives that one can have in Bonaire (or even Florida Keys).
2. Australia: Needs to be avoided, once again for high prices. Great Barrier reef is "Great" for being the largest reef but not necessarily the prettiest. Better reef diving can be done in Indonesia for a cheaper price tag.
3. Hawaii: Needs to be avoided because the lack of color makes diving bland! The large animal encounters that it boasts can be had for a cheaper price in Bahamas and also in Azores (Which has a volcano too).
4. Florida Gulf Coast: Now I am not too entirely convinced on this myself but the overall perception tends to be that the best diving is on the Atlantic coast. For someone who is visiting Florida only for diving, it would be a waste of $$$ to leave the Atlantic coast and go West to dive the Gulf coast. Exception to this would be technical dives on the Oriskany.
5. Galapagos: Once again I have to force myself to write this. There is an iconic value attached to this place but Socorro and Cocos offer the same kind of animal encounters without the price tag. If one could do both the Cocos liveaboard and the Soccorro liveaboard for the same price as one Galapagos trip then Galapagos loses on price vs quality to the combined trip value of both these areas combined.
6. Virgin Islands: Reviews generally say that for diving alone, this is not in the same league as rest of the Caribbean.
Just thinking loud and trying to generate a controversy . Did I miss something?