Caribbean Dive Suggestions

[chillyinCanada]

I've recently returned from a multi-locale trip and my experience with Aquanauts at the True Blue Bay Resort on Grenada was some of the best I've experienced in the Caribbean. The service was valet quality and especially so for me as I was diving with an injury. All i had to do was peel off my suit at the rinse tank and hang it up (hanging racks right beside the tank with good hangers).

I've not been to Bonaire but suspect the diving may be similar. Some of the boat rides were a bit longer than the others, but it was well worth the trip. I'm planning to return in late fall.

 

[KeithG]

My wife, daughter and I have been diving now for about a year and a half. We all have different comfort levels but reef diving fits us all at this point. We've been to Bonaire (Divi Dive; beautiful reef) and Roatan (Anthony's Key; reef a bit less colorful, really friendly dive master). As I enter my 60s I think it's fair to say that I truly did appreciate the valet level service at Anthony's Key, in part because diving is relatively new and unintuitive to me and I just felt more comfortable knowing that someone was truly looking out for me. I value beautiful scenery more so than proximity to drinking establishments. Suggestions? Thanks

OK: you have been spoiled by the underwater of Bonaire & Roatan. This limits your future a bit.

In my experience you still need to go to the following caribbean spots before you die :
- belize liveaboard
- Saba
- Turks & Caicos (liveaboard, provo, grand turk or salt cay)
- Curacao
- Cayman Brac
- Bonaire at least a dozen more times

For "interesting" caribbean you still need to do the following:
- Tortola
- Bequia
- Domincia

At some point you need to think about PNG (ignore Austraila GBR, Belize is closer...)

 

[Derffie]

I noticed that you didn't mention Cozumel???

 

[divingjd]

I would definitely mention Cozumel! It's quite a bit different from Bonaire and Roatan. All drift diving and generally deeper. You don't have all the shallow stuff that's available in Bonaire. Some people find that a little more challenging, but I learned to dive in surge and current, so it's never bothered me. I've always liked drift diving. I think of it as "lazy man's diving." Drop in the water and let the current take you down the reef. The underwater scenery is absolutely spectacular. There are very few places in the Caribbean that come close.

There is definitely valet diving available. My personal preference is Aldora Divers, which also has a great place to stay, Villa Aldora. Some of the other operations frequently mentioned on this board are Blue XTSea, Living Underwater, Tres Pelicanos, and Scuba With Allison. Search the Cozumel forum and you will find more information that you can choke down. I will note here that Aldora has enough boats to group divers of similar experience and interests together.

My only reservation in recommending Cozumel is that I don't know what you are looking for in terms of "scenery." Cozumel is a low, flat island, so the top-side scenery is mostly a palapa, a palm tree, and a sunset. If that makes you happy, Cozumel is pretty scenic. If you are looking for something more dramatic in Cozumel, you need to be underwater. Even Bonaire has more topography than Cozumel.

If the scenic aspects work for you and you are not put off by drift diving, I would definitely recommend Cozumel.

Another destination in the same category is Little Cayman, which I would recommend over Grand Cayman or Cayman Brac. Again, a low, flat island where all the scenery is underwater, but it's spectacular scenery. The water is really calm and the diving is easy. It's very good for divers of all levels. Little Cayman Beach Resort is really nice and has a good valet-style dive operation, Reef Divers. It's really quiet. Dive, eat, sleep, lie in a hammock, and read. That's about it.

 

[Derffie]

Any specific thoughts about Turks and Caicos? Anyone familiar with Bohio Resort or have another suggestion? Thanks!

 

[mikeycanuk]

If going to Grand Turk just rent a condo and stay in town. Bohio is expensive, caters to cruisers and is north of what little action there is. I loved the atmosphere in Salt Cay way more than GT.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[diversteve]

Turks/Caicos meet some of your criteria. Provo (Providenciales) is stunningly beautiful on land. Azure water, Grace Bay Beach is literally one of the best in the Caribbean. There would be short boat rides if you only dove the NW Point/Grace Bay Beach areas with any of several local dive shops since the reef is about 500 yds. off the island in some areas. At a couple we could clearly see who was on the beach. Just too far out to shore dive.

However the best diving from Provo is 45mins. to an hour to the south at either West Caicos or French Cay. They're pretty much all day trips, operators will pick you up at 8am and shuttle you to the boat on the south side. Then it's 45min. ride across what can be rougher water to either location. The moorings themselves are mostly just off the islands but you will stay on the boat most of the day - one operator does lunch onshore IIRC. Two dives and the return home puts you back around 2:30 - add a 3rd dive and it's 4:30. If you wanted to try it, that's among the best diving I've ever done in the Caribbean.

The Beaches AI resort there offers diving. I've recently seen a post indicating they're currently doing it all on the north side - which would make sense if they're offering afternoon dives since they need to get the boats back. It's also the Beaches known to be very child-oriented if that matters to you.There's also Club Med Turkoise that I don't see much about. Lots of other resorts/condo options all along Seven Mile Beach also. All pretty upscale.

Grand Turk except is smaller/quieter. The cruise port is also on Grand Turk so I try to avoid that personally. The wall off Grand Turk in a few places is a long surface swim or a short boat ride for most of the operators. With 40 dive sites along it, I've not seen one that goes elsewhere - but my experience there is non-existent.

fyi, the reason the boat ride to the Roatan Shark dive was long is because AKR took you there on theirs. You were mid-island on the north side, it's only done off the south side near the airport. We took a $10 van ride there and dove with the same people you did from their zodiac - a few minute ride out. Waihuka owns the concession and everyone books thru them.

 

[KeithG]

I noticed that you didn't mention Cozumel???

correct. have not been. do not intend to go. so it is never on my radar.

we like macro critters and the ability to dive our own plan. for us, this rules out places that are mostly drift dives and places where you must group dive with a DM. we tend to rotate between live aboards and Bonaire.

 

[mikeycanuk]

I visited the cruise port for something to do, never been in one before. Thought it was time they were the animals and we were on safari. Days before on our SI @ Grand Turks divers safari buses, a train and other assorted cruise shippers drove past gawking at us like THEY were on safari lol.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Dhboner]

I'm going to "off the reservation" a bit here and recommend the Dominican Republic. The south coast (Bayahibe area) has some of the best diving I have ever done. Healthy reefs, some great shipwrecks and great dive boats. The other consideration is that if you are on a budget you have your choice of moderately priced all-inclusive resorts.