Not everyone has a partner who dives or who can time their holidays with their friends so being a single traveler on a diving holiday is quite a common thing. It can be a lot of fun getting to know people when above the surface and then enjoying your time underwater too where it is usually an experience between you and Mother Nature.

As a single traveler there are positives and negatives and one subject that often arises is the dilemma between sharing a room or cabin, or booking a private room or cabin for yourself. Often a single supplement will apply if you require privacy. However the situation is different from resort to resort, liveaboard to liveaboard and destination to destination. So how to make sense of it all? That’s where Dive The World can help.

We know what products permit single travelers to share and which ones don’t. We know what policies the operators apply and how they compare to their competitors. So we can guide you. If the likelihood and amount of a single supplement is a concern for you then the best thing to do is check with us regarding whichever specific resort or liveaboard you are interested in. But to give some general advice here is a destination by destination guideline.

Thailand
Is it optional? Yes. As a single traveler you can expect to share a cabin on a Thailand liveaboard.
What’s the usual supplement? Ranges from 50% to 90%.
Recommended: MV Peter Pan, MV Scuba Adventure and SY Diva Andaman have a 50% single supplement.

Mexico
Is it optional? Yes. All Mexico liveaboards treat single guests sharing a cabin as the norm.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a big difference in single supplement policy between the liveaboards here. From a boat with single cabins meaning no additional cost to 100% of the published price.
Recommended: Please check with us. We can advise as to the single cabin options. Also the Nautilus Explorer has a 25% single supplement.

Maldives
Is it optional? Yes. As a single traveler on Maldives liveaboards, you can share a cabin.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation. 65 to 70% is about average.
Recommended: MV Sting Ray and MV Eagle Ray have a 40% single supplement. Carpe Diem has a 50% single supplement for summer trips.

Indonesia – Komodo
Is it optional? Yes. Komodo liveaboards expect single travelers to share. You may even book a single cabin here.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation – from 46% to 100%
Recommended: MV Mermaid I has single cabins available. KLM Sea Safari VI charges 42% to 46% depending on cabin. Cheng Ho’s single supplement is 50%.

Indonesia – Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih Bay
Is it optional? Yes. You can share with another single traveler, or choose to pay the single supplement for privacy.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a wide range – with 65% as an average.
Recommended: KLM Euphoria 40%, KLM Sea Safari VI charges 42% to 46% depending on cabin, MV Pindito and SMY Seahorse both have a 50% single supplement.

Indonesia – Bali
Is it optional? No. If you are staying at a Bali Resort you cannot have the option to share with another single traveller.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation depending on resort, standard of room and season. Please check with us.
Recommended: If you are a single traveller help us find the option that is best for you in Bali.

Indonesia – Sulawesi
Is it optional? It is compulsory if you are staying at a North Sulawesi resort. You may not share a room. You can share a cabin if you are on a Sulawesi liveaboard
What’s the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation depending on resort, standard of room and season. Please check with us. 75% is to be expected on a Sulawesi liveaboard.
Recommended: If you are a single traveler help us find the option that is best for you in a North Sulawesi resort. MY Pelagian liveaboard which operates in Sulawesi has a 75% single supplement.

Australia
Is it optional? Yes on all Great Barrier Reef liveaboards you can share a cabin. Only if you want a private cabin will you need to pay the single supplement
What’s the usual supplement? 70% to 100% of the published price.
Recommended: MV Kangaroo Explorer have a range of single supplements often less than 70% so please check with us. Spoilsport’s single supplement is 70%.

Belize
Is it optional? Some of the resorts in Belize insist that single travelers cannot share with other guests but must pay for the room entirely. Others are happy to let you share, subject to availability and at non-peak times. With liveaboards it is entirely optional.
What’s the usual supplement? Resorts: Many variations – please check with us. Liveaboards: 65% of the published price.
Recommended: At Turneffe Flats, Turneffe Island Resort and Blackbird you can pay for privacy or take your chances that there will be no-one to share with. This is subject to availability and is more likely at non-peak times. Both Sun Dancer II and Belize Aggressor have a 65% single supplement

Burma
Is it optional? Yes. Most single people share a cabin, no problem.
What’s the usual supplement? There is quite a spread between the different liveaboards: anything from 50% to 100%.
Recommended: MV Thai Sea and MV Sea World both have a 50% single supplement

Fiji
Is it optional? It is compulsory in most in most Fiji resorts. However single travelers staying in Volivoli Resort or Uprising Beach Resort can stay in a shared dormitory and therefore pay a per-person price. Single travelers normally do share on Fiji liveaboards unless you wish to pay for privacy.
What’s the usual supplement? In most Fiji resorts the supplement ranges between 30 and 60%. It varies from one liveaboard to the next: from 50 to 100%.
Recommended: MV Nai’a and AS Tui Tai both feature a 50% single supplement.

Cocos
Is it optional? It is optional on all Cocos liveaboards. You can share with another guest or pay the single supplement if you want privacy.
What’s the usual supplement? Cocos liveaboards are normally an expensive option if you want a cabin to yourself with most boats charging a 100% single supplement.
Recommended: Exceptions to the 100% rules are Wind Dancer and Okeanos Aggressor which charge a 65% single supplement.

Galapagos
Is it optional? On all Galapagos liveaboards sharing is the norm. You can have a cabin to yourself If you pay the supplement.
What’s the usual supplement? There is quite a narrow range here: from 65% to 80%
Recommended: Galapagos Sky, the 2 Aggressors, Deep Blue and Pinguino Explorer all share a 65% single supplement.

Red Sea – Egypt
Is it optional? Single travelers can share cabins, no problem, unless you wish to pay for a private cabin.
What’s the usual supplement? A large variation here, from 25% to 100%
Recommended: Golden Dolphin boats only charge 25%, MY Cassiopeia and MY Andromeda: only 30%.

Red Sea – Sudan
Is it optional? Yes. Most single travelers share cabins
What’s the usual supplement? From 30% to 65%
Recommended: MY Andromeda’s single supplement is only 30%. MS Royal Evolution’s is 65%.

Malaysia
Is it optional? It is normally compulsory if you are staying at a Malaysia dive resort. You may not share a room, although some resorts are exceptions to this rule. You can share a cabin on a Malaysia liveaboard.
What’s the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation depending on resort, standard of room and season. Please check with us. A private cabin on a liveaboard here will involve a single supplement of 45%
Recommended: Seaventures dive rig and SMART resort allow sharing between single travelers. Some other resorts like Mabul Water Bungalows and Sipadan Water village allow sharing but it is subject to availability and only available during non-peak times of the year. If you are a single traveler help us find the option that is best for you in a Malaysia resort. MV Celebes Explorer has a 45% single supplement policy.

So if you’re a solo traveller and want to get the best advice on single friendly options, Call us on +66 (0)94 582 7973 / (0)83 505 7794 or send us an email.