Belize, Grand Caymans or T&C on a budget

[JUSTIN44]

My GF and I are both planning on going on another scuba diving vacation in late August. We've been to Riviera Maya and Cozumel (we love Cozumel).

I've narrowed our choices down to Grand Caymen, T&C or Belize because the flights are fairly inexpensive (from LAX) compared to Roatan and Bonaire.

So I was wondering which destination my SB peers think would be the best

Here is what we are hoping to find:
-Great diving, with wide varieties of marine life
-Not into AI, we prefer eating what the locals eat!
-Cost effective lodging (under $160 per night)
-Nice beaches and nightlife (bars and restaurants
since we plan on renting a car, the above doesnt have to be close to lodging

Thanks!

 

[potato cod]

Okay, I've actually been to all three of those locations. Here's my take on them:

Belize. I just returned from Belize. You can dive the barrier reef from San Pedro, but the really good stuff is apparently out on the atolls, which are a significant distance off the coast. To access them, there are a few resorts on mostly undeveloped cayes (like Turneffe Island Resort), but I understand there's not much nightlife. We did the trip on a liveaboard, which was really an excellent way to get in lots of dives on the atolls and fabulous diving, but this meant the trip was NOT cheap.

Grand Cayman. There are some decent packages at some of the resorts, but it's not a very cheap island. I thought the diving was solid, but not as good as the Turks and Caicos. The bar at Sunset House (where we stayed) was one of the best tropical bars I've been to, and 7-mile beach is apparently great, although we didn't spend any time there. Stingray City is a hoot.

Turks and Caicos. The diving here off West Caicos is the best I've done in the Caribbean and compares well with the Great Barrier Reef in terms of the huge amount of ocean life. You find yourself surrounded by huge schools of fish, there's plenty of big stuff (eagle rays, stingrays, reef sharks), and the walls are spectacular. We also really like the outfit we dived with, Caicos Adventures. Grace Bay is perhaps the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. There are certainly big resorts, but there are also lots of smaller, reasonably priced hotels. We stay at a very modest mom-and-pop place near the marina (~5 min walk to the far, quiet end of Grace Bay and a nice shallow bit of reef for snorkeling) for about $120/night inc. taxes. It's not for everyone and you might want swankier digs, but should still be fine for $160. We're not much into nightlife, but there seems to be plenty going on down by the resorts. It's certainly no more expensive than Grand Cayman and, although I like them both, T&C is my favorite.

 

[diversteve]

Grand Cayman and budget aren't often heard in the same sentence. Everything there is expensive, food, lodging, diving. A couple of around $160 (not sure if they're under in August) options: Comfort Suites or Sunshine Suites. SS is across the road from the beach - makes it more reasonable. Dives are around 2/$100 but there is some shorediving both north and south of Seven Mile Beach - which is a very nice beach btw. Nightlife there's Club L.I., Jet, O Bar and others. Vis off the North Wall was astounding - in excess of 100' is typical. Down the wall you strain to see something 250' away in the blue.

Provo (T/C) also seemed expensive - at least the Grace Bay area. I'm not even sure there is a hotel there for under $200/nt - most are in the $4-500/nt. range. Check Expedia. It's a really nice beach, nice area, expensive shopping (Gucci next to the Rolex store) area. Everything there is imported also. There's a couple? of small casinos - I went to the Players Club one night. IDK about other nightlife except it seemed more casual than Grand Cayman. Found this link - we ate one night at Danny Buoys - it's a nice Irish bar - I wanted to go to Infinity Bar also but didn't get there:
Nightlife in Providenciales and Caicos at Frommer's

IDK about diving costs as we did the T/C Explorer so spent >two days in town. Good diving accessible from Provo would be West Caicos. The great diving would be French Cay - coral on coral down the wall past rec depths, sharks, stingrays, turtles, barracuda, lionfish - on every dive. Water is really clear also.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I agree with both answers.....I have also done all 3 and Potato Cod is spot on....I have done a liveaboard in all three destinations as well as land based in The Caymans and in T&C.....I have to say for the Caymans the liveaboard is the best deal IMO....you can dive all 3 islands with Little Cayman being the best of the 3...and you can see more of Belize on a liveaboard since the reefs are a bit of a boat ride out....T&C same thing the liveaboard can get you out to the better spots.....

 

[robint]

Belize is the least expensive of the 3, plus you don't need a rental car on Ambergris Caye, walk everywhere.
Look at Sunbreezes or Ramons here:

Belize vacation hotel dive packages with Bay Adventures
and
here: Belize Scuba Diving Vacations with Island Dreams

Mayan Princess is good too, but not quite as nice as the other two.

most of the dive ops run AM and PM diving, so you have more options to dive than GC and TC. Ambergris Caye is also more rustic island feel, less big resorts and modern.

robin

 

[allistoy]

Having done them all I would take the Turks & Caicos hands down for the diving alone without considering anything else. It is the priciest but well worth the added cost.

 

[Woodiver]

Have you looked at the cost of going to Fiji? Your air will be more but will probably take less time to get to from LA and the diving is much better than any of the the other places on your short list.

 

[JUSTIN44]

You guys have helped me immensely. I didnt realize caymen was so much more expensive than Belize.
Keep the opinions coming
thanks

 

[scubadada]

Hi Justin44,

You can easily make a budget trip to Providenciales, my son and I did in the summer of 2009. We stayed at Comfort Suites, perfectly adequate with breakfast. There are at least 3 restaurants across the street at Ports of Call, good food at a bargain price. For some reason, Mojito night at Jimmy's Dive Bar & Grill sticks out as a particulary good evening. There is a bicycle rental close by. Beautiful Grace Bay is a block away with direct access. We have a direct flight from Philadelphia, you'd likely have to go to a little more trouble to get there.

Best of all, Caicos Adventures dive operation is next door and morning pick up to the boat starts there. Caicos Adventures was a great operator and the dives off West Caicos and French Cay were very good. This short shark video was taken at the cut in the wall at Boat Cove, West Caicos: YouTube - Old Shark and Big Shark

We had a great time, I'd like to get back to Provideniciales someday. So many places to dive, so little time.

Good diving, Craig

 

[cowdog77]

$2600 persperson package at Beqa Lagoon ...........
Includes R/T non-stop air from LAX to Fiji,
R/T Ground Transfers from Nadi to Boat Launch,
R/T Boat from Pacific Harbour to Beqa Lagoon Resort,
7 nights accommodations in a deluxe Fijian Bure,
gourmet dining daily and 5 two-tank boat dives

(Airfare alone RT from LAX to T&C is close to $700 for middle of Feb)

.........and you get to see a whole new host of critters in the Pacific.