Where is there good diving to be had this time of year?

[sleep envy]

Anyone with recommendations?

[Silver993tt]

How far do you want to travel?

[sleep envy]

10ish hrs flying time max

[steviejasp]

Maldives

[DrTre]

Caymans.

Failing that...Red Sea, and if you want something different go to Aqaba, then have a jaunt to Petra on a day off the diving.
Speak to Rod at Dive Aqaba.

[sleep envy]

cheers guys

anyone been diving in venezuela?

[DrTre]

Not Venezuela. But Belize is very good.
What's the flight time to Vietnam? Supposed to be nice and less spoilt than Thailand.

[sleep envy]

from London about 12 hours

[Hugo a Gogo]

DrTre said:

Red Sea

tanks, tear gas and man-eating sharks

magic

[DrTre]

Hugo a Gogo said:

tanks, tear gas and man-eating sharks

magic

I did say Jordan, not Egypt or Israel...at least, I meant Jordan more specifically.

The Egyptian Tourist Board really has got it's work cut out in the next few years though...

[Hugo a Gogo]

just a bit

how are Saudio and Yemeni resorts? better than Sudan or Eritrea?

[DrTre]

Hugo a Gogo said:

how are Saudio and Yemeni resorts? better than Sudan or Eritrea?

Well you pays your money and takes your pick; the chance of shot by AK47, blown up by IED, kidnapped and beheaded or end up in an all-inclusive Russian dominated resort.

[sleep envy]

I'll take the ak47 please

[louiebaby]

DrTre said:

Caymans.

Been a few years since I was there, but really enjoyed it.

It was an odd experience going over the edge of the wall knowing the depth to the bottom was measured in miles not metres...

If you're into photography, it would be pretty good I'd have thought...

[sleep envy]

louiebaby said:

It was an odd experience going over the edge of the wall knowing the depth to the bottom was measured in miles not metres...

I think you've just sold it to me

[louiebaby]

sleep envy said:

louiebaby said:

It was an odd experience going over the edge of the wall knowing the depth to the bottom was measured in miles not metres...

I think you've just sold it to me

We stayed here:

http://www.caymanislands.ky/ssu/ebrochure_gallery....

and dived with:

http://www.tortugadivers.com/en/index.html

It was a good while ago, so do your own research on the companies, but the reef is unlikely to have changed much.

It's a bit corny, bit the Stingray City there is in open water with wild rays. Some is very shallow, but where we stopped was about 6m, so you can sit there all day stroking wild rays...

[DrTre]

Does Wild Ray not mind you stroking his... ?

Slight differences twixt east and west dive sites on Grand C (I preferred the east): I've not heard anything bad about any of the dive schools/companies from my friends who live out there.

[Council Baby]

Maldives, BV Islands, Andaman sea (Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam) Malaysia, Galapagos Islands.

Thailand - lots of it ruined, still some decent sites
BV Islands - fantastic
Cambodia/Vietnam - pretty good Andaman side not ventured properly into the South China Sea.
Maldives - fantastic but not a lot else to do other than dive, fish and chill
Galapagos - a serious mission to get to but seriously needs to be done

[sleep envy]

Council Baby said:

Maldives - fantastic but not a lot else to do other than dive, fish and chill

sounds perfect, that's exactly what I'm after

[Council Baby]

sleep envy said:

sounds perfect, that's exactly what I'm after

You won't regret it mate, I've been 3 times so far and love the place. Avoid the charter flights, try and get Emirates or Sri Lankan, much better service for very little extra expense. Book the sea plane transfers in advance, if it's rough the boat transfers are full of puking people!!!