All-inclusive resort with decent diving?

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Altissimus

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Hey all,

Planning a honeymoon trip for May 2013, and my fiancee and I both dive at a resonable level.

We're looking at an all-inclusive resort (it's a honeymoon after all, and we just want to be waited on hand and foot) but we'd really like one with half-decent diving. I've read some comments about the Sandals resorts that the dives are bland, not really focused on the divers (more on "getting there and back again"), and they have some over-the-top safety requirements (dive ends as soon as the first diver hits 100psi for example).

So, I would really appreciate:

Any recommendations of Carribean-based all-inclusive resorts where the diving is good?
Any experiences of Sandals that suggests that actually it's not all that bad if you find the right one?
Any alternative ideas?

Thanks very much!!

A.
 
Have a look at the La Romana area of the Dominican Republic. It is on the south shore and the diving is excellent. I stayed at the Iberostar and the food was very good and the rooms were better than average. The on-site dive op is Dressel Divers. They are a well-run operation. If you don't want to use Dressel you should consider ScubaFun. They are located in the little village of Bayahibe (10 minutes from the hotel) and they will pick you up and drop you off at no extra charge. I have dove with them on two separate trips and highly recommend them.

Bob
 
A package with Hamanasi in Belieze or Beaches in the Turks & Caicos Islands
 
Some to look at:

Besides Hamanasi there's Roberts Grove and Turtle Inn on Belize - same general area. Diving there is a longer boat ride out to the fringing reef.
Lodge Kura Hulanda on Curacao - can add meals. A little remote (45mins.) from town.
Barefoot Caye on Roatan. Smaller resort on a private caye. Good dive operator - small boats, super valet service.

Galley Bay or Jumby Bay on Antigua might work also.

Anse Chastenet on St. Lucia

Quite a bit more upscale (it's your honeymoon right?):

Jade Mountain on St. Lucia
Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda. LDB has one option where they drop the two of you on a deserted beach with lunch by boat. No one can see/get there from shore.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions.

Dhboner - I looked at Dominican Republic but it looks a little "rustic" for a honeymoon destination. Another time, though!
Baitballer - Thanks for the Belieze suggestion. Beaches, incidentally, is a Sandals-owned brand and we presume the diving will be much the same.
4dawgma - The little cayman beach resort looks wonderful but out of the price bracket!
Diversteve - loads of great ideas that I'm still investigating. Thanks very much!
ScubaOne - yeah, but we both scuba, and we don't want to spend all day every day lying on a beach towel working on the tan. (Well, I don't anyway - the missus wouldn't mind I expect). Couples apparently do inclusive diving too, but we're avoiding them due to a previous experience. I will explore Aura Cozumel
dvankirk - I think I knew that, didn't I?

Thanks again everyone. I think right now we're leaning towards a sandals resort but have decided to down-grade our room from what we were originally looking at, and spend the money saved on a local dive specialist organisation, but I've still got some work to do exploring these other ideas.

Cheers,
A.
 
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Thanks all for the suggestions.

Dhboner - I looked at Dominican Republic but it looks a little "rustic" for a honeymoon destination. Another time, though!
Baitballer - Belieze is too far; we've considered it but rejected it because we don't want to spend 24 hours travelling one-way. Beaches, incidentally, is a Sandals-owned brand and we presume the diving will be much the same.
4dawgma - The little cayman beach resort looks wonderful but out of the price bracket!
Diversteve - loads of great ideas that I'm still investigating. Thanks very much!
ScubaOne - yeah, but we both scuba, and we don't want to spend all day every day lying on a beach towel working on the tan. (Well, I don't anyway - the missus wouldn't mind I expect). Couples apparently do inclusive diving too, but we're avoiding them due to a previous experience. I will explore Aura Cozumel
dvankirk - I think I knew that, didn't I?

Thanks again everyone. I think right now we're leaning towards a sandals resort but have decided to down-grade our room from what we were originally looking at, and spend the money saved on a local dive specialist organisation, but I've still got some work to do exploring these other ideas.

Cheers,
A.

While you are correct in saying that Beaches is a Sandals-owned corporation, it doesn't necessarily follow that the diving is an afterthought-a lot of people go to Beaches T&C for the diving. There WILL be children running around, however, more or less depending on the time of year. I've been Beaches T&C, and of several Beaches/Sandals/Couples resorts I've been to, it was my favorite.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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