i know...i know.....

[deputydan1]

hey gang!

sorry for the redundant question on WHERE TO GO, but i'd thought i'd take a poke at it too...

the wife and i are planning a dive trip for this march....

we're both decent divers, AOW......but we've only been to cozumel and don't know how to compare all the other places! aiyaya!

we're looking for a few things:

1. great diving (boat and shore) - i LOVE taking photos, so free shorediving would be great.....
2. great, plush resort (the wife likes to be pampered when on vacation) w/ nice shore diving at the hotel
3. topside activites (she likes to shop, visit museums, etc)

do you think we should stick to cozumelor venture into other places? we're flying from LAX. places we're thinking about: bonaire, curacao, or cayman islands....

can anyone please holla-back!? =) we could really use some advice....

thanks a bunch!

-dan

 

[herman]

Curacao or Aruba may be for you. Lots of shops, restaruants and stuff. The shore diving is easy. I prefer Bonaire but plush resorts that pamper you and lots of shopping are pretty much non-existent on Bonaire. It's basically eat, sleep, dive and be left along- my kind of place.

 

[smokey braden]

deputydan1,
do some research on grande cayman.
i'm sure your wife would have a good time.
would bermuda be an option?
regards,

 

[deputydan1]

thanks fellas~
and yes, bermuda is an option......does the diving compare?

-dan

 

[DCDivenut]

hey gang!

sorry for the redundant question on WHERE TO GO, but i'd thought i'd take a poke at it too...

the wife and i are planning a dive trip for this march....

we're both decent divers, AOW......but we've only been to cozumel and don't know how to compare all the other places! aiyaya!

we're looking for a few things:

1. great diving (boat and shore) - i LOVE taking photos, so free shorediving would be great.....
2. great, plush resort (the wife likes to be pampered when on vacation) w/ nice shore diving at the hotel
3. topside activites (she likes to shop, visit museums, etc)

do you think we should stick to cozumelor venture into other places? we're flying from LAX. places we're thinking about: bonaire, curacao, or cayman islands....

can anyone please holla-back!? =) we could really use some advice....

thanks a bunch!

-dan

Plush resorts with lots of "developed" topside activities very rarely go hand in had with great diving, especially in the Caribbean. If you are on west coast why not look at Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti where you can actually find this, at least the first 2? According to my West COast friends and some of my own research airfare from LAX is about the same to Fiji as it is to the Caribbean, and without the connections!

The only place in the Carribbean that jumps to mind is Aruba. I have heard the diving is good if not great and there are good resorts there. This is all second hand as I have never been. There are nice resorts in the Bahamas, but the developed areas have the worst diving, e.g. Grand Bahama. You might try the Virgin Islands, US or British.

 

[ronrosa]

Plush resorts with lots of "developed" topside activities very rarely go hand in had with great diving, especially in the Caribbean. If you are on west coast why not look at Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti where you can actually find this, at least the first 2? According to my West COast friends and some of my own research airfare from LAX is about the same to Fiji as it is to the Caribbean, and without the connections!

The only place in the Carribbean that jumps to mind is Aruba. I have heard the diving is good if not great and there are good resorts there. This is all second hand as I have never been. There are nice resorts in the Bahamas, but the developed areas have the worst diving, e.g. Grand Bahama. You might try the Virgin Islands, US or British.

I agree. From LAX, why limit yourself to the Caribbean ? Hawaii fits your descriptions and is around the same distance. I've never been to Fiji, but it's on my wish list.

Aruba is nice as it has good wreck dives, and it's a great Caribbean island for an all around vacation. However, IMHO it pales compared to Hawaii. Do a search on Kona or the Big Island. Incredible topside, active volcanoes, big turtles, dolphins, and an amazing manta ray night dive.

 

[deputydan1]

that's a great point....
but for one, we've been to hawaii a few times and would like to try something different......we did tahiti for our honeymoon....so we were thinking the carribean is where we enjoy the most~

cozumel was fantastic....but we wanted to try somewhere new....

thanks for the advice, mates!

-dan

 

[ronrosa]

that's a great point....
but for one, we've been to hawaii a few times and would like to try something different......we did tahiti for our honeymoon....so we were thinking the carribean is where we enjoy the most~

cozumel was fantastic....but we wanted to try somewhere new....

thanks for the advice, mates!

-dan

OK, I know what you mean. I like to try new places too. My wife does not dive either, so I always try to find a place that will make us both happy. She sounds like your wife because she also likes cushy resorts. This March we are headed to Curacao, staying at the Marriott. From what I hear, Curacao is one of the best places in the Caribbean for a mixture of diving and topside.

We are lucky enough to do it cheap too. Free air with frequent flier miles and our room at the Marriott for $140 a night on Priceline.

 

[deputydan1]

sweeeeeeet deal, ron....
way to go!
we're going to look more into curacao......

thanks~

-dan

 

[Kat]

I'd say Curacao too.
Check out Breezes. It's an AI & has a nice pool, swim-up bar, trapeeze lessons & rock climbing wall. It is walking distance to the Aquarium. And you can shore dive on the property or rent a car & explore all the great shore diving sites. The diving is very good.
The shopping on Curacao should make your wife happy too.