PADI/similar course on holidays

Peckham

Hi,

I have never dived before, but it's something that I've always considered taking up.

Myself and significant other have no holiday plans this year and were thinking of going on a holiday somewhere solely with the objective of getting a PADI certification or similar.

A few questions to get us on the right tracks:
1) Where would be recommended? We probably want to keep it reasonably close to home, so were thinking maybe Croatia.
2) What sort of price should we be expecting to pay for a course and to rent all the gear we need?
3) Can anyone recommend any tour operators to book it all through (happy to book independently if this works better).
4) Anything else we need to consider?

Thanks

Pines

I just did this myself. Went to Gran Canaria on a week's holidays and did the PADI Open Water Diver course over three days (a few hours in the pool on day one, then two dives on each of day two and three).

I did the course work online before I travelled (PADI e-learning), which I found a great way to go through the material in my own time, without spending my holiday in a classroom.

The cost of the e-learning course was US$120. The cost payable to the dive center in the Canaries, incluing all gear, was another €355. I didn't use a tour operator, just arranged it direct with the dive center and booked the flight and hotel separately.

The dive center I used, incidentally, was Davy Jones Dive Center and I found them very professional, good instructors, very safety aware.

CruelCoin

theres no real need to stay close to home.

me and my brother have been going to egypt for scuba every year and filights hotel, food drink and diving all combined it was only €1500 for two weeks.

that and the red sea has some of the best diving in the world.

Scuba.ie

You could try Dive 24/7 in Tenerife, run by an Irish couple that have their own dive centre. They can arrange accomodation and will pick you up in the mornings and drop you home at the end of the day. Not sure about their prices, but worth an e-mail to find out. Also, not that far, and Ryanair go there, so you might get a good deal.
I haven't done a course with them, but I did a 5 dive package with them last year, highly recommended!
http://www.dive24-7tenerife.com/

elcowboyspace

I'd have to aggree with the Egypt recommendation. I just got back home about two weeks ago. 1 week, all inclusive at the hotel, flights, food and drink outside the hotel, some shopping in the markets and 6 dives, 2 on the SS thistlegorm cost me about 1000EUR. You really cant beat it. And this year for the first time Eurocypria are offering direct flights from Dublin airport to Sharm El sheikh.

walshy123

elcowboyspace wrote: »

this year for the first time Eurocypria are offering direct flights from Dublin airport to Sharm El sheikh.

great news!

i just checked their website though and there is no mention of it. when are they due to commence?

elcowboyspace

We've already commenced. I flew out from dublin on march 31st with Eurocypria and Im just back home about 2 weeks now. Great trip. Highly recommend Thistlegorm if you haven't yet been. We had to stop off in larnaka on the way over but this wasn't a connection, purely 45 minutes on the runway boarding other passengers. Apart from that it's pretty much direct dublin airport - sharm airport. About 6 hours total.
Im not entirely sure if the flights are bookeable direct through eurocypria or whether it's still through travel agents. My own flights were booked through budget travel. Even if that is the case it's a step in the right direction.

walshy123

sounds like a budget travel charter so?

elcowboyspace

Possibly, and most likely. But this is hardly the high season so I'd imagine come jun/jul/aug they'll have a good selection of charters. Check out the brochure. 2 weeks in 4-5 star hotels all inclusive comes in well under 1000EUR in most cases. Beats the sh*t out of flying to london or manchester or somewhere for a connection. Nice an cheap too.

walshy123

Falcon and Panaroma also have direct flights as park of their package holidays. Would it be suicide to go in July (heat wise).

elcowboyspace

Heatwise it was quite comfortable over there this month. I have been in september last year also and there was a noticable difference. I think average temperatures around jul/aug are around 44 celcius. But it keeps the water at a nice 27+. Diving in a swimsuit or a 3mm semi is quite comfortable. Also it's cheaper to go jun/jul/aug. Possibly for that reason.

ColinJennings

Can anyone recommend somewhere in Dahab to do the Open Water course. I've been looking online and I am bombarded with people offering the Open Water course and I'd love a recommendation. I'd love to go in September and since flights on Budget Travel are €484.00, I think I can afford to go!

Also at the moment, I'll probably be travelling alone. Is that a done thing or should I try and rope someone else along? I've gone on tours before by myself, but staying in one location might be a bit different.