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

[scubadada]

Hi @ScubaJoy65

I've been to Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman twice, both before they became part of Clearly Cayman. I would imagine it is still quite nice. We had was very good boat and shore diving. I have not been to Grand Cayman since SCTLD, not sure what the affect has been.

Cayman Brac Beach Resort is nice, good diving. There is shore diving on Brac if you have a car, the time, and an inclination Trip Report - Cayman Brac Beach Resort/Reef Divers Oct 23-30, 2017

My wife and I had a good time at Turquoise Bay on Roatan. Not luxury, but very comfortable, relaxing, Excellent scuba operator. Trip Report - Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017

I went to Belize on the Belize Aggressor IV this year, very nice boat, crew, food, diving quite good, mostly off Lighthouse Reef Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022

 

[ScubaJoy65]

Phillipines in order of best to very good:
Amun Ini - in Anda-Bohol
Atmosphere - Duin/Dumaguete
Atlantis - Puerto Galero and Dumaguete

Fiji:
Beqa Lagoon Resort - Beqa Fiji

Long trips to get there so we go for 10 days minimum. We have a trip next month on a liveaboard in Raja Ampot and it is 37 hours trip time with 3 flights but the traveling is worth it!

Awesome! Have a wonderful time!

 

[ScubaJoy65]

Hi @ScubaJoy65

I've been to Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman twice, both before they became part of Clearly Cayman. I would imagine it is still quite nice. We had was very good boat and shore diving. I have not been to Grand Cayman since SCTLD, not sure what the affect has been.

Cayman Brac Beach Resort is nice, good diving. There is shore diving on Brac if you have a car, the time, and an inclination Trip Report - Cayman Brac Beach Resort/Reef Divers Oct 23-30, 2017

My wife and I had a good time at Turquoise Bay on Roatan. Not luxury, but very comfortable, relaxing, Excellent scuba operator. Trip Report - Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017

I went to Belize on the Belize Aggressor IV this year, very nice boat, crew, food, diving quite good, mostly off Lighthouse Reef Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022

Excellent recommendations! Thank you. I'll be sure to check them out.

 

[gbf]

My opinion only:

If you're thinking of Bonaire don't do AI. A huge part of the allure for me is dinner in the many many good (not great imo) restaurants on Bon. You can be as spendy as you like, or dial it back a bit at some of the local places. We do breakfast in the condo, lunch is usually a picnic or food truck between dives, then DINNER.

Drinks to watch the sunset (called "sundowners" by habitues of Beachcomber Villas), then dinner over the water... Ah man, fit for a princess.

For me, a liveaboard is the all-inclusive of choice.

 

[ScubaJoy65]

My opinion only:

If you're thinking of Bonaire don't do AI. A huge part of the allure for me is dinner in the many many good (not great imo) restaurants on Bon. You can be as spendy as you like, or dial it back a bit at some of the local places. We do breakfast in the condo, lunch is usually a picnic or food truck between dives, then DINNER.

Drinks to watch the sunset (called "sundowners" by habitues of Beachcomber Villas), then dinner over the water... Ah man, fit for a princess.

For me, a liveaboard is the all-inclusive of choice.

What you describe sounds alluring and interesting. We will definitely give is some consideration.

 

[tursiops]

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

You can dive boats full time, if you wish. The thing about Bonaire is you get the choice.

If you want to breakout of the Caribbean Philippines and Fiji have amazing diving with many all inclusive dive resorts.

I'm game. Do you have recommendations?

Atlantis in Dumagette, Ayanar in Anilao. Lots of choices.

 

[Lorenzoid]

You can dive boats full time, if you wish. The thing about Bonaire is you get the choice.

True. Just pointing out that very few people go to Bonaire to exclusively dive from boats. I recall one or two SB members saying they do. Bonaire's unique feature is the shore diving. Anyway, whether shore or boat, there's not much in the way of dive resorts. Buddy Dive? Captain Don's? I like them, but they're a little scruffy to be called dive resorts. Then again, the OP added that luxury is not a requirement. So maybe limiting the recommendation to places that fit the "dive resort" label is unnecessary.

 

[ScubaJoy65]

True. Just pointing out that very few people go to Bonaire to exclusively dive from boats. I recall one or two SB members saying they do. Bonaire's unique feature is the shore diving. Anyway, whether shore or boat, there's not much in the way of dive resorts. Buddy Dive? Captain Don's? I like them, but they're a little scruffy to be called dive resorts. Then again, the OP added that luxury is not a requirement. So maybe limiting the recommendation to places that fit the "dive resort" label is unnecessary.

Semantics. Divers get wet and look grungy when they are out of the water. If I'm following a eat-dive-eat-dive-rest-dive routine... I can guarantee you I'm not really thinking about the resort. I'm probably thinking about my next dive, stories to tell about it, and how my photos turned out. ;-)

 

[gbf]

Plenty of luxury places on Bon, just not resorts.

Think "Piet Boon" houses on the south side. Al$o think $$$$.

I agree about the boat vs shore thing. Been to Bon many times, never a boat dive. But I AM getting older so...

Boat/shore/both is personal preference.

 

[scubadada]

Plenty of luxury places on Bon, just not resorts.

Think "Piet Boon" houses on the south side. Al$o think $$$$.

I agree about the boat vs shore thing. Been to Bon many times, never a boat dive. But I AM getting older so...

Boat/shore/both is personal preference.

We do some boat dives every time we go to Bonaire. There are many very good dive sites off Klein Bonaire. There are 8 or 9 northern sites that are not available from shore. Those who only do shore dives are the ones that are missing out here. Variety is the spice...