rling
Registered
Hi all
A bit worried about starting this thread as it's a FAQ, but an "old-timer" assures me I'll survive the experience ;-) Hi Don!
I have a business trip early August to the US, a place I've never dived, being from the southern hemisphere. I want to fit in a week's diving somewhere in the region -- US, Central America or Caribbean. Not being local, I don't know the options, I might as well be trying to decide where to dive on the moon. I need to learn fast as I have about 2 weeks left!
Budget about $1500 for the week incl flights ex LA or Boston (the 2 places I'm visiting). Say $1800 at a pinch. Basic accom is fine, so could spend less on accom and more on good diving. I'll be alone, so the kind of place where its easy to meet others and dive,dive,dive. A package incl transfers etc would make life easier.
My thoughts so far:
Cozumel - sounds budget-conscious but very crowded, maybe even a "diver mill" like Koh Tao in Thailand? Yes, no? Do the reefs show the impact of the number of divers? Are you tripping over other divers everywhere? Shore diving option is a plus. Seems flights from Boston are around $500.
Belize or Honduras... chance to brush off my Spanish? Flights around $650 but I believe extra domestic flights may be needed.
Dutch Antilles -- Bonaire is supposed to be heaven for shore diving, but is it in budget? Flights seem to start about $750 ex Boston
Costa Rica or Cocos Island -- schooling hammerheads would be fantastic but I'm pretty sure this is NOT in budget ;-)
Other places I have never even considered? Panama, Baja California, etc?
A bit more info: I've done about 750 dives, love photography, hate being rushed, very good on air, rather spend an hour or more at 10m/33ft than 15 minutes at depth. Critter-oriented. Drive non-photographer buddies crazy (even photographer buddies sometimes ;-)) Drysuit-equipped, but warm is probably better - it's winter down here now! If I can shore dive as well as boat dive that would be heaven, in fact I'll probably only come topside for meals and to sleep ;-) Something quite different to the barrier reef would be a bonus.
Sorry for such a long post... I was sure it would be short when I started!!
Thanks in advance!!
R
(edit:typo)
A bit worried about starting this thread as it's a FAQ, but an "old-timer" assures me I'll survive the experience ;-) Hi Don!
I have a business trip early August to the US, a place I've never dived, being from the southern hemisphere. I want to fit in a week's diving somewhere in the region -- US, Central America or Caribbean. Not being local, I don't know the options, I might as well be trying to decide where to dive on the moon. I need to learn fast as I have about 2 weeks left!
Budget about $1500 for the week incl flights ex LA or Boston (the 2 places I'm visiting). Say $1800 at a pinch. Basic accom is fine, so could spend less on accom and more on good diving. I'll be alone, so the kind of place where its easy to meet others and dive,dive,dive. A package incl transfers etc would make life easier.
My thoughts so far:
Cozumel - sounds budget-conscious but very crowded, maybe even a "diver mill" like Koh Tao in Thailand? Yes, no? Do the reefs show the impact of the number of divers? Are you tripping over other divers everywhere? Shore diving option is a plus. Seems flights from Boston are around $500.
Belize or Honduras... chance to brush off my Spanish? Flights around $650 but I believe extra domestic flights may be needed.
Dutch Antilles -- Bonaire is supposed to be heaven for shore diving, but is it in budget? Flights seem to start about $750 ex Boston
Costa Rica or Cocos Island -- schooling hammerheads would be fantastic but I'm pretty sure this is NOT in budget ;-)
Other places I have never even considered? Panama, Baja California, etc?
A bit more info: I've done about 750 dives, love photography, hate being rushed, very good on air, rather spend an hour or more at 10m/33ft than 15 minutes at depth. Critter-oriented. Drive non-photographer buddies crazy (even photographer buddies sometimes ;-)) Drysuit-equipped, but warm is probably better - it's winter down here now! If I can shore dive as well as boat dive that would be heaven, in fact I'll probably only come topside for meals and to sleep ;-) Something quite different to the barrier reef would be a bonus.
Sorry for such a long post... I was sure it would be short when I started!!
Thanks in advance!!
R
(edit:typo)
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