PADI Advanced Open Water

[changychangy]

We're a family of divers but just have the Open Water certificate. The DC, early twenties would like to do the Advanced.
We're looking to travel in early July as a special family holiday.
We've been lucky enough to go to several Indian Ocean islands and the Caribbean but the cost is deterring me from booking.
The Red Sea is the obvious choice, we've never been, but the FO advice has put me off.
Where can we have great diving, lovely beaches that doesn't break the bank?

I learnt to dive in Mozambique. Did my Advanced in East Timor and have since dived in Madagascar, Colombia, South East Asia etc.

The bet diving I've done (right off the beach) has been Est Timor, but the distance and the fact that its very much a developing country might put you off.

Moz was great - whale sharks and amazing beaches, but again you'd been to be comfy in a developing country too.

Have you considered Central America? 2nd larges barrier reef in the world after Oz and pretty unspoilt in places? Or how about the Philippines?

I did mine at Ras Mohammed, at a time when the area was safer than it is now, as you say. Malta has sea caverns and some good diving operators if your budget is tight. For a far east destination Borneo has some very good diving, and is not so expensive once you get there. Yucatan Mexico has Cozumel and cenotes, the latter are exceptional.

Thank you.
We've been to Mexico & Belize, great diving BTW. I don't think Malta & Gozo would be a good fit.
Am very interested in Borneo, it looks lovely.