Best Caribbean diving--what do you recommend?

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A couple of issues...what's reputedly the best, and what's the best that's open right now? Over the years, the destination I've seen most often touted as 'best in the Caribbean' is Little Cayman, along Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Bight, with Cayman Brac a close second (reputedly dives average a little deeper, IIRC from someone's trip report). On a Cayman Aggressor IV trip, out of 25 dives, 18 were at Little Cayman, and yeah, I can't say I've seen better. But the Caymans aren't open right now.

But for reef, I was about equally impressed with the outer atolls via the Sun Dancer II (since renamed the Belize Aggressor IV). A live-aboard isn't the only way to get out there, but for some of us, perhaps the best. Belize is open.

I heard Turks & Caicos claimed as such a destination, so I tried them via live-aboard. I enjoyed the trip and was happy with the boat and crew...but for coral reef diving, sorry, I rate the Caymans and Belize's outer atolls higher. I hear T&C is open.

Bonaire is nice reef, particularly to the far south (e.g.: a site called Sweet Dreams). I've only had one trip to Curacao, diving the eastern region near Willemstad (not Westpunt where I'm told the best diving is), but I liked it fine. You've been to those, and Roatan. I've not yet been to Roatan; it's open! We see reports from Curacao, and some people made it to Bonaire.

If you haven't been to Cozumel, you owe it to yourself to go. I'm not claiming it's the best...but it is good, the topside fun and has good, affordable food, and overall trip costs from the U.S. tend to be good (I don't know about from Panama).
Tres Pelicanos & Casa Mexicana, Cozumel Sept. 2018 Report - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018
My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip

Richard.
Lots of ideas and info! thanks so much... Cozumel and T and C may be a possibility for me...Would rather stay on land than be on a liveaboard at this time.... Gracias!
 
I have been told by a long time resident of St. Thomas that St Maartin's reefs are not that great.. so will skip. Will be vaccinated by the time I go somewhere so am not real concerned with a positive test.

we have been diving there many times. the reefs certainly do not have the cool structures like coz or saba would, but we have always seen a lot of life. we see sharks on almost every dive. many turtles. and there are a could of decent wreck sites. quite frankly, we see more life there than on coz.

if a serious diver was looking only for a dive based trip it would not be near the top of my list. but it has a lot more than diving to offer.

i would suggest curcao but you have been there and i think things are not great htere right now. grand cayman is also a great option but you cannot get there right now. i hear the bahamas is open for business.
 
After having to cancel Hawaii trip yesterday, I am looking for an excellent dive area that is open for visitors during this covid time. I am an experience diver and underwater photographer with 45 years of diving the world-- although not too much in the Caribbean...(only Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao, Roatan, Panama, Saba, Cuba) Where else do you suggest in the Caribbean that is open, excellent and that you have experienced recently?
Thank you ahead of time for your answers!

We got back about a week ago from Belize - diving off the Belize Aggressor IV. We had terrific diving off the the outer atolls - Lighthouse, Glover's, and Turneffe. There had been a bit of weather that stirred things up a bit, but even so the visibility was pretty good. We saw lots of marine life and enjoyed the healthy reefs with colorful corals and huge sponges. We had a couple of very sharky days and I enjoyed that immensely. We also saw quite a few rays. Eagle rays in groups, yellow rays, rough rays, etc. At any rate, I was actually apprehensive about that trip before leaving (having never done a LOB before), but I'd go again. I'll see about doing a trip report on that, but here I'll just add that the crew was amazing.

We dove off of Grand Cayman in January 2020 and it was spectacular. The water was very clear - really amazing. Unfortunately the Caymans aren't open yet and it doesn't look like that will happen very soon. Also look into Cozumel. It's supposed to have really good diving. We dove the cenotes on the mainland a couple of months ago and that was a lot of fun if you like caverns. The ocean diving in Akumal was pretty good, but we only had one ocean dive there due to weather. I think if you would rather ocean dive, then Cozumel is your best bet in that area of Mexico.

ETA: I was typing when you posted, so just saw your info on not wanting to do a LOB.
 
Think about San Salvador in the Bahamas. Only one real place to stay, Riding Rock Resort, but I really liked the underwater architecture and sharks make a daily appearance. If lucky, some hammerheads.

Rob
So what were the reefs like there in San Salvador? I like the idea of sharks being around. Many of the Caribbean dive spots have very few sharks. Did you see any other big life there?
 
We got back about a week ago from Belize - diving off the Belize Aggressor IV. We had terrific diving off the the outer atolls - Lighthouse, Glover's, and Turneffe. There had been a bit of weather that stirred things up a bit, but even so the visibility was pretty good. We saw lots of marine life and enjoyed the healthy reefs with colorful corals and huge sponges. We had a couple of very sharky days and I enjoyed that immensely. We also saw quite a few rays. Eagle rays in groups, yellow rays, rough rays, etc. At any rate, I was actually apprehensive about that trip before leaving (having never done a LOB before), but I'd go again. I'll see about doing a trip report on that, but here I'll just add that the crew was amazing.

We dove off of Grand Cayman in January 2020 and it was spectacular. The water was very clear - really amazing. Unfortunately the Caymans aren't open yet and it doesn't look like that will happen very soon. Also look into Cozumel. It's supposed to have really good diving. We dove the cenotes on the mainland a couple of months ago and that was a lot of fun if you like caverns. The ocean diving in Akumal was pretty good, but we only had one ocean dive there due to weather. I think if you would rather ocean dive, then Cozumel is your best bet in that area of Mexico.

ETA: I was typing when you posted, so just saw your info on not wanting to do a LOB.
Will keep in mind for the future thanks!
 
So what were the reefs like there in San Salvador? I like the idea of sharks being around. Many of the Caribbean dive spots have very few sharks. Did you see any other big life there?

The reefs are great from a structure standpoint. Not tons of color or soft coral, but the swim throughs were fun. Besides reef sharks and the luck of hammerhead sightings, nothing bigger than stingrays and groupers. Night dives had lots of octopus. What our group liked best were the ever present reef sharks and the swim throughs with lots of interesting structure. My LDS owner and I were talking yesterday about trying to get back there someday soon. The Bahamas are open.

Rob
 
Thanks they are on my list but they are not open to Americans still.

Sorry about that. On the upside, it provided an excellent opportunity for my wife to inform me I was WRONG about something yet again...:)
 
So what were the reefs like there in San Salvador? I like the idea of sharks being around. Many of the Caribbean dive spots have very few sharks. Did you see any other big life there?

Did a trip to Turks and Caicos in December. Great diving and we saw multiple sharks on every dive! And yes, we also had a whale shark come through. Can't promise a whale shark, but T&C has the "sharkiest" water I've ever been in. Lots of walls that border deep water so the larger stuff comes in for a look.
 
Did a trip to Turks and Caicos in December. Great diving and we saw multiple sharks on every dive! And yes, we also had a whale shark come through. Can't promise a whale shark, but T&C has the "sharkiest" water I've ever been in. Lots of walls that border deep water so the larger stuff comes in for a look.

Thanks for the report on T and C... I may look into it as I just scratched off Cozumel... If you like sharks dive Palau-- many sharks and on every dive. First Shark Sanctuary in the world. We also have many white tips here in Coiba, Panama.
 
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