Couples trip with some non-divers, any recommendations?

[GradyDiver]

My wife and I went to Tortola on the first week of our two week honeymoon. We did 2 dives daily with Dive Tortola and had plenty of time left to check out the local restaurants, shops, attractions, and just to lounge/spend time together. The diving is decent, it’s no Bonaire though. The restaurants are very good and unexpectedly reasonable. One of our favorites, Fat Hog Bob’s, had the worst name, but the best food (in our opinion – we ate there 3 times in 1 week). There are also many islands near by with great attractions (such as the well known Baths in Virgin Gorda). If you go, enjoy the Johnny cakes!

Here are a few links to help:

http://www.ultimatebvi.com/
http://www.b-v-i.com/baths.htm
http://www.divetortola.com/

And we’ve always had luck with Kim at Caradonna Dive Adventures

http://www.caradonna.com/

Where ever you go, have a great, safe time!

 

[salth2owannabe]

Thanks again for all the suggestions.
The couples swept away does look very nice, but the price might be a little steep for my current income level. I might have to look into their early booking discounts. ( You do usually get what you pay for).

 

[shontz]

Thanks again for all the suggestions.
The couples swept away does look very nice, but the price might be a little steep for my current income level. I might have to look into their early booking discounts. ( You do usually get what you pay for).

True, Couples Swept Away is not cheap but we believe it is a very good value. Early Booking specials help but they will usually have a "Fall In Love Again" special annouced around April that will give some greatly reduced prices for travel in October and after Thanksgiving until mid-December.

Good luck. I know it's tough keeping the non-diviers happy when we're off "playing" in our own little world.

 

[alashas]

We have non-divers in our family and also vacation with a non-diving couple and really like the BVI. Each of the islands has great beaches, outstanding restaurants, and very good dive shops that usually do a 2 tank boat dive in the morning and generally a 1 tank shallower dive, often with resort divers, in the afternoon.

Jost Van Dyke has "White Bay Beach," often voted a top 10 Caribbean beach, with Soggy Dollar bar and other bars/restaurants on the beach: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI JVD 2007 Sept- powered by SmugMug Capt. Colin runs a top notch dive shop: JVD Scuba - Jost Van Dyke & The BVI
Lots of interesting dive sites: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI JVD Scuba Sandy Spit Wall, Playground, Pirate's Purchase with JVD Scuba- powered by SmugMug
of which "Playground" is one of my favorites: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI JVD Scuba Playground with Capt. Colin 2006 Oct.- powered by SmugMug

Tortola has a lot of beaches, places to stay, and excellent restaurants. J Buffett has made Cane Garden Bay famous: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI Tortola Cane Garden Bay 2006 Oct.- powered by SmugMug Several good dive ops with interesting sites, including "The Indians," with the Willy t floating bar and restauant nearby: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI Tortola Scuba Indians, Pelican Is., Willy T Lunch 2006 Oct.- powered by SmugMug
The Wreck of the Rhone is ranked as one of the top wreck dives in the Caribbean, and is also a great night dive: honeymoon2 : photos : Peter Island Scuba 2006 Oct., Wreck of the Rhone- powered by SmugMug
Here's an article I wrote about the Rhone: Traveltalkonline: The 140th anniversary of the Wreck of the Rhone

Virgin Gorda honeymoon2 : photos : Virgin Gorda 2008 Jan- powered by SmugMug
is a beautiful island with the world famous Baths: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI Peter Island Snorkel Trip to Dog & the Baths, Virgin Gorda with Patouche 2006 Oct.- powered by SmugMug
A # of good dive sites at "the Dog islands" just a short distance from VG: honeymoon2 : photos : Virgin Gorda Scuba with Dive BVI "The Dogs"- powered by SmugMug Best dive shop is: Dive BVI - It's what we do!

Anegada is an island with miles of stunning beaches on its north shore: honeymoon2 : photos : BVI Anegada 2007 Sept- powered by SmugMug Shore diving is available. Here's an article I wrote about snorkeling there: Traveltalkonline: Anegada Snorkel Trip Report with Photos

The BVI are beautiful islands, safe, romantic, and relaxing. Non-divers are generally welcome on dive boats and nearly every dive site is also a very good to excellent snorkeling site, too.

Cheers, alashas honeymoon2's photos- powered by SmugMug

 

[salth2owannabe]

Thanks much Alashas, and everyone, for the time you put into your responses. You've given me a number of places to look into and I sure appreeciate it. My biggest stumbling block is that I live in the Pacific Northwest, and you can't get anywhere cheap from here.
Thanks again.

 

[alashas]

You are welcome! I don't know anything about air travels in your neck of the woods. Hopefully, you and your travel companions can take off enough time that you can enjoy the Caribbean for 10 days to 2 weeks. And, remember, on a lot of islands, "low season" begins anywhere from April 1 to April 15, and sometimes as late as May 1, when rates for places drop as much as 30%, and that usually runs until Nov. 1 or later.

We like to stay in villas and have found this site helpful: Caribbean Villas - Caribbean Villa Rentals by Blue Escapes Several couples splitting the rent of a villa can save you a lot of money compared to many resorts. In many villas, you get your own pool, a lot more "elbow room" that a single room at a resort, fully furnished kitchens in which you can save a lot of money on meals, beautiful landscaping, and often great views.

Cheers, alashas honeymoon2's photos- powered by SmugMug

 

[JNelson113]

Thanks much Alashas, and everyone, for the time you put into your responses. You've given me a number of places to look into and I sure appreeciate it. My biggest stumbling block is that I live in the Pacific Northwest, and you can't get anywhere cheap from here.
Thanks again.

Oh my gosh, then I am thinking Maui! Tons of activities and beaches for the non-divers, good shore and boat diving for divers. Not as good as the best spots in the Caribbean, but certainly enjoyable.

If you get a condo in Kihei and cook costs need not be that high.

 

[alashas]

Haven't been to Maui, so cannot comment, but we celebrated our 25th anniversary on 4 different resorts at Fiji for 3 weeks and loved every minute of it!

We'd definitely considering going again if we lived on the WC. I've still got a pile of uw shots I haven't posted, but have land photos. Here is Nanuya Island Resort (very affordable): http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2559168#134644211

5* exqusite Yasawa Island Resort: http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2557806#135061423

Here is day trip to "Blue Lagoon" where much of the movie was made: http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2559622#134928592

3 1/2 to 4* Malolo: http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2559401#134659410

4 1/2 to 5* Lomani: http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2560033#134662754

Here is Subsurface Fiji with whom we did a lot of our dives: http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/gallery/2565971#135034916

The Fijians truly are "the friendliest people on earth!"

cheers, alashas http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/

 

[JNelson113]

Fiji is utterly fabulous also, have to agree. Maybe you can get some cheap airfares or use miles.

 

[ReefHugger]

Re: Negril, Couples and Swept Away - "price might be a little steep".

For your consideration, there is also the Beaches chain of hotels. Beaches is family orientated and has two hotels on the same fabulous stretch of beach. Beaches is also an all inclusive.

Another chain in the adjoining bay is the RIU chain (two huge hotels). Also, all inclusives, but substantially less expensive (see next comment).

In valuing all your options, remember that diving is included at the Couples, Sandals, and Beaches chains. This could be a major factor in your 'bang for the buck' assessment. At RIU, all motorised sports are extra, obviously including glass bottom boats and water skiing.

And as mentioned before, look for the deals, especially summer rates. Goog luck!