I have dived in the Red Sea (once) and Cozumel (3 times) and Bonaire (6 or 7 times) and the Caymans (5 times) although it has been awhile since I have been in Cozumel or the Red Sea. The Caymans and Bonaire are favorite locations of ours so we have been their more frequently. I have never been to the Maldives (too bad!)
Cozumel:
I am not a very good photographer so maybe this is just my problem, but Cozumel is all drift dives and I find it even harder to take pictures during drift dives. I know that the Red Sea is also a lot of drift dives so maybe that isn't an issue for you. although the current can really rip off of Palancar Reef in the Yucatan. I remember some spectacular coral vistas and large animals in Cozumel but I also remember lots of cruise ship passengers and long boat trips to the reef, but maybe that was because of our hotel's location.
In Mexico you have to take food precautions and drink bottled water. We are careful and have had some great meals in Mexico but my husband got very ill there on our last trip. Again, there are no guarantees, you can get food poisoning anywhere in the world, including my home town! Cozumel is less expensive than some of the other options you've mentioned and the people are warm and friendly.
Bonaire:
Since you are considering going in July you will be traveling during early Hurricane Season in the Caribbean (June through November, usually peaking in mid-Sept) and Bonaire is below the hurricane belt so is less likely to get hit. But there are no guarantees about the weather, just something to consider.
Bonaire means "diving freedom" to me. You can do many great shore dives as easily as stepping off the hotel pier and swimming a short distance to the house reef. Some of the shore dives have difficult entries and exits, but you have the option for terrific boat dives too. You can dive a whole lot and it is pretty inexpensive because there are so many quality dive operations and shore dives. You will have to rent a vehicle. Mostly you just load up the van or jeep with some tanks and head off on the road looking for labeled yellow rocks that mark the dive sites.
Eating out 3 times a day is expensive in Bonaire and we usually rent a 1-bedroom apartment and cook some meals. If you look for an apartment or condo be sure and check for air-conditioning (if that is important to you.) Some of them are only air-conditioned in the bedrooms. We have found the locals friendly and helpful but there has always been problems with petty thieves. We have never had any bad experiences but I know some folks that were victims of theft. Leave the car unlocked and don't leave any valuables in the car or on the shore. (A waterproof beach bank that you wear around your neck is a handy solution for carrying money, cards, key, etc.)
The island is small and low-key; you can find peace and quiet and also some nightlife. Last time we were there, the small casino at Divi was the only casino, but I don't know if that has changed.
It's a really an interesting island to visit, the topography is mostly desert and mangroves - so you see lots of catcus as well as marshy areas and salt flats. The drinking water is safe and comes from desalinated salt water. Salt is a major export and you will see white hills of salt outlined against an incredibly blue sky. Interesting history too, visiting the slave huts is an eye-opening experience. And Washington Park and the flamingo preserves are gorgeous.
There is not a lot of beach on Bonaire because the reefs are so close to shore, but there are some beachy areas - so if beach and sand are important to you, be sure and keep that in mind when you are choosing a place to stay.
The reefs are healthy and beautiful but not spectacular, small slopping walls close to shore. Lots of fish life and corals but not many large animals other than tarpon, barracuda, turtles and rays.
Caymans:
We love staying on Grand Cayman to relax and unwind and have fun. There is a lot to do on shore and the people are friendly. We have never had problems with crime and the water and food are safe. We don't like staying in Georgetown or the 7 Mile Beach on GC because of all the traffic and cruise ship passengers. We prefer a quieter area like Bodden Town and the East End, but that means you have to rent a car and drive into town to enjoy the tourist attractions. The Caymans are also very expensive. I don't know the conversion factor for the pound but the US dollar$ is worth 0.80 cents. We also tend to rent an apartment and cook some meals when we are on GC or go to an all-inclusive like the beach resorts on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman or a liveaboard like the Cayman Aggressor.
There is nice diving off Grand Cayman including some good shore dives but we prefer diving off the smaller sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, and if you want a spectacular wall and beautiful corals then I suggest Little Cayman. Cayman Brac diving is very good but Bloody Bay Wall of LC is some of the best diving in the Caribbean IMO.
The walls are healthy and beautiful and there is lots of fish life and many turtles. You do see rays and larger animals cruising by in the blue off the walls.
Brac is a small, quiet and interesting and beautiful little island and you can go hiking, enjoy the wildlife, visit the caves, and appreciate the friendly local residents. No night life.
Turks and Caicos:
We spent a week on Providenciales last year and then a second week on the T&C Aggressor liveaboard diving the Turks and Caicos. The walls were fantastic and there were many large animals, we saw sharks on just about every dive, and lots of turtles and rays including some eagle rays. We have never been to the out islands of Salt Key or Grand Turk but I understand that the diving is great and you have short boat rides to the reefs. T&C is also very expensive so again the best choices for us are an apartment or a liveaboard. The all-inclusives on Provo are NOT dive-oriented resorts but I understand that there are some dive resorts on the out-islands. Grace Bay beach on Provo is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen! And there is plenty of night life in Grace Bay!
You have to drink bottled water in T&Cs because they have had problems with Norwalk virus. We were okay though. We also found the people to be very friendly. It wasn't like that the first time we visited Provo a number of years ago (that's why it took us so long to return) but this time everyone was helpful and pleasant. We will go back to the T&C islands again!
