Has anyone been diving in Jamaica?
We will be going to Couples Tower in early october as diving is included ( for me) and golf for my ol' man.
I would love to hear form any one who has been there
I stayed at Couples "Tower Isle" a few years back. It's a nice place. Rooms were very nice and food was excellent.
I would suggest a ocean view room here. The water views are great.
I think we stayed there 3 nights. Didn't do any diving because when i went on the 2nd day, they told me I had to sign up for it earlier. I'm not sure if it was full or what. but they seemed like they weren't making exceptions for people not signed up. This was my only negative experience with this resort.
The water (at the beach) was very murky. you couldn't see your toes. So not sure how good the diving would be in the Ocho Rios area (where Tower Isle is).
I've also been to Couples Negril. It was very nice also and I'd go back.
Rooms were very nice, but I would say upgrading to an "ocean view room" is a waste of money as the way the rooms are situated, if you can see the ocean, it's through the trees. We were in a suite closest to the water and we could still barely see the ocean. If I went back, I'd just get a standard garden view room here. Food was good, but not as good as in Couples Ocho Rios (Tower Isle). The beach was MUCH nicer though in Negril as was the water clearness. it was as clear as bath water.
Did 4 days worth of diving here. Walked up to the dive shack to get scheduled early after being "bumped" out at Ocho Rios. The divemasters were much friendlier and asked if I wanted to go on that afternoons dive. So I was in the water diving within an hour or two of arriving.
Dives were off a Newton 35 dive special. Nice boat. All gear including mask/fins were available. regs (at the time) were Sherwood regs and BC's. They worked fine with no problems. All dives were one tank dives. (65ft or less to include everyone). one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon. except on Saturday they did a deep dive (95' max) and a shallow dive in the morning and did boat maintenance in the afternoon. No dives on Sunday as it was the crews off day. At the time no Nitrox available. not sure about now, but they were all shallow dives so not really needed.
The dive sites were all coral reefs. The reefs were colorful and in great shape. Not as much fish as the FL Keys, but still decent.
I was impressed and pleased with the Couples Negril dive operation.
EDIT:
back on the subject of the first resort, Tower Isle, I suggest doing the Dunn's RIver Falls excursion. We enjoyed that. If you've got "water shoes" or shoes that can get wet, that's suggested. take some cash for tip for your guide and the "flea market" you have to walk through when you leave if you want to get anything.
They also have a plantation tour. It's neat, but not exciting. kinda like a school field trip.
They also have riding stables that you get to ride a trail up to the top of one of the mountains. It was enjoyable.
If I went back, I'd do the Dunn's River Falls trip again and prob skip the rest of it and sit on the beach the rest of the time.
