looking for the Holy Grail+Unicorn+Mermaid of dive destinations for August

[rmssetc]

My (non-diving) wife & I love Cozumel in Dec/Jan, though I get cold in the water after a few days of diving and the air/humidity are approaching my wife's comfort limit. I'd be happy to go there in August, but the weather wouldn't be any fun for her while I'm underwater.

I'm looking for something that may not exist, but here goes...

Any suggestions for a dive destination for August with:

• warm water
  
• pretty fishes
• land-based accomodation
• reasonably convenient from East-coast US for a 6~10 day trip

and...wait for it...here's the hard part...

• moderate temperature & humidity topside

Thanks,

Mark

 

[runsongas]

fiji/tahiti

 

[KathyV]

Grand Cayman and St. Croix are good choices for vacationing divers and non-divers but it will probably be very hot and humid topside in August.

My suggestion is Hawaii, but it's not "real easy" to get there from the East Coast, but check the links below for air and water temperature information:

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/blogs/hawaii_today/2009/10/31/when_the_best_weather_for_traveling_to_Hawaii

https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/hawaii.html

 

[Shasta_man]

I've got bad news for you. You have to move because Philly does not fit the "moderate temperature and humidity" requirement.

The other problem is that the rest of the requirements conflict to some degree with that goal as well (which must be why you are asking these questions).

Warm water places tend to have high temperatures and high humidity.

As mentioned above, Tahiti could fit that bill as I remember it but it is 7.5+ hour trip from LAX. I would not recommend Fiji to fit your temperature requirements in my experience, besides being 11 hours from LAX. Both amazing places I would go back to in a heartbeat though and would highly recommend besides that.

The way I avoid the heat in all of these places is taking a liveaboard. It is MUCH cooler on a liveaboard and no bugs, besides usually customers who are dedicated to diving so less problems with day divers. However, you will pay for this experience because the flight cost is the same but now your "hotel" cost is per person adn probably 2X at least a resort cost. And the wife is limited to the boat but it is a much cooler environment, personalized service and you get to see some amazing stuff and places.

If you enjoy diving that much and the wife is a definite non-diver, you might go by yourself on the liveaboard trip then a separate trip with the wife on a nice but non-diving trip.

 

[robint]

BONAIRE would meet your requirements.
Look at Buddy Dive for a deal. Unlimited shore diving right in front of resort. Free nitrox. Truck rental included. Do 1-2 boat dives per day, then shore dive.
There are mosquitos there, so take bug spray, but other than that it is a dry climate desert island.

 

[Damselfish]

"Holy Grail+Unicorn+Mermaid" sums it up

I like the Hawaii idea, if you are closer to 10 days not 6 days. Not overly convenient from the East Coast, but overall travel might not be too bad compared to some of the Caribbean destinations that are trickier to get to. Or the liveaboard idea, but you said land-based. I'm not a big heat and humidity fan myself, but as long as I'm on or in the water that's less of a problem. (Does your wife snorkel? I think spending lots of time in the water helps.)

I wondered about Bermuda, being further north, but it seems that's still pretty hot and humid in the summer.

Maybe a place with a nice spa your wife can do while you're diving.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Define "reasonably convenient"....In my books, it is, compared to some other places I've been to!

You could probably fly 1-stop to Manila and go down to the Philippines such as Puerto Galera. The humidity and temps, depending on time of year, are pretty moderate. I found it overall less humid in Philippines than in Indonesia. I assure you, the effort is worth the reward. It ticks off every other box of yours and it's very inexpensive. e.g., 6 nights all inclusive (full board which includes breakfast and 3 course meals for lunch and dinner - the food is excellent) in ocean view room and round trip private transfers from Manila in Puerto Galera was $1240. 4 dives a day all with nitrox included.

Another option that I think has very good diving would be Komodo but it's a little bit harder to get to.

These places are definitely a lot further away than Hawaii or Caribbean but the diving is exponentially better given the effort to get there. I know it is a long way and it is a toss up of "unicorn/mermaid/holy grail" vs "reasonably convenient". You'd obviously want to do the max 10 days inclusive of travel if you do it that way. Win some lose some?....

I can't for the life of me fathom unicorn/mermaid/holy grail diving as being in the Caribbean. I've been there before and after diving southeast asia, I'm like a puppy being fed puppy chow after having full run in a steak house.

 

[Damselfish]

BONAIRE would meet your requirements....other than that it is a dry climate desert island.

It's certainly hot, isn't it humid too? It's been a long time since we've been to Bonaire, but some of our early dive trips were there in August & September, and I seem to remember being surprised at how humid it was.

 

[KathyV]

Bonaire averages about 77% humidity year-round and the humidity is usually around 78 or 78% in August; it's hot and humid:

Average monthly humidity in Bonaire, Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba

 

[Altamira]

BONAIRE would meet your requirements.
Look at Buddy Dive for a deal. Unlimited shore diving right in front of resort. Free nitrox. Truck rental included. Do 1-2 boat dives per day, then shore dive.
There are mosquitos there, so take bug spray, but other than that it is a dry climate desert island.

Bonaire is a diver's delight, but probably not that much to do for your non-diving wife. Diving in Curacao is very similar to Bonaire, although likely not quite as many shore dive locations, but there is more to keep your wife occupied and happy there than in Bonaire.