Bahamas Recommendation

[texellis]

We are researching our next trip (10 days in April) and looking for feedback from others. We are both instructors with lots of dive and travel experience (15+ years). We've dove many locations on the diver beaten path and a few off the path as well. We're not into large commercial islands or resorts. We prefer smaller, more personal operators. We are very independent divers and stay away from operators that limit bottom time and force you to dive with the group. We've read many posts and reviews regarding Riding Rock in Sal Salvador, Small Hope Bay in Andros, and a few others. The costs of these two seem to be quite different and we're not sure why. We are looking for feedback on these resorts and other suggestions for dive resorts in the Bahamas that may fit our desires. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[texellis]

Still looking for some help... please

 

[LanceLisenby]

We are going next week. Going with Stuart Cove's. Doesn't sound like you would like their op but I will let you know how it goes.

 

[tstormdiver]

Not sure if you're into live aboards or not. Explorer Ventures boat the Caribbean Explorer II may be a viable option. It carries a maximum of 18 passengers (9cabins). I was on the Caribbean Explorer I about 3yrs ago. The boat leaves out of Georgetown Great Exuma & cruises around San Salvador & Conception islands. It is a very well run operation at a reasonable price. They usually put an instructor in the water about 50% of the time, but no one is required to follow them. The divers are expected to plan & execute their own plans. The only limitations is 130 ft on air, 110 ft on Nitrox, no scooters or rebreathers. That's about it.

 

[OneBlueWorld]

Here's a few of the dives in that area...

One Blue World :: Locations

When we went we dove with Cat Ppalu

 

[TampaOW]

My wife and I have very similar taste in dive activities as what you've described. We went to Small Hope Bay Lodge in June 2010, and we highly recommend it. They have super competent divemasters/instructors on their dives, and you can be as mellow or extreme as you wish. I think once in every diver's life, he or she must go "Over the Wall" into the Tongue of the Ocean, 185 feet into an abyss 6,000 feet deep. There are plenty of deep, interesting dives to do at their dive sites, and the dives are planned very well. Diving off PADI tables is impossible on the deeper dives, but my computer never went into DECO mode and I always had at least 500 psi when I got back on the boat. If you'd prefer to just do shallow reef dives, there are dozens of dive sites to maintain your interest. What I really like about Small Hope is that I didn't see a single other dive operator the whole time I was there. Our dive sites were ours to enjoy with just the Small Hope divers. Oh--and the Shark Emporium dive is not to be missed! It attracts about a dozen reef sharks to the "chumsickle", ranging from 4 feet to 8 feet in length. I am now a huge shark fan!

 

[sharky60]

A few years ago my wife and I went to Grand Bahama and dove with Sunn Odyssey Divers Introducing Grand Bahamas personalized dive operator Sunn Odyssey Divers

Karen and Nick run a small operation, are very safety minded. We were the only people diving with them that week so we had plenty of personal attention.

Nick or Karen picked us up daily at the hotel and took us to the dive shop and returned us to the hotel after diving. Very nice people, we enjoyed them very much.

We stayed at the Crown Plaza, which was actually 2 hotels that had been purchased and made into one resort. A tower hotel was the "main" building and a low rise former Holiday Inn resort was the other part of the property.

We stayed in the later, nothing special, a good sized room, clean and comfortable.

Food was expensive on the resort, actually kind of high throughout the island, but we found a couple reasonable places at the "International Marketplace" next door. It's a series of buildings that were built by a movie set company and turned into tourist shops and restaurants.

Some of the best restaurants were in Lacaya. A place called Pisces, I belive, was very good, we went there twice for diner and a third time for dessert.

I've never been to any of the other main islands in the Bahamas, but I get the impression that GB is less touristy than the others. It's pretty laid back, with not a lot to do as far as nightlife or acivities other than beach and water stuff, but that is all we were there for anyway.

 

[Kukymc]

I dont know if you are still looking! But i am the same way. I have to recommend Conception Island and perhaps deadmans cay. Conception island could easily be put in my top 10 places in the world. Expect Amazing walls with amazing reefs and fish. Deadmans cay Obviously has Deans blue hole. If you are into Live aboards check out Lost Island Voyages, I know i talk alot about them, but they go out of the way to suit your diving needs, request what you want and you will probably get it ( depending on the weather and time of course). The only time ive group diving with them is When you dive the Washing Machine in the Exumas.

While you still spend probably 2 days in the exumas, you go to cat island and conception island, and alot of other places.

Let me know if you have any other questions!!

But i DEF recommend Conception island, and Lost island voyages is the affordable way to get there! AND they offer 10 day trips on request!

 

[netteperez]

With your dive experience, I would try Grand Bahama Scuba and they will take you out and leave you alone if that is what you want. No babysitting there.

I'd recommend Calabash Eco Adventures for caven dives as well as other amazing tours while you are waiting to detox. You wont go wrong with them. Shamie has a web site that can be easily found on the web. AMAZING!

 

[frostfire]

We went to San Salvador and stayed/dived with Club Med on 2 trips. Really great wall diving and vis. Because there is only Club Med and Riding Rock diving the area it's quite pristine. Loved it and would go back any time. But we just bought timeshares at the Atlantis, so I will be going out there for Labor Day week this year.