Help need dive destination in Caribean...

[SterlingDiver]

3. Would like to have decent shopping. I know this is a bizarre request, but she (and me a little) like to shop if it rains, etc.

Bill

.........your quote conflicts with your board name. Maybe Badassbill is a little more sensitive than his name projects.

BadAssDave

 

[jawfish]

Cozumel is nice for tons of diving and also Honduras. Do you want to do a lot of topside activities? If so, you may fair better with Curaco or St. Thomas.

 

[tx.lakerats]

My vote would have to be St Lucia - Just a short jaunt to St Thomas and St. John if you want and the diving is suppose to be GREAT with AWESOME shopping in St Thomas!

 

[MaresMan1]

BAB,

Go to St Lucia and stay at Ladera (www.ladera.com). You will really enjoy it. Or try St Vincent and stay at Young Island (www.youngisland.com). Both islands are and offer unique shopping and atmoshere. The diving is also very good.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the Ride
:14:

 

[scubachris]

wjbrant is right (hey Wayne). St. Thomas has some good diving and some great shopping (or is that the other way?) There are also great places to eat/drink to pass your non-diving time. And some great beaches as well

There's great shopping either downtown or at Havensight, also the shop's in the East End (by Chris Sawyer Diving Center) should be checked out as well. Besides you'll want to stop at Duffy's for a drink (in the east end) anyway.

I used to work at Chris Sawyer before, crazily, my wife and I went back to chicago to be covered in snow! It's a great dive shop, they'll take care of you, your equipment and show you some great dive spots. Also they are really safety conscious which is also nice to have in a shop.

Shopping: If you are looking for jewlery, watches, cameras (digital or otherwise) this is the place to buy them. Also there are some outlet stores for Polo, Tommy Hilfiger among other stores like Nicole Miller, Black House/White Market and for your shorts and t's check out Carribean Surf Company.

Food: Lot's of great restaurants! choose a cuisine, view or both you can eat out every meal (if you like) and still have other restaurants for your next visit.
Check out the Mafolie hotel bar for the bar with the best view in the world. Old Stone Farm house for dinner par excellence and for a rainy day the Green House during a shopping break can't be beat.

Have to go shovel snow now! enjoy!!

Chris

 

[yakivet]

3. Would like to have decent shopping. I know this is a bizarre request, but she (and me a little) like to shop if it rains, etc.
4. Looking for the best diving we can get. Nice island, food, etc.

badassll

I'll reinforce the St. Thomas suggestion. If you're in Atlanta, its a placed thats very easy to get to through Puerto Rico or Miami. My wife and I spent our honeymoon there a few years ago. We stayed at Point Pleasant resort http://www.pointpleasantresort.com/ and dove with Chris Sawyer Diving http://www.sawyerdive.vi/ The Point Pleasant was a great place to stay, and what an incredible view. Chris Sawyer's Dive shop was well staffed and well trained. The diving was great. My wife took their resort course, got hooked, and later certified, now is a diving fool. Before, she was just a shopping fool. :42:

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

It really depends if it is all about the diving and the shopping is secondary or its all about the shopping and the diving is secondary. I mean St. Thomas may be great shopping but the diving is just average. Cozumel, on the other hand, gives you the whole cruise ship shopping thing (personally found to be revolting) and still gives you world class diving. I wouldn't put the two in the same category unless its all about shopping.

 

[pilot fish]

Hi all...I'm getting married in March and am in need of some help in finding a destination for my honeymoon (in May). I won't bore you with the reasons, but here is the criteria:
1. We have been to the Bahamas and Cayman, can't go there again.
2. It must be in the Caribean
3. Would like to have decent shopping. I know this is a bizarre request, but she (and me a little) like to shop if it rains, etc.
4. Looking for the best diving we can get. Nice island, food, etc.

I am running into a dead end in places that would have both good diving (walls, etc) and a little shopping for her. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
My initial thoughts are Aruba or St.Lucia...but niether of them seem to be big shopping. HELP!

Bill

Since it will be your honeymoon I would opt for St Lucia and stay at the Anse Chastenet Hotel .Very romantic, good diving, dive op on premsises and EXCELLENT food. check out their webpage

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Since it will be your honeymoon I would opt for St Lucia and stay at the Anse Chastenet Hotel .Very romantic, good diving, dive op on premsises and EXCELLENT food. check out their webpage

But no shopping. At least none of what most of us gringos define as shopping (you know. . .air conditioned shops, lots of good lighting and well dressed patrons).

 

[badassbill]

Thanks for all the responses folks! You've given me plenty to think about.
Sterling...you've figured me out! LOL
Just to clear things up...I would say the diving comes first...with shopping second. Every vacation I've ever gone on in the Caribean has at least one day of rain. What do you do when it rains and the vis is low....we go shopping on those days. We like to buy one "big" duty free thing each trip...but the diving is most important. We are both fairly young and are not into the hanging out sipping drinks all day...we want to dive and do things.
I'm going to start researching everything everyone said...thanks to everyone and keep the opinions coming!
Bill