Need someplace new.

[Tim Ingersoll]

My spouse has stated that she wants to go someplace new in the Caribbean for the family trip next March. We have been to the following places: Antigua, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos (incl. Grand Turk), New Providence and Jamaica.
Price is not a major concern but anything really prcey will get shot down. The wife wants a great beach, some decent shopping and not too many really long flights. We are travelling with two kids so some family type stuff would be nice. I would really like some decent to great wall diving.

 

[Natasha]

The best wall diving you have already covered.

If you want the rest, try Freeport Grand Bahama, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Martinique, or Aruba.

 

[swisstrav]

how about puerto rico

understand, its about as good as wall diving can get.

and here is the place:http://www.copamarina.com/

need a buddy? ;-))

 

[Damselfish]

Seems like you've already hit everyplace that meets your wishlist and then some. Maybe split a trip like a Bahama out island for better diving, and time in Freeport for shopping. Assuming any of these places are still there in a week. Or maybe Puerto Rico, spend part of the time in San Juan and part in one of the better diving areas.

 

[scubawife]

The resort was really nice and relaxing, great service, great food. The AI plan is more then worth the price. No shopping for your wife. A few possibilities for day/evening trips like the Dry Forest and the Bioluminescent Bay (probably spelt wrong). If you're planning to dive as the main activity of your vacation, be careful with the on-site shop. We were there a couple wks ago and there was no full time captain and without going into detail, the management left something to be desired. We only got out 2 of the 4 days we were there (and we had a prepaid pkg). The wall dives we did do were nice. Nothing like Cayman walls, no dramatic swim throughs, etc, but very healthy color, sponges and fans. Sadly, there is no real interest in conservation and little respect for the marine environment in PR. There were fish on the reefs, but not that much and not the variety you get in other places in the Caribbean.

 

[sharkdiver00]

Why don't you check out the possibility of Sint Maarten/Saint Marten? The beaches are really great and very kid friendly, especially the French side, and your wife will love the shopping part. Then you can split your time and combine it with some great diving in Saba. Not necessarily great wall diving, but the pinnacles are great and it is very healthy all around.

Both islands are very family oriented, especially Saba. I believe one of the members is from Saba and has posted good information before (besst do a search under Saba and read all comments anyway).

Hope you find what you need.

Maria

 

[smokey braden]

dear tim,
take your family to the bvi's on a crewed yacht.
i have done this 3 times and each time just gets better.
i use regency as my broker.
http://www.regencyvacations.com/
they handle hundereds of boats, all privately owned.
the hard part is picking one, no two are exact.
some come with dive gear and compressors on board.
they all have "toys" ie: underwater camaras, wind surfers, fishing gear,ski equip.
many have air conditioning, radios, cd and dvd players.
if being on a boat makes someone queezy, they always eat and sleep on the hook.
chartering a multihulled yacht would be even more stable.
the bvi's are perfect for sailing because all the islands are real close together.
you can go around and see all of them during your 1 week holiday.
the diveing and snorkling is very good.
they will send you forms for what you like and dislike.
when you go on the boat you will not find any thing that was on your dislike list and you will find everything that was on your like list.
this includes food, drinks (virgin and nonvirgin), and snacks.
i could bore you for hours on all the good times we've had doing this.
remember, this is a private charter and only your family and guest will be on board doing all the things YOU want to do.
there are crew aboard whose job it is to make this trip perfect.
you can help with the sailing or just watch.
we have found this to be an ideal way for my family to all go on holiday.
like y'all, we have been diveing all over the caribbean but have found this to be one way where we ALL get what we want to do.
sorry that i've gone on and on, but i get excited when i think about the bvi's.
my wife tells me that we are soon due for trip # 4.
which is good because i've already narrowed my choises down to 5 or 6 boats.
maybe if luck holds out we could both be down there the same week and have a floatilla.
glad to hear you're getting back to your old self.
best regards,
smokey

 

[Wendy]

Costa Rica?

 

[eponym]

dear tim, take your family to the bvi on a crewed yacht. i have done this 3 times and each time just gets better. the bvi's are perfect for sailing because all the islands are real close together. you can go around and see all of them during your 1 week holiday. the diving and snorkling is very good.

Smokey, you beat me to it. I bareboat chartered in the BVI five years ago and loved it. My best sailing buddy is headed there in his new boat this Fall.

We especially loved the abundance and diversity of the soft corals. And much of it is just as good when you're snokeling, so it makes a great family trip.

Fin on,
Bryan

 

[smokey braden]

dear eponym,
we've always chartered a crewed yacht.
a little more expensive but nobody has to be a galley slave.
hey, maybe if we can get some members of this board interested we could have a hell of a flotilla.
i can see it now, a dozen or more of beautiful sailboats in a group, cruising the bvi's looking for that next dive site................
regards,
smokey