My First liverboard - advice & info?

[andy pandy]

what web sites are there for a variety of offers then and irll have a look.

[andy pandy]

yes, i know there are many, but i dont mind (am i bothered) lol

[triplefin]

Originally Posted by andy pandy

what web sites are there for a variety of offers then and irll have a look.

if you look on this forum where you r posting this thread you will find some stuff on stickys

[Ding Dang Doo]

There are plenty of sponser on this site, so might be worth giving them a shout first.

If you can leave it as late as possible, then you can pick up some real bargains. I went on Hurricane last year doing 'Simply the Best' itinery, cost me £1050 plus a flight from Manchester to London. I saw the same trip last week for £750, but it left in 5 days time...

Have fun looking

3D

[Narced at sea level]

Liveboards are definitely the way forward for me - I've done about 7 now and would never consider going back to shore based diving unless there was a really good reason - on paper they look more expensive, but you'll often find that once you have paid for a dive package on a shore based trip, and factored in eating out and general walking around money etc, you'll have spend more or less the same on a liveaboard - but had twice the number of dives and visited better dive sites - so all in its better value.

Tony Backhurst is arguably the best liveaboard operator here in the uk - I've used them about 6 times and had no complaints on 5 of those trips - the one time I did have some genuine complaints they made ammends without any quibbles and changed the Egyptian operator they had used within a season (they got more complaints than mine presubaly) - find them at www.scuba.co.uk

there's a few others - libra holidays - explorers.co.uk - scubasnacks.co.uk

In terms of where to go - depends on your what you want and level of experience:

Northern red sea trips out of Hurghada are probably the best for wrecks - not too demanding - cost anything from £400 for a low season last minute deal (that would be VERY low season and VERY last minute though), up to about £800 for one of the big new luxury liveaboards.

Northern trips out of sharm give a good mix of wrecks and reefs - not too demanding - cost £400 - £800 - more or less the same and Hurghada.

Southern Red sea trips out of Marsa Alam offer the some of the best reefs and good opps to see big stuff - hardly any known wrecks down that way though- more demanding diving though - a bit more expensive - £600 - £1000

The Brothers Islands is IMO the best spot in the Egyptian part of the Red sea bar none - loads of big stuff - couple of pretty decent wrecks - pristine reefs - can be some big swells and current there at times so its quite an advanced dive site. Price from £600 to £1200.

There also the Sudanese Red sea of course - pretty advanced - VERY expensive - but arguably the worlds number 1 dive destination right now.

Opinions differ as to the best time to visit the Red Sea but most guide books reccomend spring or autumn - and I'd agree with that, except for the fact that I've also had great liveaboards there in summer and winter too - so its pretty much a good spot 12 months of the year.

Consider the malidves too - a liveaboard will set you back at least £1200 though, and there are currents there that'll rip you mask right off your face - but if you can handle it (and afford it) worth it for the virtually guaranteed whale shark and manta sightings you'll get - not much in the way of wrecks - mostly deliberately sunk trawlers etc - the standard of the boats isn't generally as high of as the Red Sea boats, but still ok, so I doubt you'll have too many complaints. May to november is rainy season, this means you'll get the odd torrential downpour in the evening, and the viz will suffer as a result - it'll still be hot and sunny for the most part though. Dry season is December to April.

The list of destinations doesn't stop there of course - you could go to Pemba Island off east Africa which keeps getting tipped as one of the latest untouched dive paradises - thailand, Phillipines - Yap, Palau, Similan islands, Galapagos, Cocos Keeling, great Barrier Reef - all of which have loads to offer - the list is seemingly endless.

good luck!