Learning to dive in November

[Harry Flashman]

Chaps,

after a week in Ibiza with 25 chums that was fantastic, insane, and hugely knackering, I have a yearning to go off and be on my own for a week, somewhere hot, learning something new. And as I have always wanted to be able to dive, I'm after some advice.

Egypt is the obvious option for a PADI course, and Longwood Holidays seem to be fairly well-regarded. Their cost for a week's dive course is about £850. The hotel is B&B, and while it seems pretty OK, isn't the last word in style or luxury. That said, those aren't priorities - quality of training etc are up there.

Thing is, I was wondering if any of you divers knew of other parts of the world, accessible for a week, where I could learn to dive in November with guaranteed good weather, equally good reefs to the Red Sea, training and accommodation etc...

Over to you, and help appreciated.

[kieranasaurus]

i think if you go to egypt obvious place is sharm.


if you stay with a reputable place such as regal dive i dont think you will go far wrong.

avoid the foregin owned and operated schools.

i think from my experiences egypt is probably the best dive place in the world i have been diving all over the red sea and thinks it even tops the maldives,


just to add, there really is no where like the rea closer, only place you will find reefs like that is barrier reef or the maldives and they are both very much in decline!.

anotehr option would be to go and book a hotel that meets your requirements and you will find the dive centre will collect you from there every morning.

Edited by kieranasaurus on Friday 24th September 14:39

[5potTurbo]

Is Hurghada (sp?) easily accessible from the UK?

Friends of mine who've dived the Red Sea say it's great, and I don't blame you Harry for wanting to learn to dive somewhere warm!
I learned to dive in Luxembourg, in September, in a reservoir that was only 9C and it was f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f... really rather cold! - even with a 10mm thick suit on. That said, it was a terrible place to dive and everywhere else sinces seems SUPERB by comparison. I'd hate to have learned somewhere nice, then be faced with maximum 1.5m forward viz, when using a torch!

Try and find a "live aboard" dive boat on the Red Sea that's also a recognised school, if you can. That way you can get 3 dives/day and quickly rack up logged dives/experience.

Most of all, relax and enjoy it!

[Lee_sec]

As already said you won't find anywhere as good as the Red Sea without venturing much further afield. Most of the larger dive companies will pick you up from your Hotel so don't worry too much about staying 'at the centre'.

I've dived with most of the large companies in Sharm and would happily recommend Red Sea Diver College (http://www.redseacollege.com/) and Emporer Divers (http://www.emperordivers.com/).

I'm not sure if they would take an O/W student but could also look at doing a referral from the UK (all the paperwork / bookwork) and booking a live-aboard for the qualifying dives if you really want to do as much diving as you can while you’re out there.

[DrTre]

To echo that, wherever you go do your classroom/pool work here (if you're going with PADI) then get a referral to do the dives over there, that way you're maximising the in water time and not dicking about (ever aware of who the OP is, I wish to point out that I mean "wasting time") in a classroom over there.

Maybe not as spectacular reefs but I can recommend DiveAqaba in Jordan for a quieter place (you can take a day off and go to Petra/Wadi Rum too). Rod (Brit owner) is a total legend, you'll like him.

[Vipers]

kieranasaurus said:

i think if you go to egypt obvious place is sharm. if you stay with a reputable place such as regal dive i dont think you will go far wrong.

Yes, I would recommend Egypt as well, can't say I have heard of sharm though? I could be wrong of course.

Is it the same as Sharm El Sheikh?

Edited by Vipers on Friday 24th September 15:56

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Not been to the Red Sea. The Maldives is generally great, although some of the hotels have done a decent job of ruining the reef immediately around the hotel. Obviously it is pretty expensive.

Re Longwood Holidays. I know the guy who founded, owns, and runs the business. Honest as the day is long. FWIW.

[grumbledoak]

Sharm el Sheik is fine, Hurghada was a little bit less 'touristy' when I last went, but that was a few years ago now and I'd expect them to be much the same now.

In contrast to the above advice, provided you are a good swimmer I'd skip any swimming pool or tank training here. It is tedious enough to put you off - go learn where there is something to look at.

[digger_R]

Never dived in the red sea but I've heard good things, I did mine in Colombia.

For a relatively easily accessible place, fly to Cancun and dive in Cozumel - fantastic reef and depending on where you decide to stay a good party scene

[hornetrider]

Thailand. Go to Thailand.

[Zod]

kieranasaurus said:

just to add, there really is no where like the rea closer, only place you will find reefs like that is barrier reef or the maldives and they are both very much in decline!.

I returned a week ago from two weeks of diving in the Maldives. There was huge new coral growth at several sites. One site where I've dived in each of the last three years had grown incredibly.

[Ganglandboss]

hornetrider said:

Thailand. Go to Thailand.

But make sure you remember that

Bangkok
Women
Really
Are
Fellas

It is very important!

[sussexjob]

not the easiest places to go but wow on the diving

http://www.visit-fsm.org/yap/diving.html

[aircooler]

A couple of weeks ago I passed my PADI Open Water course in Malta. I'll now do the advanced course over the next couple of weeks. A did this with a colleague from Germany who had only done a 'taster' dive in the Red Sea earlier in the year. While the Red Sea is very clear and more of an 'aquarium' feel to it (quoted by my German colleague), it would be a bit wasted for the first certified course since you're learning lots of skills near the bottom and staying pretty much in a small area.

In Malta after the course we did a few wreck dives which were fabulous (went into a couple of WWII ships). There are loads of PADI dive centres there also (can recommend a good one).

I'll definetly do the Red Sea at some point but there's a lot more places that are just as good in a different way (and a bit nearer). Malta & Gozo are supposed to be the best dive spot in the Med, so an alternative for you - especially if you're just starting off.

[Harry Flashman]

Liking the thailand/Cancun suggestions, and cost isn't the issue (within reason) - but for one week, could do without monster travelling. Hence Egypt being top of the list.

[goldblum]

And Sharm is not necessarily that warm in Nov.

Hurghada should be better,but if you want HOT try Marsa Alam (Marina Lodge)or even further south Hamata (Lahami Bay Resort).

Good diving in all of them,IMO.

[Vipers]

If you do dive in the Red Sea, watch out for "Chicken Fish", not if that is the correct term, but thats's we called them when I was out there with the oilfield divers.

Nasty buggers, and poisonious.

[grumbledoak]

Vipers said:

If you do dive in the Red Sea, watch out for "Chicken Fish",

Rascasse Volante? I think that translates as Turkey Fish, but we call them Tiger Fish.


Nasty. They don't travel alone, either.

[Vipers]

Ganglandboss said:

hornetrider said:

Thailand. Go to Thailand.

But make sure you remember that

Bangkok
Women
Really
Are
Fellas

It is very important!

I just hope your not speaking from experience?

From what I have heard, ITS VERY IMPORTANT, as (apparantly) some are gorgous, especially after 12 pints ?

SO YES, V E R Y I M P O R T A N T

[Zod]

grumbledoak said:

Vipers said:

If you do dive in the Red Sea, watch out for "Chicken Fish",

Rascasse Volante? I think that translates as Turkey Fish, but we call them Tiger Fish.


Nasty. They don't travel alone, either.

lion fish is the usual name. They tend to hide in holes, so you have to be pretty unlucky to touch one.