Northwest Dive Club

NWDC hive mind! I need your ideas.

I'm starting to think about my next big international dive trip.

Here's the thing... I recently got back from Thailand, which was nice enough, but all the diving was follow-the-divemaster style, and crowded. I cannot take any more of that!

I'd like to find someplace where the few, the happy, the independent divers go. Someplace that will drop-off me and a buddy and let us spend as much time as we want, by ourselves, exploring a reef/wreck/etc. Land-based resorts and liveaboards both qualify!

For a bit of background, I've been all over. Some places that were agreeable were Bonaire (3x), Roatan (2x), Cayman Aggressor, and Fiji (6 weeks). I'm shying away from the Caribbean these days because, well, it's mostly dead.

Ideas? Where have you been that offered lots of independent, uncrowded diving?

I recommend Canada. No cattle boats there and fantastic diving.

I 2nd YE! Campbell River is fantastic right now

Our trip to Anilao Philippines was not crowded at all and the diving was great. there was a divemaster but he pretty much let us just dive our dive however we wanted to. Might be a place worth looking into.

Red Sea Explorers is the ultimate in dive your own profile luxury. If you're up for an adventure, during the Winter-Spring they take one of their boats to Sudan and dive some amazing sites that are rarely seen.

This past March we did a week in Lembeh at Lembeh Resort followed by a week in Bunaken at the Siladen Resort & Spa. Both were excellent resorts. Our dives were guided, but each dive was at least an hour. The resorts and dive operations were very accommodating, so I am sure you could work out a more personalized dive itinerary. However, we had a guide who found a frogfish that was about 3/8" long on a day dive who found the same critter on a night dive (it was the same day, same site). 1 guide to 4 divers. Diving was never crowded.

BillZ wrote:Red Sea Explorers is the ultimate in dive your own profile luxury. If you're up for an adventure, during the Winter-Spring they take one of their boats to Sudan and dive some amazing sites that are rarely seen.

Red Sea liveaboard trips are surprisingly affordable...

60south wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 9:18 am

BillZ wrote:Red Sea Explorers is the ultimate in dive your own profile luxury. If you're up for an adventure, during the Winter-Spring they take one of their boats to Sudan and dive some amazing sites that are rarely seen.

Red Sea liveaboard trips are surprisingly affordable...

Yep - I believe the Egyptian government subsidizes fuel and with the strong dollar Egypt is a bargain. I think my last 10 day trip was around 1500 euro. Faisal, the owner of Red Sea Explorers, is a friend of mine and runs a great operation. I personally wouldn't risk diving with anyone else.
www.redseaexplorers.com

Tahiti, Moorea. Awesome diving off the reefs.