Going on a diving trip to the other side of the world is sometimes difficult for many divers. Many of you, therefore, asked how it was possible to go on a diving trip without spending too much money. Here are some tips to follow to find an affordable diving visit to another country . .
1. Traveling out of season
This is certainly the most important rule to reduce travel costs. Whether it is for transportation, accommodation or all-inclusive offers, prices always vary depending on supply and demand. The summer and winter holidays concentrate the majority of the requests and, inevitably, the prices increase in proportion. If you still want to enjoy the heat of summer, it is better to focus on the months of June or October. The temperatures remain high and you will avoid the large crowd of vacationers.
2. Find a cheap flight
A plane ticket is, in most cases, the highest expense item on the trip. This is even more true when you fly to the other side of the world. For some, it is tedious and the longest to review all airline ticket offers on the internet. Do not hesitate: the easiest way today to find the best price is to use a flight comparator. No more need to go to the websites of each company to search for cheapest airline ticket, flight comparator compares the fares of more than 1000 airlines, including major airlines such as Air France, British Airways, Corsair and Lufthansa, as well as the largest low-cost airlines or charter like Ryanair and Easyjet. Good deals and last-minute offers are available to you from that website!
3. Where can you dive for a small fee and which are the best destinations?
Finding a cheap airline ticket is one thing, knowing where to go is another. There are 3 options that could help you make your decision:
Go on a dive trip to a cheap country
This is the easiest way to avoid bankruptcy after a dive trip. There are countries everywhere where the cost of living is low including:
In Europe: Greece or Turkey
In Asia: Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines
In Africa: Senegal, Madagascar
In South America and the Caribbean: Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba.
For a less expensive dive, what are the must-see destinations?
The world has a few destinations that are considered the Magnet of cheap diving. At the top of this ranking is Koh Tao Island in Thailand with about sixty clubs competing for the market. Second in the rankings is Roatan Island in Honduras that is also one of the places in the world where diving courses can be offered at very low prices. Finally, the east coast of Mexico, especially Playa del Carmen or Cancun, is also a good option.
Should I go to risky diving destinations?
The purpose of Spotmydive is not to promote risky destinations like Syria or Afghanistan but to direct your research to countries where they reign some form of political instability. The news of the last months and years has kept tourists away from certain destinations such as Egypt, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Burma. Some of your loved ones will advise you to forget about these options but, if you think about it, the risk is statistically very low. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can also mean to come to Paris as well as to Sharm el Sheikh. Since this article is about small budgets, know that all these destinations have good promotions and it is easy enough to find very interesting offers. In addition to a good price, you will support the tourism sector of these countries or cities which is greatly penalized after heavy events.
4. Should we plan well in advance or choose last minute?
These are the two niches where it’s easiest to find a good offer for a diving destination: either long in advance or at the last minute. You have to look at the hotel booking platforms that offer cheap, last-minute rooms that are still vacant. Another way to save on housing is to use couchsurfing, a free homestay site. It is, however, a social network where it takes time to create a good profile and you have to want to spend time with guests and thank them by cooking a meal or inviting them to have a drink.
5. Should I subscribe to newsletters?
This advice will seem obvious but some people do not necessarily think about it. When a new company, a new travel agency, a new tour operator, or new destinations are offered, you can expect particularly advantageous introductory offers. To be informed, the easiest way is to subscribe to their newsletters. Being among the first to know that a promotion or a flash sale begins gives you a head start on the competition and allows you to be one of the first to position yourself.
6. Take the opportunity to snorkel!
Undoubtedly, scuba diving is an expensive activity. Why not combine a day of diving with a few days of snorkeling on beautiful reefs near your hotel? For that it will cost you only the price of a mask, a pair of fins and a snorkel. For the less fortunate, it is even possible in many tourist places to rent equipment for a few euros a day.
We hope that these few details will be useful. If you have any other advice to give, to find an inexpensive diving destination, do not hesitate to propose them in the form of comments.
