Best place for diving on a budget?

[Alexandra]

I echo the Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines suggestion. Getting there is not that cheap or easy but once there the diving is fantastic and the rates very low.

I stayed in Puerto Gallera (Sabang beach) in Philippines and went diving for a great deal. Flew into Manila (non stop flight from LAX).
You can either try to get airfare on the internet but you can also use miles or offer someone with miles to use a rewards ticket (in exchange for...). That can come out to be less than the cost of the ticket if you bought it.

- Alexandra

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Hawaii diving is a real drag. I wouldn't bother. Night diving with 15 foot mantas. Fish species found nowhere else. Beautiful coral. Dolphins. Great shore diving. My favorite dive community I have ever encountered. Shore diving (which I prefer over boats generally) at places like Ke'ei and Two Step. Reasonable/cheap rental houses on rural beaches. Morays, beautiful fish, sharks, rays, etc, etc, etc...

Yeah, it's a drag...I'd pass on Hawaii

But seriously, Hawaii isn't exactly cheap in a lot of ways. It depends how you want to live when you're there. If you go out to eat every night, it'll add up fast. You do need a car on the Big Island. Boat diving is not cheap there.

But factor in that you get to be on Hawaii! The place would be fantastic even if you couldn't dive...not quite as fantastic, but fantastic all the same!

Have fun wherever you dive

 

[jaydub]

I'm with Tommer! Heading back to Thailand for the third time this Jan. From my experience, any Carribean trip is going to cost you average $1400 for a week. Most won't go to Asia though because of the distance/time involved.

Yeah and $1400 if not more is about what you will spend on airfare just to get to thailand or the phillipines or indonesia so why not save yourself the hassle of the long flight and just go to the carribean?

 

[Tommer]

Yeah and $1400 if not more is about what you will spend on airfare just to get to thailand or the phillipines or indonesia so why not save yourself the hassle of the long flight and just go to the carribean?

flight from LAX to Thailand or the Phillipines cost around $750 round trip during non holiday seasons, which is where I will be heading next month in November, $1400?

 

[Ber Rabbit]

flight from LAX to Thailand or the Phillipines cost around $750 round trip during non holiday seasons, which is where I will be heading next month in November, $1400?

That's from LAX, I think the poster lives in Chicago and it can be expensive to get to LAX from Ohio/Indiana so Chicago probably isn't much different. We were going to go to the Caribbean this summer but the best airfare we could find from the Ohio/Indiana area during the time we planned to travel was $600. We literally found cheaper airfares from here to Hawaii :06:
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Dawn]

My husband & I are headed for Cozumel this Sunday for the first time. It seems cheaper than Bonaire and we wanted to try some place new but we absolutely love Bonaire! It's easy diving for beginners and just as wonderful for the experienced diver. Shore dives couldn't get any better. We recommend Bonaire. There are a number of good places to stay and a great christian church walking distance from Sand Dollar. It's not a big party Island. Definitely good food and friendly people.

 

[SplitFinJunkie]

looking on funjet I can get a flight to cancun for $149 round trip (last minute of course, but time doesn't matter as I am self employed)


that looks liek the best option

 

[tboxcar]

I have been diving and traveling in SE Asia since '88. Never have paid more than US$850 with tax for round trip airfare (From San Francisco to Bangok or Manila). The Philippines is by far the cheapest out of Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. On average the each dives cost around US$20 a dive, but can be a bit less or more depending on where you are at. Once there it's cheap, for lodging, food, beer. I am going to Utila in a few days, would rather being going back to PI, but the weather is still a bit severe at the moment.

 

[bet63]

looking on funjet I can get a flight to cancun for $149 round trip (last minute of course, but time doesn't matter as I am self employed)


that looks liek the best option

check travelocity
chicgao to ft lauderdale or Miami - all kinds of diving in the keys
www.dive-instructor.com key west


Brian

 

[wulvrine74]

I have been to Utila a few times. If you are TRULY looking for Budget diving, this is it! The places we stayed at were about $15 USD per night, the food is VERY cheap if you don't mind cat (at least I think it was cat), the dives were awesome, most of the people were nice, and it was a great time!