Budget Scuba Travel

[rob@diveinutila.com]

If you are looking for budget with high standards and good diving then come to Utila. The standard price for fun dives on Utila is for $25 per boat dive, including full gear rental. $53 for two dives including local taxes, gear rental, and insurance. And you can still get resort standard dedicated fun diver boats, and good quality equipment. And if you don't mind backpacker class rooms then you will get cheap ($3 to $7 per night) or free accommodation.

If you want to do training you can expect to pay around $250 to $270 for OW, Adv, or Res including local taxes, insurance, study materials, backpacker class ocean front accommodation for the length of the course with breakfasts, gear rental, air fills, boat time, certification fees, and two free fun dives after the course. I'm not advertising for me here - this really is the standard island deal! There are no hidden cost surprises on these deals, really. You can even expect to make use of snorkel gear and kayaks to go explore the local reefs and lagoons for free.

On top of all this most dive centers here have events at least once a week for things like BBQs, dock parties, hog frys (a hog fry is a local way of cooking a lot of food for a lot of people), etc.

Utila also has well priced restaurants and bars. Expect to pay around $6 for good sized meal, and up to $15 for a meal in a more upmarket restaurant (one that has a wine list!). The International Beer Index (IBI) is $1.5 for a bottle in bars, etc.

You can get cheap flights to the airports that serve Utila best. San Pedro Sula with (amongst others) Spirit Air and you can fly direct to San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba from Canada as well.

If you want more info you can mail me directly or send me a private message.

 

[robint]

Bonaire CAN be a budget trip depending on a few things. My family got $410 RT tickets from Newark for next month. If you are a tourist, and looking for a place to stay, (my family stays with us, so REALLY CHEAP for them!), look at places off the water, you will do really well.

Liz

Liz - That would just great if he lived in NJ. But the OP lives in North Dakota! The closest major airport, I am guessing, is Minneapolis. I just checked Expedia and a flight on Continental on Friday/arriving Bonaire Sat am is $820. And he still has to get from ND to Minneapolis. Airfare to Bonaire is not cheap for most people as they have multiple flights to get there!!!
BTW - That is about the same price I have to pay going from here in ABQ, NM.

A flight from Minneapolis to Cozumel is half that price and takes half the time, too.

 

[Doc]

Y'all have given great responses, although very similar responses that we've all given before. Maybe we need a new sub-forum for these types of open ended questions.....?

I am looking to take a trip that will not break the bank plus get away from some of our subzero temperatures. Does anyone have favorite destinations or tips that they could share with me? I have dived a little in Puerta Vallarta and Jamaica. I would like to dive someplace new. Thanks for any feedback that anyone can provide.

This about sums it up:

Again, we lack information to help you much. Too many variables present as things stand now, so give us more data.

Transport is gonna be a large share of your budget, I am afraid, depending on where you go, and I am not sure how well North Dakota is served by the airlines.

Whatever, let us know what you like and what you can afford, and we will try to help you. Woody

Also knowing the expectations of frequency or quantity of diving is important, speaking of "a large share of the budget". Many people post here. Some take "dive trips" and do three dives all week, some do three a day. No exaggeration.

 

[dolesorchard]

We went to Bonaire in Nov. It is really cheap, $100/person, if you shore dive only. Try Hotwire and check flexible date search to get the cheapest fare for a 30 day period.

 

[sdiver68]

1 thing to keep in mind for budgeting purposes (as I'm finding out) is to check the recommended vaccinations and medications for your destination. For example in Honduras it's Hep A/B, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever in addition to more standard vaccines and anti-Malaria pills. My primary doctor referred me to a travel clinic who asked nearly $750 for that regimen. I've since found out my insurance will cover Hep A and found a county medical facility which offers cheaper vaccinations, but it's still may run several hundred dollars.

With that in mind, the Keys may be your best bet.

 

[ScubaduoAdventures]

Your cheapest option is probably The Florida Keys, you can fly into either Miami or Fort Lauderdale and either rent a car or take a airport shuttle to Key Largo in about a hour and a half. Lots of options to stay including small hotels and even camping at Pennecamp State Park. You can dive wrecks or reefs if you have your own gear for about $75.00 for two tanks and about $100.00 if you rent.
If this is not of interest then I would choose either Honduras or Cozumel for the money>

 

[moneysavr]

BOYNTON BEACH FLORIDA<
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
see link,,,
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/fl...379-boynton-dive-chronicles-new-improved.html
enjoy!

 

[robint]

1 thing to keep in mind for budgeting purposes (as I'm finding out) is to check the recommended vaccinations and medications for your destination. For example in Honduras it's Hep A/B, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever in addition to more standard vaccines and anti-Malaria pills. My primary doctor referred me to a travel clinic who asked nearly $750 for that regimen. I've since found out my insurance will cover Hep A and found a county medical facility which offers cheaper vaccinations, but it's still may run several hundred dollars.

With that in mind, the Keys may be your best bet.

whoever gave you that list for Honduras is talking about the MAINLAND, not the islands. When you go diving in Honduras it is to the islands and most people fly in directly to Roatan. There is no reason to have all those shots to go to Roatan. If you are in good health and use bug spray, you are cutting the risk way down, too.

 

[kathydee]

Depends on what you consider low budget

I fly to SE Asia on $28 frequent flyer tickets & have a clean place with cold shower in bali for $8 a night with access to many amazing dive sites. Tanks are only $5-$6.

For independant travel in SE Asia, budget rooms are $6-$18 per night and dives range from $23-$30 depending on shop but the flight can be expensive.

If you have more than a week then going places like Utilia make sense. I stayed a month, rented a clean safe room with hot water & kitchen access (which saves lots of $) on the ocean for $18 a night, dove for about $25 at a reputable place.

Feel free to email if you'd like more details.

I think week long package deals are cheaper if you only have 7-10 days though.

 

[DandyDon]

Hep A & B are good ideas for living in the US, much less travel. I used county health, faster, easier, $100 for both - good for life. Typhoid is a good idea for any tropical travel for $70 - good for 5 years. I don't do Yellow fever but I do take the malaria preventatives for like $35. See http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge...phylaxis-do-you-get-international-travel.html