Low budget options

[chillyinCanada]

The other reasons to save the best for later is because the best is even more mind blowing when you have more diving experience.

And I struggle to enjoy diving the Caribbean now. To get to where I want to be diving is expensive air fare and time intensive plus dealing with jetlag takes a bit of the fun out of it on both ends of the trip.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Before you give up on the Caribbean, why not try a trip to Roatan or Bequia or Speyside on Tobago?
Heck, you haven't even been to Cozumel yet. Both Cozumel and Speyside will prove your abilities in current and deliver sights for sore eyes. Or how about Bonaire? I can't speak to Bonaire but others do go on about it.

 

[KatieMac]

Before you give up on the Caribbean, why not try a trip to Roatan or Bequia or Speyside on Tobago?
Heck, you haven't even been to Cozumel yet. Both Cozumel and Speyside will prove your abilities in current and deliver sights for sore eyes. Or how about Bonaire? I can't speak to Bonaire but others do go on about it.

I'm with you. I love both Roatan and Cozumel - especially Cozumel.

@bvbellomo, I know flights from the US to Roatan can be expensive. But depending on where you are in Ohio, you may be reasonably close to take advantage of the cheap charter flights to Roatan out of Toronto.

Roatan's diving is quite cheap compared to other places in the caribbean and there are great places to stay in West End that won't break the bank. You can also eat quite cheaply there if you want to.

And Cozumel is to die for - although right now they have one of their best reefs "closed down" to divers.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Lots of people try to push newer divers away from currents, but I don't see a problem for me. I've only done 1 dive with substantial current (Washing Machine in the Bahamas) but it was one of my favorites. We covered so much more ground and got to see so much more than other dives. I do see how it could be problematic, and wouldn't recommend it as a very first dive, but I didn't find it particularly challenging, intimidating or dangerous - just a little more important to listen and follow directions. Of course, bigger currents could be bigger problems.

I am a 200 lbs male, and while my air consumption improved over the 30 dives on my trip, it isn't great compared to 120lbs females. I had one as a dive partner that surfaced with around 1600 psi after a full hour, I was still over 800, and only went up because the other divers went sooner, and I bet many went below the 500psi we were asked to return with.

I have a much harder time NOT moving. My air consumption compared to others is a lot better the more active we are. I am in great cardiovascular shape even if I am less experienced, which pays off more the more everyone exerts themselves. But our dive master could hold perfectly still horizontally 6 inches from an interesting animal, while I tend to start flapping my arms like a bird unless I have some momentum.

Another reason to go to Roatan instead of first to Indonesia, is to get your AOW and Deep and maybe even rescue.

Roatan, especially West End, is still one of my favorites. It's just a cool place to go with some really inexpensive acco to be had and I think dives are still only $30 though when I first started going there they were only $10 when other places like Belize were $30.

Perhaps dive prices have gone up, I haven't been in a number of years. I was checking room prices the other day, taunting myself, I suppose and the place that I stayed was within $5-10 more only, so still really cheap, especially for an American. I checked prices at a couple of other places too, that I'm also familiar with and they hadn't changed much either. Sure, I fell in love with a condo unit down by the Sunday BBQ place (which means nothing to the OP, lol) but it was a ridiculous price. Ergo, were I actually returning to Roatan, instead of just daydreaming about it, I'd stay at the same place that I always have done.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I am not faulting anyone for making suggestions, just point out that if I ask for Indo suggestions and everyone points me to other places, I probably shouldn't do Indo for this trip.

I am not going to different sites for "better" or "worse". If Indo is so much better, why not go there multiple times instead? I go to different sites for variety. If I do 1 Indo trip and a Red Sea trip the following year and the Philippines the year after, and am going to be disappointed, then why no just do Indo 2 or 3 times, then the Red Sea will be more impressive just for the variety.

I have been in the reef aquarium hobby 20 years and am an armature biologist, so I won't be too disappointed.

If I've learned one thing in life, it is not to take future opportunities for granted. I'd hate to put off Indo for years because it is so much better, and then have a life or health issue prevent me from ever going.

I'm not done nagging but perhaps this is more convincing?

Scuba Diving in Roatán, Honduras - July 2019 (4K)

 

[kittikat]

Depends on your skills and confidence level, Komodo or Raja Ampat LOB is possible even for beginners.
Take that extra classes on PPB for sure.

2 weeks with $5K can also get you fewer dive but in a very nice resort (I recommend Komodo Dive Resort at Sebayur island, or Plataran Komodo).

 

[bvbellomo]

I can confidently say my confidence level is higher than my skill level. I already have perfect buoyancy. I probably will do a few freshwater dives to do similar stuff. That and another speciality gets me 'ssi master driver' but if there is anything else I should learn, please let me know. Practice with current won't happen though.

I will save the 'nice' resorts for a 2nd marriage, if that ever happens. When I travel alone, I prefer minimalist. I'd probably do that even if I won the lottery. Diving is about the beauty of nature and luxury resorts take away from that, probably because I grew up camping.

 

[kittikat]

I agree with Luko, as long as you pick a reliable operator, why not try Komodo?
Aside from PPB, you can try the deep/night/drift courses, but these you can do at the sites.
From Ohio, you can consider transit at JFK/EWR. Got cousin in Columbus who would take only SQ or Cathay direct to Spore-Indonesia.

Here's another idea, Selayar Dive Resort in South Sulawesi. My husband and his buddies just came back 2 weeks ago and had thoroughly enjoyed it. Apparently the food were good and the desserts were phenomenal.
I'd still recommend Komodo Dive Resort bcs their food was pretty good for Komodo standard. I haven't been back since 2014, so I am sure there are more options nowadays.

 

[AlMitch]

Here's another idea, Selayar Dive Resort in South Sulawesi.

Looks like a really nice resort and fairly easy to access as most airlines fly to Makasaar.
BUT it is not exactly "low budget". Euro 90 pp for accom (fan) + 90 for diving... not Misool pricing but not Two Fish pricing either.

 

[Rechno]

Sorry to jump in and please dont get me wrong, but if you say, that you have to keep momentum and can not hover without moving, to me that means that your buoyancy is far from "perfect". So even if during the freshwater dives you wont experience current you could focus on working on trim and buoyancy until you can stay (almost) perfectly still.

Not having been in other parts of Indo then Bali, I have to say that while I thought this was nice I definitely prefer diving the Red Sea, especially the southern part (St. Johns etc.)