drrich2
Contributor
Hi. Sinbad's thread on Bucket Lists got me thinking about a very different question; what dive destination do you keep returning to? Who gets your repeat business? What's so great about them that you forego heading elsewhere for new experiences because the tried & true is so good?
If your repeat favorite is such because it's in your neighborhood (e.g.: you live in North Carolina, southern Florida or coastal California & dive locally heavily), that's fine to share, but I'm putting more weight behind choices where people plunk down cash for plane tickets, and have the option to fly to other places.
For me, it was 8 trips to Bonaire. Loved it. The independence of shore diving, knowing my way around because I've been there several times, warm water year round with minimal concerns about hurricane or rainy seasons, fine viz., bundled nitrox, very good viz., usually minimal current, nice reefs & fairly fishy Expensive airfare & the need (for me) up pay more for an automatic transmission truck run up the bill. My solo week there I got in 28 dives. How sweet it is!
I've been diving elsewhere to broaden my scuba horizons. Loved Key Largo; another budget option where I could rack up a lot of dives fast (4/day) with bundled guide (Rainbow Reef Dive Center).
I've really enjoyed other trips; Sun Dancer 2 out of Belize (very nice!), Jupiter (Fl), Morehead City (NC), I've been blessed with some fine diving. But there are so many other places to try (I'm not counting various cruise ship stops with 2 dives here, 2 there, etc ).
On the forum it seems to me Cozumel is probably the front runner for repeat travel trips; great viz., warm to fairly warm, varied underwater topography, varied life & some big stuff, judging from this forum perhaps the most consistently praised varied dive op.s of any place I've noticed, drift diving (if you like it; some don't), good food & friendly people topside and, as scuba trips go, a budget destination. I get the sense Cozumel trips are amongst the cheapest for many U.S.-based divers.
My 2 dives there on a cruise stop with Living Underwater put it on my radar, hoping to hit it in the future.
I'm under the impression CocoView in Roatan does a lot of repeat business.
Money talks; who do you 'vote for' with your money most often?
Richard.
P.S.: If I'm blessed to keep diving after I'm done roaming, I imagine I'd set up a rotating trip pattern between Bonaire, Key Largo & (if experience agrees with me) Cozumel.
If your repeat favorite is such because it's in your neighborhood (e.g.: you live in North Carolina, southern Florida or coastal California & dive locally heavily), that's fine to share, but I'm putting more weight behind choices where people plunk down cash for plane tickets, and have the option to fly to other places.
For me, it was 8 trips to Bonaire. Loved it. The independence of shore diving, knowing my way around because I've been there several times, warm water year round with minimal concerns about hurricane or rainy seasons, fine viz., bundled nitrox, very good viz., usually minimal current, nice reefs & fairly fishy Expensive airfare & the need (for me) up pay more for an automatic transmission truck run up the bill. My solo week there I got in 28 dives. How sweet it is!
I've been diving elsewhere to broaden my scuba horizons. Loved Key Largo; another budget option where I could rack up a lot of dives fast (4/day) with bundled guide (Rainbow Reef Dive Center).
I've really enjoyed other trips; Sun Dancer 2 out of Belize (very nice!), Jupiter (Fl), Morehead City (NC), I've been blessed with some fine diving. But there are so many other places to try (I'm not counting various cruise ship stops with 2 dives here, 2 there, etc ).
On the forum it seems to me Cozumel is probably the front runner for repeat travel trips; great viz., warm to fairly warm, varied underwater topography, varied life & some big stuff, judging from this forum perhaps the most consistently praised varied dive op.s of any place I've noticed, drift diving (if you like it; some don't), good food & friendly people topside and, as scuba trips go, a budget destination. I get the sense Cozumel trips are amongst the cheapest for many U.S.-based divers.
My 2 dives there on a cruise stop with Living Underwater put it on my radar, hoping to hit it in the future.
I'm under the impression CocoView in Roatan does a lot of repeat business.
Money talks; who do you 'vote for' with your money most often?
Richard.
P.S.: If I'm blessed to keep diving after I'm done roaming, I imagine I'd set up a rotating trip pattern between Bonaire, Key Largo & (if experience agrees with me) Cozumel.
