Where to scuba in the caribbean?

[Rhone Man]

Lots of varied suggestions, but I'll throw in one more: Turks & Caicos. Easy to get to. Good quality resorts. For my money, best diving in the Caribbean. Not the cheapest, but if your prior stop was Grand Cayman then you have nothing to fear.

 

[zeppelindiver]

Definitely check out Roatan. There are now over 120 dive moorings all around the island and rarely any significant current. There are also many excellent dive operators, from small shops to big ones, all-inclusive dive maniac places, hostels associated with dive shops that give you free accommodation if you are booking a week of diving with them, high-end luxury resorts in the middle of what looks like a beach in Florida, out of the way private resorts where you really get away from everything, and all the different price levels and packages you would likely ever want.

The water is warm & clear, we dive in 3 mm suits in winter & skins in summer, the coral reefs are outstanding, especially the pristine reefs along the southern shore & east end. West Bay is a cool, funky dive town that has dive shops, bars, little cafes & restaurants, & more dive shops, all along a winding street right on the beach. If you like big hotels & staying at one of the top 10 rated beaches in the Caribbean go to West Bay, multiple resorts, it's all there. Barefoot Cay, Fantasy Island & Coco View all offer great diving in all-inclusive resorts on the south side of the island. And, if you want a break from diving there are few islands in the Caribbean that have the variety of shore based activities that Roatan offers.

Finally, take a look at our website for something different, all-inclusive liveaboard diving on a 47 foot luxury sailing yacht. All our trips are private & you would be the only guests on board, diving out of a private dive boat with 2 PADI Instructors to take care of everything for you, it's the ultimate in small group, personalized diving.

Good luck with your research & if you have any questions about Roatan or the Bay Islands feel free to email us directly at zeppelinsail@gmail.com, we live here and can help with any info, not just about ourselves.

 

[CanadianTravelAgent]

Lots of varied suggestions, but I'll throw in one more: Turks & Caicos. Easy to get to. Good quality resorts. For my money, best diving in the Caribbean. Not the cheapest, but if your prior stop was Grand Cayman then you have nothing to fear.

I love Turks and Caicos too - it is my favourite Caribbean diving, but if OP only has OW cert, they might want to consider getting AOW for this location as most of the walls start below 40 feet. However, many people get their OW here with no problems. Except for the depth factor, the diving here is what I consider to be very easy. All boat dives. Minor current for the most part and usually has very good visibility.

My first Caribbean trip after getting certified was to Cozumel. As another poster mentioned, if you get past the current, it is some of the easiest diving around. Just go with the flow!

Finally, I would want to know if this is strictly a diving vacation or a vacation where you want to throw in a few dives. I would also ask what type of accommodations you like. Typically, dive resorts are a little more rustic, catering to divers who want to max their budgets on the dive package. If you want a little bit of luxury and you only plan to dive for 2 or 3 days, maybe an all inclusive resort would be a consideration. As a previous poster mentioned, Sandals and Beaches includes the dives. Many others have dive operators onsite or have arrangements with a local shop. Islands to consider where the all inclusive properties are available include Jamaica, the Bahamas (a little cooler in the winter), Curacao, Aruba, Roatan, Cozumel, Cancun/Mayan Riviera, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos...

Good luck!

 

[LarryHinDC]

I agree with Mike. For newly certified divers, doing unchaperoned shore diving might be asking for trouble. In addition to having no one to help in case of emergency, there is also the possibility of getting disoriented due to insufficient navigation skills.

 

[AggieDiver]

I would agree with that too. As newer divers, being around more experienced divers on a boat as well as having some level of supervision from the DMs on the boat (may vary by location) will be good for advancing skill levels. I found it really helpful as a new diver to ask questions of the more experienced divers on the boat. You can learn alot simply by watching and listening. If you go shore diving by yourself on Bonaire, you are cutting yourself off from those potential support systems and I am not sure if that is wise for brand new divers.

 

[jameseg]

I agree with Mike. For newly certified divers, doing unchaperoned shore diving might be asking for trouble. In addition to having no one to help in case of emergency, there is also the possibility of getting disoriented due to insufficient navigation skills.

Agree re. emergencies, but I thought Bonaire was some of the easiest navigation I've ever done. Go one way down the reef, turn around, and follow the reef back at a slightly shallower depth. There's always something on land you can use as a reference point (usually your truck).

I think Bonaire is a great option for the OP. The water will be some of the warmest in the Caribbean that time of year and the diving is terrific. The Book "Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy" lists difficult of entry for the main sites, if that's a concern. Some are certainly easier than others.

James

 

[BDSC]

You don't even need a compass in Bonaire because it's that easy to navigate and I don't know of anything that should/would intimidate a new OW diver if that diver was properly trained.

 

[phoenix31tt]

Agreed with bdsc.. In terms of navigation ..Even an improperly trained diver should not be intimidated... Even if they somehow manage to totally screw up navigation the most it will result in is a longer swim or walk to the car. There are a couple of sites that are listed as advanced but they are fewer and a book like Bonaire shore diving made easy is an excellent guide


but again, if so inclined boat and guides are also there for the hire

 

[diversteve]

Curacao is the same diving as Bonaire with much easier shore dive entries - most off the beach/dive dock instead of picking your way over the ironshore. We had to ask about a drift dive there specifically as there aren't many - Bonaire either. It's all low current diving, on most dives it was imperceptible. There's also the Dive Bus - they do escorted shore dives all over the island. And pick you up anywhere in town.

There's a lot more to do on Curacao also plus 10X the people. The famous shopping district downtown, more nightlife, casinos, restaurants, much better beaches and a lot more of them. Most beaches are also named shore dives. Most also have a dive operator and snack shop onsite. With a little advance planning most can provide a DM-Guide for a fee. If there's a downside to Curacao diving it's that the reef is slightly further out. To conserve air we often swam out on the surface. About 5 mins. max.

None of the shore dives on Bonaire outside of town/the resorts have any facilities at all. Many don't even have any shade.

There's also multiple independent guides that work on both islands - no shop affiliation so you often meet them at dive sites with your gear.

Compare entry pictures here: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands

More details:

Best Caribbean Diving Island | Bonaire Tourism Official Site
Curacao Travel- Caribbean, Curacao, Dutch Caribbean

Definitely check out Roatan.

+1. It can also be very reasonable to stay/dive there. In the winter, you'll have a higher likelihood of diving on the south side. Sometimes weather from the north forces those operators to shuttle boats/divers south also. Since the south is protected by the mass of Roatan it's calmer.

 

[cmulvaney]

I kind of like Booby Island in Saint Kitts and Nevis. :chuckle: lol