Choose a Destination - Step 3

Locations in the world - Local, Eastern Pacific, South Pacific, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Atlantic, Red Sea

Where do you want to go? Based on what you now know and have decided, its time to decide where you want to go. Local Dive destinations in most parts of the country have fantastic places to dive. Check out your local Dive Shops and or Dive Clubs and they can give you ideas.(See Southern California Dive Destinations)

Off the Eastern Pacific we have a wide range of destinations: from the waters off Alaska, down to the Galapagos Islands and many in between. All along the Eastern Pacific have a wide variety of dive destinations, temperatures of water and sea life to enjoy. Both North and South Americas offer some of the best diving in the world. It does not just have to be warm to make for great diving. (See Eastern Pacific Destinations)

The South Pacific brings dreams of waving palms and beautiful people. This section of our watery world offers some of the most diverse species a diver can see. For most of us in the United States, we are looking at least 10 to 20 hours of air travel to get to these destinations and many times several stopovers to reach that final paradise. (See South Pacific Destinations)

Caribbean diving is the best known to the novice traveler. Since it's close to most US demarcations (Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles). Most if the Islands in the Caribbean are just 2 to 5 hours away and they offer warm clear waters to play in. The Caribbean has some of the Top 10 dive destinations located in its waters, Cozumel, Cayman's, Bonair, Roatan and many more. Planning a dive adventure there many things should be considered. Foremost is time of year that you will be traveling. Since September through December can be the hurricane season. Check the International Weather Info before deciding on a dive vacation during those months. (See Caribbean Destinations)

Indian Ocean, sounds far away - it is! But, some of the best diving in the world can be found there. Seychelles, Maldives, Thailand, East Coast of Africa and many more tropical islands those are too numerous to count. The blue waters of these destinations are some of the best you will ever see. (See Indian Ocean Destinations)

The Atlantic Ocean seems to be forgotten when thinking of dive destinations. But what we find there are: Bermuda, Turks & Caicos, Bahamas and the West Indies. Many people think these places are in the Caribbean Sea, but are mistaken. Go to your maps and see for yourself. The Atlantic has a variety of different climates, water temperatures and dive destinations. (See Atlantic Destinations)

Finally the Red Sea, an area of mystery, political diversity, history and fabulous diving beckons the hearty diver. Again, travel time must be considered, but, what is happening in the world as far as politics, now decides when is the best time to go to this popular destination. Because of its location in the world, the Red Sea can be a mixture of wonder and excitement. When traveling here, one must split their attention between the wonders of the sea, to the history that surrounds it. (See Red Sea Destinations)

Get an idea of airline flight schedules, connections, discounts and stopovers
Many International airlines offer better pricing and amenities than our domestic airlines. But, some destinations are only available with US carriers. Flying to Micronesia requires you to fly on Continental Airlines. They say its best to arrive late in the day when crossing the International Date Line, this allows you to get a nights rest and lets your body adjust to the travel time.

When flying to the Caribbean from the West Coast, it is sometimes better to take the Red Eye and arrive early and sleep on the plane. Your flight should only be 5 to 8 hours, depending on where in the Caribbean you may be traveling too. This allows you to get settled in and maybe to just do a check out dive before the week of diving begins.

Make sure your connection time allows you plenty of time to run from one terminal to another. This is a typical problem out of Houston and Dallas. Forty-five minutes should be a minimum at those airports. Remember, when returning to the US through Miami or Dallas, you will have to go through customs there and this means re-checking you bags to their final destination. Again, you still have to get to your departure terminal before the flight leaves.

Check with your airline if any discounts are available when flying on mid-week, weekend and Red Eye flights. This could save you a lot of money while booking your flight.

Take a look at the stopovers you may have going to or from your destination. Some of the stopovers can be in major terminal, or in small one building, hot, muggy and interesting locales. Bring your book or something to amuse yourself, because some stopovers can last for hours, and sometime days. If at all possible try to minimize any stopovers that you can by booking direct flights.

To help book flights, car rentals, cruises and much more for your next vacation, go to Diving Links, to book online.

Type of location - All-Inclusive, family, honeymoon, out of the way, budget, luxury, Live Aboard

Knowing what type of location that you will be staying helps on deciding what location you want to stay at. Don't be surprised when you arrive and find that the resort is nothing like you were told it would be like.

All-Inclusive resorts packages include transfers to and from the airport, all meals, unlimited snacks, unlimited beverages (including premium brand liquor), hotel taxes, tips, land and water sports including scuba diving with equipment and instruction, snorkeling, water skiing, windsurfing, hobie cats, canoes, sunfish aquatrykes, paddle boats and more.

Family Destinations are now big business. More and more families are getting into diving and resorts are responding to that. Many have day care centers, training for younger divers, other attractions for the whole family. Many resorts have accommodations that fit the family budget, and the rooms to handle them. Check with the resort of your choice to see what they have available.

Many divers are spending their honeymoons at dive vacation resorts. Most divers traveling today are couples. Many resorts make available wedding facilities and banquet rooms for their clients. Planning the best event of your life at some exotic destinations is becoming more and more popular for couples that are divers.

Out of the Way resorts are becoming popular because of the crowds that are going to the more popular destinations. People want to go to the more exotic, less traveled destinations and spending a lot of time and money to get there. One place to mention is the Island of Sipadan, off Borneo. This 30-acre island takes two (2) days to get too and about 29 hours of flying time, with two or more stopovers. But, it is one of the most fabulous dive destinations in the world.

