Want more cash to invest in your dive-gear stash? Learn how to save money while traveling so you can spend it on what you love to do most: dive. You'll find our budget-friendly tips below.
1) Check out Sport Diver magazine for great deals on PADI Diving Society events.
2) Particularly if you are traveling on your own, consider a room with a land view, rather than a water view. They generally cost less, and if you're diving, you're gonna see all the water you want.
3) Consider the off-season. Bermuda in January costs less than it does after Easter, there are fewer tourists, and the viz is phenomenal. You'll just need to wear a heavier wetsuit and pack a light jacket and a sweater. Research other destinations for similarly great deals.
4) Own your own dive gear. Purchasing costs less than renting in the long run, and you'll be more comfortable with gear that you're totally familiar with.
5) Go digital in your photography. There's no film to buy, and your photos are easier to share. Also, get rechargeable batteries for your photo gear you'll save money in the long run, and you won't be throwing used batteries into island landfills.
6) Weigh your luggage at home to avoid excess weight charges; you can often move gear from one bag to the other to get everything within limits.
7) Buy thoughtful souvenirs, rather than expensive ones. Our staff has a tradition of looking for these things when we're away on assignment, so we have something to give to everybody when we come back. Look in our offices and you'll see handmade paper with traditional designs from Fiji, goat's-milk soap from Hawaii, coffee beans from Jamaica, Tortola rumcakes from Grand Cayman and Pusser's rum carafes and spice mixes from the BritishVirgin Islands. Okay, maybe you won't see the rumcakes or the rum ... but they were there!
8) Don't be a stuffed shirt; make friends on-island. Some of my most memorable experiences Palauan day hikes, a sunrise run up the cloud-forest trail on Saba's Mt. Scenery, dinners at a private Bahamian home overlooking the water, a local semi-pro basketball game at 1:00 in the morning on Tortola were done with friends I made on my travels and (although I reciprocate as a host when those folks come here) they cost me absolutely nothing.
9) Treat local people with the dignity they deserve. I found a dress for my wife on the Riviera Maya for $22 a real deal but wound up only paying $11 for it, not because I haggled, but because the gentleman who owned the store struck up a conversation with me, and we wound up helping one another with our colloquial Spanish and English. When he rang up the dress, he gave me the "friend's price" a pleasant surprise and would not hear of me paying anything more than that.
10) Look into public events. The best party on Cozumel is the Sunday-night plaza fiesta in San Miguel. The best party on St. Lucia is the Friday-night jump-up at Gros Islet. Neither has an admission charge.
11) Learn the language. At some of my favorite breakfast places in Mexico, Spanish is the only language spoken and the prices are amazingly low.
12) Investigate the activities at the resort where you'll be staying. I have found beach bicycles, shore-dive air fills, kayaks, small sailboats, breakfast bars, happy hours and more all available at no charge to guests at some resorts.
13) If you're vacationing to relax, don't forget to relax. Find a quiet, beautiful place where you can meditate for an hour each day. You will find that this is probably the time that recharges you best (isn't that what a vacation is for?) and it won't cost anything.
14) When you arrive, check out the local grocery store and pick up some fruits and healthy snacks. That way, you can get a glimpse of the local lifestyle and save some money for dinner.
15) Try eating at the street-vendor stands. The food is often a local specialty that's made with fresh ingredients right in front of you. The trick is to pick one that's busy with locals.
