Handicap accessible dive resort

[diver 85]

My wife is handicapped (MS), and I second the suggestion of Little Cayman Beach Resort. We were there once, and it was excellent. The diving was the best we had seen in the Caribbean, and the resort is very accessible. In our case, my wife is mobile, but has problems with stairs and uneven terrain. The resort was ideal for us. Also, the divemasters were very accommodating on the boat (doing a seated entry, taking off the tank before getting back into the boat, etc.)

I am interested in similar resorts around the world for us, too. In particular, resorts that have rooms near the restaurant and office and dive pier in order to minimize walking are most important. My wife is not in a wheel chair, so they do not need to be 100% handicapped accessible. Locations in Asia, Indonesia, the Caribbean are all of interest. We just returned from Wakatobi, and it was wonderful.

Here's a pic I took of the seats you might have been talking about(one on each side @ the stern)----My wife & I both thought it was a perfect way to enter the water ...As they say there, 'it's valet diving'..lol.....was great......

 

[zigcpa]

I stayed at the DIVI Flamigo in Bonaire and found it to be very handicapped accessible. I believe you can check out the HSA-(handicap scuba association) I think they have a link to accessible resort.

Zig

 

[edpdiver]

I stayed at the DIVI Flamigo in Bonaire and found it to be very handicapped accessible. I believe you can check out the HSA-(handicap scuba association) I think they have a link to accessible resort.

Zig

Thanks for the suggestion, but I did not find any travel links to specific hotels from the HSA webpage. I tried to find listings like this in one place, but have never been successful. I appreciate the thought, though.

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

There was a large group of disabled divers from Colorado who went to Bonaire the same time we did, last June. I am not sure which dive shop they were with but there were at least 20 of them. You might want to try and get in touch with that dive shop in CO and see if they have some recomendations for you!

robin

Robin-

It was our dive shop that went to Bonaire the same time you did (A-1 Scuba in Colorado). In fact I just checked their website and they loaded photos from that trip and a couple others within the last day or so. They try to plan at least one trip a year, we are thinking about going on their Curacao trip in June. Here's a link to the photos from the Bonaire trip:

A-1 Scuba Colorado: Past Group Trip Photos

Here's a link to their blog about Disabled Diver programs:
A-1 Scuba News » Disabled Diving

 

[hickey]

I dove grand Cayman last year. Stayed at Sunshine Suites and dove with Absolute Divers and Neptune's. I'm told I'm high functioning quad. Powered chair. Had a wonderful time and will be going back later this year. I have description of last year's trip and the accommodations we made for accessibility with pictures at my website hickeys dot net if you want to look. Good luck...
- John

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

Another handicap accessible suggestion is Hotel Cozumel. They've made a lot of modifications over the last year or 2 for accessibility all over the resort & dive areas. They have multiple shore entry points (cemented ramp and more). We were there in December and Dive Heart was on our boat a couple of days with a new diver. Everything seemed to run very smoothly, Dive Paradise crew was really good. Our dive shop plans at least 1-2 disable/able body trips a year to this resort and Hotel Cozumel/Dive Paradise have worked hard to improve the accessibility.

Lions Dive in Curacao is another option. Our shop has taken several groups there. We watched their boat come in one night after a night dive and it was impressive to see their set up and how many divers they could accommodate.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Divi Flamingo in Bonaire is probably the most accessible resort I've ever been to. Before my wife passed away last month we traveled extensively for 9 years. She was in a wheelchair with muscular dystrophy. Even in the states with our ADA laws it seemed there was a challenge that could have been easily overcome with just a little bit of effort and work. We were on two cruises, Niagara Falls 4 times(Canadian side-US side is filthy), Florida Keys 4 times, Ocean City MD, Virginia Beach, Disney, Epcot, Jamaica (our last tropical trip), Washington DC ( disgracefully not as accessible as as many others), and a bunch of other places. Divi was without a doubt the easiest to get around in, work with, use their boats, eat, etc. If I were ever to get the itch to go back to Bonaire (if they'd sink a more few wrecks say) even though she is gone, the courtesy and care that Divi Flamingo showed us, as well as the overall quality would make it my first and frankly only choice.

 

[robint]

The original post was in 2008.........

 

[diverjean]

Breezes Curacao is an accessible resort. They have Ocean Encounters and right next door are some really great people-Suzy and Mark at Dive Bus---they have been through Dive Heart training. All of their dives are shore.
Good diving and thanks for serving.