Question ISO “Best” All-Inclusive Dive Resort Options in the Caribbean

[ScubaJoy65]

Any recommendations for what you’d consider among the best all-inclusive dive resorts in the Caribbean?

My husband and I went to Little Cayman Dive Resort with Reef Divers on our last trip and loved it. Now we’re looking for our next adventure.

The concept of dive-eat-dive-rest-dive-sleep sounds wonderful. A vibrant healthy reef, perhaps a protected marine park, would be amazing. No kids allowed would be even better.

We currently have a trip on hold for Roatan, but keep getting mixed reviews from a variety of sources. So we’re seeking input to see what other options are out there to consider.

Thanks, in advance, for your insights.

#Travel #DiveResort #AllInclusive

 

[drrich2]

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019 Fun, there are kids around but you can minimize that by what time of year you go.

Cozumel has a number of A.I. resorts. I have not stayed at them. I think Secrets Aura Cozumel is adults only. I don't know what their dive op. is, if they have one, but in Cozumel some divers choose to dive with an off-site op., even if the resort they stay at has one.

It seems your focus is on quality diving, and from what I've read, with Sandals the resort rather than the diving tends to be the main feature, so I didn't get into those. Sandals struck me as pricy when I explored it in the past, though I don't drink alcohol and that's included.

Richard.

 

[flyboy08]

We've done all the Caymans and Roatan...enjoyed all.

Look into the Grand Occidental on CZM...ProDive on site is OK, but we use another dive provider that picks us up at the Grand.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The concept of dive-eat-dive-rest-dive-sleep sounds wonderful.

I like that concept, too. But I'm not so sure how prevalent that is in the Caribbean. The Caymans have some, and Roatan has a couple, as you know. As for Cozumel, I'm not sure any of the all-inclusive resorts there meet my vision of a true "dive resort." Rather, most seem to be all-inclusive resorts with a dive operation on site for those who want to dive. But it's not like the resort as a whole is dedicated to the dive-eat-dive-sleep-repeat mentality.

Added: Bonaire has some, though the focus there is shore diving more than boat diving, and don't expect luxury.

 

[PatW]

Secrets Aura in Cozumel is good. It is pretty far south so it is convenient to the better reefs. I did not use their dive op.

I have done Turneffe Island Resort in Belize on Turneffe Atoll.

I have done Cayman Brac Beach Resort on Cayman Brac. It is very similar to Little Cayman Beach Resort. The diving is a bit deeper. The corals are better at the Brac.

Utila has good diving but the place I went to had problems. I have not been to Anthony’s Key Resort on RoStan. It seems tobe well regarded.

 

[NorCalDM]

I really enjoyed Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia it was all inclusive with onsite diving "Scuba St. Lucia". The reef was probably the healthiest I've seen in the Caribbean. Blackbird Caye Resort in Belize was really good, more rustic but your about 100 feet from the dive boats and it is a very small resort. The Plaza in Bonaire was very enjoyable and has onsite dive shop as well as nice house reef for shore diving. Roatan for me was just ok and been there done that probably won't go back.

 

[AggieDiver]

There are places like Anthony's Key in Roatan that are similar, but the quality of the diving is not close to Little Cayman IMO. There are some resorts on the Atolls in Belize, like Manta Island Resort that will probably be similar as well and the diving out there is probably closer to what you get in LC. But read the fine print about accommodations are those resorts, as some of them don't have AC in the rooms, or will let you use it for a separate fee, but only at night. I have gone to a lot of places in the Caribbean and haven't really found anything that quite matches up to what you get from the Clearly Cayman Resorts on LC and Cayman Brac with Reef Divers as the dive operator. Maybe that is why we keep going back to LCBR year after year...

 

[ScubaJoy65]

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019 Fun, there are kids around but you can minimize that by what time of year you go.

Cozumel has a number of A.I. resorts. I have not stayed at them. I think Secrets Aura Cozumel is adults only. I don't know what their dive op. is, if they have one, but in Cozumel some divers choose to dive with an off-site op., even if the resort they stay at has one.

It seems your focus is on quality diving, and from what I've read, with Sandals the resort rather than the diving tends to be the main feature, so I didn't get into those. Sandals struck me as pricy when I explored it in the past, though I don't drink alcohol and that's included.

Richard.

Thanks, Richard. We've visited three Sandals in the past (Negril, Jamaica, St. Lucia Grande, and Grenada.) All their resorts were lovely and the diving was okay. But they had "strange to us" rules that would have the dive end for the entire group is one diver bailed out. Once we got a taste of a divers resort like Little Cayman - we were hooked.

I'll be sure to check out the other two places you recommended: Curacao and Cozumel.

 

[ScubaJoy65]

We've done all the Caymans and Roatan...enjoyed all.

Look into the Grand Occidental on CZM...ProDive on site is OK, but we use another dive provider that picks us up at the Grand.

Will definitely check it out. Thank you for the recommendation.

 

[ScubaJoy65]

I like that concept, too. But I'm not so sure how prevalent that is in the Caribbean. The Caymans have some, and Roatan has a couple, as you know. As for Cozumel, I'm not sure any of the all-inclusive resorts there meet my vision of a true "dive resort." Rather, most seem to be all-inclusive resorts with a dive operation on site for those who want to dive. But it's not like the resort as a whole is dedicated to the dive-eat-dive-sleep-repeat mentality.

Added: Bonaire has some, though the focus there is shore diving more than boat diving, and don't expect luxury.

We're simple people and not looking for luxury. To be candid, we like adventures that are safe and reasonably priced.

Since we're open to exploring all options, I'm sure that eventually we will find our next spots to dive.