Family Dive Vacation Guide 2024 – The 10 Best Spots and What You Need to Know

So you want to do a family dive vacation with your partner and kids? Great choice!

From experience, let me tell you that scuba diving is fun…but doing so when your loved ones are around is even better! As with every family trip, however, there are a LOT of things you want to take into consideration…

In this family dive vacation guide, we will show you the best spots to dive with family, what makes them good choices in our opinion, and the best times to dive there. Of course, we also look at the cost (yup, family trips aren’t always super cheap 😑), ways to save some money, and other tips that can help make your trip super awesome!

Of course, our guide applies to all kinds of families, no matter if it’s just you and your partner, with kids, or your elderly parents!

If you have any questions after reading, let me know in the comments.

The 1o Best Family-Friendly Dive Destinations 2024

These are the top family dive vacation destinations and spots in 2024:

1 El Quseir/ Hurghada, Egypt

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,000 – $1,500

Family-friendliness rating: 10 / 10

As usual, Egypt is on our list for being not only one of the best diving destinations in the world but also super family-friendly! Almost all resorts offer kids-friendly aspects like all-inclusive buffets, various water sports, kid’s club, animation team, guided sightseeing tours, horse riding, and more!

It’s also one of the cheapest diving destinations in the world and comes with amazing dive sites like Hurghada’s Dolphin House, the Thistlegorm wreck, or the Ras Mohammed National Park.

2 Bonaire, Caribbean

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,500 – $2,000

Family-friendliness rating: 7 / 10

Bonaire and the other ABC islands Curacao and Aruba are excellent family dive vacation destinations with super warm Caribbean waters and affordable diving prices. Instead of staying at a dive resort, most people like to explore the island(s) on their own with a rental truck and dive wherever they like.

There are many sandy kid-friendly beaches and calm waters, and it basically never rains here. Diving is easy and you won’t need to dive deeper than a few meters / feet to see big turtles and abundant marine life.

3 Fiji

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $2,500 – $4,000

Family-friendliness rating: 8 / 10

If your budget allows it, Fiji is an exceptional family-friendly diving destination! It’s considered the “soft coral capital of the world” with amazing visibility and marine life. The locals are super friendly and the island’s culture is very welcoming.

There isn’t just one particular dive spot to point out for families on Fiji and wherever you go, you will find an amazing underwater view! The drawback is that getting to Fiji can be really expensive and usually involves long flights. If you and your family are willing to accept this, then this Pacific island is all you need for a dream dive vacation!

4 Bay Islands, Honduras

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,200 – $1,800

Family-friendliness rating: 6 / 10

Honduras is one of the cheapest diving destinations in the world which makes it a good spot for those on a tighter budget. This excludes flights, however, so check for good prices online. I recommend Expedia!

Honduras offers great diving for every level and is world-renowned for its wall diving, but also beginner-friendly shallow reefs. If you want to take a break from diving, there are nature parks to visit, and other outdoor activities your family will love.

5 Hawaii, USA

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $2,000 – $3,000

Family-friendliness rating: 7 / 10

If you are in the US, Hawaii is an amazing travel destination at a surprisingly low cost. It isn’t exactly cheap, but domestic flights make it more accessible than many other spots.

Hawaii has it all: Great diving, amazing beaches, lots of family-friendly resorts and beaches, and many other fun activities. Take a volcano tour or experience the typical Hawaiian culture at local restaurants and villages. The island is famous for its manta ray sightings and sea turtles and its low currents make it suitable for all levels of divers!

6 Cozumel, Mexico

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,000 – $2,000

Family-friendliness rating: 10 / 10

Cozumel in the Caribbean Sea, off the Yucatan Peninsula, is a perfect family vacation spot for divers and non-divers alike. With a rich marine biodiversity, calm beaches, kid-friendly resorts, and warm waters you will find plenty of things to see and do!

Even if your kids don’t dive, you can take them on a snorkel trip with whale sharks, or enjoy the many sandy beaches and water parks in the region. If you enjoy sightseeing, pay a visit to the Mayan cultural sites to the west and enjoy the food at the local vilages and restaurants!

7 The Maldives

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $3,000 – $5,000

Family-friendliness rating: 6 / 10

If you want to treat your family to a true once-in-a-lifetime dive vacation, the Maldives are arguably your best bet! Amazing marine life, white sandy beaches, super family-friendly resorts and staff, and diving for every level make this destination stand out from the rest!

It’s not cheap and getting there will take between 15- 35 hours depending on where you live…but once you get there it’s so worth it! Be careful when choosing your dive resort, however, as the Maldives often experience really strong currents, especially in the South. Stick more to the islands around the capital Male to be on the safe side.

