Caribbean locations for 50th birthday

[TTPaws]

I guess it depends on what you are looking for, but the REEF.org surveys for St Croix are not that impressive.
For comparison, here are Bonaire and T&C and the Cayman Islands

I wonder how much of that is the shear number of reporters in other places. I won't argue that the other destinations are as full of fishes as we are, but I dive the Frederiksted pier 2 sometimes 3 times a week, nights and sometimes days, and I never lack for critters to take pictures of.

Interesting that the average reported was higher then T&C and Caymans. I have anecdotal reports that the unrestricted building in Bonaire is starting to show an impact., which I hope is not true as a lot of people I know love diving there.

Some other St Croix pros:
1. It's US so you don't need a passport
2. No sales tax (there is a hotel tax)
3. US money
4. Hell of a lot cheaper then Caymans
5. American, Delta & Spirit fly in, with American everyday, so you can do Tuesday to Tuesday
6. for some: Home of Capt. Morgan & Cruzan Rum and Mutiny Vodka
7. Awesome beaches

Cons:
1. Our roads really suck
2. For those not used to it we drive on the left with American cars, can suck driving at night

Tell you what come on down and let me know so I can dive with you and show you how great it is and i'll buy you a beer or 4 (loggerhead made on island of course)

 

[tursiops]

I wonder how much of that is the shear number of reporters in other places. I won't argue that the other destinations are as full of fishes as we are, but I dive the Frederiksted pier 2 sometimes 3 times a week, nights and sometimes days, and I never lack for critters to take pictures of.

Interesting that the average reported was higher then T&C and Caymans. I have anecdotal reports that the unrestricted building in Bonaire is starting to show an impact., which I hope is not true as a lot of people I know love diving there.

It's not so much the number of species seen on a dive....rather it is the total number of species one can see at those locations. Bonaire ranks really high.

3. US money

Bonaire too.

5. American, Delta & Spirit fly in, with American everyday, so you can do Tuesday to Tuesday

Very nice!

1. Our roads really suck

Bonaire too.

2. For those not used to it we drive on the left with American cars, can suck driving at night

Some would say that in Bonaire they drive on BOTH sides of the road....

 

[TTPaws]

It's not so much the number of species seen on a dive....rather it is the total number of species one can see at those locations. Bonaire ranks really high.

Some would say that in Bonaire they drive on BOTH sides of the road....

Ahh but you forgot the most important plus to St Croix, I'm here and will buy you a beer or 6

 

[tursiops]

Ahh but you forgot the most important plus to St Croix, I'm here and will buy you a beer or 6

Right, a VERY important point!

 

[mac66]

May I suggest a cruise..... Plenty of stuff to do on and off the ship. Great opportunity to dive different islands every day. Just got back from an 8 night cruise to the ABC islands, dived on all three in 3 days.

I saw my wife snorkeling above when we dived on the Antilla in Aruba. She booked through the ship. The private dive ops let my wife come along and snorkel when I dived in both Bonaire and Curacao.

Went to St. Croix, St. Kitts, Barbados, Antigua, Granada, St. Lucia, Dominica last March. (12 night cruise) I dived on 5 of the 7 islands. It was awesome. Plus you don't have to worry about where to stay, where to eat, what to do when you aren't diving. Lots of stuff for the wife to do when you're diving or she can go snorkeling through the ship. (and yes...St. Croix was awesome to dive).

Doing a 7 night cruise to Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya (Mexico) and Belize in Feb. Diving in the first 3 locations. Costa Maya (actually Mahauhal) has as good diving as Coz (same reef system) but only cruise ships go there. Hidden gem. It was a small fishing village, i.e, Mahauhal until the cruise lines built a dock there called Costa Maya.

Not really that expensive to cruise considering food, entertainment and a lot of activities is included in the price. You can actually cruise fairly cheap or you can go whole hog not to mention that cruising is a lot of fun in itself. Diving and other excursions on shore are extra of course but you pick and choose what you want to do or stay on board or just walk around ashore. You can everything or nothing. My wife has always been able to hook up with people we/she meets to do shore excursions when/if I'm diving. Sometimes I book the dives through the ship, (in some places it's easier) and sometimes privately. Never been disappointed either way.

 

[cajuncathlab1656]

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely research St. Croix. I never looked there. As for a cruise, that's a hard NO for me. I want to stay 8 nights at a destination, and dive at least 14 tanks over a week. Can't get that on a cruise. Not to mention a ton of other things i dislike about them LOL. I do appreciate the input though.

 

[Jafo19D]

Providencia, it’s a Colombian island off of Nicaragua. Great diving and they speak English

 

[UtilaSarge]

Check out Utila Island Quest - an all inclusive package for the island of Utila.

 

[TTPaws]

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely research St. Croix. I never looked there. As for a cruise, that's a hard NO for me. I want to stay 8 nights at a destination, and dive at least 14 tanks over a week. Can't get that on a cruise. Not to mention a ton of other things i dislike about them LOL. I do appreciate the input though.

Let me know if you pick St Croix and I'll buy you a beer if I'm on island (I have to travel for work still)

 

[Frozenshades]

My wife and I are both divers but we went to Grand Cayman earlier this year…scratch that, summer of last year for our honeymoon. It was my first time staying on Grand. We decided to do 3 days of diving and fill our remaining days with other activities; shopping, the turtle center, bioluminescent bay, rum distillery tour and tasting. We dove at sting ray city but most people who aren’t diving visit the shallow sandbar there. There’s great restaurants and some very nice hotel choices. Plenty of above water activities to enjoy.