All of these locations are different but each wonderful in its own way. Just do your research, figure out what appeals to you and find a good deal - then plan on getting wet, spending money, and having fun!
Cozumel:
I am not a very good photographer so maybe this is just my problem, but Cozumel is all drift dives and I find it even harder to take pictures during drift dives. I know that the Red Sea is also a lot of drift dives so maybe that isn't an issue for you. although the current can really rip off of Palancar Reef in the Yucatan. I remember some spectacular coral vistas and large animals in Cozumel but I also remember lots of cruise ship passengers and long boat trips to the reef, but maybe that was because of our hotel's location.
In Mexico you have to take food precautions and drink bottled water. We are careful and have had some great meals in Mexico but my husband got very ill there on our last trip. Again, there are no guarantees, you can get food poisoning anywhere in the world, including my home town! Cozumel is less expensive than some of the other options you've mentioned and the people are warm and friendly.
Bonaire:
Since you are considering going in July you will be traveling during early Hurricane Season in the Caribbean (June through November, usually peaking in mid-Sept) and Bonaire is below the hurricane belt so is less likely to get hit. But there are no guarantees about the weather, just something to consider.
Bonaire means "diving freedom" to me. You can do many great shore dives as easily as stepping off the hotel pier and swimming a short distance to the house reef. Some of the shore dives have difficult entries and exits, but you have the option for terrific boat dives too. You can dive a whole lot and it is pretty inexpensive because there are so many quality dive operations and shore dives. You will have to rent a vehicle. Mostly you just load up the van or jeep with some tanks and head off on the road looking for labeled yellow rocks that mark the dive sites.
Eating out 3 times a day is expensive in Bonaire and we usually rent a 1-bedroom apartment and cook some meals. If you look for an apartment or condo be sure and check for air-conditioning (if that is important to you.) Some of them are only air-conditioned in the bedrooms. We have found the locals friendly and helpful but there has always been problems with petty thieves. We have never had any bad experiences but I know some folks that were victims of theft. Leave the car unlocked and don't leave any valuables in the car or on the shore. (A waterproof beach bank that you wear around your neck is a handy solution for carrying money, cards, key, etc.)
The island is small and low-key; you can find peace and quiet and also some nightlife. Last time we were there, the small casino at Divi was the only casino, but I don't know if that has changed.
It's a really an interesting island to visit, the topography is mostly desert and mangroves - so you see lots of catcus as well as marshy areas and salt flats. The drinking water is safe and comes from desalinated salt water. Salt is a major export and you will see white hills of salt outlined against an incredibly blue sky. Interesting history too, visiting the slave huts is an eye-opening experience. And Washington Park and the flamingo preserves are gorgeous.
There is not a lot of beach on Bonaire because the reefs are so close to shore, but there are some beachy areas - so if beach and sand are important to you, be sure and keep that in mind when you are choosing a place to stay.
The reefs are healthy and beautiful but not spectacular, small slopping walls close to shore. Lots of fish life and corals but not many large animals other than tarpon, barracuda, turtles and rays.
Caymans:
We love staying on Grand Cayman to relax and unwind and have fun. There is a lot to do on shore and the people are friendly. We have never had problems with crime and the water and food are safe. We don't like staying in Georgetown or the 7 Mile Beach on GC because of all the traffic and cruise ship passengers. We prefer a quieter area like Bodden Town and the East End, but that means you have to rent a car and drive into town to enjoy the tourist attractions. The Caymans are also very expensive. I don't know the conversion factor for the pound but the US dollar$ is worth 0.80 cents. We also tend to rent an apartment and cook some meals when we are on GC or go to an all-inclusive like the beach resorts on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman or a liveaboard like the Cayman Aggressor.
There is nice diving off Grand Cayman including some good shore dives but we prefer diving off the smaller sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, and if you want a spectacular wall and beautiful corals then I suggest Little Cayman. Cayman Brac diving is very good but Bloody Bay Wall of LC is some of the best diving in the Caribbean IMO.
The walls are healthy and beautiful and there is lots of fish life and many turtles. You do see rays and larger animals cruising by in the blue off the walls.
Brac is a small, quiet and interesting and beautiful little island and you can go hiking, enjoy the wildlife, visit the caves, and appreciate the friendly local residents. No night life.
Turks and Caicos:
We spent a week on Providenciales last year and then a second week on the T&C Aggressor liveaboard diving the Turks and Caicos. The walls were fantastic and there were many large animals, we saw sharks on just about every dive, and lots of turtles and rays including some eagle rays. We have never been to the out islands of Salt Key or Grand Turk but I understand that the diving is great and you have short boat rides to the reefs. T&C is also very expensive so again the best choices for us are an apartment or a liveaboard. The all-inclusives on Provo are NOT dive-oriented resorts but I understand that there are some dive resorts on the out-islands. Grace Bay beach on Provo is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen! And there is plenty of night life in Grace Bay!
You have to drink bottled water in T&Cs because they have had problems with Norwalk virus. We were okay though. We also found the people to be very friendly. It wasn't like that the first time we visited Provo a number of years ago (that's why it took us so long to return) but this time everyone was helpful and pleasant. We will go back to the T&C islands again!
All of these locations are different but each wonderful in its own way. Just do your research, figure out what appeals to you and find a good deal - then plan on getting wet, spending money, and having fun!
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