I want it all - romance, diving, relaxation! Advice?

[stisso]

Hi there! My husband and I are taking a long-deserved vacation to one of the islands next month. It will be a short trip (sadly), probably 4 nights. We're lucky enough to be traveling on the company dime (our reward for many business trips taking my husband away from his family over the last few months), so we're a bit more flexible in terms of not getting the best value for our dime, hee. We've been looking at Curacao but I'm open to other suggestions. My husband will be working in Caracas and I'll join him at our destination (flying out of Ottawa or Toronto).

It's been years since our last dive (thanks to the babies. Hmph.) but we took a PADI refresher a few months ago to, well, refresh us. As such, we'll need guided dives for sure. We'll probably only get two days in, if that, which I know we'll regret once we're there...but a few dives are better than no dives! Since we're only there for a few days, the easier to get in the water, the better. We'll probably not bring our own gear, unless you really recommend otherwise?

Aside from diving, I'd really like to find some accommodations that have a little bit of luxury attached. I've been living in mommy frump-land for months and I haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep in a dog's age. I want a comfy bed and a great view. I want access to a nice meal and a great glass of wine. This is important, since it's probably the only kid-free vacation we'll be taking for awhile. I want it to count!!!

Any and all suggestions would be really welcome and very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Swim_mom]

i didn't stay there, but from one of our dive sites we could see the new Hyatt on Barbara Beach in Curacao - looked gorgeous!

 

[sinistar]

Given you have less time and want it to be a great overall vacation (not just diving) I am inclined to recommend Aruba. The diving probably won't be as good (as Bonaire or Curacao) but then again you won't be diving much. From a somewhat recent trip to Bonaire (last year) the coral was pretty bleached and viz was down. I'm hoping that changed but I haven't seen much so indicate otherwise. I would guess the conditions (viz and coral condition) are the same on all the ABC's. So, why not relax and dive in Aruba.

My recommendation would something like:

1.) Nice jet flight straight into Aruba
2.) Stay at a place like the Bucuti
3.) Get a rental car for the entire stay
4.) Find a good dive operator who will get away from the high rise beach area (you can drive to them if needed)
5.) Enjoy some great meals, take in a show, etc
6.) Nice jet flight back out.

The Bucuti was awesome. It's on Eagle Beach away from the high rise mayhem. There are so few people you always get shade. They really cater to couples so you probably wont see any kids there (unless something changed). Half our meals were a short car ride to the Grocery store and then back to the beach with sandwiches, cheese, crackers and wine on the beach! I dove for 3 of the days I was there. It was okay, but neither Aruba or my recent trip to Bonaire compared to a trip to Bonaire 6 years ago with respect to diving.

There are some great restaurants on Aruba. Our favorite was the place right on the ocean at the south end if the island (Flying Fishbone?). You can be sitting with toes in the water while being served steak, lobster, scallops or whatever. Having a car made this no hassle.

I dove with a big operation at one of the big high rise hotels. I didn't care for it much but I won't name names. I would think if you scan back a 100 posts or so you'll see the better dive op names mentioned over and over.

I enjoyed snorkeling with my wife down at the other end of the island (Baby Beach). Not much to see but a nice calm shallow cove for a first time snorkeler. However, it left me wondering if the best diving was down south also.

I hope others will chime in. I've never been to Curacao - probably nice. Harbour Village is probably the nicest on Bonaire. From the boat it looks like it has a nice small beach. I've heard many good things about it and it looks nice from the land side as well.

 

[diversteve]

On Curacao my recommendations would either be the Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino or if you want something removed from town - Lodge Kura Hulanda in Westpunt.

The Marriott is one of the nicer ones I've been to. Caribbean Sea Sports is on-site for diving. The beach is very nice, the pool complex is also and they have beachside dining. There's a doable shore dive a short distance out but it's not the best that Curacao has to offer. If you want to try escorted shore diving - the Dive Bus picks up there. They're often recommended here.

