Caribbean Family trip: Which one do you recommend?

[DougD72]

In Jan 2025 we are doing a 7-10 day family trip. Two divers and two non-divers.
Im considering either Turks and Caicos Beaches Resort since the diving is included or Curacao (Marriott or Sunscape).
Mandatory needs are:

1. Good diving
2. Great local food options (I hate traveling and then being fed nothing but American/Western food).
3. Good snorkeling for the non-divers.
4. Great shore activities also for the non-divers or on non-divers days.

Kids are age 5 and 12.
Thoughts?

Edit: Have also been considering Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, so I thought I would include that in the running as well.

 

[Cherryb52]

I dove at South Caicos and the diving was okay. I spent a week in Curaçao last month and the diving was fabulous. Ocean Encounters was the dive operator, and they are first-rate. However, I suggest you stay at Lions Dive rather than Sunscape. Lions Dive is not AI, while Sunscape is, but we encountered multiple problems with dismissive/ untrained staff and observed some questionable food handling. Lots of people were complaining about a/c problems in rooms, cleanliness issues, etc. Check Trip Advisor. We dove on a boat with folks from Lions Dive and they were pleased with accommodations and restaurant t choices.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Me and my non diving wife stayed at Sunscape Curacao last Oct. yes the resort is a little older but most of the rooms have been renovated, our A/C wasn't the greatest but it worked, most of the staff were good, only the Blue water grill had bad service, our room was cleaned everyday, the ladies at the Sun Club bar were great, and they just recently renovated the buffet. It's a 3 star resort, so if you go in knowing that you won't be disappointed.
We went to Mambo Beach Blvd. to eat most of the time, it is less than a 10 minute walk from Sunscape.
HOME | Mambobeach We ate most of our meals at the Greenhouse restaurant. THE GREENHOUSE CURACAO
It is a lot cheaper for us (from Canada) to get a all inclusive package to Sunscape and eat off the property than book Lions Dive and flights separately, so we would go back to Sunscape and eat our meals at Mambo Beach Blvd again. We also didn't care for the look of the rooms at Lions Dive. It is also on a public beach surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars.
Sunscape has the best snorkeling I have seen right off the beach in front of the resort.
Diving
I would never dive with Ocean Encounters, I emailed them and they said they put 25 to 30 divers on a boat. That's way too many for me. Also they are affiliated with the Curacao Aquarium & swim with Dolphins prison. I dove with Goby Divers, they picked me up and returned me to Sunscape every dive day and the most we had on the boat was 6 divers, they would store your gear for you. Homepage - Goby Divers Curaçao
The island of Curacao has a lot of history and lots to see topside. We did a private island tour with Let Lucy Handle It, she will ask what you want to see and where you want to go and customize a tour for you. Let Lucy Handle It | Willemstad Curaçao

 

[Cherryb52]

Me and my non diving wife stayed at Sunscape Curacao last Oct. yes the resort is a little older but most of the rooms have been renovated, our A/C wasn't the greatest but it worked, most of the staff were good, only the Blue water grill had bad service, our room was cleaned everyday, the ladies at the Sun Club bar were great, and they just recently renovated the buffet. It's a 3 star resort, so if you go in knowing that you won't be disappointed.
We went to Mambo Beach Blvd. to eat most of the time, it is less than a 10 minute walk from Sunscape.
HOME | Mambobeach We ate most of our meals at the Greenhouse restaurant. THE GREENHOUSE CURACAO
It is a lot cheaper for us (from Canada) to get a all inclusive package to Sunscape and eat off the property than book Lions Dive and flights separately, so we would go back to Sunscape and eat our meals at Mambo Beach Blvd again. We also didn't care for the look of the rooms at Lions Dive. It is also on a public beach surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars.
Sunscape has the best snorkeling I have seen right off the beach in front of the resort.
Diving
I would never dive with Ocean Encounters, I emailed them and they said they put 25 to 30 divers on a boat. That's way too many for me. Also they are affiliated with the Curacao Aquarium & swim with Dolphins prison. I dove with Goby Divers, they picked me up and returned me to Sunscape every dive day and the most we had on the boat was 6 divers, they would store your gear for you. Homepage - Goby Divers Curaçao
The island of Curacao has a lot of history and lots to see topside. We did a private island tour with Let Lucy Handle It, she will ask what you want to see and where you want to go and customize a tour for you. Let Lucy Handle It | Willemstad Curaçao

