If you could buy a dive vacation home/condo where would it be?

[diversteve]

Grand Cayman - but #6 is the issue. There's a lot of ex-pat Americans living there. Nice thing about Cayman is that with all the $$ flowing in the infrastructure is good. They even had at least one home improvement warehouse store. Bad thing is that the US$ is negative to the CI$ so everything is pricey.

Bad thing is that it gets reliably pounded by hurricanes every couple of years.

Which is a good point for buying in Bonaire.

Condos in either place are very rentable if that's something you're interested in doing when you're not there.

According to the HGTV show, Roatan is an up and coming market. 3 hrs. direct to Houston if you need something. But see if they fix their power problems first - or plan on getting a good generator.

 

[Wisnu]

Bali,
You can have it with strata title ownership. Typically will cost you US$1200 - 2000 / m2 fully furnish. We'll check few of them in August.

 

[robint]

absolutely doable in Bonaire...... there are condos (not huge, but oceanfront 1bdrm/1bth at Sanddollar condos and others. We have seriously looked at this option and still haven't decided not to do it in a few years! There are ads on Info Bonaire - The Bonaire Information Site - The Most Current and Up-To-Date Information for realty companies, lots of smaller houses (not oceanfront) that we could live in - obviously not the same as our big fancy house here in the states but if we are diving every day, who cares?

that would be choice #1 for us. There are lots of #2 choices for us, but none of them have the shore diving option.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Hawaii, Hawaii, Hawaii.

What a dream come true that would be! I'm still holding out, but my husband says I wouldn't last a month on an island! I say between FedEx and UPS, I could do it!!!!

My first choice would be the Big Island, Kona side. Second choice would be anywhere else!

 

[mjh]

Thanks for the input. Bali really sounds interesting, the South Pacific has ruined us. Bonaire is also a good thought. Anyone own anything in Coz? Another one that would be good from our area is Fiji, sure their government is a mess but it is a direct flight from LA.

 

[SkipperJohn]

Aruba. No weather issues, great people & they love the US dollar (at least for now)

 

[BTravlin]

I've done a lot of looking along these lines and it's really tough to meet all those conditions. Good shore diving and your budget are two of the toughest.

Good luck and let me know if you find anything. I'll be right behind you!

 

[DeputyDan]

I would choose Bonaire (the hurricane issue is a big deal)

Hawaii - not a chance

 

[diver 85]

So if you had a little extra money and could buy a vacation home/condo anywhere in the world were would it be?

Parameters:

1. Must be a dive location
2. Tropical, water +65f, perfectly happy at 60fsw watching the reef fish
3. Must be easy and good shore diving with in 1-10miles. Would love to do a lot of kayak diving. Trying to avoid locations that would require power boats to get to dive sites.
4. Would prefer to own rather than a 100yr lease
5. Some sort of small town around for provisions. Not looking for a truly wilderness experience.
6. Keep price around $200k, reality check.

2 bdrm 1 baths are available @ Sundancer Cabanas on Roatan (the north side ~ 2 miles East of AKR) for alot less than that......right on the water pretty much.........we have 1B and it's the 1st unit 60 yards off the water and pier......

 

[rwerner]

There are lower keys homes in the high $200's right now. Looe Key is one of the top 5 reefs in the world, you can get here easilly which means you will in fact visit. I have many friends with homes all over the world, and they go every few years... Add to that renting the home when you are not here and it pays for itself.

Hit me up if you need any advice.