Places to avoid in the Caribbean?

[scubadada]

Hi @kscates

So, your trip is 2023? Looks like you have time to find the right place.

I've only stayed at a few Caribbean AIs, all had good diving, but none are right for non-divers wanting a beach... Cobalt Coast Grand Cayman, Little Cayman Beach Resort, Cayman Brac Beach Resort, Turquoise Bay Roatan, Cozumel Hotel.

One place I have visited that might fit the bill is Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. We did not stay in an AI but I know there are at least several to choose from. The diving is good. The boat rides to West Caicos and French Cay are on the long side, you wouldn't return until midafternoon on your dive days.

 

[mcohen1021]

While I don't disagree with you, your privilege is showing We're working parents of young children, we haven't seen our friends in years. Unfortunately the best/easiest option with the fewest logistics for a bunch of exhausted 30-somethings is AI. The fact I get to go diving is a huge bonus, I am so excited and it's over a year away.

I would not call it prvilege really. I'd call it a preference. I have found they've changed over the years. I have no problem renting a condo and hitting the grocery store and cooking meals for myself, others desire to have meals provided. Maybe that is privilege...? I have found that I can usually go a la carte for far less than an AI, and I am usually in better accommodations (like a condo) to boot.

Grumpy, rather generalized response! Is is based on anything factual?

So its just been that in my experience that I am not a fan of the AI for many reasons:

1. Buffet food: gross. stale. leftovers. pawed on. no sneeze guard. nuff said.

2. AI Drinks: Why is it I always end up teaching the bartenders how to make a proper rock marg, then everyone within earshot orders what I'm having? I hate the overly sweet AI cocktails.

3. The unruly kids and the parents that dont coral them. Yes, I love kids, even more so when they go home with their parents.

4. Crowds: AIs are overly crowded most of the time. I moved out of DFW to get away from crowds, I can drive back in if I miss it. Vacation would not be relaxing to me in a crowded loud environment with loud drunk tourists, especially the fat shirtless drunk dudes, and the resort's MC shouting 'drink drink drink' over the cheap sound system blaring hip hop at full range.

I have found that the normal clientele of the AI are vacationers who might dive and the clientele of the condo or a la carte hotel more often are are there for a purpose, like to dive.

 

[chapells]

While I don't disagree with you, your privilege is showing We're working parents of young children, we haven't seen our friends in years. Unfortunately the best/easiest option with the fewest logistics for a bunch of exhausted 30-somethings is AI. The fact I get to go diving is a huge bonus, I am so excited and it's over a year away.

I certainly don't fit the bill of a "30 something" and haven't for 20 years But if costs are key to you and your friends - perhaps consider Cozumel? Flights can be found for very reasonable price and the dollar goes a long way against the peso. I don't stay in AI when I go but rather rent an apartment with a kitchen to make simple breakfasts/lunches and then there are so many dinner options downtown where we can get a great meal for about the price of fast food back in the US. For me, avoiding those high AI resort fees leaves more money to spend on food/drink of my own choice, getting out to many more areas of the island, and puts more of my money in the hands of small businesses instead of the resort developers.

Another small point - as @Doc mentions, be careful picking if you plan to travel in Hurricane season. When I could only travel down for one week once per year -- I was always worried about weather upsetting my well planned vacation so I became enamored with the ABC islands. They are below the "Hurricane Belt" - direct strikes are rare; they do happen but not very often. Eventually we fell in love with Bonaire for diving but it has less attractions for non-divers - however Curacao and Aruba certainly have white sandy beaches, lots of land based entertainment, and good diving.

 

[mcohen1021]

I don't stay in AI when I go but rather rent an apartment with a kitchen to make simple breakfasts/lunches and then there are so many dinner options downtown where we can get a great meal for about the price of fast food back in the US. For me, avoiding those high AI resort fees leaves more money to spend on food/drink of my own choice, getting out to many more areas of the island, and puts more of my money in the hands of small businesses instead of the resort developers.

Flights to Cozumel aren't that cheap anymore, thanks to AA knowing they have the only direct nonstop from DFW

I wish Sun Country ran their flights year round

 

[Rob9876]

While I mostly agree with the 3 posts above in that I prefer a condo (in Cozumel) over an All Inclusive, that is not what the non-diving friends of the OP want. Plus traveling with multiple couples is where AI might still have some advantages: don't have to decide who's going to cook, or get consensus of 8 people over where to go eat every night, get multiple taxis (or designated drivers) etc.

 

[tursiops]

While I mostly agree with the 3 posts above in that I prefer a condo (in Cozumel) over an All Inclusive, that is not what the non-diving friends of the OP want. Plus traveling with multiple couples is where AI might still have some advantages: don't have to decide who's going to cook, or get consensus of 8 people over where to go eat every night, get multiple taxis (or designated drivers) etc.

I've never stayed in an AI that was bad. After all, places like Wakatobi, CoCoView, and all the Reef Divers in the Caymans are AI. No problem. I've been to bad restaurants, however, and have certainly had some pretty marginal meals from group cooking. The only issue I have with AI is the variety of the meals; if stewed chicken is the only thing on the menu I'm not happy....but "home" cooking has the same problem!

 

[rhwestfall]

Lions in Curacao checks the boxes for on site good food, on site dive operations, on site beach, close to entertainment options and more food, and a modest cost...

Even a road trip shore diving excursion with the DiveBus can happen from right there...

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Dominican republic was terrible for diving

This not true. The diving in the Punta Cana area is bad. The diving in the Bayahibe/Dominicus area on the south Caribbean side of the Dominican is very good. There is reef diving, wall diving, wreck diving and even a cave dive. I am returning for my 4th time in April.

 

[Altamira]

I agree with most of the "avoid" recommendations from numerous posters above. After spending 30 days last year at Sunscape Curacao, I also wholeheartedly concur with @drrich2 on his recommendation to look closely at Sunscape Curacao. We were there in Aug-Sep, so missed any issues with unruly kids, and the AI resort has a really nice beach, a sheltered, shallow water lagoon that was full of fish near the breakwater (not much coral though), and an excellent on-site dive op (Ocean Encounters) and the equally excellent The Dive Bus, a five minute walk from the front gate. You won't need a car or taxi to dive with those two dive ops. We did consider Lion's Dive, a little farther south than the Sunscape, which is also served by Ocean Encounters, but when food and beverage costs were factored into the vacation equation, the Sunscape was more cost effective.

 

[also_anon_dc]

If child care is a concern I’d recommend looking into a Club Med. We don’t have kids but we went to one for our honeymoon in June and met many couples who were repeat visitors because of the free childcare which is apparently high quality from infant age to teens. They even had “slumber camp” which keeps the kids for most of the night. Like I said we only had experience with Punta Cana where the diving wasn’t great but I imagine there are others where diving is better and honestly all the parents we met loved it because of the free child care.