Wanted: Destination suggestions for extended diving & learning

[gr8jab]

Coco View Resort - includes food, 2 boats/day, and unlimited shore diving (wreck and two walls). Nice venue for instruction using the shore dive! Estimated from Detroit: $2628, but traveling mid-week can save a bunch.

Scuba Club Cozumel - includes food and 2-tank boat per day, unlimited shore diving (but is just OK shore). Estimate from Detroit: $1720. Mostly drift diving, so a little less easy for instruction.

I drove to Key Largo several times. If you want to stay in the USA, it is a great choice. Estimate from Detroit (driving): $2069. Good reefs for instruction.

My estimates included airfare or gas, food, 7 nites stay, various number of dives, plus 2 nights during road trip from Michigan to Florida. Dives included 5+ dives per day at CocoView, 3+ per day at Scuba Club Cozumel, or 2 per day in Key Largo. CocoView is the best deal in total cost per dive, since the shore diving is so nice. Key Largo is the most per dive, since there is no shore diving. Scuba Club Cozumel is in the middle, since the shore dive is just OK.

 

[KathyV]

Good suggestions and questions so far. Thanks!

I’ve been certified three separate times, the first when I was a teenager a long time ago. Despite my certifications, my dive experience is not very diverse with less than maybe 30 to 40 dives. Right now I’m not eliminating any suggestions, just listening to comments to see what experienced people suggest, and hoping I hear many more great ideas to consider!

When do you plan to travel and what is your ballpark budget including airfare? Will you be traveling solo or with a buddy? Are you looking for warm-water destinations or are you open to colder water experiences? Are you interested in far distant destinations or staying closer to home? What do you want to see when you go diving? What are your goals for extending "diving and learning?" Do you want to enjoy topside activities during your travels? If yes, what do you like to do?

A liveaboard would give you a lot of great dive experiences and it is easy to arrange - but it is not a 4 week experience, 7, 10, or 14 days would be the most you could expect for an LOB and they can be pricey, especially if you plan to travel during the high season.

The more information you supply the more likely you will get some good suggestions - it's a great, big world out there!

 

[RyanT]

You might also consider Extended Range Diving Services. This is a pair of instructors that offer frequent trips. Their MO is generally to offer instruction during these trips. My buddy and I have done several of these training trips with them in Florida and we loved every minute of it.

Extended Range Diving Services-Exceptional Instruction Personalized Adventure

 

[Streydog]

I recently spent 5 weeks in Mexico, Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen. I got by without having to rent a vehicle. On the mainland they have a very good bus system that I used to explore many of the ruins. Weather is great most of the time. Great access to diving, Cozumel, Cenotes and even decent diving from Playa. There is more variety of food than you can imagine.

 

[caydiver]

Thailand. Exceptional opportunities for diving, very reasonable cost of living. You should start with more than a refresher after a 10 year break.

 

[KathyV]

Good suggestions and questions so far. Thanks!

I’ve been certified three separate times, the first when I was a teenager a long time ago. Despite my certifications, my dive experience is not very diverse with less than maybe 30 to 40 dives. Right now I’m not eliminating any suggestions, just listening to comments to see what experienced people suggest, and hoping I hear many more great ideas to consider!

@Doctor Rig have you made a decision regarding where and when you plan to travel for a dive vacation? If yes, where are you going and who are you diving with?

 

[Colliam7]

I will echo several of the comments made, and suggest an alternative plan.

From the US, flights to Cozumel, Roatan, or Bonaire are quite reasonable. They will, in all likelihood, offer travel costs to get there that are substantially less than travel to Asia or Hawaii. I am not a particular fan of Cozumel, although it is a very popular dive destination from the US.

I have been to both Bonaire and Roatan multiple times and highly recommend either / both for an extended visit. The beauty of Bonaire, in particular, is the flexibility of diving - shallow, deep, day, night, shore, boat, solo, buddy. At most of the dive operations, you call your own shots. Both are definitely warmer than Michigan.

A suggestion to consider: You might think about making a two-stop extended trip - e.g. 7-10 days on Bonaire, and 7-10 days on Roatan. That adds to the diversity, stays within a 2-3 week window of total time, and is reasonably priced.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hmmm. Lets look at your goals:

a) To get good training
b) To gain diving experience
c) To have fun
d) Somewhere warm since you are running away from the Michigan winter.

I would go to Bonaire Buddy Dive and do the GUE Open Water course:

GUE courses - Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire

Doing this will ensure that you will come out of the training at a higher level than a lot of the factory-type, run of the mill certifications. Since Bonaire is all shore diving, you will have all the time at your hands to practice, practice, practice. You will not be restricted by boat schedules or anything of the sort. It will be just you and how much diving you can tolerate in crystal clear waters. Expense wise it is very economical. Are there more pleasurable trips out there? Possibly and they can wait. If there is any trip that will re-invent you as a diver at the highest possible learning curve while being the most fun then it would be this one.

 

[wildbill9]

I have to vote for Cozumel. Great diving, cheap to get to, cheap to eat and drink. Great place with lots of excellent dive shops. Jmho

 

[chillyinCanada]

Hmmm. Lets look at your goals:

a) To get good training
b) To gain diving experience
c) To have fun
d) Somewhere warm since you are running away from the Michigan winter.

I would go to Bonaire Buddy Dive and do the GUE Open Water course:

GUE courses - Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire

Doing this will ensure that you will come out of the training at a higher level than a lot of the factory-type, run of the mill certifications. Since Bonaire is all shore diving, you will have all the time at your hands to practice, practice, practice. You will not be restricted by boat schedules or anything of the sort. It will be just you and how much diving you can tolerate in crystal clear waters. Expense wise it is very economical. Are there more pleasurable trips out there? Possibly and they can wait. If there is any trip that will re-invent you as a diver at the highest possible learning curve while being the most fun then it would be this one.

For Bonaire, @Doctor Rig would be looking for a buddy all the time, whereas on Roatan, this would not be much of a problem, due to the diving being off of boats (Cocoview being a partial exception).

My recommendation is also Roatan and I have some recommendations for doing it inexpensively/economically, as I've traveled there numerous times on my own.