- Messages
- 26,281
- Reaction score
- 5,875
- # of dives
- I'm a Fish!
As a counterpoint to what T.I. posted the Cayman dollar is fixed at .80 to the US$ so you're 20% down when you land. And they have almost 20% more in resort taxes for tourists. It's close to the most expensive dive destination I've been to - that list includes about a dozen Carib locations.
2nd most expensive? - Turks/Caicos - Providenciales (Provo) And it's all expensive boat diving - the reef is too far offshore. As may have been mentioned the best diving is a long boat ride away at French Cay/West Caicos. Add lunch and most dive trips are 2 per day - do 3 and you'll be returning back to your Grace Bay hotel around 4:00. They also boat dive off NW Point nearby - it's not as good (but better than decent) just too far out to swim.
Solo, good diving, nightlife... Maybe look at Aruba. Diving is in the top 10 and they have nightlife. Never been there.
Curacao would work also possibly. Price Scuba Lodge - smaller hotel downtown. Walking distance to a lot of things and they have a shore dive off their property. Maybe Atlantis Apts./Diving also. Downtown Willemstad is near the cruise port but there's also some decent clubs with live music both there and in Salinja IIRC. Mambo Beach was one of them. About a dozen casinos - the Renaissance has one like you'd find in Reno.
The diving is low current and the reef parallels the shoreline. Almost every shore dive is also a good beach with refreshments. At Porto Mari Beach we were asked twice if we needed a buddy. I've heard the bar at Lions Dive is another option. And you can also do escorted shore dives with the Dive Bus to get started. Out on your own/with an insta-buddy you'd want a car for the best of it. Smaller ones run about $300/wk.
www.curacao.com
You're also really getting into Hurricane season in Sept/Oct. The ABC's are below the hurricane belt so less affected by it. For most of the other Carib/Gulf Coast of Mexico destinations I'd consider trip insurance.
2nd most expensive? - Turks/Caicos - Providenciales (Provo) And it's all expensive boat diving - the reef is too far offshore. As may have been mentioned the best diving is a long boat ride away at French Cay/West Caicos. Add lunch and most dive trips are 2 per day - do 3 and you'll be returning back to your Grace Bay hotel around 4:00. They also boat dive off NW Point nearby - it's not as good (but better than decent) just too far out to swim.
Solo, good diving, nightlife... Maybe look at Aruba. Diving is in the top 10 and they have nightlife. Never been there.
Curacao would work also possibly. Price Scuba Lodge - smaller hotel downtown. Walking distance to a lot of things and they have a shore dive off their property. Maybe Atlantis Apts./Diving also. Downtown Willemstad is near the cruise port but there's also some decent clubs with live music both there and in Salinja IIRC. Mambo Beach was one of them. About a dozen casinos - the Renaissance has one like you'd find in Reno.
The diving is low current and the reef parallels the shoreline. Almost every shore dive is also a good beach with refreshments. At Porto Mari Beach we were asked twice if we needed a buddy. I've heard the bar at Lions Dive is another option. And you can also do escorted shore dives with the Dive Bus to get started. Out on your own/with an insta-buddy you'd want a car for the best of it. Smaller ones run about $300/wk.
www.curacao.com
You're also really getting into Hurricane season in Sept/Oct. The ABC's are below the hurricane belt so less affected by it. For most of the other Carib/Gulf Coast of Mexico destinations I'd consider trip insurance.
Last edited:
Night Life? - sure, oh yes! Travel solo and get to know a Mexicana or two. Pretty good rate for pesos to greenbacks. Dive with Cantamar or the other one - 
