Help me please!!!

Here is the scenario:
Next summer my family (me and my wife, my parents, and my brother and his girlfriend) wants to go on vacation together (my graduation, parents 30th). I am the only diver in the bunch. We want to go somewhere warm where we will all enjoy ourselves. Fortunately, everyone else likes water sports like sailing, snorkeling etc and so we all want to go somewhere with water. We are tentatively thinking about the east coast of Mexico. However, none of us have been to Mexico. Therefore, here is this dilemma:

What are some nice destinations that are:
1. Warm
2. Good for diving
3. Have other attractions for non-divers

We are not picky.

As far as diving is concerned, I am rescue certified, regularly dive on doubles, and am starting to get into tech diving.

So... what are some suggestions?

While I don't have an answer for ya I would say try and find a spot that is great for Snorkeling. Being the nly diver the rest will have to view from surface or maybe get them interested in a discover diving course if none have taken it that is how I got into divin and love it, now just have to find the $$$'s to do it.

About the only place I could suggest that I have been to is Bermuda (Grand Caymans stunk I thought water wasn't as nice as Bermuda and the near shore reefs forget it totall trampled if the tourists could walk to it. Meaning a close swim with reef barely beneath water.) but if the expenses are there Bermuda is a nice spot.

Thailand if you can get a decent price on a flight. It's got lots of things to do and see and it's extremely well set up for travellers. Very good diving on the Andaman sea. The food is supreme.

My vote would be for Playa Del Carmen on the east coast of Mexico.
1) You are close to Cancun if the folks are into that sort of thing, 2) the diving there is nice
3) you are at the ferry to Cozumel if you want to slip over for some drift diving
4) you are less than half an hour from Tulum, which hosts several entrances into the cenotes. The cenotes (underground, flooded caves) can be dove (don't need certification above OW), or snorkelled. This is a great day trip for anyone interested in water sports.

AFAIK, Playa Del Carmen is being built up considerably, so accommodations and topside attractions should be expanding rapidly, and the beaches there are excellent. The area is not to bad for expensive either.

Wetvet

dennisgrimm once bubbled...

What are some nice destinations that are:
1. Warm
2. Good for diving
3. Have other attractions for non-divers

Click to expand...

I'm somewhat familiar with the area after 9 years of visits. Let me try to describe them in order, briefly.

Cancun is very handy to the airport that serves the entire area. I prefer the Hotel Zone (beach area) because although it's hardly romantic old Mexico, it's very clean and safe, with reasonable prices and very nicely appointed accommodations and restaurants. The beach is beautiful.

The diving is actually better than it often gets credit for, but it's not going to induce sphincter pucker if you're into thrill diving. The reefs are nice and the fishies plentiful with depths between 25 & 65' unless you visit the minesweeper which might get your computer to register 75' if you push it into the sandy bottom a bit. Plenty of dive ops but be prepared for cattleboats and babysitting. There are a few smaller ops but my impression is that all of them structures their dives the same way, catering to the overwhelming number of resort course and occasional divers. Al80's are provided and dm's accompany every dive. You stick with the group and drift through the reef to be picked up downstream. Dives tend to be 35 - 40 minutes so even the airhogs shouldn't have a problem finishing the dive with their group. Sting Rays, Barracuda and Nurse Sharks are common. I actually saw a Whale Shark swimming along the beach last year.

Lots of beach activities but the reef is too far out for good snorkelling. Some folks do a half day trip on PWC's through the mangroves to Punta Nizuc and tie up to a buoy for some guided snorkelling. There's always a Green moray wanting to be fed by the guide and occasionally a small Nurse Shark swims by. I understand there's also snorkelling over on Isla Mujeres which you can visit by ferry for a day.

Akumal and Puerto Aventuras are only an hour away by car and Coz is only a short ferry ride from there so a day of cenote diving or a daytrip to Coz are definite possibilities. Many ops run day tours by bus to the caverns and to Coz from Cancun.

If you decide to stay in or around Akumal/Puerto Aventuras you'll be smack in the middle of the cenotes which offer some of the easiest and prettiest cavern diving you'll ever find. The cenotes are all fresh water on the surface and many are substantial ponds, sometimes even like a river, which provides a great venue for snorkellers. If you're not claustrophobic sign up for a guided cavern dive. Lots of dive ops again who will take you to the reef or even across to Coz for your dives. I'm told there's some pretty good snorkelling off the beach at Akumal.

For the snorkellers there's also a park area with a snorkelling lagoon and river. I've never been so can't describe it too well. It's called Ixcaret. There's another similar one farther south.

Since I've only done day trips to Coz and in some cases stepped right from the ferry onto the dive boat, I'll leave it to those more in the know to describe it.

Hope that helps
John F

Hawaii meets your requirements ( you didn't specify cost but it would be more expensive than Mexico )...

sapphire

dennisgrimm once bubbled...
What are some nice destinations that are:
1. Warm
2. Good for diving
3. Have other attractions for non-divers

We are not picky.

So... what are some suggestions? [/B]

Click to expand...

This may sound simplistic and not exotic but what about Myrtle Beach South Carolina. It doesn't allow for snorkling of non-divers but there is plenty for everyone to do and you can get some great diving in. Don't think of it as you all will be separated because you would be anyway if they snorkle and you dive. Just check it out. There is a multitude of things to do. R

The Big Island of Hawaii has tons of stuff to do on land, warm water, good (not great) diving and snorkeling. I was there the summer before last and loved it.

Aruba?

Lots of topside stuff. Lots of watersports. Nice beaches. Casinos. Nightlife. Average diving with plenty of wrecks.

I was in the same quandry as you are and have decided on Aruba in Dec.


Playa Del Carmen would have been the second choice but I want to see those wrecks and quite possibly warmer in Aruba at that time of year

Nassau in the Bahama's may be a good option and not outrageously expensive.
ScubaRon