Destination Suggestion?

[KathyV]

St. Croix was a good suggestion. Does your wife like to snorkel? The Fredricksted Pier is also great for snorkeling. There is shopping and restaurants and a small casino. You can take a tour one of the rum factories and that's a lot of fun. It was originally a Danish territory and its history is a little different from most Caribbean islands. They drive on the left even though it is now a US territory. It got a bad reputation for crime several years ago but that has been changing; just use common sense and stay away from sketchy looking areas.

Provo in the T&Cs is a British island and it is a lovely place to visit. It has much of what you are looking for, including one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen. It has restaurants and shops but it is not as developed as Grand Cayman. But the diving is best from a liveaboard IMO; you are likely to have long boat rides to the better dive sites.

Curacao is a Dutch island, it is larger and more developed than Bonaire but the diving is similar. It has better beaches than Bonaire. There are a lot of hills but also some level areas for walking. Visiting the Ostrich Farm is fun and there are museums, including a maritime museum and a large fort.

Everyone says that Bonaire is boring if you are not a diver, but there are beautiful watersports, restaurants and some shopping, a small casino. You can visit the slave huts and the large national park (which is like driving through the jungle). It has an interesting topography with mangroves, salt flats, desert, beach (not a lot of beach). It is a very nice place to relax and it is definitely off the beaten path.

Both Curacao and Bonaire have persistent problems with petty thievery and you cannot lock the car or leave anything of value inside the car.

Have you thought about Hawaii? Beautiful islands, lots to do, and some excellent diving - different from the Caribbean but still very nice. Long plane ride to get there, though.

Have fun!

 

[diver0008]

Have you thought about Hawaii?

That is a good suggestion in this case, one that does not seem to come up nearly as often as others in many cases.

 

[diversteve]

Provo is a good option also except that the best dives mean longer boat rides so you won't be returned till about 2:30 or so to your hotel. Noon if you dive around Provo (Grace Bay or Northwest Point areas) which is still good diving. Grand Turk or Salt Cay are probably too quiet for a non-diver to be amused for long.Plus either is a 2nd flight/boat ride which cuts into your "few days".

I can't think of any good wrecks there though - there's Thunderdome but all it really is is several rebar domes in shallow water - originally planned for a French? TV show that didn't last. Interesting dive but not in my top 50. West Caicos and French Cay are known for deep wall dives and a lot of reef sharks. Typical day is a pickup around 8am - shuttle to the marina on the opposite side of the island, 45+ min. boat ride, 2 dives plus lunch.

It's really a smaller version of Grand Cayman. Grace Bay is such a nice beach it has it's own website. Prices will be like Cayman also - everything is pretty expensive. If you want to go all out for your 50th, there's both some 4-5 star resorts and Michelin rated restaurants at some of them.
Turks and Caicos World’s Top Islands - Turks and Caicos Tourism Official Website

Flights should be good, American flies direct to Provo from Charlotte - we connected thru there. Airport code PLS.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Bequia was mentioned and it came to mind for me too but then I thought about it some more. Lots of climbs there.

Maybe Ambergris Caye? Not too many gardens but it's flat and even though I dive all day, if I didn't, just sitting and looking at the water out to the reef is something I could do all day too.

 

[Steve_C]

Have you thought about Hawaii? Beautiful islands, lots to do, and some excellent diving - different from the Caribbean but still very nice. Long plane ride to get there, though.

Have fun!

Hawaii is a good suggestion although a long plane ride. But I have been there 3 times and my wife and I spent a week on Maui. My first dive was on an earlier trip to Maui. Know the isalands are different but Hawaii was off the list.

 

[donvito]

Just got back from Roatan, stayed on the east side which is remote. My wife doesn't dive, the sand flies caused her problems, diving was great though.

 

[flyboy08]

Roatan would work. It was lovely diving. I stayed on the East End which was more remote.

Also, Turks & Caicos was beautiful.

Roatan is an island

 

[flyboy08]

No island, then I suggest the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Flamingo area to be more specific...so much more to do there than dive it's such a wonderful country....and it's not an island

My second choice would be Panama....good diving and again plenty of non diving activities....I hear they even have a canal

 

[Hoag]

Someone suggested Grand Turk, and while I personally loved Grand Turk, the only way to get to the island is to fly into Provo and then take a "puddle jumper" over to Grand Turk. Since planes with props are a "Go/No Go Item", this would eliminate Grand Turk. I believe that it would meet all of your other criteria though.

 

[KathyV]

Hawaii is a good suggestion although a long plane ride. But I have been there 3 times and my wife and I spent a week on Maui. My first dive was on an earlier trip to Maui. Know the isalands are different but Hawaii was off the list.

And I forgot that you are only going for a few days, so Hawaii is too far away.

Just an FYI for future reference, if you would like to go to an "off the beaten path out island" sometime, you don't have to take a propeller plane to get to Cayman Brac. Cayman Air has jet service to Brac twice a day from Grand Cayman. And during the high season you can fly directly to Brac from Miami, bypassing Grand Cayman.

There's not a lot to do on Brac but there is a small, interesting museum, wildlife preserves, Booby and Parrot sanctuaries. And although the bluff is at higher elevation for climbing, caving, and hiking, most of the habitation is in the flat areas and there is plenty of easy walking and bicycle riding. The people are friendly, they speak English and crime is very rare.

I understand that there are snorkeling sites but I haven't tried them. We usually stay at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort and there is a huge infinity pool and a lovely little beach for sitting and relaxing, but it is not a good swimming beach. There are other beaches on the island, including a very pretty public beach.

You could also do a 2-island trip, combining GC with CB, but keep in mind that the "Wait to Fly Rule" does apply to the short flight to/from Brac.