Need help choosing a dive trip...

[KozMcCharlie]

So I'm turning 40 next month and I'm looking to fly on off to the Caribbean for a week to do some diving... I like reefs, fish, laid back dives and laid back time out of the water. I'll be traveling alone and don't really have a direction at this point. I'd probably prefer to stay away from any place that caters to families and would also prefer something all inclusive. So far I've looked at St. Kitts, The Bahamas, The Caymans, and Bonaire. Everything I look at looks like a fantastic trip, but I'm not sure where to go... I think Bonaire might be a little out of my price range based on the flights I found...

Help me out... I'm overloaded by great looking dive pics and reports. Perhaps I'm overlooking something. I'll be traveling the last week of April/first week of May.

Thanks!

 

[Doc]

Only you can easily tell us what is within your price range based on the flights you have found.

Otherwise...

∆ Do you like large animal encounters?
∆ Schools of fish?
∆ Crowds of NY secretaries on a three day weekend in the islands?
∆ Wrecks?
∆ Pina Coladas?
∆ Gettin caught in the rain?
∆ 5 Star experiences?

Do you still want 120's?

The "Bahamas" is a huge, diverse place. What caught your eye there?

 

[oly5050user]

So I'm turning 40 next month and I'm looking to fly on off to the Caribbean for a week to do some diving... I like reefs, fish, laid back dives and laid back time out of the water. I'll be traveling alone and don't really have a direction at this point. I'd probably prefer to stay away from any place that caters to families and would also prefer something all inclusive. So far I've looked at St. Kitts, The Bahamas, The Caymans, and Bonaire. Everything I look at looks like a fantastic trip, but I'm not sure where to go... I think Bonaire might be a little out of my price range based on the flights I found...

Help me out... I'm overloaded by great looking dive pics and reports. Perhaps I'm overlooking something. I'll be traveling the last week of April/first week of May.

Thanks!

I have a group trip departing April 27th to Roatan..unlimited diving with 3 boat departures a day ,unlimited shore dives.Includes 3 meals a day and beverages..Leaving out of JFK..Iwill pm you.. I may be able to get a room mate for you to avoid single surcharge. It would help if you give a price range.

 

[jameseg]

So far I've looked at St. Kitts, The Bahamas, The Caymans, and Bonaire. Everything I look at looks like a fantastic trip, but I'm not sure where to go... I think Bonaire might be a little out of my price range based on the flights I found...

Of the places you listed, I've been to the Caymans and Bonaire. Are you a solo diver? If not, I'd recommend Brac Reef Beach Resort on Cayman Brac. I had a dive buddy with me (wife), but we found it really easy to meet other people, and since all the dives were from boats, you'd always have either an insta-buddy or the divemaster to dive with. It's all inclusive, and the food was terrific. Really nice diving too. Also check out Little Cayman Beach Resort, which the sister facility on Little Cayman.

I really loved Bonaire, but I would think it would be harder to find a buddy there, as most people are shore diving. Also, since almost everyone has a rental car, you don't get the same socializing opportunities in the evenings, if that's important to you....or at least not a Den Laman, where we stayed.

James

 

[CanadianTravelAgent]

Plenty of great dive resorts in the Caribbean. Really you decision will be based on what you want to see as Doc has pointed out.

 

[diversteve]

The Caymans are more expensive than Bonaire. Everything on Cayman is expensive, just the flights are on Bonaire. Although I get jameseg's point, at the dive resorts I found the opposite to be true. Both at Habitat and Buddy dive I was asked if I needed a buddy while waiting for mine. And since everyone has a 4-dr. rental truck, it's easy for most dive pairs to include one more.

 

[uncfnp]

I have not travelled to Bonaire as a solo diver but have meet several while diving there. They all seemed to have no trouble finding buddies and the diving is so easy and laid back its even an ideal location for solo diving if you are interested. You can almost always find a site where there will at least be other divers in the water. Dive Friends also offers a solo diver course. They and Buddy Dive also have a board to post for buddy requests.

 

[DeputyDan]

All my travel alone dive trips have been live boards.
based on budget concerns I would suggest -

If you want two dives a day and then chill go to scuba club Cozumel.

If you want to dive you're arse off go to coco view on Roatan

 

[rameus]

hey there!

all the time i spent in the caribbean so far was in Utila or Roatan, Honduras. you have cheap flights leaving from houston or atlanta directly to Roatan. both islands are nice to dive. Roatan is the bigger island and gets more tourists of all kinds. if you stay in the West End area (NOT West Bay!) you can arrange to get around the family-tourism ;-) if you go to Roatan i would recommend to go diving with Coconut Tree Divers. they do offer a wide range of diving according to your skill level. they offer all inclusive with stay and diving there and the accommodation is very nice.

Utila is a VERY laid back island and full of young backpackers travelling north to south or the other way around. you find company very fast and will certainly have a good time. you will certainly not get a lot of families there and put the focus on diving as much as you want. the shop i would recommend there is there is the Utila Dive Center. they have their own hotel (Mango Inn) and their service is all in all very solid. besides that the season would be right for whale sharks when you say you're planning on going may/june. then the Utila Dive Center definitely woud be your choice since they are the only shop which goes out looking for them on the north side of the island (whereas the main town is in the south of the island).

feel free to also check out my article about holiday recommendations and let me know what you think of it.

thom

 

[Rescue Diver68]

I like to do solo trips to Cozumel. You can bring the price waaay down by flying in to Cancun.