Vacation with non-Diving wife

[cmrangel]

Hi all
I am quite sure it has been asked before and I have read some of the previous posts but wanted to get some fresh opinions.

I am looking to take a vacation around late July, possibly August. I am a San Diego diver and have about 50 relatively cold water dives under my belt in the So Cal area. (Kelp, etc.). Have AOW cert, done the PPB, and feel fairly comfortable in the water.

Looking to experience some tropical diving, likely in the Caribbean. My wife is a non-Diver and loves beaches and snorkeling. I would like to have about a 10 day vacation and would like to try and keep it below $6,000 for the both of us if possible (including airfare).

My wife and I like some interesting things to do (other than diving and beaches) but don't need "Las Vegas" style vacation.

I really want to do 2 ~ 3 dives a day. I like reefs and critters, a wreck or two would be cool but not the focus. i basically want to do some tropical coral/reef diving and see what I am missing. I usually prefer boat dives and will not be bringing a buddy.

I keep hearing good things about Roatan (Sand Flies a problem??) and of course the Caymans (which one?). What would folks recommend? Is there other places I am not considering??

Thanks !

 

[boulderjohn]

You just described my marital/diving situation by about 90%. I have been dealing with this for nearly two decades.

I really learned to dive in Cozumel, and my wife and I went there many times. If I walked away tonight and told her I had a deal to go there, she would be ready to go. She loves it there.

Lately we have been going to Akumal, on the Yucatan mainland near Cozumel. She loves to snorkel in Akumal Bay, where she can watch huge turtles nibble on the grassy areas while she snorkels. I spend that time in the caves.

We have done Hawai'i on a number of occasions, Maui, Kauai, and the big island. She has enjoyed all three.

We are going to Bali this fall.

We have been to Australia twice, and both times we did a liveaboard. The snorkeling on the outer barrier reef is excellent. She was in the water more than I.

Honestly, don't look for what is best. This won't be the last year of your marriage (I hope), so you will have lots of time to go lots of places. Just pick a spot that is good for both of you and make sure each one gets a good deal. When we go to a place that has good diving and snorkeling, I do the diving and she does the snorkeling in the early part of the day. We then have the afternoon and the evening to do things together.

 

[Malpaso]

Turks & Caicos - Home - Dive Provo

Went with the g/f and her two kids. Her son dives but she and her daughter don't. There was plenty of non dive stuff for them (and all four of us) to do.

 

[Doc]

Hi all
I am quite sure it has been asked before and I have read some of the previous posts but wanted to get some fresh opinions!

Yes, you're right, this one is fairly common. Try a search using "non diving" as a search criteria.

Fresh opinions, as in- things have changed? No, not really all that much.

I'll just restate my suggestion that you'll easily find with a search, "Take the girlfriend instead".

Not a fresh opinion, but viable long term advice.

 

[Storker]

I'm there as well. My wife doesn't dive.

I've had good experiences with combination vacations. A few days of diving, a few days of non-diving. Slipping in a day or two of diving in an otherwise non-diving vacation. Fortunately, I'm in a relationship of mutual respect for each others' wants, so we both adjust to make every trip a nice experience for both of us.

Since I'm located on the east side of the pond, any info on my vacation destinations probably won't be of much help to you, and I have no input to give on the specifics of your ideas.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'm curious, how many divers with non-diving spouses seek friendships with a couple of also a diver/non-diver where they travel well together? Having activities for the non-diving spouse is important. Nice for the non-diving spouse to have company too.

 

[TulsaTime]

I'm curious, how many divers with non-diving spouses seek friendships with a couple of also a diver/non-diver where they travel well together?

That would certainly be my ideal. Being relatively new to diving, I haven't yet had much opportunity to pursue that. I have already reached the point where my non-diving wife is starting to shoot down my vacation suggestions because they're all diving-based .

I'd love to find a compatible couple in a similar situation but I'm not sure how to go about it other than drag her on dive trips and hope to make a connection. There are so many factors involved - general compatibility, taste in destinations & budgets & non-diving activities, etc.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm curious, how many divers with non-diving spouses seek friendships with a couple of also a diver/non-diver where they travel well together?

That would be great. My wife and I blundered into just such a relationship when we went to Cayman Brac for a week. We met another couple, with the wife being the diver and the husband being the snorkeler It was perfect.

 

[diver0008]

Grand Cayman

 

[mi000ke]

Grand Cayman

I have the exact same situation and GC was our answer. Just got back from our second trip. My wife did not even snorkel - until we got to grand cayman. Enough to do to keep her busy (shopping, site seeing, shopping, restaurants, shopping, swimming, ...) while I dove, plus I taught her to snorkel and she enjoyed that. Some great snorkeling spots around the island, even off the shore near where we stayed. So I alternated diving and snorkeling days. And she was happy and is even ready to move there. Big win for the diving half of this couple.