Our guide to diving on a budget
Do you want to do some great diving but don't have much money to spare? Don't despair!
Asia is still one of the cheapest places in the world to dive. In the right place, just a few dollars can be your ticket to a really cheap diving trip.
To point you in the right direction, our guide will talk you through a few of the best dive destinations in Asia for those on a shoe-string budget...
Love marine life?
Getting most bang for your buck
Everyone loves value for money, but that is even more important if you are on a tight budget. No matter where you choose for your diving vacation, these top tips should help you get the very best value available.
Avoid peak seasons
Peak seasons mean peak prices, so are best avoided when diving on a budget. These include popular times to travel such as Christmas or Easter. In the diving world, the peak months for the very best diving or weather are also likely to be more expensive. Often, scuba diving outside of these months is still fantastic and has two key advantages. There will be less people and, crucially, it will cost less money. Do a little research and you can make sure you hit a sweet spot of decent conditions for diving and good value for money so that you can have a cheap diving trip that is memorable for all the right reasons.
Plan ahead, or don’t
Often, diving resorts or guest houses will offer early booking discounts which you can take advantage of if you are able to plan ahead. These might not be quite as attractive as last minute offers, so another strategy is to take a last minute offer. There is no guarantee that a last minute deal will appear though, so waiting until the last can be a more risky strategy too!
Pre book your diving
In any walk of life, you tend to get better value for money if you buy in bulk. Scuba diving is no different. It is often cheaper to buy a package of diving in advance rather than booking dives from day to day. Don’t get carried away though. If you book more dives than you can manage, you might not get a refund for unused dives! Make sure you factor in the cost of diving into your budget as well. A scuba dive does not cost the same in every location. There are many variables that affect the price, such as the distance to the dive sites, fuel costs for that area and the general cost of living for that location.
Watch out for extra costs
It always pays to do your research. Speak to some dive centres and read up to find out if there are any extra costs you need to plan for in your budget. Many areas have marine park fees - for good reason - but some are heftier than others and you’ll want to know about them in advance. There may also be fuel surcharges or long distance charges for some of the dive sites you really want to visit, extra taxes for your accommodation stay or only more expensive options available for eating out. Spend a little time looking into things in advance, and it could save you many dollars in the long run.
Consider your own equipment
If you plan to really get into diving and want to rack up a few dives, it usually pays to have your own equipment. Granted, it is a sizable upfront cost, but equipment rental costs soon rack up too, so it soon pays for itself. Arguably, having your own gear that you are comfortable with can make diving much more relaxing and enjoyable too.
Following these top tips should certainly help your money go further wherever you are diving. Let us give you a head start though by highlighting a few of the best places to enjoy a cheap diving trip.
Tara North
Ko Tao is possibly Asia's most popular budget diving destination. This charming island is actually beginning to have a few more upmarket options now, but it is still possible to find accommodation for just a few dollars a night. As many of the dive sites are very close, you can dive for just a few dollars as well. Around the island are some nice reefs and some deeper pinnacles that attract larger life.
Valeriy Risaynyanskiy
Jarda Malek
Puerto Galera is one of the Philippines top tourist spots. With around 40 dives sites in a relatively small area, the diving here represents excellent value for money. There is diving for every level of diver too, with deep wrecks, exciting drift dives and easy shallow reefs. Head to White Beach for cheap accommodation and you'll be able to afford a great diving break on next to nothing.
The Gili Islands have no cars, a decidedly chilled vibe lots of budget accommodation. The dive sites are all just a short distance away as well, keeping the cost of diving down. Drift diving is the order of the day here, with a wide variety of life to see as you glide effortlessly over the reef. This is also the most popular place in Indonesia to get certified with plenty of good dive shops to choose from.
These beautiful, popular islands on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia make a great choice for a cheap diving trip. Rising vertically out of the sea, the islands form a splendid backdrop to a wide number of dive sites, including some interesting wreck dives - all of which can be reached in just a few minutes. Head to Perhentian Kecil for some bargain accommodation options and you are sure to have a great diving holiday without breaking the bank.
Izuddin Helmi Adnan
Tara North
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