Looking for a budget liveaboard for 2020 summer or fall

[bvbellomo]

I just got off Blackbeard's, and it was amazing. I am already excited to pick a 2nd trip, and budget, vacation and grad school (I am a student) means my next trip will be summer 2020 or later. I'd like to see something in the Pacific (or Indian or farther if it can be done in budget) with coral reefs. I have no interest in wrecks. Budget is a practical consideration, but also, something that doesn't matter to me. If I am on a boat, I am just as happy with a bunk and shared head as I am with luxury accommodations.

I am a relatively new diver, 35 logged dives, but night and deep certified and comfortable with everything I've done so far. I probably will travel alone. I don't need a liveaboard, but had a great experience and it seems cheaper than land based.

 

[Damselfish]

I don't need a liveaboard, but had a great experience and it seems cheaper than land based.

Blackbeards is certainly inexpensive, but there is a huge variety of liveaboards in all price ranges. So you have to compare liveaboards and land options anywhere you are considering and see what the bottom line is. Some places even a pricey sounding liveaboard can be a good deal since everything is included and you can usually get in lots of diving. Some places land will tend to be a better deal.

The Philippines can be a good budget destination, at least once you get there, and you can get pretty good airfares if you keep watching. Land based can be fairly inexpensive. There is a range of liveaboards, and also a thing called "safari boats" which are sort of in-between. You travel on boat, and stay on land at night, but can possibly sleep on the boat instead. You might also look at Thailand.

If you are limited to certain months you'll want to consider the weather and conditions. You'll discover certain areas simply aren't dove certain times of year, or conditions are unreliable. The boats themselves can move around and do different itineraries different times of year, and may also take a maintenance break at the worst/slowest time.

 

[bvbellomo]

Is a Philippines trip worth it if it isn't to Tubbataha? I'd love to do Tubbataha, but it pushes both the top of my budget and the earliest I can travel.

Airfare is going to be a large part of my expenses, so spending $1000+ on air fare and $500 on less than ideal diving is not a good use of funds.

 

[Damselfish]

Tubbataha is great, but there's plenty of other good diving in the Philippines. Depends what you want to see and your definition of "ideal" diving. (I'm guessing sharks are part of it, since you liked the Bahamas and mention Tubbataha? You mention coral reefs, but I didn't think much of what I saw for reefs in the Bahamas.)

Distance aside, I personally would much rather dive in the Philippines than the Bahamas. And Indonesia over the Philippines. YMMV.

 

[scubadada]

What is your budget, airfare + LOB?

 

[bvbellomo]

I chose the Bahamas as I was a new diver and our local shop had a group going at a good time for me to travel, and price was less than a trip with the same number of dives to anywhere in the Pacific. Sharks are great, but we saw lots of things besides sharks, lots of different fish and turtles, crabs and lobsters and plenty of coral and sponges. Does it compare to Indonesia? I have no idea.

As for budget, I am somewhat flexible but want to stay as cheap as possible for 2020. I make good money, but am paying my ex wife an arm and a leg through the end of next calendar year. If I am doing a big budget trip, it will be 2021. So the cheapest way to spend 7-14 days seeing something worth roughly $1200 airfare in the Pacific or Indian Ocean. Also, besides food and drinks, I have no appreciation for luxury. I'd rather rough it on a small boat with personality closer to nature than have a bunch of people serving me in a floating five star hotel.

 

[Damselfish]

Does it compare to Indonesia? I have no idea.

Not even remotely.

Thing is, when you're a relatively new diver everything looks pretty good. Everything is new. Then after awhile you get fussy and want to see different critters, fields of healthy coral, masses of fish, schools of big stuff, all sorts of crazy little creatures you've never seen before. Once you start to do places like Indonesia that have much greater biodiversity, the Caribbean can seem pretty meh.

I know the Pacific sounds tempting, but there is much to be said for doing some more Caribbean diving while you may still appreciate it better, before you get spoiled. If I were you I would consider a 2020 trip to one of the good value dive destinations in the Caribbean, perhaps Utila or Cozumel. Cozumel might provide a little practice for the more serious currents you tend to encounter in Indonesia and other Indo-Pacific spots. Save the first big trip there for a bit, at least until the following year when budget and maybe timing is less of a concern.

 

[bvbellomo]

In Ohio, we have a quarry with sunken motorcycles (specifically placed there for underwater viewing) and crayfish. Lake Erie offers a few more fish with less visibility on most days. The Bahamas obviously is a completely different world.

Cozumel is on the radar as an especially good budget location. Utila is not something I've looked at yet. Timing will not be any less of a concern in 2021, even if budget is much better.

 

[DavidLGCrawford]

If you're happy with the service provided by Allstar's Blackbeard, but looking for reefs, check out Cuan Law in the BVI. It's an easy flight from the USA (or Canada) and there's some fabulous dive sites. Cuan Law - BVI dive liveaboard - Official Website

 

[outofofficebrb]

Agree with @Damselfish on Asia ruining a lot of other diving and all the other great advice. Some other budget options might be Thailand by liveaboard, Red Sea by liveaboard or day boats, a seafari in the Visayas of the Philippines (between Moalboal to Sipalay or reverse), or land based out of Puerto Galera in the Philippines and Thailand (Similans) not open then. However, summer and fall is typhoon season for the Philippines so scratch that. All are very budget friendly and also better than Caribbean in my experience. Maybe Red Sea would be a good option. Sept is excellent. While the OP mentioned budget for airfare, what about for diving and on the ground? The options I mentioned might actually be same or cheaper than diving the Caribbean on a per tank basis when you include all your transportation, food, lodging, and dive costs.