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RTW dive and land trip planning

Is it going to be easier to find local dive buddies or travelling divers? Planning on off the beaten path type trip.

11 years ago, March 13th 2013 No: 1 Msg: #167298 Delete Edit

littlewing
Cindy

B Posts: 897

Ive realised I probably should start planning the Africa and South America legs of my trip (europe is easy) as the months are sneaking up but I plan on doing some diving as well as land stuff but am a little confused about the US dive resort package deal type thing that seems to be pretty common in the carribean and south america where you hire your gear and a guide - a little different than what im used to. I want to do the following spots diving wise - Madagascar, Seychelles, Maldives, Shelly Beach, Protea Banks, Galapagos, Socorro, Dominica, Tortuga, Ranga Nui and make my way home thru FP and NZ again. I guess im trying to work out if its going to be easier to find travellers who dive and see if we can be in the same place at the same time, or rely on dive shops that have a boat and are happy to take a single diver. Unfortunately only the spots like Cozumel and Belize seem to have..resorts..and theyre not my style of place to be when diving. Where do I begin..planning the trip and fitting the diving in second? Reply to this

11 years ago, March 13th 2013 No: 2 Msg: #167310 Delete Edit

Maisondubonheur
Pierre-Alexandre

B Posts: 1,583

Cindy...Shelly Beach and Protea Bank are the same....and we'll be diving there together one day....

Madagascar...I'm trying to figure out how to get to Nosy Be in October from JNB....seems to be easier and cheaper from Bangkok...and throw in a tour of Reunion by helicopter...season is August to November...

For info BKK to Reunion stop in Chennai...perfect to head back East to Andamans...but tht should be just after November, so on the way back...

Seychelles...I love Mariane dive site...but beside it, seems to be pretty average...ok, admit, done it!

Maldives...only been there...shall I excuse myself...5 or 6 times...diving is on the average side...prices...not so average...but yes, it's beautiful. Be warned...Bora Bora is 10x more beautiful.

Galapagos...well... check the rules first...seems they have relaxad them a bit...but in 2008....it was 4-5 dives a day...land base...night dive...all in the same trip. Done it...would not do it with the new rules. After 2008...if on a liveaboard...3 dives, no night dives...and no land base...are they kidding me!

Socorro....out of Cabos, book it the first week of Feb...a year in advance...and yes...the margaritas are great...but it's the diving!

Dominica...you get the wrong spelling...it's Dominic Republic as Dominica is an indepedant state...and island...and to my knowledge...not much about diving. Now the Silver Bank is a December thing...not a diving one, but a snorkeling one....seen the pics...and yes,...as Tonga....seems amazing...few friends did it...

Tortuga...you get me on this...I pass...

Ranga Nui....diving with Mike...I like the Big Blue movie...and I'm not kidding...doing it AGAIN on 12th and 13th June....visi...between 50 and 80 meters...minimum...for those who don't understand....it's about the movie...

So now Cindy...stop to make me show up please...diving is a drug...and it's a pretty good one....I could die in bed having too much fun....I hope not to die while diving...even if the fun...is slightly different...

So now you ask the question...alone or with dive buddies...for some...do as I did...sponsor the other sex....for some others...you don't need anybody else than yourself!

Will see you soon....under or above water! Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 3 Msg: #167313 Delete Edit

littlewing
Cindy

B Posts: 897

Thanks PA knew you would have some ideas....I dont leave til December, day after xmas - my long service leave so I have 6 months plus - this year I have Tonga in a few months and Vanuatu/Tanna plus a long weekender at Sipidan...

Funny that you say Bora Bora is 10x more beautiful, I met a couple in BB who were doing their RTW dive trip and they mentioned Seychelles as one of their favourite islands but made the same comment about the Maldives. Madagascar I can either get to via BKK, JNB > Kenya > Zanzibar and catch a boat over but not sure yet which ticket to buy. Am thinking about buying skypasses for Africa and South America. Will get onto researching Galapagos and perhaps plan around that dates wise. Socorro first week in Feb would fit :D

Mmmm...sponsoring a dive buddy..paying for a guy to travel with me...ah, no no no not paying for any more men LOL..will dive alone 😊

You are not wrong diving is a drug..if they ever find a cure..please dont tell me. Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 4 Msg: #167315 Delete Edit

Ali
Ali Watters

B Posts: 5,200

I've not dived in as many places as Peter, but on the dive buddy question I've always been able to either find a buddy or buddy with the DM when signing up for dives solo.

