1 week macro trip, 'travellable' from the UK?

I kind of get the decision between the Maldives and the Red Sea (although as you mention, for macro, the Maldives does not present any advantages), but Cozumel is not in the same league as the other two destinations. It is a nice island and the diving is great, but it lacks the diversity of either of the other two. It is certainly no better for critters than the Red Sea.

My experience is that bar spotted eagle rays, you would have the same chances of pelagics in the Red Sea as at Cozumel. Anything can (and does) happen at Ras Mohamed! Pelagic action is pretty much guaranteed in the Maldives...

Shore diving is the Red Sea somewhat gets round the temperature issue.

32 minutes ago, adamhanlon said:

I kind of get the decision between the Maldives and the Red Sea (although as you mention, for macro, the Maldives does not present any advantages), but Cozumel is not in the same league as the other two destinations. It is a nice island and the diving is great, but it lacks the diversity of either of the other two. It is certainly no better for critters than the Red Sea.

 

That's interesting, I've seen little in terms of critters photographed in the red sea, but plenty from Cozumel and the night dives are pretty cool (I've done two in Cozumel but not in the red sea mind you). 

So in terms of stuff to see critter wise, shore dives in the red sea may provide the same quality as Cozumel? 

At the moment I'm upping my budget and considering Cozumel vs Maldives, but Maldives is closer to 2k as I'm travelling solo (sharing accommodation costs would help tremendously) and Cozumel is around 1.4 or 1.8 if I decide to go for a photography workshop

Hi,
dont know how it is in february, but diving in Cozumel was very expensive as i remember...
To close to the states...
Night dives in the red sea can be great as anywhere else.
We had lots of stuff in Dahab, where i was often, but i would not recomend it now out of security reasons...
Yes if you are solo and stay away from crowded places, should be ok.
Most of the shopes have closed, Planet divers is a euopean shop, polish tek divers, last time i was staying there,
the sport divers got a guide, and i guided the tekkies...
Nightdiving at lighthouse or caves was ok.

Since this is the first year without a 2 week dive trip, which is normally the longer holiday every year,
i am looking for a one week destination as well for march...
Out of medical reasons it will be a last minute trip, if the doc gives a ok ;-))

So we think about Marsa alam, or Maledives...

Regards,
Wolfgang

As you are on budget, don't  underestimate the cost of diving in the Maldives. I have shore dived a lot there and in my experience it is a bit of a ripoff. You would need a qualified buddy or a paid for guide to do that. If not you would have to go on a boat trip which is about $15 a shot extra and then be buddied up with somebody not of your choosing and maybe playing follow my leader with some hardly wet behind the ears, so-called dive master. Which is why I shore dive there!

I'll just throw Gulen in Norway into the mix. It is coldwater diving, but they have a housereef where they hold a photo competition with Lembeh every year for macro photography. I've not personally been, but you may be able to get there for a week within budget. Obviously drysuit territory and I don't know how seasonal the underwater life there is (the competition is held in the summer). It's definitely high on my own bucket list of places to dive. 

I'm definitely going to Gulen at some point but I'm very new to drysuits and I feel I'd be better off doing more diving (and getting the seaskin!) in the UK before spending money on it in Norway. 

But for sure, in a year or two I'll deffo go

Gulen is amazing, but a very different proposition! No guides, cool water (especially at peak nudibranch season in March) and super interesting (but definitely less abundant) critters.

During the above mentioned season there are nudibranchs everywhere! They run a nudibranch safari, which is amazing and is great opportunity to get involved in some very cool citizen science.

https://wetpixel.com/articles/the-shootout-2018-is-underway-in-lembeh-and-gulen

The Lembeh vs Gulen Shootout may be running again in 2021...we ran one in 2016 and 2018. They are really amazing events..

https://wetpixel.com/articles/report-gulen-nudibranch-safari

My feeling is that the Red Sea has everything that Cozumel can offer, but a lot more of it!

I know that it is a little over the travel time but why not Bali? Quick look at Skyscanner shows reasonable flights for under £500 from London with one stop. It is certainly possible to get a week inc diving for under £500 so within budget. I have had some better spotters there than anywhere else and certainly no shortage of macro subjects. If you only have a week off then I have done a later flight on a Thursday and back on the Sunday giving 6(?) days diving with just over a weeks leave.

Just a thought

Hey DDT, I was actually planning on going to tulamben to meet up with the supreme spotter, Ajiex (i came back from there in December actually). Either that or the Philippines. However due to the issues in East Asia now I've decided to not travel there. 

Usually I wouldn't fret but there have been some travel restrictions to East Asia and I would rather stay a bit closer (Cozumel, red sea, Maldives) 

Just an update here. Over the awkward travelling the last 2 years I did manage to do Maldives twice and I've gir a trip planned for either Florida and/or Egypt.

Marsa Alam / Marsa Shagra is what I've settled for as it allows easy dive access with their house reef. This also allows trips out to sharky sites. Alternatively, if I end up going solo I'm off to Nuweiba for my macro fix

And for Florida it'll be west palm beach for blackwater, sharks off jupiter and macro at blue heron bridge. With the possibility of a 2hr boat ride to Bimini for sharks (but its pretty expensive to stay at Bimini!) 

Those two options have direct flights, but the transfer internally at Egypt is a pain as its another 3 hours on top of the 5 hour flight time, and by then you're looking at almost a days worth or travelling (which would've made Philippines extremely attractive, but there are no direct flights anymore for the time being!)

Thanks for all for your input, its hugely valuable. 

Sounds brilliant. Happy travels!

@adamhanlon do you have recommendations on where to go in Nuweiba? It seems Hilton has been taken over by Time, and emperor divers isn't around anymore?

I'd love to do some good macro diving with easy access to sites, ideally around the pier for some of the dives, and knowledgable DMs for spotting - but I am really struggling to find up to date information