Learning to dive - not in Europe

[crumpet]

Does anyone have any recommendations for learn to dive holidays? Will be during winter so Europe is out. Egypt also not on the cards given the current situation, but any recommendations particularly if part of a package holiday would be really welcome.

Koh Toa, Thailand. World class instructors, world class diving. I have been qualified for 35 years but took DD last year and 2 weeks later she was an advanced diver with 27 dives in her book.Great value too.
Look at Bans Dive Resort.

Yy to Ko Tao - loads of dive schools, very experienced. Krabi and surrounding islands will also have plenty of dive options and in our winter the weather is great there.

The Bay Islands off Honduras are another big dive school centre (and cheap), not that easy to get to though and not really packagey.

I would imagine there are lots of options off the Caribbean coast of Mexico and Belize. Cancun or Tulum based resorts probably offer diving.

Also the Caribbean but expensive I expect. Maldives is ££££ to dive.

Remember you can do the classroom bits of the course at home so you only need to do the physical skills while away - but you may want to check with the dive school that they are set up for this and will accept your at home learning.

Have you done any diving or snorkelling before? Because if not, I’d suggest a place that has lots of other things to do in case you find out that diving isn't for you.
You can’t go wrong with Egypt - Sharm or Hurghada - calm water, good coral, lots of fish, easy shore or short boat rides to the dive sites - personally the current situation wouldn’t put me off, the tourist places are miles from any conflict areas and you’ll not need to leave the resort.
But otherwise, some Caribbean islands can have good diving but check the individual resort and indeed, the hotel. For a learner you ideally want a good house reef so you don’t have to either travel to the departure point or have a long boat ride out. You also want a resort geared up for beginners and that has lots to see in the water. I’ve been to some dive schools in places where there is only rocks and a few silver fish - boring.
Grenada, Jamaica, Aruba, Bahamas, Roatan, lots more have some decent diving.
Some Mexican resorts can have as well - look at Tulum and Akamal, famous for turtles.
Lots of diving Indonesia, Malaysia, Fifi, Australia - the list is endless but depends on budget and your travel time.
You can do the written Padi learning at home but it doesn’t actually take up much time when you are there, and you may find it easier to do this with your dive instructors on site. Means a bit of reading around the pool or in the evening.
The Padi website has details on every place you can dive in the world so have a look at it.

Thank you all, this is really helpful. Due to a dc injury skiing will be out for next winter, so I thought a different (lower impact) activity holiday might be fun for them. Will be off to do more research on your suggestions!

If you have done a bit of Padi training - perhaps the Maldives depending on budget