We Loved CCV, Roatan - What else might we like?

[kmmkiwi]

My fiancee and I just got back from a diving vacation to CoCo View Resort and we LOVED it. Now we are having a dilemma planning our next diving vacation. So I thought I'd turn to the experts on ScubaBoard and see what you guys would recommend.

For our next vacation we are looking to dive as much as possible to a destination other than Roatan. We would like a place where we can get a minimum of 2 boat dives in per day and easy access to good shore diving. Caribbean, South Pacific, doesn't matter, as long as you don't need more than a 5mm full suit .

Basically we loved the idea that at CCV we could literally just roll out of bed and walk down to the dive lockers, throw on gear, walk to the beach and do a fantastic shore dive. We liked the fact that you didn't need a car to drive to the divesite or to the boats. Everything you needed was right there at the dive resort. We would love to find a similar resort at another dive destination. Preferably not a liveaboard though because we want to do topside activities as well.

In the meantime we'll be rolling out our 7mm wetsuits and diving beautiful Monterey, CA.

 

[Doc]

This was every bit as good, and equally a bargain:

Scuba Diving at Atlantis Puerto Galera - Atlantis Dive Resorts - Philippines (Dumaguete and Puerto Galera)

Here are some pix:

The hotel http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd106/Doc_Adelman/Philippines Hotel Atlantis Pto Galera/
The diving http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd106/Doc_Adelman/Philippines Puerto Galera/
Nudibranchs http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=3036

It's the only thing we have found that combines the value and the easy access to the best diving in their respective region

 

[Desert_Diver]

You might try Bonaire. It's not exactly like Cocoview, but almost all the dives can be accessed from shore.

 

[Drewpy]

Katherine,

In one word Bonaire!! No need for boat dives even! I have been to Coz & CCV and went to Bon the next year..needless to say I have returned to Bonaire twice since!
CCV was great but pales in comparison to Bon IMHO! Just huck your stuff in the back of the rental pickups and go! Lots of cool sites,tons of life and it has a very cool european-dutch/carribean vibe to it!Lots of great restaurants too!!

I have spent a month on Island-let me know if I can help.

I think we met at the Coral St M & G last year?

Drew

 

[bkpix]

Last year my wife and I spent two weeks on Curacao and loved it! We stayed at All West Apartments and dove with Ocean Encounters West. The apartments are right on the ocean with a wonderful view and great shore diving right out from the apartments. OEW has a mini diveshop on site and tanks are available 24/7.

The deal we got on the apartment included a rental truck which was handy to get to the main dive shop, a drive of about three minutes, and to get to the other side of the island for shopping etc. Also some really great shore dives a short drive away.

We did two boat dives a day with OEW and one or two shore dives a day as well. The house reef at OEW "Alice in Wonderland" as well as the shore dive in front of the apartments are great night dives.

OEW is the only operator on the island that goes to a site named Watamula. It is one of the most amazing coral reefs I have ever seen. Some of the other boat dive sites are also quite nice.

Not much night life on the west side of the island, but the outdoor grills at the apartments always brought out other divers to talk and party with.

We are diving Roatan this year, two weeks at The Reef House, but will most likely go back to Curacao next year.

Any questions PM me.

Dive safe! BK

 

[robint]

My fiancee and I just got back from a diving vacation to CoCo View Resort and we LOVED it. Now we are having a dilemma planning our next diving vacation. So I thought I'd turn to the experts on ScubaBoard and see what you guys would recommend.

For our next vacation we are looking to dive as much as possible to a destination other than Roatan. We would like a place where we can get a minimum of 2 boat dives in per day and easy access to good shore diving. Caribbean, South Pacific, doesn't matter, as long as you don't need more than a 5mm full suit .

Basically we loved the idea that at CCV we could literally just roll out of bed and walk down to the dive lockers, throw on gear, walk to the beach and do a fantastic shore dive. We liked the fact that you didn't need a car to drive to the divesite or to the boats. Everything you needed was right there at the dive resort. We would love to find a similar resort at another dive destination. Preferably not a liveaboard though because we want to do topside activities as well.

In the meantime we'll be rolling out our 7mm wetsuits and diving beautiful Monterey, CA.

I think a liveaboard might be exactly what you are looking for! That is the closest thing to CCV you are going to find.
Aggressor Fleet | The ultimate in live-aboards since 1984
Nekton Cruises > Home
Peter Hughes Diving - Live-Aboard Excellence to World Class Dive Destinations
Scuba Diving Bahamas Liveaboard Aqua Cat Cruises
Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving

robin

 

[diversteve]

Here's some I know.

Curacao:

Lodge Kura Hulanda
Habitat Curacao

Bonaire:

Buddy Dive
Cap't Don's Habitat
Divi Flamingo
Plaza Resort

Grand Cayman:

Sunset House
Cobalt Coast

Utila:

Laguna Beach

There's probably options in Belize also. On the mainland, not the atolls. Little Cayman Beach Resort has the diving, but not a lot of topside activities.

 

[berick]

If it wasn't such a long flight from CA, I'd say Divi Flamingo in Bonaire. You can get your 2 boat dives in and the house reef (which is a nice dive) is just a giant stride off the dock where your gear locker is. Virtually any other dive on Bonaire (excluding Klein Bonaire - the little island adjancent) can be done via a shore dive. Also, the best food I've ever had on a dive trip is on Bonaire -- not necessarily at the Divi, though. There's a casino at the Divi if that's the type of topside you're looking for (unless things have changed in 3 years).

I also liked Little Cayman, but, no shore diving and not much topside -- I view not much topside as desirable.