Wanted - Caribbean dive resort for a week

[Zanzibar]

My wife and I are fairly inexperienced divers but looking to take our first dive oriented vacation. Plan to travel late June and stay 7-10 days at a dive resort. Hoping to get in 15 -20 dives during our stay. Not looking a collect certifications, just bottom time and experience. Not interested in night life or other entertainment.

Just started to research locations and plan to attend the Baltimore Dive show in January. That said, was hoping for some advice and direction. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[oly5050user]

Bonaire, I prefer Buddy Dive resort

 

[AdivingBel]

Little Cayman (LCBR is my choice, but there are a limited number of other options on the island). Not much to do on the island other than enjoy the pool and company of other divers. Absolutely beautiful diving. Bloody Bay marine park is a gem. Excellent dive operation and good food for an all-inclusive. If it's your first dive trip and you WANT to get hooked on dive travel, this will do it (it did for my wife & I). Have fun and welcome to the world of dive travel.

 

[scubadada]

My wife and I are fairly inexperienced divers but looking to take our first dive oriented vacation. Plan to travel late June and stay 7-10 days at a dive resort. Hoping to get in 15 -20 dives during our stay. Not looking a collect certifications, just bottom time and experience. Not interested in night life or other entertainment.

Just started to research locations and plan to attend the Baltimore Dive show in January. That said, was hoping for some advice and direction. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Hi @Zanzibar

What kind of resort are you looking for, all in one (accommodations, meals, diving, +/- car), all inclusive meals, or do your own cooking and/or go out to eat? Dive op on the premises or not? Are you looking for boat diving, shore diving, or both?

There are so many great places to visit and dive, each has its fans. Once you narrow it down a bit, I'd be glad to share my personal experience for Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Bonaire, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, Roatan, or Cozumel. Several more Caribbean locations are still on my list

Good luck

 

[tursiops]

Great suggestions above, both Buddy dive in Bonaire and LCBR.
For me, Bonaire gives more diving/dollar, and LCBR give more "valet" service.

 

[jimw]

Bonaire, if you are able to find reasonable airfare. United out of Newark nonstop, Delta out of Atlanta nonstop, AA out of Miami starting in June are most of the choices--and all are hi right now! With AA starting flights, there may be some possibility of competition.

 

[drrich2]

I would consider Key Largo (not Caribbean), if you don't need sandy beach. Rainbow Reef Dive Center offered 4 dives/day when I went in 2013. Do ask how the reefs are looking after the hurricanes. Shallow reef diving over hard bottom may appeal to some.

Turquoise Bay Resort in Roatan is a popular trip with some area dive groups, looks like a good budget option & I keep reading good reviews.Haven't been.

Cayman Brac Beach Resort and Little Cayman Beach Resort get good reviews.

I love Bonaire, but its glory is the diving freedom of independent shore diving. They drive on the right-hand side of the road, but your rental truck will be manual/stick unless you arrange in advance & pay extra, and the roadsigns will mostly make no sense to you. They use round-abouts at 4-way intersections. I suggest going with a group who know the place and can show you around your 1st time. Airfare's the killer! I liked Buddy Dive Resort, too; nice house reef, metal stair make entry & exit easy, close enough to town, decent central location.

There are other options. St. Croix could be good, Grand Cayman, etc...

Richard.

 

[Zanzibar]

Hi @Zanzibar

What kind of resort are you looking for, all in one (accommodations, meals, diving, +/- car), all inclusive meals, or do your own cooking and/or go out to eat? Dive op on the premises or not? Are you looking for boat diving, shore diving, or both?

There are so many great places to visit and dive, each has its fans. Once you narrow it down a bit, I'd be glad to share my personal experience for Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Bonaire, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, Roatan, or Cozumel. Several more Caribbean locations are still on my list

Good luck

Our desire is to simply get in a bunch of dives with no real preference as to how we accomplish that. That said, not interested in a live-aboard for this trip. Our goal is to ramp up our experience so that we can do an Indonesian live-aboard in 2019. In terms of the property amenities, no real preference there other than would like a facility that is well run such that everything is not relegated to ilon time. Thanks.

 

[peeweediver]

Given your desires, I'd go with Little Cayman or Cayman Brac. Both very nice resorts and good, frequent diving.

 

[flyboy08]

You'll get 100 different response such as mine...Anthony's Key on Roatan would be a great spot for your experience! Cozumel, where I'm at as I type is another good spot!..

All other suggestions are fine, but for new divers, these would be my suggestions.....