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My wife and I took about half of a PADI course, including two open water dives, in the Seychelles. Now, we want to get certified and are planning to do it sort of last minute over the next few weeks. Our plan is to do the class and pool work over the long weekend in New York, and then go away for about five days the following weekend to do our open water dives and for additional dives. What do folks recommend for a good combination of colorful, beginner diving, good operators, and decent topside activity? And because we don't have that much time, we're pretty much limiting our search to places in the Carribean, although if there are strong opinions about Belize or something, please let us know. Thanks!
Tons O' Diving, 85-90% with no current, no climbing on boats (unless you want to take a trip to Klein), and a fair amount to do topside.
Almost all dives are shallower than 150', but most of the interesting things are in the 40 to 60 foot range, anyhow.
Grand Cayman.
Same as above, (except shore diving in the north west, and most other dives accesible by boat only) only also having wall diving and stingray city and more to do topside than Bonaire - but crowded and getting worse. Still, it is my favorite place to go...
Air fares to Cozumel are cheaper right now than I have seen them in 5 years. Coz is a great destination for divers of all levels of expertise, accomodations and food are relatively cheap, and the diving is world class.
Grand Cayman is good for a couple to do some good all around diving and still enjoy some topside activities. I would suggest you also, when comfortable and also not expecting a night life to explore the other Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
In the Caribbean, I have only been to Grand Cayman and the Bay Islands. I had my 13 year-old son certified in Cayman though and I can highly recommend it. While he was very comfortable in the water, I wanted him to stick to the 40' limit although I was prepared to let him go to 60' if we really had to to get decent diving. At the big outfit where he took the course, they insisted he go to the same dive sites as the concensus so I ended up buddying him, shallower than everyone else (much to the annoyance of our DM). Towards the end of the trip, we switched to a smaller operator (coincidentally it was the previous forumer, caymancase - fritter queen of the Caymans). Then we had no problem going to some great sites that were perfect for new divers. Apparently, you can find many sites in Cayman that are excellent for new divers.
p.s. please take your advanced course before 130' or serious drift dives.
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ditto on Caymans
