10 replies to this topic

[Graham]

Hi,

I have been on the discover scuba diving course, or equivalent, almost every time I've been on holiday.
I've now decided to set a week aside to go and do a dive course somewhere in March but I am struggling to find a decent option.

I live in the uk, so as I'm going away for a week I don't think it would be sensible to go outside Europe or North Africa.
I'm also looking for a spot where the chances of meeting other people in their 30s is quite high. Nowhere too crazy but nowhere too pedestrian either. I'm recently widowed so I don't want to go away for a week and spend the entire time on my own.

So has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

G

[Sharklover]

Hi,

I have been on the discover scuba diving course, or equivalent, almost every time I've been on holiday.
I've now decided to set a week aside to go and do a dive course somewhere in March but I am struggling to find a decent option.

I live in the uk, so as I'm going away for a week I don't think it would be sensible to go outside Europe or North Africa.
I'm also looking for a spot where the chances of meeting other people in their 30s is quite high. Nowhere too crazy but nowhere too pedestrian either. I'm recently widowed so I don't want to go away for a week and spend the entire time on my own.

So has anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

G

Hi Graham,

I'm not too familiar with dive sites in Europe or North Africa, just a specific few in France and Italy and Spain, but I'll put in a message to my Euro diving friends and see what they have to say. It would be great if you could do your course in a location where the diving is actually good too. Many a diver has done their course in freshwater quarries and the like but if you can travel to make it both course and vacation then that's all the better. My guess is that they will send you to the Red Sea. Certainly away from the UK though I understand that the diving there is not bad at all, just COLD.

Very sorry for your loss. And good for you for taking care of yourself and planning something fun.

Sharklover

[Itsa]

Hey Graham,

I got certified over the summer in Grand Cayman, which is accessible by direct flight from the UK and has excellent diving. I chose to do my classroom training and pool work at home and then complete my checkout dives on location. There are a number of resorts that offer discount diving/checkout dives/or full certification programs in conjunction with local dive shops. I had a really great experience down there and I noted that there were a significant number of UK tourists. Also, everyone I dove with was about my age, 31 years old, and very social.

Best of luck!

Itsa

[Sharklover]

Hey Graham,

I got certified over the summer in Grand Cayman, which is accessible by direct flight from the UK and has excellent diving. I chose to do my classroom training and pool work at home and then complete my checkout dives on location. There are a number of resorts that offer discount diving/checkout dives/or full certification programs in conjunction with local dive shops. I had a really great experience down there and I noted that there were a significant number of UK tourists. Also, everyone I dove with was about my age, 31 years old, and very social.

Best of luck!

Itsa

That's just WRONG that you can get directly from the UK to Grand Cayman. Great idea. I have to connect to get to Grand Cayman from the East Coast of the US! Graham, if you decide to head to Grand Cayman, I can give you a great recommendation for instructors/dive ops as can many others here.

[Itsa]

Ack! I may have spoken too soon! I had chatted with a UK traveler this summer who had flown directly, but I can't find an option right now. I think they must have chartered a flight or flown privately. It looks like most flights out of London have a stop in Miami. The flights take between 8-10 hours, which might be a deal-breaker. Sorry about that!

Itsa

Hey Graham,

I got certified over the summer in Grand Cayman, which is accessible by direct flight from the UK and has excellent diving. I chose to do my classroom training and pool work at home and then complete my checkout dives on location. There are a number of resorts that offer discount diving/checkout dives/or full certification programs in conjunction with local dive shops. I had a really great experience down there and I noted that there were a significant number of UK tourists. Also, everyone I dove with was about my age, 31 years old, and very social.

Best of luck!

Itsa

That's just WRONG that you can get directly from the UK to Grand Cayman. Great idea. I have to connect to get to Grand Cayman from the East Coast of the US! Graham, if you decide to head to Grand Cayman, I can give you a great recommendation for instructors/dive ops as can many others here.

[WreckWench]

Hi Graham!

Welcome! The Red Sea is the typical "Warm Learn To Dive Ocean Spot" for folks from the UK. However in addition to Grand Cayman (Strongly recommend Dive Tech and Colbalt Coast Resort...not only are they TOP NOTCH we have some great booking discounts with them. Jessica Alba got certified there! Its great!) you can also look at Grenada for direct fights and we can hook you up with our good friends Peter and Grelinda or consider Belize which should also have direct flights. In Belize we have several options VERY inexpensive and one of our members is a great instructor living in Belize and an ex-pat from England...Peter aka peterbj7.

So you have LOTS of options and I would certainly look at flights to Grand Cayman, Grenada and particularly Belize.

If you are interested then check the prices out online for DiveTech & Colbalt Coast or Aquanauts Grenada or Reef Dive Adventures and Blue Tang Hotel Then we can beat the best price you find! Its that simple!

[WreckWench]

Oh yes we forgot Barbados...you'll want to stay with Gibbs Bay Resort and dive with High Tide WaterSports! Same deal...they will take care of you for LESS!!!

[WreckWench]

You might see if you can find a flight to Bonaire and you can join 30 other SingleDivers.com members and learn with Divi Dive Resort! We will be there Mar 3-10 or Mar 4-11.

[peterbj7]

Graham - I'm from the UK, now living in Belize. Without question go to the Red Sea, and I'd suggest Sharm el Sheik or Dahab. Book a package with someone like Emperor Divers (there are others equally good). You'll find the diving excellent and sea conditions ideal, and the price will be way less than anything in the Caribbean will cost. My last trip to Sharm from London cost GBP300 for flight/transfers plus 4* hotel B&B for a week. You can't beat that. I didn't buy diving, but for you it'd be best to book a diving course and diving up front. Buy a copy of one of the UK diving magazines (Diver is probably the best) and look at the adverts. I can give you more detailed info if you want.

[WreckWench]

Emperor has day boats and liveaboards. We represent would be happy to help you book directly since you'll do better in local currency. Just let us know if we can help! kamala