Scuba in the morning, laying/sleeping on the beach in the afternoon

[Mrs. K]

I am basically a noob returning to diving. Trying to find a place to go where I can dive, and my husband can lay on the beach. Trying to decide between Cozumel and someplace like Bonaire/Roatan. Does Bonaire and or Roatan have a beach. And if so, which hotels do you recommend for that?

 

[DeputyDan]

Having been to all the places you referred to in the body of your post.

The best place for you - based on your heading is Cozumel! I think that is a very good description of Cozumel. We recently stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel. It was everything we could ask for in a "dive resort"

I am sure there are nicer places and I am sure that others with more experience on the island will chime in. Its all good!

BTY: At some point in time you should get to all three as well as Belize.

 

[Mrs. K]

Having been to all the places you referred to in the body of your post.

The best place for you - based on your heading is Cozumel! I think that is a very good description of Cozumel. We recently stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel. It was everything we could ask for in a "dive resort"

I am sure there are nicer places and I am sure that others with more experience on the island will chime in. Its all good!

BTY: At some point in time you should get to all three as well as Belize.

Thanks! Back in the day, I have been to Belize, the ABC islands, Roatan, Utila and all over the Caribbean. (kids are the cause of the hiatus) Now with the kids getting older, and able to travel to grandma and grandpa's on their own, I am hoping to start a yearly dive trip with my husband (who will dive with me, but is not quite as "enthusiastic" as I am). He has picked hotel in Cozumel, and that is where he wants to go. I am the one who wants to go to Bonaire or Honduras....

 

[Doc]

You want to dive once in the AM and then just veg-out on the beach?

If it's Roatan, the current leader in that very very narrow description would be Turquoise Bay.

They have dredged up an artificial beach and are a resort that offers some diving.

You can do the same thing on the West End by using many of the day dive ops, but there are also more bars, restaurants and similar diversions.

No economical sense in going to an AI Dive Resort, you will save money by buying your dives one at a time if all you want is 5 or so in a week.
AI's start to make sense if you want more than two dives a day.

 

[knowone]

Does your husband still have grandma and grandpa?

 

[Mrs. K]

Does your husband still have grandma and grandpa?

He does not. But I could just leave him home without adult supervision. :cool2:

 

[robint]

Roatan has noseeums, sand fleas, that live in the sand and bite. I wouldn't lay on any beach on the island. Hammocks, yes.

As mentioned by someone else, Scuba Club Cozumel, is a great option for you.
check out my trip reports and photos and videos.

Bonaire is also a great thought, but it is best with a spouse who is your dive buddy. Bonaire is the Shore Diving Capital of the World, so it is best to have a buddy for that, especially if you are just getting back into diving. Yes, you could go there and do boat diving only.. but...

robin

 

[diversteve]

Bonaire with a beach is called Curacao.

Same great diving as Bonaire and lots of beaches. Lions Dive has one - there's just a little reef in some areas off the beach - you can see it here: Curacao Panoramische foto - Lions Dive & Beach Resort The main Ocean Encounters diveshop is adjacent. It's a more touristy area - the Sea Aquarium is next door. The overhead shot in their website header showing the beach and all the palm trees (hit refresh) actually is Lions Dive - the diveshop is the building above "Top 100". And they do Dolphin Dives there.

Breezes (full AI resort) nearby has a beach and another OE shop onsite. Breezes Curacao All Inclusive Resort - Spa & Casino Both are 10mins. from the picturesque downtown shopping area, casinos, there's night life nearby.

Close to town the Marriott/Emerald Casino at Piscadera Bay has a nice beach. And on-site diving with Caribbean Sea Sports. Boat diving would be best from there, the reef is a short swim out in that area. Nice pool area, beach area, casino, indoor and outdoor bars. Piscadera Bay is quieter at night - about 10mins. north of downtown Willemstad. Luxury Curacao Hotels | Marriott Curacao Vacation Beach Resort

Resorts with on-site beaches on Bonaire include: Eden Beach, the upscale Harbour Village or the Plaza Resort.

Grace Bay on Provo (Turks & Caicos) is one of the top 10 beaches in the world. There is boat diving out to West Caicos and French Cay. French Cay is some of the best diving I've done in the last several years. Most of Grace Bay is pretty pricey. We did a liveaboard so I can't help with hotels, diveops etc. Caicos Adventures gets mentioned here regularly.

One more pricey option with a great beach - Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda (BVI's): http://www.littledixbay.com/ On site diving with DiveBVI, one of the best diveops I've ever used. One of the nicer private beaches I've ever been to also. We'd go in there daily to pickup divers and Turtles would go diving for the bottom - it's pretty shallow.

Of all these places - including Bonaire - the only place I came home with dozens of sand flea/fly bites was Roatan - (and Utila) We may have gotten a few bites one night inshore on Bonaire but nothing memorable. Most nights we left the condo doors open if we were there - only A/C in the bedrooms.

 

[RJP]

Bonaire with a beach is called Curacao.

Yup - that'd be my recommendation.

As my non-diving wife says...

Bonaire is where divers go to vacation.
Curacao is where vacationers go to dive.

The Marriott would fit the OP's desires perfectly. (PS - the house reef is an exceedingly short swim from the beach.)

 

[diversteve]

(PS - the house reef is an exceedingly short swim from the beach.)

noted and corrected - thx. I was probably thinking of Hooks nearby.