Even in the US where the Dive Master tends to stay on the boat, I was able to dive with another independent diver.

The dive operators will do their best to team you up with another diver with similar experience.

I quite like the aspect of never knowing who I will be diving with, the only downside is the anxiety of being paired with a badly behaved diver. Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 5 Msg: #167325 Delete Edit

littlewing
Cindy

B Posts: 897

Ok.we have a starting point - February I need to be in Mexico to get a liveaboard to Socorro.

I actually had a lot more leave up my sleeve than I thought so I can leave as early as November and do not need to be back at work until the following October!

As I cannot enter US territory I guess the logical way would be get to Mexico from London after ive finished Europe (secret dive spot I want to do there)...do south america, then africa, then come home via ranga nui and FP...every way I look at it I seem to violate some rule about backtracking...but I WILL get it sorted, i have until November now.

Ali thanks! Im used to being buddied up with strangers in Asia and South Pacific but all the US based dive travel forums ive found had given me this idea that I will be forced to hire some gringo with a tequila in one hand and a reg in the other. Im half joking but cautious as I was once buddied up with a woman who acted in horror movies...and kicked me in the face underwater a lot. You dont argue with someone who was in the hills have eyes.

What about liveaboards for solo divers? Im not really keen on sharing a cabin unless the other diver happens to be Johnny Depp although in latin america I would accept Antonio Banderas for authenticity of experience.........or am I going to have to pay a massive solo supplement?

Oh..and I actually do mean the island of Dominica. Will also do DR but Dominica itself is a bit out of the ordinary hence why I want to do it..and ive seen pics of the diving there from a friend I trust so may as well have a look!

[Edited: 2013 Mar 14 09:00 - littlewing:163970 ]

Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 6 Msg: #167343 Delete Edit

Maisondubonheur
Pierre-Alexandre

B Posts: 1,583

If you leave November...why not doing this routing...

Perth-SIN-Chennai...
From there you fly to the Andamans for few days...and than easy side trip to Maldivs via Sri Lanka
Chennai-Reunion-Nosy Be
Dive Nosy Be for few days...
Nosy-Be-Reunion-JNB
Dive Aliwal and Protea Banks
JNB-Zanzibar....with a side trip to Seychelles...Mahe easily accessible from Africa with Kenyan Airways....back down to JNB to fly to Sao Paolo....you don't even need to go to Europe...

From Sao Paolo....you have you choice of islands....Brazil has Fernando de Noronha...Venezual has Los Roques....I would not miss Coiba in Panama...and than up to Mexico...than down again to Quito to reach the Galapagos...than via Lima to Easter Island...from Easter Island to Papeete ( don't smile)...than back home... Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 7 Msg: #167347 Delete Edit

littlewing
Cindy

B Posts: 897

LOL I did smile!!!

Hmm that is not a bad route at all!! Off to the drawing board 😊 Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 8 Msg: #167353 Delete Edit

Maisondubonheur
Pierre-Alexandre

B Posts: 1,583

And to answer the liveaboard question.

The cost is per diver....which means...you can share a tiny cabin. That's what I always do. So now it can be an issue as some operators will only seel a berth to a girl if there is another single girl booked. I know, it's business...ans never an issue for guys...

Average % on a liveaboard is a good 70% guys...travelling as singles...25% couples...and yes...maybe 5% of girls travelling as single....that's my experience out of something like 12 liveaboards on many seas... Reply to this

11 years ago, March 14th 2013 No: 9 Msg: #167362 Delete Edit

littlewing
Cindy

B Posts: 897

Hmm..calling all female single diving travelbloggers..Auspicious/Michelle what are you doing in February LOL!.

Thanks for the advice particularly with the flights - also re liveaboards, I found being confined in PNG on a private liveaboard for 17 days an exercise in teeth gritting and patience, perhaps I shall leave Socorro off - i have to leave some things for my trips in the following years!.

RTW ticketing rules make it impossible to buy a RTW so I will be booking one way legs. Reply to this