Greetings from a ScubaWife!

[icedcoffee5252]

Hi! I'm a relatively inexperienced diver but my husband is very experienced. He's an IDC Staff Scuba Instructor, and taught diving in Guam for many years. Now we're looking for a place to go so he can certify/get our older kids (ages 10, 12, 12) certified.

I'm the trip planner in the house, so I'm in charge of picking the hotel/location and hoping to get some recs here. A friend suggested that I look on this forum for ideas.

Can I post my specific question here? Sorry if I'm breaking any forum etiquette!

 

[drrich2]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. I'm guessing you guys want to take them somewhere tropical for very benign conditions for certification training?

I haven't faced that situation as yet; in your position, I think I'd take an interest in somewhere with shore diving. I say that because it'd give the instructor and students the option to stay as long as they needed, not be on a tight schedule with the boat, and have the option to stick to a shallower area.

Of course, if you do a private boat charter, that lets them customize the site and timing to your needs, but it does come at a higher cost.

Shore diving is particularly reputable in Bonaire and Curacao. Other options including Grand Cayman, the west coast of St. Croix and Roatan (if you stay at Coco View Resort).

Curacao Trip Research Notes

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019

My Research Notes for Bonaire - My Research Note For Bonaire

8 Day Trip Report: Sand Dollar, Dive Friends

2022 Trip Report Bonaire Trip Report - V.I.P. Divers/Aqua Viva Suites

St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017 - Trip Report - St. Croix Research Report Aug. 2017

CocoView Trip Report May 2021 - Trip Report - CocoView Resort May 8-15, 2021

My Research Notes from planning a Roatan Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Roatan Trip

If you are cool with getting them certified via boat diving, then a range of options open up.

 

[icedcoffee5252]

@drrich2 thanks for these suggestions! Ideally, I'd love to find an AI someplace or a nice resort that also has a kids club and/or things to do for kids. We also have a 4-year old, and I'll be staying back with him while the others dive.

AI appeals to me b/c I'd prefer not to spend time finding restaurants we can all agree on off-site, taking taxis/cars that fit all of us, and my kids are picky while my husband and I aren't.

I was looking at Beach T&C, but it's so expensive.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Bring it. We love to spew opinions and brag about our exploits.

Welcome to the board.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

@drrich2 thanks for these suggestions! Ideally, I'd love to find an AI someplace or a nice resort that also has a kids club and/or things to do for kids. We also have a 4-year old, and I'll be staying back with him while the others dive.

AI appeals to me b/c I'd prefer not to spend time finding restaurants we can all agree on off-site, taking taxis/cars that fit all of us, and my kids are picky while my husband and I aren't.

I was looking at Beach T&C, but it's so expensive.

You don't have to stay behind. A lot of the resorts have babysitters, or at least from what I've heard. If you decide to veer away from the AI's, you can always find local babysitters.

 

[icedcoffee5252]

I was also looking at Pacific Coast of Costa Rica b/c my kids would love the wildlife and other things to do there. But, I wasn't sure if CR was good for new divers. Thoughts?

 

[icedcoffee5252]

You don't have to stay behind. A lot of the resorts have babysitters, or at least from what I've heard. If you decide to veer away from the AI's, you can always find local babysitters.

I'd love to maybe do a dive or two, but I also dream of sending the 4-year old to a kids club or nanny and just sitting on the beach or at a pool, reading a book, with a drink in my hand, and not hearing anyone ask for "mom" for more than a few minutes, LOL!

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Pacific coast is nice in CR but damn that black sand gets super hot. I melted a pair of flip-flops just trying to get from the tree line to the water.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I'd love to maybe do a dive or two, but I also dream of sending the 4-year old to a kids club or nanny and just sitting on the beach or at a pool, reading a book, with a drink in my hand, and not hearing anyone ask for "mom" for more than a few minutes, LOL!

get drinks for the kids.

 

[drrich2]

@drrich2 thanks for these suggestions! Ideally, I'd love to find an AI someplace or a nice resort that also has a kids club and/or things to do for kids. We also have a 4-year old, and I'll be staying back with him while the others dive.

Sunscapes Resort Curacao might do quite well for you; it's where my family stayed in the ScubaBoard Surge trip report I linked earlier.

Traveling with 2 adults and 4 kids is really gonna run up some air fare, then there's the course cost for 3 kids. I have no idea what your finances look like and I'm not asking, but acknowledging that for a lot of families, the bill for all this would be a big hit. Unfortunately, you guys live a long way from oceanic places with warm water and very benign conditions like you might want.

At some point, you might have to consider air fare impact on trip cost. Southwest Airlines' 2 free checked bags and modest 'Wanna Get Away' fares make round trips to Ft. Lauderdale pretty affordable (or did when I went).

Last year, flying to Bonaire Wed. - Wed. instead of Sat. - Sat. made a huge difference in airfare (on my Feb. 2022 trip).

Cozumel is a well-known quality budget dive destination, but known for drift diving...and I'd want to know the OW course dives wouldn't be drift dives. If someone good trains there and can confirm that, you'd have A.I. options and an affordable destination! Just in case anybody can confirm Cozumel would work for you:

Tres Pelicanos & Casa Mexicana, Cozumel Sept. 2018 Report - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018

My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip

P.S.: There is some limited shore diving in Cozumel. Off the top of my head, Hotel Cozumel, Scuba Club Cozumel, Blue Angel Resort and Aldora Villas all have something to offer. From complaints about food, I wouldn't pick an A.I. option at Hotel Cozumel unless you read up on it for yourself.