Caribbean advice

[sjwhite26]

Hi

Being based in the UK I have limited knowledge of the Caribbean, in fact I have never been there. Each year I make a few trips to the Red Sea for diving and relaxation (combination of shore and liveaboards) and once a year I have decided to go on a 'big' dive holiday far, far away. In 2012 I am spending two weeks on a liveaboard in the Maldives :biggrin:

In order to pay for these 'big' dive holidays I like to book in advance and pay monthly, so I am now scoping 2013. And I fancy the Caribbean.

My issue is that I will be travelling with a non-diver who hates boats and loves lying on the beach for days and days and days (I can take about a day). So I was thinking about leaving a week early and going on a liveaboard then my mum, the non-diver joins me for a week on the beach (I can still do some day dives).

I am looking for advice on a good place to dive in the Caribbean via a liveaboard and also is a good good safe island to be based on. I was thinking of the Bahamas? ie a week on Caribbean Explorer II then a week land based?

Has anyone completed a similar arrangement?
Is diving in the Bahamas decent (ie lots of life, big, small, good reefs and maybe a wreck or two?)
If not where?

I appeal to the superior knowledge of Scubaboard! :worship:

 

[doctormike]

Does it have to be a liveaboard?

I would do a week in Bonaire (not much in the way of beaches or stuff for non-divers), and then a week in Turks and Caicos (nice beaches, good boat diving and tasty restaurants). Nowhere in the world has easier diving than Bonaire - OK, it's not Truk Lagoon or Indonesia, but the reefs are pretty nice and VERY accessible...

Or, if you want a bit more style and interesting places to visit, and are going in the summer and have some disposable income, Bermuda is a fun place for a non-diver for the second week...

 

[diversteve]

Another option might be Grand Cayman. Do the Cayman Aggressor the 1st week and you can still do some excellent diving from shore or with a local dive operator the next week. Seven Mile Beach is about 5.5 miles of white sandy beach so probably good for the non-diver. Can't really shoredive on SMB as the reef is too far out in most places - for that you'd have to drive a couple miles to either end. There's also quite a few good restaurants and a few other attractions - some shopping downtown etc. With 400+ offshore banks on the island it's pretty safe also... They just sank the Kittiwake just offshore in less than 80' so it's a good rec. opportunity. There's also a couple of other small wrecks including one at Sunset House and one that's been blown apart in the harbor.

+1 for Turks/Caicos ^ also. Good diving there's both an Aggressor and an Explorer liveaboard - they run basically the same route. Some of the best diving we've done recently was off French Cay, lots of sharks, dozens of rays, turtles etc. It's quieter/smaller than Grand Cayman but Grace Bay is often called the best beach in the world. IDK if this matters re: the exchange rate etc. but it's still a British Overseas Territory.

Downside of either is they're fairly pricey.

Bahamas has some really nice white sand beaches. But the diving isn't the greatest unless you go to some of the out islands. There's virtually no shore diving near either Nassau or Freeport. Both dive operators on Nassau (Stuart Coves and Bahama Divers) run regular shark trips - Cove's also does a daily feed. So there's lots of sharks generally hanging around. And there's some wrecks there, including some that were used as movie props for a couple of James Bond films. I don't mean it's bad diving, but Cayman/Turks are better.

My avatar was shot at Cay Sal Banks in the south Bahamas. Off a liveaboard that's no longer running. One of 15 sharks on that non-feed dive.

 

[greylion]

I agree with diversteve, The Cayman aggressor and then stay on Grand Cayman for a week.

 

[agilis]

A lot depends on when you go. The Bahamas can get a bit chilly in mid-winter, and Bermuda is actually fairly cold. Except for the out islands Bahamian diving is not that great. I agree that Grand Cayman is very nice, reasonably good Caribbean diving, great beaches, but rather expensive. No seasonal issues with Cayman. Another excellent possibility is Curacao, with diving nearly as good as Bonaire, tons to do topside, endless beaches, first rate shops, restaurants, etc, and shore diving/snorkeling that can be spectacular. The very bottom of the caribbean, almost in Venezuela, Dutch, interesting culture, civilized.

 

[sjwhite26]

thanks for the advice, the Caymans look good. I will look at deals/research based in that area.

I think the Caymans are quite pricey, but I have time. :cool2:

 

[chauncy19]

i'd suggest Bonaire for diving and Curacao for beach. cheaper than flying out to turks etc. Not really sure what to recommend on Curacao as I don't do Beach but hear they have some lovely ones.
Don't know anything about live aboard's.

 

[lmorin]

Consider staying one of the weeks or just at either the Club Med Turks and Caicos or the one known as Columbus Isle on San Salvador, Bahamas. The latter has an older clientele than the former. Both have wonderful beaches. The diving is good in both places. You might even be able to go diving in Bonaire or from a liveaboard, then continue diving at a Club Med while your mum enjoys the beach.

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

I spent five years working as an instructor in the Red Sea and 10 years as an instructor in the Caribbean. Very different. The Red Sea does not differ much from season to season, except water temp. In the Caribbean, time of year will make a BIG difference on where you choose to go. Happy to offer advice, email me on bentdiver@live.com.