Been to Bonaire, Cozumel...what next?

[ThisHat]

I'm looking for suggestions in Carib for a June trip. We have 100+ dives, comfortable boat or shore. No tec, no wreck. Having seen some great reefs (Bonaire, Cozumel) and some crappy ones (Jamaica) I know the difference. My priority would be finding a nice reef in good shape with a lot of life. If it has sharks or big fish, that's a bonus, but not a requirement.

Top of my list of suspects:

1. Little Cayman/Cayman Brac

2. Somewhere in the Bahamas?

3. Belize (but where?)

Your thoughts are welcome! Thanks.

 

[AdivingBel]

Little Cayman is tough to beat in the Caribbean. Bloody Bay Marine Park is special.

I really enjoy Curacao. Nice shore/boat diving. Pretty beaches with a nice rural atmosphere in the Westpunt area. I tend to like it better for a fall trip as it's below the hurricane belt, but it would be nice in June too.

Might catch a very last minute deal on a Turks & Caicos liveaboard if you like sharks & walls.

Have fun.

 

[Altamira]

I think you would like Roatan, AKR on the north side or Barefoot Divers on the south side, or Belize much better than the Bahamas (your #2). I have not been to Cayman Brac/Little Cayman, but if they are as good as, or better than, Grand Cayman, you would be happy there as well.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Curacao is a must, IMO

We also enjoy Grand Cayman

 

[arew+4]

Roatan or Grand Cayman.
USVI are also nice, and I think underrated.

 

[AZNetEng]

Ill pile on Roatan as well. Affordable, good diving, reef and fish life are good. I have about 40 dives there and always enjoy it. Ambergis Cay in Belize is supposed to be nice but no direct experience.

 

[scubadada]

It also depends on if you need much to do besides diving, I preferentially look for quieter places. My top 3 recommendations would be:

1) Grand Cayman East End, Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers, up to 3-4 boat dives per day, couple of night dives

2) Little Cayman, Little Cayman Beach Resort and Reef Divers, up to 3 boat dives per day, opportunity for night dives

3) Curacao, Lodge Kura Hulanda (we got a great deal, there are less expensive places, All West Apts...) and Go West Diving, up to 3 boat dives per day, very good shore diving, great house reef Playa Kalki/Alice in Wonderland

I also like Turks & Caicos. I did it land-based, if I were to return, would do one of the liveaboards. The rides out to West Caicos and French Cay are just too long and take too much time. I'd prefer twice the diving. Good walls, many Reef Sharks.

 

[snowdog61]

Having been to Roatan, Cayman Brac, Curacao, and Cozumel, I would return to Roatan (am in June) and Cozumel. Brac was very nice but if it was a return trip, I would be doing Little Cayman as a preference. Curacao was also on my list and while it was good, it just didn't wow me with the diving - everything else was great and maybe just coming off 3 weeks in the Philippines/Palau jaundiced my view, but not a lot of larger fish. Belize & Bonaire are both on the list with Bonaire booked. If you don't go, you'll never know

 

[Trailboss123]

I will second all of @scubadada recommendations in that order.

 

[KeithG]

Try a LOB. We like Belize and T&C.

LOB diving is effortless, you get a night dive every night and zero travel time to get to the next site.