Beaches Turks & Caicos or Sandals Jamaica

[gajeep94yj]

my wife and i are planning a trip to either the beaches at Turks & Caicos or the Sandals Ocho Rios in Jamica. Every thing else being equal which would you choose and why?

I have heard alot about the diving in turks and caicos but not as much about the diving in Jamaica. Is there a reason for this? we wll be there for 5 nights. I noticed the flights to jamaica from Atlanta will give us another 1/2 a day that we would loose in T&C.

We will be diving for three of those days. My wife also wants above water stuff to do as well. we narrowed it downto these two places b/c the scuba is inclued in the price.

Which do you think is an over allbetter value? money wise Jamiaca will save about $500, it's not that much but still a descen amount

TIA

 

[Damselfish]

The reason is Turks and Caicos is generally known for much better diving than Jamaica. The scuba included with all-inclusives varies in quantity & quality. If someone doesn't jump in here with specifics I suggest using the search function to find earlier posts on those 2 resorts, I know I've seen coments about the dive ops at these places.

T&C is a more expensive place than Jamaica, and I'd expect the all-inclusive rates to reflect that. I think Jamaica is a more interesting island to visit than T&C. We went to Jamaica a couple times before we started diving and I liked it a lot, but I personally wouldn't go there now to dive.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

If its all about the diving then hit TCI. It is more expensive but the diving is exponentially better than Jamaica. The police don't carry guns, there is very little crime and the poverty is not in your face. Its not crowded, there is no glass embedded in the top of the resort walls and no armed gaurds on the beaches. I have never been warned not to leave the resort "compound" without an escort. Nuff said?

 

[gajeep94yj]

wow that is a pretty good indication why to goto TCI (what does the I mean?)

I am just so torn. my wife wants to stay at an AI so beaches seems to be the best value. but then again I have read on here that the diving with beaches in TCI isn't the best. as a matter of fact several posts have said to stay at the hotel but use another operator.

 

[diver janet]

wow that is a pretty good indication why to goto TCI (what does the I mean?)

I am just so torn. my wife wants to stay at an AI so beaches seems to be the best value. but then again I have read on here that the diving with beaches in TCI isn't the best. as a matter of fact several posts have said to stay at the hotel but use another operator.

When you stay at ANY all-inclusives and the diving is included, you get a mixed bag of divers.....you can have "resort course" divers on the boat, brand-new divers and experienced divers....if you want higher quality diving, you'd be better off booking with an indepedent operator.

Also, the people are so poor in Jamaica that they eat the fish, angel fish, trumpetfish, whatever they can catch in their fish pots, so the diving isn't nearly as good as diving in Turks & Caicos. You can expect to see huge grouper as well as the rest of the Caribbean "suspects" diving off Provo or any of the other islands in the TCI....

I just had a group doing the T&C Aggressor and we had a great week; both diving off Provo (where some of the group saw a hammerhead!) as well as West Caicos & French Cay where the reef sharks were present on every dive!

Check out my trip report at www.divetravelservices.com to read about the boat, diving & see some of the photos from there. Lots of grouper posing for pictures this time

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Beaches tends to run a lot of short trips in Grace Bay where the diving is so-so at best. I wouldn't use them even if I had to pay for another op. IMHO Caicos Adventures has the best dive op in the Provo area. By the by, TCI stands for Turks & Caicos Islands.

 

[Damselfish]

I am just so torn. my wife wants to stay at an AI so beaches seems to be the best value.

What part of AI is your wife so interested in? Meals included so you don't have to go anywhere or think about it? (Even if there are much better local restaurants?) Drinks included? Toga parties included? Perceived value?

I have nothing against all-inclusives, I've done a few and they have their points. But as far as value, you can get some very good deals in some great dive destinations if you look. If you just like to pay once and not worry about it, you can get hotel/meal/drink/whatever packages in lots of great dive destinations including at many places that aren't typical "AIs". If it's about all the activities at the all-inclusive, which ones would you really take advantage of and how much are they worth? It's not hard in any tourist destination to find lots of various tours and activities on or off site, and choose what you are interested in. These businesses tend to be very service oriented, in many places pick you up and drop you off if you need, and make it all very easy for you, that's what they're in business to do.

As far as diving, as has been mentioned it may be included and so seem like a good deal but you get what you pay for usually does hold here. Even if Beaches is what you're looking for otherwise, if you're serious about the diving part definitely consider an outside dedicated dive op for at least some of your diving.

 

[gajeep94yj]

define so-so please.

my diving has been limited to panama city beach and other gulf areas, cancun mexico, and one trip to the bahamas. so far the bahamas has been the best byfar. I am a fish and coral type of person.

 

[gajeep94yj]

she is intersted in the beach, food, drinks, and being catered to in every way

we did the bahamas last year. $500 for the trip (x2) then about $800 in diving. came out to $1800 and that didn't include food. TCI is $2400 and includes everything. I spent about$400 in alcahol while I was there as well.

 

[Damselfish]

Well, you can get beaches, food, drinks, and catered to lots of places.

I'm not sure how Grace Bay diving compares to where you've been. But comparisons aside, it seems like a shame to go to a great dive destination like TCI but then do only what are the so-so dives there, when you could be doing the great ones.