Dive Trip Options

[ystrout]

My fiancé and I are going to do a dive honeymoon. Our budget will probably be $5K or so. We can go more expensive if necessary but I'd like to keep it around that since we're also saving for a house.

Can you guys recommend some dive locations and operations?

I'd say we want to do a week long vacation in the tropics with 4 days of multiple tank dives. Going to a safe location is important to us. We're coming from San Diego.

Thanks!

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I'd recommend Cozumel if you really want to do a dive trip. Can spend a lot less than $5k doing so and will have a great time! Plus there's lots to do topside, too. Several dive operators in the area, but I can recommend a couple. First and foremost because she's here on SB and a Texas native, Christi with Blue XT Sea would be a great choice for you. She can do dive packages or diving and lodging, etc. I'm sure if you tag her in the thread she'll answer any questions you might have. Check out her site, too.

Blue XT~Sea Diving - Cozumel Scuba Diving - Blue XT~Sea Diving

Also maybe check out Dimi Divers. I dove several days with them last you with my LDS and they were a great group to dive with. Our DM Chino was incredible! So maybe give them a look, too.

Dimi Scuba Tours Cozumel Mexico

 

[glennster]

i second cozumel. last couple times i was there, i stayed and dove with scuba club cozumel. all inclusive with meals. we had a beachfront room, you walk out your door and the dock and dive boats are right there. they also have a house reef for shore and night diving. it is a gated operation with excellent security and a private beach. food is very good.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Besides "safe location" and "tropics," what other criteria do you have in mind? Also, what month?

We honeymooned in Bonaire. Just about anywhere in the Caribbean with good diving could make a good honeymoon. I can't think of anywhere that draws a large number of vacationing divers that I would call "unsafe."

Maybe not exotic enough for a San Diegan (I'm a former one myself), but what about Los Cabos or thereabouts? Loreto, for instance.

 

[FlyinV]

Cozumel is an awesome choice and if you want to stay someplace really plush check out this deal from Costco.

http://nwdivers.me/blog/cozumel-palace-aqua-safari-a-scuba-dive-trip-thru-costcotravel/

For about $3600 and that included the airfare and diving.

 

[Damselfish]

Time of year is important, perhaps more to a diver than to someone lying on the beach and sightseeing. The Caribbean does have a winter of sorts, where water temps will drop particularly further north, and there are higher odds of the weather (especially wind) interfering with diving. I would tend to choose something further south then, such as the ABC islands, Grenada, maybe St Lucia or Roatan. Then there's hurricane season, with some spots being statistically more risky than others. (Odds of taking a direct hit from something major may be low, but they can still mess up diving and/or travel.) I might consider Cayman or Hawaii, both have a rep for being on the pricey side but don't have to be.

Available flights can make a difference especially if you're limited to a week. Sometimes getting to Caribbean destinations from the west coast can be a pain because the time difference is just enough in the wrong direction to make connections not work well. If you have the time to overnight someplace it can often be easier and more relaxing.

 

[birdman27]

First off, congratulations! Planning the honeymoon was my favorite part of the wedding.

I can recommend St. Lucia for a honeymoon (if you go during the summer, the plane will probably be packed with other honeymooners). There are a lot of options for places (and types of places) to stay and things to do, both above and below water. You can do one of the all inclusive resorts and not have to worry about a thing. Or you can do what my wife and I did and stay at a variety. We personally stayed at a guesthouse in Gros Islet, a private rental in Marigot Bay, a resort in Soufriere, and an apartment rental in Laborie, but we really wanted to see a lot of the island and experience what was available. The diving is mostly around Soufriere, and in my opinion it would be great for 3-4 days of multiple tank diving. If you do go there, and dont stay at Anse Chastanet, I would dive with Chester at Action Adventure Divers, which is located right on the beach next to the Hummingbird resort.

St Lucia can be expensive, but I have a feeling you can do it within your budget; it just might take a little more work. Let me know if you choose St Lucia and I would be happy to give you any information I can.

 

[ystrout]

We can go any time of the year. We're getting married October 2019 but aren't doing the honeymoon right after for cash outflow reasons...

So at the shortest, 3 months later than the wedding. But the longest, a year from the wedding. It's more of just a big vacation we're calling our honeymoon.

I like the idea of Cozumel as does my fiancé. I went there and dove there when I was 13 and it was AMAZING. Absolutely amazing diving and was beautiful on land so doing it for the honeymoon sounds like a good plan. On that trip I also went to Cancun, but apparently is has gotten pretty dangerous there in the last few years. What time of the year is Cozumel the best?

And it's nice to hear that we can do Cozumel for $5K or less. We just went to the Keys on a dive trip which turned out to be around $4K.... It was great, but just really expensive when you consider Cozumel is about the same price.

 

[ystrout]

Besides "safe location" and "tropics," what other criteria do you have in mind? Also, what month?

We honeymooned in Bonaire. Just about anywhere in the Caribbean with good diving could make a good honeymoon. I can't think of anywhere that draws a large number of vacationing divers that I would call "unsafe."

Maybe not exotic enough for a San Diegan (I'm a former one myself), but what about Los Cabos or thereabouts? Loreto, for instance.

February 2020 through October 2020. We get married in October 2019 but need to delay the honeymoon a few months. We don't mind waiting for the best time to go though.

Other criteria other than tropical and safe are pretty up in the air. We'll do 4 days of diving, and 2.5 days doing the "shore things". So a place that has fun things to do on land is a plus, but we really just want amazing diving and good food/drinks.

Some cheap shore diving after the 4 days of boat dives would be a plus I guess in case we wanted to do a quick morning dive.

 

[Lorenzoid]

April in the Caribbean, including Cozumel, would be a good month. As you probably know, June-November is hurricane season.

I wouldn't call Cancun "dangerous," but the diving from there is not nearly as good as from Cozumel, so it's a moot point. However, if you are able to save money on airfare by flying in and out of Cancun, taking a van or bus between there and Playa del Carmen, and a ferry between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, don't hesitate to do that.