How much time do I have?

Don’t forget travel time to your destination and no-fly times before you can board a plane after diving.

Which destination offers a diving level which matches my skills?

Be honest about your dive skills and experience level. Some trips do require you have experience dealing with currents, deep diving, etc. Also keep the dive level of your fellow travelers in mind. Is their level in par with yours?

Do I want to go on a group trip or solo? Prearranged or unplanned trip?

There are so many options, it is good to have an idea of what kind of trip you want to take and why…. You can always try a different type on the next trip.

What kind of vacation do I want? Lots of nightlife or peace and quiet? Do I want to lie on the beach? Carry my own tanks? Lots of luxury and good food?

Would you prefer a well-known, easily accessible destination or are you more interested in the remote, adventure kind of diving?

Only underwater or land based as well? Do I want to combine diving with topside activities such as a safari?

Don’t forget to check out the options of combining a few days of land based diving with a short or longer liveaboard trip. There are many options available.

What kind of diving do I want? Big critters, liveaboard diving, etc.? Lots of people on the dive boat or night diving?

This is usually quite destination specific and you don’t want to end up only being able to take one night dive a week if night dive photography is your desire.

Are you getting certified or desire additional training?

Not all destinations offer the opportunity for training. Make sure you know in advance if the dive operator offers training.

Don’t forget to think about insurance, local currency, visa requirements, and language and disease risks.
Emergencies do happen or you could just get the flu and not be able to dive. It is nice to know you have insurance that will take care of that.