There's also a Marriott Renaissance downtown, it has the biggest casino on the island but they'll shuttle you from there to the Marriott Emerald for diving with CSS.

Lodge Kura Hulanda is one of the leading small hotels of the world. The suites are very nice, the beds are very nice and it's on one of the best dive sites on Curacao - Playa Kalki/Alice in Wonderland. Go West Diving is on site and they dive one of the best boat dives off Curacao - Watamula - several times/wk. The downside is that it's 45mins. from Willemstad, probably 35min. from the airport and there's not a lot else out there. Also the view from many of the suites to the water is obstructed. Unless you get a villa along the cliff. IIRC those are bigger units also.

They have 2? restaurants on the property but other nearby restaurants are local places - not exactly fine dining. Landhuis Daniel would be worth the drive 1/2 way back towards town for dinner one night. There's also some really nice restaurants in Willemstad. Fine Dining / Restaurants / Attractions and Restaurants / Home - Curacao - I think the Lodge has a shuttle that goes between it and Hotel Kura Hulanda downtown.

On Bonaire the nicest resort is Harbour Village. They have beachfront suites in 2 price ranges and rooms that face the marina. They also have the best beach on Bonaire as well as an on-site dive operator. But their shore dive is far from the best on Bonaire.

For us Curacao was much easier to get to - 7AM departure - on the ground around 2:30pm. Bonaire either required a further flight from Curacao or the Friday night United red-eye through Houston.

 

[diversteve]

I'm open to other suggestions.

How good is the company dime? Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda might be an option if it's more like the company dollar instead. (or maybe $100?) Nice peaceful island, somewhat easy to get to from St. Thomas or San Juan, PR via either the fast ferry or local air carriers. From Tortola, LDB will pick you up with their yacht...they have a whole page on their website with options to get there.

There's also the Baths on Virgin Gorda for snorkeling and some good restaurants, Rock Cafe and Giorgios Wine Restaurant among others. And the Leverick Bay Beach BBQ is attended by everyone on Friday night. Actually Leverick Bay Resort might be a less expensive alternative also - http://www.leverickbay.com/Leverick_Bay/index.php

DiveBVI is the pre-eminent dive operator there, they'll pick you up at LDB. They really are one of the few dive operators that exceeded my expectations. Nice people run it also. And IIRC their rental gear was better than some of my buddies... There's some good shallower diving in among most of the islands. The Rhone wreck is where they filmed "The Deep" as well as being a large, interesting, shallow (70') wreck.

Virgin Gorda is hilly, isolated and really windy most of the time. Lots of big sailboats all over. LDB has this service where they drop you via boat on a private beach nearby for a picnic for the two of you. Some of them aren't even accessible by road. I haven't stayed at Little Dix but I'm somewhat familiar with the view from their bar... And the beach is really that nice, the water offshore is really shallow - looked like great snorkeling. When we went in there to pick up divers on the DiveBVI boat, turtles dove for the bottom every time.

 

[darook]

Hyatt Regency Curacao. Nice easy diving with their operation. GREAT food at SHOR and Medi. Wonderful pool. Golf and tennis on clay courts if you feel so compelled. I understand they have an awesome spa though I know little on this topic. Everyone talks about diving the west end which I am sure is great but I had a nice time on the eastern end of the island. Lost Anchor, Black Rock, and Directors Bay were fun dives. Each a little different with cool little walls or a drift.

I am sure Ocean Encounters is not the most highly thought of operation though they were fine and super easy at the resort. The resort is easily the nicest place I have stayed at in the Caribbean. Very international clientele and excellent service. You can check in at the airport and they will arrange your transfer to the resort. I would not want to do that drive at night if I had not been on the island previously.

Good luck with your choice and most importantly have a great time!

 

[Kevrumbo]

Take a look at Jade Mountain or Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia. . .​

 

[sinistar]

Take a look at Jade Mountain or Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia. . .​

If you're not limited to the ABC's then Kevrumbo wins