First timer Caribbean, where to go

[Altamira]

Whether or not Bonaire or Curacao are technically in the Lesser Antilles, although Wikipedia shows 3 island groups: the Windward Islands, Leeward Island, and the Leeward Antilles (ABC islands) make up the Lesser Antilles, I sure would put Bonaire and Curacao on my must do list for someone that has never been in the area.

 

[kassj0peja]

First of all thank you for the recommendations. Even though I was not very precise I think I will consider these islands for my first trip to the Caribbean.

Curacao
St Lucia + St Vincent & Grenadines
Dominica
St Kitts + St Eustacius (+St Marteen) + Saba

I meant river rafting but probably these islands are too small but on Dominica Canyoning is possible I found out.

Thanks again.

 

[diversteve]

First of all thank you for the recommendations. Even though I was not very precise I think I will consider these islands for my first trip to the Caribbean.

Curacao
St Lucia + St Vincent & Grenadines
Dominica
St Kitts + St Eustacius (+St Marteen) + Saba

I meant river rafting but probably these islands are too small but on Dominica Canyoning is possible I found out.

Thanks again.

Midweek it's only about $60 some days to fly between Curacao and Bonaire so if you have the time possibly split your time between them. Insel Air is one option, Divi Air the other. Weekends the price doubles.

Also your last option can all be done via the Explorer Liveaboard - they run St Maarten/Saba/St. Kitts/Nevis weekly.[-] Check with them but they probably stop at St. Eustatius also since it's along the way. [/-]They turn the ship so every other week it starts on St. Kitts and ends on St. Maarten. Live-Aboard Diving in Saba, St. Kitts, St. Maatin

Anguilla is just north of St. Maarten and there is diving there also - just not a lot of operators. But they dive 7 Marine Parks around the island. Anguilla Diving, Snorkeling, SCUBA There are all sorts of daily fast ferry options between the two islands instead of flying also. Anguillla Ferries | Ferry and Charter Boat Travel

From St. Maarten you can also get to St. Barts by ferry. There's diving there also. St Barts Vacation guide - St Barts villa rentals, Hotels Reservations, properties for sale, car rental, real estate, beaches, webcam views - St Barthelemy vacation | St Barths Online

 

[diver 85]

Brac or Little Cayman for starters------then hit the best Caribbean diving @ Dominica(lol, if you can afford these days---post storm--to get there), all the other L.A. diving ranks behind the above 3.......

 

[vincent54]

An added benefit to Brac is the unlimited shore diving, awesome rock climbing and a quick flight to Cuba for a couple days of sight seeing. Cheers

 

[drrich2]

I've never been to Dominica, but it's been getting more praise over time on the forum from what I've seen. Enough that when I recently (last night) started a file on my computer with trip report/destination discussion thread links, I included some and they may help you find out about it. I notice the forum search function isn't always quite as robust as I might hope, especially on threads a few years old.

Dominica...everything I should know but don't.

I was surprised by how nice the diving was in Dominica. Excellent!

Dominica Recommendations?

I especially like that in at least one thread there's some discussion about why someone might not go or go back. One of the issues in listening to reports about a destination is that often you're listening to feedback from a fan of the place. Sometimes it's good to hear what's not so great, if only to keep your expectations realistic.

Since Curacao has come up, here's a thread on Curacao vs. Bonaire. Might be of use.

If St. Lucia is of interest, here's a Quick St. Lucia Trip Report from a cruise ship stop one day. On another cruise ship stop there back in '06, wife & I did a rainforest hike that was lush & beautiful (virtually no wildlife seen, though), to a chilly waterfall pool. Dive Alert Magazine has an online article on St. Lucia called Estale. I like their destination articles, but they tend to be written from a romanticized fan perspective in my estimation. (Sometimes, I'd like to read a review by someone a little cynical, who had a good time but wasn't wholly won over). Here's a thread called St. Lucia that discusses the diving a bit. They've got Sandals there, if a land-based resort that offers non-diver activities is an interest, and you're budget isn't too tight.

Which reminds me of a couple of things. When I get St. Lucia curious & check into it as a potential dive trip destination, it looks a bit on the expensive side (mainly for resort cost), and I don't see many people picking it for dedicated dive trips - more 'diving & other stuff.' Just my impression...could be off base.

Richard.

 

[kassj0peja]

Thanks for the links. Does the liveaboard Caribbean Explorer II offer dives in St Eustatius too or "only" St Kitts and Saba?

 

[KathyV]

Thanks for the links. Does the liveaboard Caribbean Explorer II offer dives in St Eustatius too or "only" St Kitts and Saba?

I've never heard much about diving around St Eustatius - but St. Martin does not have much reputation as a dive destination; but it is a fun vacation spot!

When I did the Explorer trip we spent a few days vacationing ashore on St. Martin first. Then we boarded the boat and headed to dive sites around both St. Kitts and Saba. We floated past St Eustatius and Nevis during the trip.

The boat offered shore trips to St. Kitts and Saba. When it was time for the boat to head back to St. Martin my husband and I got off and spent a few days on Saba - then we traveled by air back to St. Martin to head home.

No problem hiking on Saba; the island is steeply vertical and you have to hike just to move around! The top of the island is a rain forest. It was a great trip.

Just a word of caution about Dominica. We loved the island and diving and people and it is beautiful and undeveloped and offers rafting and hiking opportunities. But it is a very poor island and they are having a very difficult time recovering from Tropical Storm Erika. But that's not what the government and the newspapers are saying; they say "come visit us, everything is fine and back to normal!"

But from what I read that is not true. There are areas that still don't have power and they've just finally re-opened the airport several weeks after the storm.

Dominica is a lovely place, but it is a disaster area right now, so you may want to wait and visit the island some time in the future.

 

[Damselfish]

CE2 used to spend some time diving at St Eustatius but dropped it from the route years ago.
Why no Statia?: Undercurrent 01/2011

 

[diversteve]

The vessel departs Saturdays from either St. Maarten or St. Kitts. Itineraries include 5 1/2 days of diving; 2 to 3 days within the Saba Marine Park, and 2 to 3 days at St. Kitts and Nevis.

Live-Aboard Diving in Saba, St. Kitts, St. Maatin