Provo vs US Virgin Islands???

[Arnyboomerali]

I am planning a vacation in May 2004 and have been considering going to Provo in Turks and Caicos, staying at Beaches Resort. I know it is for familys. But I dive and my wife does not so I figure there will be things for her to do there.

Is there a location in the USVI with better diving and accomodations?

Or what would you reccommend for a location for a diver and non-diver so there is something for each of us.

Thanks for any replies!

Good Diving!
Brian

 

[ronrosa]

If you are looking at all inclusives on Provo how about Club Med or Allegro ? Never been to Beaches, but I just picture kids being everywhere.

Have you researched Curacao ? My wife doesn't dive either so I am in the same boat as you. From what I have read many people say Curacao is the best island in the Caribbean for diver & non-diver groups/couples.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

The diving in Provo beats the USVI by a mile. They are simply not in the same class. My wife is also a non-diver and we have been going to the TCI for years. I would take it, and so would she, over USVI any day. You won't have cruise ship class shopping but the people and beaches are so much better. If you end up in Provo make sure you dive with Caicos Adventures. They are the best on the island.

 

[DontLieToMe]

I agree - Turks and Caicos over USVI.

 

[smrtblnddiver]

ronrosa once bubbled...
If you are looking at all inclusives on Provo how about Club Med or Allegro ? Never been to Beaches, but I just picture kids being everywhere.

Have you researched Curacao ? My wife doesn't dive either so I am in the same boat as you. From what I have read many people say Curacao is the best island in the Caribbean for diver & non-diver groups/couples.

Allegro was great (just there a couple of weeks ago). Now it was my first all-inclusinve so I have nothing to compare it and we were diving the entire time so I had no need to take part in the other activities, so I may not be the best judge. We got a great deal, so we stayed there over the Comfort Suites. Club Med is probably nicer. I did not think there were a lot of kids at Allegro.

Curacao is real nice too. And I would say that there is quite a bit more for a non-diver to do there. I felt that there was nothing to do in Provo once you left the resort but there's quite a bit of shopping in Willemsted on Curacao.

 

[scorpiofish]

Diving is much better in T&C. Beaches provides excellent accomodations, but their dive op sucks. They will go to the closest sites. They have strict time limits. Suggest using another operator if possible, which requires schlepping your gear somewhere. I suggest Caicos Adventures or Provo Turtle Divers, but not Dive Provo.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

smrtblnddiver once bubbled...
I felt that there was nothing to do in Provo once you left the resort but there's quite a bit of shopping in Willemsted on Curacao.

I don't know, once you have done "Cruise Town" Caribbean shopping once you have done it everywhere. It is one of the things we used to look forward to but now detest about the Caribbean. There is some shopping on Provo you just have to look a little harder for it. The restaurants, diving, beaches, people and no crime more than make up for the lack of strip malls and cruisees.

 

[Damselfish]

Tim Ingersoll once bubbled...

I don't know, once you have done "Cruise Town" Caribbean shopping once you have done it everywhere. It is one of the things we used to look forward to but now detest about the Caribbean. There is some shopping on Provo you just have to look a little harder for it. The restaurants, diving, beaches, people and no crime more than make up for the lack of strip malls and cruisees.

Yep, there is some shopping in Provo, it's just not all concentrated in one area. It's a driving kind of place.

Curacao definitely has it's fair share of cruise traps/duty free/t-shirt shops. But the downtown area also has more of a local and international flavor and feels like a place where people actually live. And there's interesting sightseeing, not just shopping.

For anyone who happens to sew, here's a Curacao shopping tip - check out the fabric stores. There's a couple downtown, something you don't usually see in a tourist shopping area. They sell way too much polyester for my taste (never could figure out why this is so popular in that climate.) But you can also find a good selection of Java prints, makes for different souvenir.

I'd take T&C diving first, preferably with Caicos Adventures. It is longer boat rides than Curacao and doesn't have shore diving. Curacao is still pretty good diving, you get plenty of critters but not the walls or big stuff of T&C. I'd put USVI diving last of the 3. But it still beats being at work.

 

[jldowst]

Can't talk about T & C but I have been to St. John's in the USVI. The Westin Hotel is quite good and Cruz Bay Watersports was a really good dive operator. And they are co-located.

Shopping on St. John's is good and there's free shuttles to St. Thomas where shopping is s.b. better.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

jldowst once bubbled...
Can't talk about T & C but I have been to St. John's in the USVI. The Westin Hotel is quite good and Cruz Bay Watersports was a really good dive operator. And they are co-located.

Shopping on St. John's is good and there's free shuttles to St. Thomas where shopping is s.b. better.

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