Manta rays and whale shark encounters, vibrant coral atolls, and plenty of friendly(!) reef sharks and turtles await and many divers put the Maldives as their top diving destination in the world.

8 Croatia

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $500 – $1,200

Family-friendliness rating: 7 / 10

For Europeans, Croatia and the Adriatic Coast are one of the cheapest and most accessible diving destinations for families. Take a plane or go by car and within a few hours you will be at the Sea.

While the marine life here is not as exotic as in other places, accommodation is really cheap and perfect for families. Plenty of small fish, good food, and friendly locals make the experience even better. The biggest drawbacks are that water temperatures between November and April are really cold and beaches are usually rocky.

However, many European divers swear by Croatia and it’s a great destination for both diving and sightseeing!

9 Bali, Indonesia

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,500 – $2,500

Family-friendliness rating: 8 / 10

Bali is an all-time favorite of backpackers and families alike. The Balinese are known for their hospitality and affection for children, and childcare facilities are readily available across the island.

Accommodation varies from local homestays to big resorts, and the diverse food options cater to all tastes and dietary requirements. We love Bali’s diverse marine life that offers everything from beautiful reefs to wrecks and pelagic species.

While Bali itself is very affordable, getting there is the most expensive part. If you can get an off-season flight, you can save a lot of money here!

10 Malta & Gozo

Approx. Cost/Week/Person: $1,000 – $2,000

Family-friendliness rating: 7 / 10

Malta and its smaller sister island Gozo are great vacation spots for families who love to scuba dive! Diving season is between March and October and the Mediterranean Sea offers some great diving opportunities for every level here.

It’s also an excellent spot for first-time wreck diving experiences with Gozo being one of the premier wreck diving sites in the world!

Malta is great for Europeans as flights are easy to get, and relatively affordable, and English is the everyday language on the Island. The standard of accommodation and food is very high and makes it a great spot for families with smaller children.

What to Look Out For When Choosing a Family Dive Destination

Family-friendly diving destinations offer easy dive sites for all levels, have a good reputation for safe diving practices, and provide affordable accommodation. It helps to choose places that offer other activities apart from diving like a kid’s club, a pool, and plenty of food options.

A family dive vacation is a bit different from diving on your own or as a couple. Especially if you have kids who don’t (yet) dive, you need to look for places that offer some kind of kid’s club or animation team so they have something to do while you’re underwater.

But even when your kids are old enough to dive, it helps to have a backup! When we travel with children, we always pick resorts that have plenty of family-friendly amenities.

On the other hand, if you enjoy traveling with your parents, you want to choose flat places that offer bungalows or a good shuttle service.

Safety

Look for destinations with a strong track record in dive safety, especially for younger or less experienced divers. There should be dive sites for all levels and with minimal currents.

Sandy beaches might have worse visibility than rocky ones, however, you don’t have to worry about anyone getting hurt. In any case, do pack some dive boots for everyone!

Getting there

Choose locations that are easy to travel to! Long journeys by plane can be tough on young kids or older people. Trust me, a 20-hour flight to the Maldives with 2 hungry, super tired toddlers in a bad mood is NOT a good start to your dream holiday!

My rule of thumb for the maximum travel duration with kids is:

Age of your youngest child + 3 hours

So if your kids are 6 and 11, I would stick to journeys that take less than 9 hours by car/train/plane. This can vary, of course, but it helps me personally to keep myself sane.

When traveling with your parents or grandparents, your means of transportation should have extra restrooms and not involve strenuous walks.

Facilities

Ensure the destination has family-friendly amenities, like pools, kid’s clubs, and safe beaches. This is SOO important when your kids are not in the mood to dive or simply not old enough.

Sure, it’s an option to always have one parent babysit…but again from experience, this is no fun.

Dive Sites

Opt for places offering a range of dive sites that cater to different skill levels, allowing everyone in the family to participate. A good indicator is whether the dive resort offers a Discover Scuba Diving course in open water. This usually means there are shallow reefs with easy entries or otherwise they couldn’t do it with beginners.

I would stay away from diving destinations that only offer boat dives – especially if you aren’t sure how sea-ready your family is.

Preparing for Your Family Dive Vacation

Preparation is key and will definitely make your next family dive vacation much less of a hassle:

Ensure everyone is properly trained

Last-minute scuba certifications are a really bad way to get ready to travel! They put pressure on everyone to get it right and things just happen. Got sick on a course day, hurt your ears, or noticed they didn’t like diving after all…

Oh and don’t forget about the 24-hour no-flight time after diving!

