Cayman islands, or Belize?

[tarponchik]

Considering that you only have one week, I would recommend to avoid anything that takes longer to get there. This leaves prety much only Grand Cayman, ABCs and Roatan of all great diving destinations in the Caribbean. Since your wife also needs a decent beach with sand and stuff, this takes the ABCs out. If you go to Grand Cayman, there are great beaches only in the West of the island (The 7 Mile Beach), so forget the East. Turtle farm is OK and it is also the only place on the island with decent shore diving. There is also horse riding nearby, and a couple of "wild" sandy beaches too. So, depending who's more important between you too, either stay at TF or their other place, Cobalt Resort, and let your wife entertain herself in the vicinity or drive to 7MB while you are underwater, or stay in some fancy resort on 7MB where she will be able to enjoy the beach right next to your place and you will have to drive to TF to dive (they are not too far and they have a shuttle, so it's not a big deal). Roatan has a decent beach where we stayed (Fantasy Island) and it also has some shore diving. As for the drawbacks, Grand Cayman has boutiques and cruise ships, and Roatan has sandflies.

 

[Damselfish]

I took a quick look at Interval International. Some others that might be worth considering, depending what you like and what else your wife wants to do-

Bonaire: Divi Flamingo

Curacao: Lodge Kura Hulanda (I've stayed there and it's really nice with a great shore dive right there.) Seaquarium Resort on Curacao is also listed under II. Personally I'd go for Kura Hulanda as it's a quiet place nearer the better diving and a less crowded dive op, but it's at the far end of the island without much else going on so depends what you like.

Providenciales T&C: The Alexandria (no diving on site, but the dive ops will pick you up and take you to the boat.)

Cayman: Besides the Reef, they list Castaway Cove which is just the newer section of the Reef Resort. All the other places are on 7 Mile Beach and are probably nice, not my preference to stay in that area but unlike the East End it does put you close to lots of shopping/restaurants/stuff so it again depends on your priorities. (The East End resorts lactually used to have pretty nice beaches, someone recently said it was rocky at the Reef so I don't know if it has changed that much since the big hurricane, or I just have a different idea of a nice beach.)

Your decision might also be affected by airfares and how easy it is to get to these places, or not. You don't say where you are. (Is your boss springing for airfare too?

 

[scubajim311]

thanks for the tips i'll definetley check into those other places as well before i make my final decision. I'm in sacramento, ca and the boss will pay for 1000 of the airfare, which loks like it wil cover most of it if i go to cayman.

 

[vyperman]

You did not indicate your schedule, Belize Legacy Resort is closing for August -October 2009. Limits your time share options. Well to push you over the edge, if you cannot visit/dive the outer atolls from Belize, then go to the Caymens and enjoy. The northern barrier reefs off the coast of Belize (Ambergris Caye is just south of Yucatan) have been severely diminished from development pollution and climate change. Turneffe, Glover, and Lighthouse reef day trips will take a lot of your time.

 

[tarponchik]

OMG, you are on the West coast. It will take you 5 hrs just to get to Texas, so definetely plan your trip so that you make just one stop on your way.