We never had that many on our boat. There was a group of 30 from Ohio staying at Sunscape while we were there. Ocean Encounters sent two boats over to pick them up every day. No pressure or even mention of the aquarium or dolphin encounter.

 

[dorsal]

We stayed at the Turks Beaches resort last fall and loved it. I dive, wife and kiddo don’t. There is a great beach, plus very kid friendly pool area and a ton for kids to do. Diving was great with 2 tank dive each day. Be sure to sign up for dives the day you arrive as the boat can get full.

 

[Billg68bg]

We never had that many on our boat. There was a group of 30 from Ohio staying at Sunscape while we were there. Ocean Encounters sent two boats over to pick them up every day. No pressure or even mention of the aquarium or dolphin encounter.

When I dove them last year, there was just over twenty of us. They split us into three smaller groups on the dives. No mention of dolphin encounter or aquarium when I dove them either. Was a nice ride. Never felt crowded. Good conversations out and back.

 

[arew+4]

In Jan 2025 we are doing a 7-10 day family trip. Two divers and two non-divers.
Im considering either Turks and Caicos Beaches Resort since the diving is included or Curacao (Marriott or Sunscape).
Mandatory needs are:

1. Good diving
2. Great local food options (I hate traveling and then being fed nothing but American/Western food).
3. Good snorkeling for the non-divers.
4. Great shore activities also for the non-divers or on non-divers days.

Kids are age 5 and 12.
Thoughts?

Edit: Have also been considering Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, so I thought I would include that in the running as well.

Who are the divers? Mom & Dad or parent child? Is the 5 year old a strong swimmer, will they be snorkeling? If the 12 year old is the other diver Jr. OW limits come into play. I would look at Curacao & Bonaire, there is more to do and see top side on Curacao, and many of the shore dives are on very nice beaches with amenities for non divers and pre and post dive enjoyment. Downside is, at most of the sites the swim it to the reef can be fairly long.

Bonaire is smaller with somewhat less to do and the shore is mostly Iron Shore, not sandy beach. The reef is generally much closer at some sites you basically drop in on top of it.
Navigation on Bonaire is easier than Curacao, because some of the access point on Curacao are narrow bays with cliffs on either side, if you miss your exit you will have to turn around and possibly fight current at the end of a dive.

The Brac and LC have little else aside from diving.

T&C is long boat rides, on their schedules. Also, I believe a little deeper on average.

 

[hammet]

Beaches is good.
But be prepared for shorter dives.
Also, make sure you sign up the day before in person for diving and snorkeling trips. You can always cancel but the boats do fill up.
Also, make sure you complete the doctors clearance if you are on any meds before hand other wise you will lose a day while you get a medical checkup.
If you don't have any recent dives they will make you do a refresher class and lose a day.
Also, they sort divers by ow/aow so if you aren not aow you will not go below 60fsw.

I like the longer boat rides to the northwest point sites. You get back in time for lunch usually.

Weather is always a factor.

That said, I'm not going back to beaches.
The food really fell off and the staff have gotten more bitter. Also, every day they have to close one or more pools after they find .... Floaters.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

We never had that many on our boat. There was a group of 30 from Ohio staying at Sunscape while we were there. Ocean Encounters sent two boats over to pick them up every day. No pressure or even mention of the aquarium or dolphin encounter.

Their boat was always packed when it went out. It doesn't matter that they don't mention it. They are affiliated with them and charge divers $300 to dive in the Dolphin prison. I will never give one cent to any company that has anything to do with that cruel disgusting industry.