Budget destinations are all over the world. Most back packers seem to find them first. There are no frills here. Rooms are small, if you have hot water you are lucky and food is most often what the locals eat. To some, this is the only way to go. One place to mention is Utilia, Honduras.

Luxury Resorts are showing up all over the world and at the off the beaten path destinations. Since people with money want to travel to exotic location, they don't want to give up their way of living. So, now you are seeing luxury resorts showing up in the South Pacific, Indian Ocean and off the coast of Mexico. These resorts are pricey, but offer the finer accommodations that those who have, want. These resorts would fall into the category of All-Inclusive, but add a few stars.

Live Aboards, the way to dive it all! Live Aboards are becoming more popular and divers are seeing their dive time on their vacations expanding. Where at most resort having doing 2 or maybe 3 dives a day, a Live Aboard allows you to do even more. If you stay with in safety standards, you can have up to 7 dives or more a day. They are able to bring you to dive locations most resorts are not able to do. Most Live Aboards are All-Inclusive. The only added price you may be looking at is transportation to the ship.

• Unlimited diving! You can dive as many tanks as your tables allow.
• Luxury atmosphere on every deck.
• Most boats are big, stable yachts. Length up too: 100 ft, beam 36 ft, speed 16 knots.
• Average passenger number 22 (max 29).
• Fully air conditioned in every stateroom & common room.
• Full cabin service every day, same as a quality hotel.
• Large dining rooms, lounges, alfresco decks & sundecks.
• Exceptional comfort & privacy.
• Many of the cabins have attractive ocean views.
• Video/Photo Pro service, a big plus in all live-aboards.
• Free Reef Ecology Certificate Courses.
• Free resort course & Open Water diver courses for non-divers.
• Warm towels after every dive!! No kidding, funseekers. You will love these touches.
• Inflatable dinghies for personalized dive service.
• Photo processing (E6) on board, a blessing on all live-aboards.
• Underwater photo gear rentals available.
• Waveskis, videos, deep-sea fishing also available, at extra cost.
• BBQ's & party nights
• Non-divers are always welcome on the most live-aboards, if they want to accompany a significant other, or a travel buddy, on a diving sojourn despite no desire to puff a reg.

Check on government concerns, health concerns and travel documents that may be needed. Since most exotic dive locations are located in other parts of the world, it is always important to see what's happening in that part of the world, before you travel. Check national and International news agencies and contact the U.S. State Department's bulletins that are issued on changing world events. Government crisis's in one part of the world can and most often do, affect other parts of the world.

Health Concerns affect everyone. Before taking off to a destination, it is always a good idea to check with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) for any out breaks in the area you might be traveling. Contacting your local doctor and advising him of where you may be going is a good idea too. He may suggest some shots or medicines that may help if you come in contact with something you shouldn't.

Having the correct travel documents is always a good thing. A U.S. Passport is the number one document every traveler today should have. But, one thing most don't know is; it must be valid for at least six months or more upon your arrival to most destinations around the world. So, check the date of expiration in advance to any travels, allowing you time to have a new one issued before your trip.

Some places around the world require a visa for entry into that country, check with your tour operator or airline on which countries require this item. One item most often forgot about is the departure tax that is collected at most airports. This could be the amount of $20 to $40, depending on the country. Some airlines collect this fee at ticking, but don't rely on that. Stick that extra $20 or $40 into your passport, so you won't be standing at the gate watching your flight depart.

Type of diving offered - beginner, intermediate, advanced and is there other things that can be done at the destination
Most dive destinations offer something for everyone. But, it is important to check out what type of diving is available at your destination of choice. Remember, you are trained for the area in the world you were certified. So you may consider taking an advance or specialty course prior to heading out for your vacation. Some resorts offer: Drift diving, Walls, deep diving, wrecks diving, cave and mixed gas diving. You need to be proficient in these types of diving before you make a mistake and get in trouble.

Some resorts offer these types of classes, so it is always good to see if they are provided with your package. Resort courses (Dive introductory classes) are only good for that destination, and should not be mistaken for a full certification class. Most of these classes offer the minimal about of training, and should be viewed that way. Many a unsuspecting vacationer have gotten hurt because they weren't informed of the risk.

Remember to always have some sort of Dive Insurance purchased prior to heading out for a dive vacation. Diveassure now becoming one of the most popular coverages and can save you and your family a lot of grief and financial worries if something happens on a dive vacation. (Diving Links)

Who do you know who has been there before?
Before booking any vacation, ask around to your friends, your local dive shop or Dive Club to see if anyone has been to that destination before. This can save you a lot of work. If you know someone who does a lot of travel, they can provide you with first hand knowledge about that resort you may be looking at. Talk with local travel agent

Internet access, phone, TV
It's always a good idea to see if your dive adventure vacation offers the ability to call home! Some times events beyond your control can cause family members nervous times, if they can't contact you. Internet access and phone systems are the best way to stay connected. Also, if your resort has TV, you too can keep up on local and international situations. Leaving an itinerary back at home is also a good idea.

Local transportation - taxis, rental cars, bus service
Knowing what type of transportation is available once you get to your destination is also a good idea. Some destinations require long rides just to get to the resort. Check and see if the have an old bus with no air, or comfortable transportation getting you to your final destination. Flying many hours and arriving to fine out that you have a three-hour ride to the resort in a cart, is not a good way to start your dive vacation.