Therefore, get certified before booking your expensive dive trip. Discuss safety protocols, like buddy systems and underwater communication so this knowledge is fresh in everyone’s mind.

Pack for everyone

Pack essentials like swimwear, sunscreen, and seasickness medication. A spare scuba mask is one of the best investments ever! (“Whoopsie, I think I left it on my bed…“)

Downloading my FREE scuba diving trip packing list will help you pack everything you need:

My advice to all parents diving with their kids: Pack your dive bag together with them and once it’s done, don’t let anyone near it until you’re on your way!

Use a dive bag

Speaking of dive bag…yes, you do want the bigger one! Trust me, more space is a life saver.

Check out our top dive bag recommendations 2024 if you don’t have one yet!

How Much Does a Family Dive Vacation Cost?

A family scuba trip can range from $4,000 for 4 people at a low-budget destination like Croatia to $12,000 and more at premier diving destinations like the Maldives. Combining diving and accommodation can be a good money-saver.

A dream dive vacation doesn’t have to drain your wallet but will be more expensive than a camping trip close to home. The biggest cost factors are usually: Location, plane tickets, and accommodation level.

Here are 3 examples of dive vacation costs per week for a family of 4. Remember that the cost for flights varies depending on where you live!

	Hurghada, Egypt	Koh Tao, Thailand	Bali, Indonesia
Flights (round-trip)	$1,000 – $2,500	$2,000 – $4,000	$2,800 – $5,000
Dive resort or hotel (7 nights)	$1,500 – $4,000	$1,000 – $4,000	$2,000 – $10,000
Diving package (4x)	$1,000 – $3,000	$1,000 – $3,000	$1,000 – $8,000
Rental gear (4x)	$500 – $1,200	$400 – $1,000	$500 – $2,000
Shuttle or taxi	$100 – $300	$150 – $500	$200 – $500
Other expenses	$0 – $xxx	$0 – $xxx	$0 – $xxx
Total	$3,200 – $11,000+	$4,550 – $12,500+	$6,500 – $25,000+

As you can see the prices can vary dramatically even at the same diving destination, depending on the time of travel and what level of accommodation you want. The above prices are real-life examples of actual trips offered by us and diving travel agencies and operators.

Diving Prices

Diving prices range from $20 per dive to $500 and it’s hard to compare them sometimes. For a full week of diving including rental equipment, I believe you will be looking at around $1,000 per person on average, if you want between 2 – 4 dives a day.

How to save money on diving:

Look for all-inclusive dive packages to save on costs. Many resorts offer 5 days including 2 dives a day packages plus rental equipment at reasonable prices. If you just want to dive a couple of times in between, it can be cheaper to pay for individual dives and stay at regular hotels instead of dive resorts.

Flights & Accommodation

Flights and accommodation are usually the most expensive part of a family dive vacation. Plane tickets are more expensive, especially when going to really remote locations that require several stops.

How to save money on accommodation:

Travel during the off-season for better deals on flights and accommodations. This is usually only possible with kids who aren’t yet in school, but it’s worth checking high seasons for each destination.

If the place allows it, renting an apartment with an integrated kitchen is cheaper than getting full board or all-inclusive at a resort.

Rental gear

Rent gear at the destination to save on luggage fees. We posted an article on buying vs renting scuba gear but with kids, it can be easier to rent it instead of buying sizes they will quickly grow out of.

The only things you should definitely buy for all family members who dive are: Dive computer, dive boots, and scuba mask!

Making the Most of Your Family Dive Vacation

Here are 3 tips to make the most of your next family dive vacation. They come from my personal experience with my family and from helping hundreds of customers book their perfect family scuba trip:

1 Balance your time

Balance dive time with other activities like going out to eat, chilling at the beach, play time and sightseeing tours.

This way, everyone can have fun and will keep the vacation in good memories! I remember my parents always making sure me and my siblings had fun and I try to do the same for my kids.

2 Don’t plan everything in advance

It’s more fun if you keep one or two days without any pre-fixed plans. On the one hand, you will be more flexible to put in an extra beach day or do something you just found out about at your travel destination, on the other hand, it will help you relax more!

3 Take lots of photos

Take lots and lots of photos whenever you can to put the memories in your family album later on. Check out our guide to underwater photography for tips and tricks and bring a waterproof camera!

Conclusion

If you take the time to plan your trip with your family, your next vacation will be a blast! Don’t be afraid to try something new and it always helps to check for offers online!

Have you been on a family dive vacation? Share your stories in the comments! 😊

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