One of the first things when planning a dive trip is to decide what type of dive vacation you want. There are a few different ways to enjoy diving while traveling so let’s do a quick overview of each of them so you can plan your perfect dive vacation! The main three options when planning a dive trip are:
- A dive destination with access to diving tours/activities
- A dive resort
- A liveaboard
There are other important aspects of planning your dive trip like location, time of year just to name a few but for now we will talk about the different ways you can incorporate diving on your next vacation!
Choosing a Dive Destination
If you want to dive while on vacation but that is not the primary reason for your travel then you may want to pick a dive destination that allows you to scuba dive while you are enjoying the other aspects of your travel. Things to keep into consideration are:
- Location of your accommodations in proximity to dive operation
- Is transportation included to and from your hotel/accommodations
- Are you renting gear or taking your own – check to see if the dive shop will store your gear or if you will be transporting it each day
In this type of vacation you would typically look for a certified scuba shop that is in close proximity to your accommodations or to the dive site locations depending on where you are visiting. Many will have pickup included in the costs but be aware that some do not. So keep that in mind when booking your accommodations as transportation will be a factor.
If you are traveling with your own gear there is another very important consideration when choosing where you will be staying. Some places have strict rules about drying anything on the balcony or porch which can be an issue if you don’t have adequate room inside to hang your gear. Some dive shops will rinse and hold onto your gear for you if you have several dives planned but in many cases you are transporting your gear back and forth to and from the hotel, rinsing it in the tub or shower and trying to dry it out while storing it in between dives. This is probably the main reason we will most often choose a Dive Resort or Liveaboard if we plan on diving at all.
Choosing a Dive Resort
A Dive Resort is the perfect choice if you want to make diving the focus of your vacation. It allows you to dedicate your vacation to scuba but not be bound by the limitations of living on a boat for the entire trip. Some of the pros to choosing a Dive Resort are:
- Convenience of dive operation on site (in most cases)
- These resorts are designed for ease of equipment storage
- You will have the flexibility of including other activities into your trip
- Great option if you have other members of your party that are not diving
Choosing a Liveaboard
A liveaboard is a scuba diving purposely-build boat, or an adapted existing vessel that offers diving trips that usually last longer than one night. The average duration is 7 nights but you can find both shorter and longer trips.
http://www.Padi.com
If you primary purpose of your trip is to DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! then a liveaboard could be your best choice. On a liveaboard you will dive everyday from morning to night. In some cases you may have the option to 4 or 5 dives if they are offering a night dive. Pros to a liveaboard:
- You get to DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!
- There is no transporting gear – it is always ready to go
- Boats are typically all inclusive and all meals are provided
- Easy access to your bunk/room
- Some dive sites are only accessible by liveaboard due to location
When booking a liveaboard there are many things we look at in trying to make the decision of which company we will choose. We do look at the cost as liveaboards are generally on the top end of scuba diving experiences, but we also try and look at as many reviews as possible to get first hand feedback from previous guests. When looking at reviews you want to always look at the date of the travel and make sure you are reading comparable dates to the time of year you are planning on traveling.
Regardless of what type of Dive Vacation you plan, if you get to dive it will always be a good one!
The Modern Nomads 
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