Costa Rica or Honduras in Feb? Taking 65 yr old mother who wants great beach :)

[solstammy]

I am taking my mother on a trip for her 65th birthday. She is a non-diver and just wants great white sands to walk into (every island I have taken her too is volcanic and she can not enter the water from the beach). I know very little about Costa Rica or Honduras but am wondering if we may find the perfect beach for her.

I am a diver and I could be anywhere and happy as long as I was in the water.

Any suggestions? I would also like an all inclusive resort if possible (scuba included).

Thanks!

 

[diversteve]

Roatan has some nice beaches. In fact West Bay is known for them.

One option: Roatan Beach Vacations, West Bay Beach | Infinity Bay
Another: Roatan Diving, West Bay Beach Resort, Bananarama Dive
Luna Beach might be a third option but I don't think offshore is as coral free there. http://www.lunabeachresort.com/ - it's closer to the West End (shops, restaurants, nightlife) than West Bay.

If you're planning a winter trip, weather can be a factor in that area. Sometimes it's rough enough that the larger operators will move their boats to the south side and shuttle you over.

Sand Flies are a problem on most of Roatan so some sort of protection is recommended for the beach.

 

[tracydr]

I am taking my mother on a trip for her 65th birthday. She is a non-diver and just wants great white sands to walk into (every island I have taken her too is volcanic and she can not enter the water from the beach). I know very little about Costa Rica or Honduras but am wondering if we may find the perfect beach for her.

I am a diver and I could be anywhere and happy as long as I was in the water.

Any suggestions? I would also like an all inclusive resort if possible (scuba included).

Thanks!

I went along the west coast of Costa Rica with my brother. He dived twice with me and I did a couple of dives with a DM. All the dives were really good. I know CR doesn't get much press as a dive destination but considering I spent less than 4 hours underwater-I saw about 6 sharks, a couple of mantas, turtles, other rays, lots of tropical fish and some other stuff I can't remember right now.
We didn't do anything special, either. Little rubber rafts a few minutes out from the sandy beaches.
I don't remember the name of the two beaches I dived off right now but if you pm me I can look them up. It's been about 6-7 years.
There are so many non-diving things to do in CR. great country to visit!

 

[solstammy]

Roatan has some nice beaches. In fact West Bay is known for them.
Sand Flies are a problem on most of Roatan so some sort of protection is recommended for the beach.

Oh yes I am seeing this on many trip advisor reviews. That seems unpleasant and not sure how we would really enjoy the beach if being eaten alive. While in Indonesia, I woke one morning to our entire resort having been fumigated for mosquitoes. While I was grateful for the attempt to keep these disease ridden pests under control, it was alarming the amount of fumes we were all exposed to

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tracydr, did you stay at any fabulous beach resorts while in CR? If so, do you recall the names?

 

[gb_williams]

You might also consider Bocas del Toro, Panama. Unlike the Pacific side of Costa Rica and Panama, the sands are white (tan, actually) instead of black or gray, and the water is much clearer and warmer. Bocas has some great beaches and good, inexpensive diving.

Bocas Water Sports is a PADI 5-Star facility. If you're doing multiple dives, a 2-tank dive is $55 including any and all gear you might need. Their equipment is up-to-date and well maintained, and their DM/Instructors are excellent -- very customer focused -- which is usually an oxymoron among most Panamanian businesses. In addition, they have a limit of no more than four divers per DM. Sometimes, it has been just me and the DM.

The reefs inside the islands are great for macro life and you may also see nurse sharks and large rays.

At times, you may be bugged by sand fleas, AKA Chitras, but almost no mosquitoes. A good repellent like Cutters Advanced works very well against them.

 

[Scared Silly]

Tamarindo in Costa Rica would fit the bill, you can dive the Cats (Catalinas) while she walks the beaches, paddles a kayak into the mangroves, and depending on the timing might see turtles nesting. There are some all inclusive places in Tamarindo.

 

[solstammy]

Thank you all for your assistance. I am also going to look into Turks & Caicos. Anyone here have advice for that dive destination?

 

[tracydr]

Tamarinds was one of the places where I dived in CR.
i loved the low cost of CR.

 

[diversteve]

Turks/Caicos is a good option. Grace Bay is called the best beach in the world so your mom might like that. The water is that fantastic azure blue color also - pretty spectacular. Diving is all offshore - either locally off Provo's NW Point or better diving off West Caicos and French Cay (uninhabited) about a 45min. boat ride away. It's deep wall diving so lots of sharks, rays, turtles, cuda, all sorts of macro etc. Probably the best diving I've done in the past 5 years and I've been to most of the better Caribbean dive locations. It's pretty expensive there as Grace Bay attracts an upscale crowd.

There's 3 AI's there, Beaches, Club Med Turkoise or the Veranda. I've briefly been to Beaches - my recollection was of a lot of kids. Another option is Grand Turk, it's smaller, quieter and the cruise port. Bohio Dive Resort is located on the "best diving beach" in the world so that might suit both of you.

Beautiful by Nature - Turks and Caicos Islands - Turks and Caicos Tourist Board

Another equally expensive option might be Grand Cayman. Seven Mile Beach is an extremely nice beach and the dive operators will shuttle you to their boats from any of the properties along there. Some also have dive operators on site. Cayman diving is excellent as well off the wall Some of the dive operators will also pick you up off Seven Mile beach with a flat bottom boat.

The AI's there, Sunset House and Cobalt Coast are more isolated - esp. CC - and on ironshore - no beach unless you count the strip of sand that CC puts down - there's ironshore between it and the water. There's also a lot of condo options on SMB, vrbo.com lists many of them.

The East End is a lot quieter, Compass Point Dive Resort (condos)/Ocean Frontiers bundles packages in that area. The diving is supposed to be better - IDK about the quality of the beaches on the East End.

http://www.caymanislands.ky/default.aspx?homeredirect=true

Food is pretty pricey but some of the U.S. chains are downtown or along SMB so that helps with casual meals. The CI$ is fixed at .80 to the US$ so everything is 20% more. Boat dives are usually around 2/$100 also. One more affordable option is Comfort Suites, it's across the street from the beach, most units have small kitchenettes and Ambassador Divers is onsite - I recommnend them frequently.

 

[Tom Winters]

If you go to Turks & Caicos, you'll either go to Provo or Grand Turk. There's a LOT more to do on Provo, but I sure did like Grand Turk. Life is very laid back on Grand Turk - here's a shot taken a few years ago at High Noon along the main beach drag.