How to pick your next destination

There are tens of thousands of places to dive in the world. One of them, or more likely many of them, could be your dream dive vacation spot. But it’s not that hard to pull together a quick plan only to arrive at what you thought was your dream destination and realize that something about it isn’t quite right. 

This post will share all our tips and tricks to help you pick that dream spot every single time. There are three things to consider – below the water, above the water, and annoying logistics.

Below the water

Let’s start with below the water. Answer all of these questions to sketch out what your dive time will look like. And yes, it’s fine to just cross off any questions that aren’t important to you. 

1. What sealife is must-see? Big stuff, macro, coral. Is this the trip where you’ll swim with whale-sharks? Or are you are determined to finally find that bumble bee shrimp? How about beautiful soft coral in a rainbow of colors?
2. Are there any specific types of dives you really want to do? Are you looking to get some wreck diving experience? Caves? Fast drift dives? Night dives?
3. What water temperature is acceptable? If you hate wetsuits you might want to aim for places that are 28* C or warmer. Or maybe you just got a heated vest that you want to try out with your old 5mm so you’re looking for 20 – 26* C?
4. What visibility are you looking for? Is there a minimum visibility below which it isn’t fun for you any more?

Above the water

Second, think through the above the water aspects:

1. LOA vs boat vs shore? This is a big one and is often tied to budget. If you want to do lots of dives, don’t like toting your gear around, and have a generous budget then a LOA might be your answer. If you’re more of a 2-dive-a-day type and enjoy always having a guide then check out boat diving spots. If you like to march to your own beat and/or want to squeeze in lots of dives at a lower price point then shore diving could be your key. For boat and shore diving you can also decide between dive resorts tailored for divers and regular hotels or rental apartments that are near dive shops. 
2. What topside weather is ideal? Are big waves a strong “no” because you get seasick? Does it need to be >30* and sunny for you to enjoy your dives? Do rain storms or strong winds make surface intervals miserable for you? Are you prone to getting heat stroke if it’s too hot out?
3. Are you a foodie? Most dive spots aren’t known for their fine cuisine. Often both options and quality can be limited. Are you looking for a place with multiple fine dining spots? Or are coconut shrimp and french fries sufficient?
4. Do you (or your traveling companions) want to do something other than dive some days? It’s hard to imagine that anyone interest in non-diving activities is still reading this. But just in case someone has a travel companion with other interests…it’s probably a good idea to ensure you find a spot with enough to keep them happy.

Logistics & finances

And lastly consider logistics and finances.

1. What is your budget? Diving can be expensive but there are plenty of affordable destinations out there.  Unless you have unlimited funds we’d suggest setting a limit for yourself. 
2. When can you go? Many dive locations differ at different times of year. Some spots are only accessible for a couple of months each year, like Tubbataha in the Philippines which only has decent weather from March until June. Others have different sealife or conditions, like Komodo in Indonesia which has tons of Mantas along with cloudier, colder water from December – February and clearer, warmer water with a lot fewer Mantas at other times of the year. Knowing when you’ll go will help rule out many locations. 
3. How long do you have? This can be a big limitation. Some of the most incredible dive spots, like Raja Ampat and the Galapagos require multiple flights and travel times are often 24-48 hours each direction. The last leg, often on a small local airline, can be prone to frequent delays so you’ll want to arrive at your destination at least a day early. With LOAs often lasting 7+ days, it’s not feasible to go to these spots during a 1-week trip. 
4. How much travel distance/time are you willing to do? Do long plane rides ruin your vacation? Does a certain unnamed dive buddy get unbearable after 24 hours on the road? Do you only have a week for your trip and you’re unwilling to spend more than 12 hours traveling each week (less travel means more dive days!)? Or is this the one time you have a full 3 weeks to travel and you want to head somewhere really remote this time?

Pulling it all together

Now that you’ve gone through those three sets of questions it’s google time! Decide which of the factors above is most important and find some “top ten” lists. For example “budget LOAs in asia” or “top wreck diving locations” or “thresher shark scuba.” Another way to get some good ideas is to use a site like PADI Travel which lets you put in geography, budget, and time constraints. They’re most helpful for liveaboards but they seem to increasingly have land-based options as well. For example, you can look for a trip that is <5 days in Asia in February for <$500. 

As you go through these “top ten” lists and other sides make your own list of potential options.

Once you have a list of at least 4 or 5 options it’s time for some serious research. Dig into each option to see if it meets all of your criteria.

If you’re lucky, you’ll end up with 1 perfect option. But it’s more likely you now have 2-3 options, each with its own pros and cons. Deciding can be hard. We recommend using travel time as your final decision criteria. Less travel time means more dive time. This is also a great hack if you’re struggling to even come up with that initial list of 4-5 options. Find a map of where you can fly direct from your home airport — you might be surprised at where you can get to on a single plane! Before finalizing your choice we recommend double-checking your cost and timing.

1. Budget. When pricing out options don’t forget to include everything including your flight, dive operator and hotel. Doing this for a LOA is usually the easiest. Just add ~35% to the LOA price (to cover park fees, fuel surcharges, tips, and all the other things that get tacked on) and then add the flight. If you’re doing land-based diving it’s a bit trickier since you’ll want to add in hotels, food, rental cars, etc. We often google “travel costs and [location]” to get estimates from other travelers.
2. Season. There’s a reason that places have a low season and a high season. Better sealife, better viz, better topside conditions (rain can make a dive trip real cold real fast!). All else being equal, if you’ll likely only go to a dive destination once then try to go at the best time of year. That being said, if you’re on a tight budget, then the low season or shoulder season can be a solid way to dive top locations for less.
3. Availability. During your research you’ve probably come across some dive operators and hotels at your destination. If you haven’t already, confirm availability either online or by calling/emailing and ask how far ahead of time they tend to book out for your travel dates. If you’re not going to make your final operator/hotel bookings right away make sure you mark your calendar so you don’t forget!

Congrats! You’re now ready for your dream dive trip!