Hi
I'm in th UK and am looking for a good dive destination for me and my boyfriend (Both Padi Advanced with 80 / 200 dives logged) for a 1 week trip in October. Im 28 years old and am currently working long hours, So mid length flights would be preferable to long haul.
I would like to have some sunshine as the British summer hasn't been all that great.
I guess the Red Sea is an immediate choice but if anyone has any other suggestions too that would be appreciated.
I'm a keen underwater Photographer, so would like to have plenty of interesting things to photograph from scenic caves to macro critters.
I'm looking for a shore based hotel with a photographer friendly Dive Center. Also good food choice and evening entertainment is important too.
Please can recommend certain countries, hotels, dive centres ... as much or as little info as you like.
Many Thanks
Anna
Take a direct flight to Marsa Alam, Egypt. The offshore reefs like Elphinstone are superb. I stayed at the Kahramana hotel, which was very good.
Plenty of choice at that time of year and more or less anywhere in the Med with Malta being very popular although it is mainly shore dives there and may not be so good with a load of camera gear unless it is a compact rig.
Climbing out over the rocks needs both hands!
Canary Islands are a great dive destination as the water is nice and clear and more or less guaranteed good weather , also more fish than the med.
The only drawback are the time share touts!
Don't laugh but here in Cornwall the sea is usually very clear and diving all year round. October is very often great weatherwise but not guaranteed!
We are off to Malaysia (Redang) in 2 weeks for sun and diving but thats not in your flight range!
Have a good trip wherever you go.
If you had two weeks I would recommend Southern Thailand, Andaman Sea. I stayed on Koh Lanta and dived the local islands Koh Ha (five island) Koh Bida, and the beautiful Hin Daeng, Hin Mouang (limestone submerged pinnacles/plateau) where you can vast arays of soft corals and shark, manta rays feeding!
"Why Thailand its a long way?" The country is beautiful and so are the people, the islands dazzling!
As for Egypt I stayed in an Eco-village in a tent for weeks and had some GREAT diving a few years ago, coral CAVES being my favorite dive site. If you have Google Earth try the co-ordinates 25°14'46.29"N , 34°47'37.98"E
Good diving!
hello - for a fairly short haul I would recommend israel - you can fly to tel aviv then fly down to eilat or fly direct to ouvda (outside eilat) or fly to taba and cross the border from egypt. (flights are about 4 hours)
aqua sport in eilat and taba do shore dives as well as having daily boat trips out along the coast and do short live aboards. also they have a great photography guy who is based on the eilat side. they are shorebased, so you don't even have to cross the road with your kit on :-), though in places the coral is knackered from too much abuse :-( the nature reserve is a nice easy photogenic dive, as is the canyons in taba. loads of hotels in eilat, good restaurants etc. along the same coast line is dahab in egypt - loads of dive outfits there, i used bluehole - great bunch all new kit and v friendly.
I can show you some pretty cool stuff here in Roatan. From London your flights including connection time would be about 16hrs each way.
Hi Everyone
Thanks for replying. Some very interesting answers.
Zebra - Someone has just recommended the same hotel as you so I'm def gonna look into it further.
Will - Roatson (sorry if mis spellt) sounds very interesting but too far away for my 1 week. I hope to travel for a few months next year so maybe then.
Clanline - my boyfriend just doesnt fancy it. I also don't like the dragging heavy cameras over rough terraine comment - not for this short break anyway! but it still appeals to me.
Billy the fish - ive been to Koh Lanta twice and loved every minute there although I'm still to see whale shark and mantas there. We found some beautiful rare Rhinopias fish there. I love it as its very chilled and peacefull. We dived with Lanta Fun Divers on their little speed boat.
Thanks everyone
happy diving
Anna
Hi Anna
For a week in October personally I'd consider another visit to the Brother Islands - a weeks liveabord if you've both got at least 50 logged dives and an itinerary like 'Simply The Best' which most of the operators seem to run can be awesome. Includes Big and Little Brother Islands, Daedelus and Elphinstone reefs. If you like big palegic action - Hammers at the Brothers along with Oceanic Whites (if you're lucky) plus some interesting wrecks then it could be an option. Dives can be challenging with some fairly strong currents so only consider if your both competant and comfortable with this.
Michael
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