New Diver! Recommendations Please!

[DivingDoug46]

Hello Everyone!

I recently got my PADI Open Water certification. I am a college student in Ohio and was looking for some recommendations for dive trips to the Florida Keys and Caribbean. I am looking to plan a trip sometime at the end of the year and wanted to see where I should try and get to!

I have been looking at some dive resorts/ shops in the keys, as well as trying to get to Bimini, Bahamas.

Also, any logistic/ travel help and tips (ie. getting places inexpensively) would help greatly!

Thank you!

 

[Rohgren]

Bonaire.

 

[Snoweman]

Cozumel. You will fall in love with drift dives.

 

[flyboy08]

Ditto to Coz!

 

[KathyV]

What is your approximate budget and will you be traveling solo or with a dive buddy?

 

[noj3333]

I would normally always say Key Largo for several reasons...
-Hard bottom...
-Shallow reefs
-American soil (important for insurance, should it be needed)
-Great retail stores (important if your mask doesn't fit as well as you thought, or you want a new piece of gear)...
-Cheap dive operators, namely Rainbow Reef (as low as $30/ dive)
However with all Key Largo's upside if you're on a budget several things hurt you... mainly, the cost of hotel rooms, the need for a rental car, and higher food costs (unless you're ok eating subway, burger king, and arbys for a week)...

What I would recommend you research is Cozumel. I'm not very experienced diving there, having only 2 Coz dives under my belt, but I'm going this winter and have done a good amount of research... Cozumel ticks a lot of good boxes for a diver on a budget...
-Cheap rooms, hostels are crazy cheap, even standard hotel rooms are very reasonable by American standards...
-Cheap food, that from all accounts is delicious, yet still very affordable
-Cheap (well cheaper) flights, check the 'bag drag' option out in addition to a direct flight
-No car needed, try to stay downtown, at least that's what I'm doing this winter
-VERY good diving

Just my 2psi... enjoy the hunt for your vacation!

 

[Compressor]

Welcome to ScubaBoard and congratulations on getting certified.

 

[snowdog61]

My first look would be at Cozumel or Roatan (I would include Bonaire but that comes down to shore dives which you may/may not be ready for and it isn't as cheap as the others). For a Florida trip, Key Largo or even Jupiter/West Palm Beach. Jupiter/WPB offers some really good diving (vis can be as good (but usually isn't) as Largo) and depending on the month there's opportunities for Goliath or Lemon Shark aggregations. Throw in Blue Heron Bridge and you have a very nice trip that is easier on the wallet. Anthony's Key Resort in Roatan offers 2 for 1 pricing frequently and if you can find a deal on air fare, it can be a good value. Coz would likely still be my 1st choice though and doing the bag drag from Cancun will save a good chunk of $. WPB is my regular dive area but have and will continue to return to Key Largo, Coz & AKR

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I would normally always say Key Largo for several reasons...
-Hard bottom...
-Shallow reefs
-American soil (important for insurance, should it be needed)
-Great retail stores (important if your mask doesn't fit as well as you thought, or you want a new piece of gear)...
-Cheap dive operators, namely Rainbow Reef (as low as $30/ dive)
However with all Key Largo's upside if you're on a budget several things hurt you... mainly, the cost of hotel rooms, the need for a rental car, and higher food costs (unless you're ok eating subway, burger king, and arbys for a week)...

What I would recommend you research is Cozumel. I'm not very experienced diving there, having only 2 Coz dives under my belt, but I'm going this winter and have done a good amount of research... Cozumel ticks a lot of good boxes for a diver on a budget...
-Cheap rooms, hostels are crazy cheap, even standard hotel rooms are very reasonable by American standards...
-Cheap food, that from all accounts is delicious, yet still very affordable
-Cheap (well cheaper) flights, check the 'bag drag' option out in addition to a direct flight
-No car needed, try to stay downtown, at least that's what I'm doing this winter
-VERY good diving

Just my 2psi... enjoy the hunt for your vacation!

Yup. I had a great time in Key Largo, but the hotel costs suck. There are some acceptable affordable options if you plan ahead, but if you’re booking last minute...bank on paying $200+/night just to get something that isn’t a dump.

Maybe consider Pompano Beach, Lauderdale By the Sea, Jupiter, etc. to keep the accommodations cost down. I had just as good a time diving Pompano Beach as I did down in the keys.

 

[FezUSA]

+1 on Roatan. Cheap and amazing diving. Getting there is the main 'hassle' and cost. Lots of good places to stay, eat, and plenty of good dive ops. We fly out of CLE and try to go through Atlanta or Texas (can't remember if it's DFW or ?). We will also go through Miami if we absolutely have to, but we hate that airport!! We stay at West End, specifically Cocolobo. They have a mix of rooms, cottages and "houses". Walking distance to town and the dive ops etc. Inexpensive place to stay. Food options in town range from $5 eat your fill pop-up stands/ side of the road grills to $30 sit down Thai and Argentinian restaurant plates, and everything in between. Diving is under $40/dive and our favourite is Sun Divers, 2 smaller boats with great DM's and staff. If you're renting gear they take excellent care and keep it updated. We go once or twice a year. There's a couple of wrecks, lots of healthy coral, an available shark dive, good night dives, lots of big and small stuff to see. Day trips are also available.

Haven't been yet, but I hear Utila is also top notch, and a ferry ride or small plane ride from Roatan.