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in Belize Diving
The Top 5 Considerations for Your Dive Vacation Checklist
With an almost endless underwater world to explore, it can be daunting to begin to sort out the many choices available for scuba. Never fear! Make sure to add the following tips to your dive vacation checklist and you’ll be sure to have a great time!
- By all means the most important factor. Dive Masters should be experienced and qualified through a reputable agency such as PADI or DAN and the dive operation’s equipment should be in good condition with regular maintenance and replaced annually.
- Your experience and certification level. You’ll want to ensure that the location you’ve picked is a good match for your abilities and your training. A good Dive Master won’t allow you to dive at sites that are incompatible with your skill level.
- Personalized care, small diving ratios. The last thing you want is to be crammed onto a boat with many other divers and experience the dreaded “cattle boat.” Professional, friendly dive masters and boat captains make all the difference on a dive and can make or break your trip. Take the time to research dive operations to find the best available.
- Type of vacation. Are you hoping to do a variety of activities, including scuba, or is diving to be the main focus? You’ll also need to consider who else is traveling with you and if they need to have activities other than diving readily available. Some dive facilities don’t offer much else in the way of entertainment and adventure other than water sports.
- Length of the boat ride and proximity of sites to “home base.” To get the most out of your diving time, try to do as many local dives as possible so that you don’t kill many hours on a boat just traveling to the dive site. A good destination will have lodging choices nearby the best diving areas.
Make the Most of your Scuba Travel
Starting with these 5 points will help to focus your search for the ultimate in scuba travel. If adventuring with a dive buddy, it can be helpful to have a planning session together, using these tips as your guide. You’ll soon be well on your way in planning your next great dive adventure. See you out there!
