The first (and hopefully not the last) SMN dive trip

[acelockco]

And that is one of the positive things about a liveaboard, they are usually 7 day charters.

Considering this is a SCUBA MAGAZINE trip, maybe a liveaboard would be the best thing. Bottom line is we will be there to dive and a liveaboard would provide us with the most amount of diving with the least amount of work.

Publisher, you would only have to load your gear on the boat one time! I was watching a DVD about the Aggressor Fleet and it looks SWEET!!! I know there are other liveaboards out there as well, so I am not saying they are the answer, but the boats look nice and plush as well.

By the way, Costa Rica looks really nice as well.

Also remember on a liveaboard, there are shore excersions as well if you like.

[The Publisher]

After 35 years of diving, I am fine with 4 dives a day and even some days 3 if there are things to do on land. Coco Beach Resort which we reviewed had the most interesting little white bangka sailboat that was all by its lonesome and in the hustle and bustle of getting enough footage, I would have really enjoyed detaching the mooring rope from the beach and letting that thing spreads its wings and run free in the breezy bay and relaxing on the water sailing about in Paradise.

I am not so enamored with live-aboards, although I do know they can get to more remote and more varied dive sites. I lived on a boat full time for years.

In Sulawesi we did run into the Sulawesi Aggressor and 8 or so divers on one dive site and I shot some good wideangle HD video of them all underwater which will be in our next HD production from the review we did on Mimpi Indah Resort, which in the future will be on our group trip list where we split a trip between Bangka Island and a Lembeh, and when you see the HD video which we're in the middle of editing, you'll want to go too.

We can get better deals with land based though as the competition is greater. Additionally, if some miss their flight or it is delayed, they can just join us the following day, so the scheduling is not so tight. As an experienced dive travel writer and publisher, I am an expert at missing flights, and I worked very diligently to get good at it, and I am not about ready to throw away my hard earned reputation.

Also, if some decide they want to only do 5-6 days while the rest of us do 7 or so, then travelers have that option still open.

I personally find the idea of a group going out to different restaurants to eat and tell tall tales as a group rather fun. Plus I am attached to the Internet like a co-joined twin.

I thought for sure Thailand would not be doable land based, but thank goodness Quero had the answers with day trips.

In Yap I was able to go off and explore the Island, seeing local fisherman wading out a 1/4 mile to net fish, fine mangroves and mud skippers, and the traditional native dance and song experience was nice as I got to see young people taking pride in and not losing touch with their heritage in the face of the epitomy of refined cultural class known as baggy pants, crooked sports caps and ghetto gangster rap.

I think as time goes by and we get more photographers and videographers on board, we can do he occasional live aboard now and then, and the idea of a half live aboard, then half land based trip I find appealing so we get the best of both worlds although a live aboard for 4 days might be rare.

[Daddy-h2O]

Would it help to set a deadline? ( at least for location?)

By way of example we decide, that we will have a destination decided by Nov.1.

[acelockco]

Another thing I really would favor is an all inclusive. Of course live aboards are already all inclusive, but some land based destinations are also all inclusive. It is really nice to know what you are going to spend for your trip before you even go!

The last time we went to an all inclusive, you could not even leave a tip. So all you have to bring is money for gifts and such. The nice thing about them, is you can eat and drink as much as you want and 24 hours a day there is something fresh cooking. There are also a lot of activities for the non divers or the divers that would also like to do other things. Some of the things they offer are:
sailing, water skiing, kayaking, snorkling, shopping, night club, shows, music, pool, hot tub and much more.

Of course you can also go out on your own or with a group to the local clubs and attractions. I know not all areas have all inclusive resorts, but that may help to narrow down our search.

[lottie]

I think DaddyH20 has raised a good point - therefore, I've created a new poll to ascertain which location peeps want to go to for this trip

Click here

This can be found in the ScubaMagazine Site News section. The poll closes on the 1st November.

[tjack]

when I was there deet took care of any bug issues if you like macro oppurtunities Roatan is heaven with sea horse tube worms shrimp blennies and nudis galore the reason I sugested as a group destination is the ease of getting there from USA Canada and Europe as there are now direct flights into Roatan the other reason I sugested it is the ease of diving for all experience levels there are walls that drop to wherever so you can dive them at what ever depth you are comfortable withat most dive sites there is little or no current most start at a depth of 15-35 before you drop over the wall so you can spend you're safety stop looking for macro opportunities on top of the reef that and for the budget minded as I am they offer deals that can't be beat

[lars2923]

TJACK,
Wow, I almost ran out of breath reading your post...
Sounds good to me.. Never been to Roatan.

Cheers,

[lottie]

i agree Lars - tjack, that sounds good as well (luckily I voted for roatan - hehehehehe)