First dive vacation

[herbdb]

I think Bonaire would be great. The easy entry dives will build confidence. Your swim out to the reef is over sand in crystal clear water to where the reef starts in about 20 feet of water. There is so much to see without going deep. The good thing is that there is a lot to see even in the shallow water on the swim out and you can let your son relax and take it easy. You can hire a DM/guide through any of the dive shops for your first few dives if it makes you more comfortable.

We took my 11 year old grandson to the keys last spring. He was so anxious about all of the firsts (first salt water, first reef, first boat dive) that he got sick. He was a trooper and made it through one dive. The next day he did not want to get back on the boat. We took turns sitting out with him for the rest of out long weekend. We have built his confidence back up with local diving, but will be very careful where we go on our next family dive trip. We will probably go to Bonaire. If we could have taken him on some nice slow shore dives in the Keys we probably could have recovered from the bad start, but they don't exist.

I definitely would not take a young inexperience child on a Cozumel drift dive. Too much happening too fast and I doubt you would really be able to stay above the 40' limit for a Jr OW diver.

Make your choice carefully, diving is a great family activity, but you have to have a location that will get your son off to a good start.

[OuterReefAdventure]

Ok, while I have not been to the resorts you mentioned, I think the beaches format is really a great idea for new divers and especially families that dive together. I feel that is really important to be able to offer kids a variety of activities during a vacation, not only does it help keep them excited about diving by not doing it everyday, but it also provides options should you get congested/stopped up and are unable to equalize..

Cheers,
Roger

[moneysavr]

Id do Keys like Hawks Cay resort Florida Keys,as the Keys can have some dive resorts,then do some easy guided trips boat puts DM in water with group ask, foreign country's equipment and just opps can be sub par vds the good old USofA,by the way my 10yo loved diving the keys

[RoatanMan]

... foreign country's equipment and just opps can be sub par vds the good old USofA,....

I wouldn't send any serious diver to Beaches, which is what the OP was considering, but to infer that their rental gear and dive infrastructure is sub-standard is baseless and unfounded.

Beaches Resorts when compared to a real dive resort will certainly offer an overall sub-par experience, but their rental gear is likely first quality. But that's what the OP had in mind, Beaches.

It's not a place for a dive vacation, it is for a vacation with some diving. It works for some folks~ nothing wrong with it, just kniow what you are getting. The OP seems to understand precisely. It should work out well.

If the OP could specifically talk about costs that hey have seen, in that they speak about expenses- likely and AI dive resort could do better for them, but no real dive resort looks or smells anything like a Beaches resort, period.

[Bratface]

So many choices put out for you here. I agree with the Florida Keys, shallow dives, lots of fish and the water will be warming up in May. The Cayman islands are a good choice too. Since you like the caribbean, you could always come to my island, St Thomas. I dive with an operation that has a dive guide on every dive and they provide all the gear at no additional cost. Diving is easy here as well. Send me a PM if you are interested and I'll give you the information to hook up with them and schedule your check out dives.

[moneysavr]

Id do Keys like Hawks Cay resort Florida Keys,as the Keys can have some dive resorts,then do some easy guided trips boat puts DM in water with group ask, foreign country's equipment and just opps can be sub par vds the good old USofA,by the way my 10yo loved diving the keys

Hawks cay link,

Florida Keys Luxury Resort - Hawks Cay Resort

Ok not to start a political thing I could only cover just a part in 16 pages,,,

the just of it us Americans are not really loved in many parts of the world as some places many years back we would be more likely welcomed with our cash! $$$$$$$$

as now we are looked as the cause,

Not saying its not bad here with so many homeless on our streets the ripple effect has traumatized the small country's and third world countries!

Next your health care options are reduced to cash up front,DAN insurance god don’t count on them for what!

Rights in a foreign country YOU HAVE none, ask the cruise ship folks 10 years from now when they get a check for about $198.00 bucks each!

So if you think its hip or cool to travel & spend over 1/2 your trip in the hassle of getting to and from the airport & the cost’s to do= parking,cab or transport bus an on, almost a few dive charters with tip worth of money spent and not one dive yet!!!!!!!!,then waiting to check in,,,,,, and the cost now to try to bring any equipment as in dive gear like reg set & wing I call basic serviced life support equipment on the flight with you being ridicules do to exuberant cost’s , oh ship it ya that’s a real great idea might as well just throw it unpacked on the luggage convers at the airport and crap shoot it if it makes it!

Now a day shot flying that’s a blast! your wasted and tired, now the next day your like a deer in head lights down to a cattle boat with a bunch of releases signed you have no rights yes same here in the USA but,,

I have personally seen equipment on salt water dive locations as any diver knows is the worse environment! not serviced or lack of per the dive pressure placed on it and miss use of that said equipment and then lack of service and or care knowingly or unknowingly by the dive operator ,not saying all shops are in tropical locals do this but with the new flight costs I think more gears is and will be used by divers on these locations.
MY 2 CENTS

IMO


We have some world class diving less than 3 to 4 hrs travel by air from any place in the USA

That’s all

[Cosmographer]

Wow. I really have no clue what you were trying to say in your post, but thanks for the link! Since we'll be in the Keys for a few days in March, I'll check out Hawks.

[oceancat]

Hi. I love to dive and when it is just my husband and me, we never stay at Beaches or other non-diving AI. However, when we have the kids in tow, I must admit, we love Beaches. There is a lot for the kids to do. We have been to Beaches Negril and are going to Beaches T&C in a week. If I can be submerged in water, I am happy diving, but I will say there are not a ton of fish in Negril. Nothing over 8". For what you are describing as what you want from a vacation, you may really enjoy Beaches--the diving is very conservative and they hold your hand (too much for me, but good for a newer diver). They are really used to newbies as well. I love Bonaire and when my oldest is ready for diving, that is where we will go, but I am very comfortable leading my own dives. Depending on your child, I can see some getting board there (my husband who is not as into diving didn't care for Bonaire at all!).

Regardless, enjoy the trip!