Going nuts on trying to find the right vacation spot for this year

[PM-Performance]

My wife is driving me crazy. Please help guys and gals.
I am happy with just some good above par diving and good all inclusive treatment.
My wife is a little more picky and her family.
Everytime we think we found the perfect place we hear more about someplace else. bleh. This is difficult.

We looked into Aruba, but it seems like more highrises and I hear its windy.
She looked into Punta Cana too and it looks nice, but I read reviews that the diving is kinda so so and the snorkeling is so so. More for beginners.
Jamaica, I hear is ghetto and hear bad things.

Any one have any insight on some good all inclusive islands that arent crazily priced and have good diving and good family atmosphere?
Shoot out suggestions as they come to mind and maybe some links.

We did Turks the other year and loved it.
We did Playa Del Carmen last year and loved the resort, but I was not really impressed with the water there. Cozumel water was better, but still iffy cuz of the currents and time of the year.


Thanks in advanced

 

[jpep]

Sounds like all inclusive resorts and good diving are your primary criteria. If you gave up the all-inclusive requirement, I'd immediately suggest Grand Cayman. Great diving, diverse mix of elegant to casual restaurants, bars and nightlife. I only know of one decent all inclusive on GC... Spanish Bay Resort... North of Seven Mile Beach... also has a dive operator on premises. GC is not known for all-inclusive resorts. Another option is Little Cayman Beach Resort, I'm not sure if they may have an all inclusive option. However their dive op Reef Divers is well renowned and respected. LC also has Bloody Bay Wall...

As for your initial thoughts, there are great all-inclusives on Punta Cana, especially the Sol Melia Paradisus Palma Real. Adult couples only. However, the diving is poor.

As for Jamaica, I'd recommend the Ritz Carlton in Montego Bay, but not an-all inclusive. Diving was OK in Montego Bay, but not a prime dive destination. Security can be an issue if you wandered around town late at night, but cabs to/from hotel/town for dinners is not an issue.

Aruba has beautiful beaches, reefs were relatively healthy and some nice wrecks on the Southwest, as well as the Antilla right off Palm Beach viz ~50 -70' Water temps ~78-80F. Was just there in 10/06. Palm Beach is highrise hotels, Eagle Beach low rise hotels. There are all inclusive resorts, but can't help you there. Yes, there are tradewinds, not gales, that are a cooling relief to the strong sun. Wind not really an issue on west side of the island.

St. Lucia has nice diving, and a few all-inclusives, including 3 Sandals Resorts, and you can stay at one and have use of the other 2 properties. Diving is also included. Sandals is couples only, no children. Sandals' Royal Bahamian on Nassau is a beautiful property and diving is included... albeit short dive table profiles, with no exceptions for computer divers.

Not sure if you stayed at the Royal Hideaway in Playa del Carmen, but if you have not, I'd highly recommend it. Fantastic all-inclusive, adults only a la carte dining, and all top-shelf alcoholic beverages included. The nearby dive op Barakuda was pretty good, and weather permitting goes to some nice sites off the Palancar Reef. I've been there in March & July, weather never an issue, and the currents make for great drift diving.

If you are traveling with children, you may want to look at Beaches Resorts. Never stayed at one, so I can't comment.

Perhaps you may want to take a look at www.frommers.com or www.fodors.com to get overviews of different islands and resorts to see what's available, and if you have specific questions regarding a destination, resort or dive operator, feel free to ask.

Good luck!

 

[Doc]

Sounds like all inclusive resorts and good diving are your primary criteria. If you gave up the all-inclusive requirement, I'd immediately suggest Grand Cayman.

Me too, and the rest is a great post.

It's always good to state your budget with these kind of questions. But- with your criteria, sounds like that's not the primary concern.

I would have left the family years ago.

 

[jpep]

I would have left the family years ago.

Thanks RoatanMan. I agree it is somewhat difficult to suggest a destination & resort without a ballpark budget. With some more details I'd have no problem recommending a number of different Caribbean destinations/resorts.

When I'm ready to go to Roatan, I'll pick your brain! Thanks again.

 

[EvaL]

Sounds like you and your wife prefer all-inclusive resorts and more "established" family-friendly activities in addition to good diving. My top choice is:
New Providence (Nassau - capital of Bahamas) - casino/aquarium/waterpark on Paradise Island, duty-free shopping, all-inclusive resorts on Paradise Island or Cable Beach area on New Providence. Diving - shark-feeding dives, coral gardens in the southwest side of the island (Tongue of the Ocean). Stuart Cove and DiveDiveDive are good dive shops.
Otherwise, I think you might wanna consider the Big Island of Hawaii. There's diving with Manta Rays and seeing Pacific fish and hard corals, visit Volcanoes National Park staying at the resorts north of Kailua-Kona (in Waikoloa or Kawaihae areas), but no casinos and not much shopping. My favorite dive shop: Jack's Diving Locker,
Dive safely.

 

[PM-Performance]

Thanks for the info guys.
More on my situation.
No kids coming with. Family is her aunt and uncle, mom, Dad sister and brother and their spouses. We are the youngest of the group. lol

Her family likes the night life and likes things to do on the resorts and relaxing on the beach.
I honestly am perfectly fine with awesome water and plenty of things to keep from getting bored.

We stayed at Beaches in Turks and loved it.
We stayed at Iberostar in Mexico and it rocked. I loved it, but the water was so so.

Budget is under $2k per person if possible. Most of the places she looked at were under $1500 pp

She looked at Iberostar Bivarro in Punta Cana, but I dont want to deal with so so diving.
Also looked at Breezes in Runaway Bay in Jamica
In Aruba she looked at the Occidental. i think that was the most expensive at $2000-2100 pp.

She is iffy about the Bahamas too. She said it looks kind of cheesy, but I havent looked much yet.

 

[victor]

You might want to try the BVI.
It's a pleasent and safe island.
Diving was very good.
I cannot recommend a hotel fully inclusive but there are some and you might want to get a villa with staff and your own pool as an option.
If you go see if you can persuade a dive operation to dive the Rhone as a night dive, it is fantastic.

 

[jpep]

PM-Performance,

Thanks for the additional info, but you don't indicate what time of year you are considering. Generally, you will have more options given your budget if you are travelling to the Caribbean in shoulder or low season, (April- October) and travel on Tues-Thurs. Another consideration is that September/October tend to be in the peak hurricane season. Without knowing your planned travel dates, some places may not work with your budget, or not recommended given the potential for poor weather.

Since you liked Breezes, perhaps consider Curacao. Above average diving, Breezes is all-inclusive, and there are casinos and nightlife. Since the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao) are essentially outside the Caribbean hurricane belt, you can travel there in Septemeber/October without the potential for hurricanes pretty minimal. I've never stayed in a Breezes, so I can't comment on that property.

Another option is Barbados, The Turtle Beach resort is all inclusive, and I think The Almond Bay Club (?) may also be AI. Since I have not stayed at either, I can't comment.

Diving in Barbados was pretty good, we stayed on the West Coast at the Royal Pavillion (not AI), the hotel and the beaches were beautiful. No casinos, nightlife can be found in town.

Just some thoughts. Good Luck!

 

[PM-Performance]

We usually go in the off season Late Oct to Early Nov. We might change that though. The weather in Playa Del Carmen was so so at this time. We got lucky in Turks.

I will check out Caracao though. I didnt really do any research on there. Barbados I didnt check either.
Man there are alot of islands. lol

Thanks for the help again.

 

[jpep]

If you are going late October/early November, then your best chance of avoiding the end of the Atlantic hurricane season and potentially unfavorable weather/water conditions would be Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao.