Benefits of Liveaboard Diving is part of the Ultimate Guide to Liveaboard Diving
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Suppose you love scuba diving and have cultivated your relationship with the underwater world to become an avid and more curious scuba diver. In that case, liveaboard diving should be the next dive holiday for you to look into!
What is the difference between liveaboard diving and dive centers?
A liveaboard trip is a different experience compared to booking day trips with dive centers. When you choose to dive with a dive center, you’d usually book a hotel and a dive package or a couple of days diving.
You will join day boats or dives by the shore for your diving holiday. After diving, you will head off to explore the village or town and the bars and restaurants in the area.
Everything is in one place on a liveaboard, hence the name: Live-Aboard!
You will stay onboard at sea for a few days up to two weeks and experience another kind of dive culture where dive buddies are made for life. You spend the duration of your trip on board and traveling between dive destinations where you can do multiple dives a day and access remote dive sites that day boats might have difficulty reaching.
After a full day’s diving, stories are told around the dinner table with old and new-found friends as the sun begins to set, and perhaps a night dive is scheduled for after dinner.
While both options have their benefits, let’s dive into the benefits and details of liveaboard diving!
Eight benefits on why your next dive holiday should be a liveaboard
#1 The early bird gets first access to dive sites
Depending on the dive destination and the peak season, dive sites can be full of dive boats on anchor or adrift.
In the prevention of a case where it might be difficult to anchor or the need to wait for some of the boats to leave the dive site, liveaboards would voyage during the night or the early morning hours to be the first to arrive to ensure that the divers get some quality dives in before the crowds arrive.
Early birds also get better prices for liveaboard trips. Check out the best early bird special offers from Divebooker.com.
#2 Easy access to remote dive sites
This is a major driving force among avid divers to book liveaboard excursions. Liveaboards allow for smoother and more convenient access to remote dive sites and would typically spend a night or more at the dive site on anchor.
Resort-based diving can, unfortunately, limit day divers from reaching specific locations. A day trip can reach some remote dive sites, and a voyage can take up to 3 hours per way. Realistically, these trips are heavy and can sometimes tire divers out when their dive holiday has barely begun.
#3 Liveaboard diving is almost hassle-free
You might be staying out at sea for several days to weeks, but that does not mean you have to be uncomfortable dragging heavy gear and tanks up and down! Liveaboards are designed with divers comfort in mind.
This means that you arrive onboard, mount your gear, and it will stay this way until the end of your expedition. These ships are facilitated with innovative tank racks, back platforms, and ladders to enter and exit the water smoothly.
It is set up so that your mounted dive gear is close to the water entry point or as simple as taking a seat in the zodiac. Liveaboards are equipped with caring divemasters and crew, so before dives, your gear will be taken care of, your tank will be filled, and everything will be rinsed at the end of a good day’s diving.
#4 Less time spent commuting means more dive time!
With shore-based dives and day boat trips, you can spend more time commuting between your accommodation and the dive center or to and from dive sites.
Liveaboard itineraries are created so that most sailing occurs during the night or breakfast and lunch breaks. This saves a lot of time and usually results in 3-4 dives a day without leaving divers feeling exhausted.
#5 You spend more time with likeminded divers & dive guides
The social structure of liveaboards can be quite exciting if you consider yourself a social person. Diving, dining, and sharing a boat for up to two weeks is a great networking opportunity, making new friends and establishing better trust between you and your divemaster.
This will also create a more comfortable and laid-back environment among the dive group. You will likely have already planned your next dive holiday with your new dive buddies before the exhibition is over!
#6 It’s an opportunity to get the most out of the ocean by maximizing your time on it
Liveaboard diving is an excellent opportunity to establish a stronger relationship with the ocean by practically living on it! Not only are the sunsets and sunrise at sea to die for, but wildlife tends to behave differently at night; cetaceans can potentially accompany you on the open sea, making for an unforgettable experience.
Spending some time away from the hustle and bustle of civilization is also an added asset.
#7 Less stress and hassles with the logistics around diving
Many divers travel to experience the culture and cuisine that belong to a dive destination. For some, trying new restaurants, exploring smaller streets and alleyways, finding fun bars or coffee shops, or possibly traveling with non-divers can be ideal!
However, this can trigger stress on many divers who travel to only focus on diving and rushing or potentially running late ruin a dive before getting on the boat. Apart from the above benefits of liveaboard diving, liveaboards are an excellent way for stress-free diving and pure relaxation.
#8 Liveaboard diving is more financially beneficial
Liveaboard rates compared to dive center rates can seem quite a bit higher, which can often discourage divers from booking their space on board.
Regular diving can be significantly higher than liveaboard diving if you add up the costs of accommodation, meals, drinks, and taxi fares outside of your diving bill. Liveaboard trips are all-inclusive and can save you on some high fees.
Liveaboards can significantly lower the budget for more expensive destinations like the Maldives, Seychelles, Belize, and Palau.
Before booking a liveaboard, make sure that you do the following
- Have researched when the season starts and what species you can encounter.
- Have your gear serviced and checked, and also, very importantly, make sure that your dive skills are refreshed for your safety and comfort.
- Plan a realistic amount of days to dive and travel.
- Travel and pack light. Cabin space may be limited.
- Bring your sealegs or seasick tablets along with a sense of adventure!
Booking a liveaboard is a doorway to another side of diving and living at sea. There are many different types of divers looking at different things to dive with luckily, there are a great variety of liveaboard destinations and liveaboard types out there to look into and explore!
If you are ready to find your next Liveaboard holiday, check out our partner Divebooker.com which has all you need to find & book your liveaboard holiday at your fingertips. Book your next liveaboard holiday today.
