Recommendation for side trip from Puerto Rico

[mattporco]

My wife and I are going on a business trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico on 5/20/07-5/24/07, and we are looking to take a side trip to another island to do some good diving. We are planning on doing some diving in PR but I don't anticipate that it will be all that great, so the plan is to fly to another island on 5/24/07 and stay 3-4 days and do some really good diving.

Anyone have any recommendations for another island which is easy to get to from Puerto Rico? We don't want to have to fly back through Florida while hauling all our gear to get there, so we're looking for an island that we can fly to straight from PR.

Liat flies from PR to Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Tortola, and Trinidad. Are any of those good diving destinations for a 3-4 day trip? Anyone know any other airlines that fly between the islands?

Also if anyone has recommendations for diving in Puerto Rico itself, those would be appreciated too.

Thanks all!

Matt

 

[tankbreather]

I too am going to Puerto Rico and have heard that the best diving is on the west coast. There are a few threads on the subject so check them out. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[Damselfish]

Haven't dove PR but I understand the same, you could look into heading to the west coast instead of another island. Or possibly the island of Culebra to the east.

Of the other islands some of them are known for better diving than others. I'd say Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, or Tortola are the ones worth looking into. Of those I've only done St Vincent and the diving is quite interesting there and Young Island is a very nice resort to stay and the boats will pick you up right there. Mariner would probably be my second choice of hotel there. For only a few days your choice might be influenced by which has more flights or better schedules so you don't lose too much time. (From Trinidad you could go to Tobago which is also known for some good diving but that is yet another transfer to take up time.)

 

[diversteve]

American Eagle flies to most of those destinations also from San Juan.

do some really good diving

Go to Bonaire. It's a 2hr. flight away via American Eagle. They leave around 6pm and there's an early morning return back to San Juan. That's where I'd go, it's the best diving in the Caribbean.

We were considering St. Maarten this year also, an advantage to staying there is that you're 4 miles from Anguilla by boat and there are some dive ops that also do daytrips to Saba.

Tortola would be another good choice, from there you can dive the Dogs, Indians, Cooper/Salt Islands an hour or less by boat. Dive the Rhone off Salt Island. From Tortola you can also do boat trips to Anegada - it's a marine sanctuary so the diving is supposed to be pristine.

 

[battles2a5]

I did some shore diving in San Juan, which was pretty poor. Culebra on the west coast is suppose to have some great diving. Otherwise, the Dominican Rep. is close by. I hear they have some decent diving.

 

[chauncy19]

La Paguera is a good place on west coast of PR for diving. I did this back in late 80's as a side trip. Only there a short time ( a day) Always wanted to go to Culebra too. Culebra did get hit hard by a hurricane some years ago, I don't know how that effected the reefs there. But I admit to being quite spoiled by Bonaire and as much as I'd like to go other places I go there now.
I think though for three or four days I'd stay on PR. Longer timeframe would go else where. my 2 cents. I am sure you'll enjoy it no matter where you choose.
bob