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I'm a little confused because people are suggesting (including the OP) both liveaboards and All-Inclusive resorts on Roatan that don't offer kitchens. Seems contrary to: "the independence of shore diving...like to cook". Places in the West End/West Bay don't have any shore diving - well I guess there's one. If shore diving and cooking are priorities, look at the Cane Bay area of St. Croix - there's condos for rent oceanfront. A friend of a friend owns one, he walks thru his neighbors yard to the water and dives Cane Bay Wall.
I'd be reluctant to try the Bahamas, Turks/Caicos, St. Croix or Cozumel in the middle of Hurricane season. It seems like one/more get hit every year. Cayman also, some years ago it was basically underwater during one. And it's pricey although there area a lot of condos on Seven Mile Beach with full kitchens. 3-4 Good shore dives on the north side, a few in town. Lots of cruise ships in town also just about daily. Most of the shore dives there have an affiliated facility on-site and provide tanks etc.
The only shore diving in the Turks/Caicos that I'm aware of is that you can access the Grand Turk Wall in a couple of spots with a longer swim out. But the better diving seems to be boat diving elsewhere along it.
Why do you think Cozumel is good for shore diving? - it would be about last on my list. Even the ones they have are drift dives. shorediving.com might give you some ideas also. Although you can chance it/buy trip insurance if you have to use it, you're not diving. So I'd pick somewhere with a lesser possibility of getting hit in the first place.
Except for the Exumas there's literally no shore diving off the major Bahama islands, the reef is too far out. On some finding tank rentals would be difficult. Nassau has basically two boat dive operators on the entire island, Cove's and Bahama Divers. Freeport is similar, Andros has nothing shore diveable afaik and I don't think the Abacos do either.
Curacao is everything Bonaire is but bigger. Easier shore dive entries also. I agree with everything JLevine posted except maybe location. Also just about every beach - at least west of town - is also a named shore dive. At some you'll even see boats from the various dive operators on the moorings.
There are actually a lot of condo/house rentals on the west side that will have extensive kitchens/decks/bbbq's/some even with yards. Cura lists a bunch of them. You can also find them on vrbo.com. It takes about 45mins. to drive from Westpunt to downtown so compare locations to see how far it is from closer areas like Coral Estates or Playa Lagun. Most are high above the water so have ocean views but aren't waterfront. Lagoon Blou looked pretty nice - probably 1/2 hr. to town from there. Bahia Apt's next door has a cliffside bar that serves food. Many of the condo complexes are on the cliffs above the beach at western dive site locations - most have stairs for access.
You won't find a lot of restaurant choices once you leave town heading west except for a few in Westpunt. Landhuis Daniel just west of the airport on the main road is one of the better ones. I wouldn't stay downtown though, the better diving is elsewhere. Even some of the dive-focused resorts south of downtown that offer it aren't on the best reefs. Also the Megapier is downtown so if there's cruisers in town, the whole area is very congested.
If you pick something west, stop for food in Willemstad b4 driving out. Centrum Market sells $1 disposable coolers for this - a mile south of the Airport Rotary. There's also Cost U Less? - never been there.
I personally think the diving off Curacao is superior to Bonaire. Certainly more varied. Some of Curacao is also similar but there's also some very different dives you won't see on Bonaire. Driving betweeen dive sites takes a little longer but practically every one has a shop on-site, food on-site and restrooms. Also just about every entry is off a sandy beach instead of ironshore. The few that are have improved dive docks to get out over it. Besides all the operators, Curacao also has Relaxed Guided Dives on the main road just west of the airport. We drove by it probably 1/2 dozen times before I realized what it was - a tank rental/fill station.
I'd be reluctant to try the Bahamas, Turks/Caicos, St. Croix or Cozumel in the middle of Hurricane season. It seems like one/more get hit every year. Cayman also, some years ago it was basically underwater during one. And it's pricey although there area a lot of condos on Seven Mile Beach with full kitchens. 3-4 Good shore dives on the north side, a few in town. Lots of cruise ships in town also just about daily. Most of the shore dives there have an affiliated facility on-site and provide tanks etc.
The only shore diving in the Turks/Caicos that I'm aware of is that you can access the Grand Turk Wall in a couple of spots with a longer swim out. But the better diving seems to be boat diving elsewhere along it.
Why do you think Cozumel is good for shore diving? - it would be about last on my list. Even the ones they have are drift dives. shorediving.com might give you some ideas also. Although you can chance it/buy trip insurance if you have to use it, you're not diving. So I'd pick somewhere with a lesser possibility of getting hit in the first place.
Except for the Exumas there's literally no shore diving off the major Bahama islands, the reef is too far out. On some finding tank rentals would be difficult. Nassau has basically two boat dive operators on the entire island, Cove's and Bahama Divers. Freeport is similar, Andros has nothing shore diveable afaik and I don't think the Abacos do either.
Curacao is everything Bonaire is but bigger. Easier shore dive entries also. I agree with everything JLevine posted except maybe location. Also just about every beach - at least west of town - is also a named shore dive. At some you'll even see boats from the various dive operators on the moorings.
There are actually a lot of condo/house rentals on the west side that will have extensive kitchens/decks/bbbq's/some even with yards. Cura lists a bunch of them. You can also find them on vrbo.com. It takes about 45mins. to drive from Westpunt to downtown so compare locations to see how far it is from closer areas like Coral Estates or Playa Lagun. Most are high above the water so have ocean views but aren't waterfront. Lagoon Blou looked pretty nice - probably 1/2 hr. to town from there. Bahia Apt's next door has a cliffside bar that serves food. Many of the condo complexes are on the cliffs above the beach at western dive site locations - most have stairs for access.
You won't find a lot of restaurant choices once you leave town heading west except for a few in Westpunt. Landhuis Daniel just west of the airport on the main road is one of the better ones. I wouldn't stay downtown though, the better diving is elsewhere. Even some of the dive-focused resorts south of downtown that offer it aren't on the best reefs. Also the Megapier is downtown so if there's cruisers in town, the whole area is very congested.
If you pick something west, stop for food in Willemstad b4 driving out. Centrum Market sells $1 disposable coolers for this - a mile south of the Airport Rotary. There's also Cost U Less? - never been there.
I personally think the diving off Curacao is superior to Bonaire. Certainly more varied. Some of Curacao is also similar but there's also some very different dives you won't see on Bonaire. Driving betweeen dive sites takes a little longer but practically every one has a shop on-site, food on-site and restrooms. Also just about every entry is off a sandy beach instead of ironshore. The few that are have improved dive docks to get out over it. Besides all the operators, Curacao also has Relaxed Guided Dives on the main road just west of the airport. We drove by it probably 1/2 dozen times before I realized what it was - a tank rental/fill station.
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