Where To From the Midwest? ... with a twist.

[Rebaboone]

Like a lot of other threads I am looking for destination advice. However this one has a bit of a twist.

Like all the rest I and my SI want a great dive destination with clear, warm water great marine life and a moderate cost. We would like to dive most if not every morning, stay between five days and a week, and have a few topside options. We are non-drinkers so All-Inclusive is not a big issue. So far your typical question. Right?

Here is the twist

I would like a place that I could sunbathe or snorkel sans shirt in the afternoons without any objections from either the locals or fellow vacationers. Fully nude beaches are not required since I am unlikely to excercise that option in any case.

Belle

 

[robint]

Like a lot of other threads I am looking for destination advice. However this one has a bit of a twist.

Like all the rest I and my SI want a great dive destination with clear, warm water great marine life and a moderate cost. We would like to dive most if not every morning, stay between five days and a week, and have a few topside options. We are non-drinkers so All-Inclusive is not a big issue. So far your typical question. Right?

Here is the twist

I would like a place that I could sunbathe or snorkel sans shirt in the afternoons without any objections from either the locals or fellow vacationers. Fully nude beaches are not required since I am unlikely to excercise that option in any case.

Belle

Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Mexico has a huge European population and it is common there to sunbathe topless. Normally, Mexico it is not acceptable, but there they let the guests do it without issues.
I have heard of topless sunbathers on some beaches in Bonaire, NA as there are many European guests there, also. There is also a nude beach over on the east side of the island. I would guess that any other Netherlands Antilles islands would be the same.

 

[KBeck]

Of the Caribbean locales I've been to, it was very common to see topless sunbathing in St. Maarten. Bonaire does have resorts that it wouldn't be questioned. I was not in Aruba or Curacao for long enough to be certain, but I would guess that it would be reasonable as well.

I have not been to Mexico, so I can't add comment to that.

As another non-Caribbean locale, South Florida would give you options. Certainly, the farther south you go in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, it's certainly more common as well. And I certainly enjoy the diving here!

 

[DeputyDan]

Bonaire
meets all your needs

Look at Sorobon as a possible place to stay.

Sorobon Beach Resort | sorobon | beach | resort | nudist | bonaire | belnem | antilles | antillen | maxima | willem | alexander | paradise | diving | duiken | klein | turtles | fishes


I have stayed at the Belmar and at Den Laman and both had topless sun bathers - no issues.

I have also stayed at Buddy Dive - did not see topless sun bathers at that resort. Don't know if they discourage it or not.

 

[Rebaboone]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

We went to Saint Martin a while back. Topside was OK, but the diving was uninspiring at best. Saba however was a totally different story, being rivaled only by Cozumel in our experience. However, the two island deal really ran up the cost.

Can anyone tell me how Playa del Carmen-Riviera Maya diving compares with Cozumel?

Anyone have experience diving in Aruba?

How do the Bahamas rate for both cost & diving?

Any specific recommendations in South Florida? We were in Key Largo once - Nice diving but didn't see much in the way of beaches or areas where you could snorkel from the shore, regardless of apparel.

As for Bonaire, we haven't been able to locate very good fares through Atlanta, but we will keep watching.

 

[DeputyDan]

As far as I know the only fare through Atlanta to Bonaire is the Delta flight on Saturday.
Continental flys through Newark on Firday night and Houston on Saturday night.
You could also fly to Curacao or Aruba and take a local carrier to Bonaire. We have used the DIVI DIVI to go to Bonaire from Curacao

see link http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/abc-islands/245635-flying-divi-divi-airlines.html

 

[robint]

IMHO, Bonaire diving is head and shoulders above Cozumel and worth the extra $$$ airfare. PDC ocean diving isn't quite as good as Coz, but you can take the ferry over and dive Coz a couple of days if you want. The cenotes are there in PDC area though and those are very unique and exciting. Given the choice between those places, I would go to Bonaire.
I have videos of Bonaire: Bonaire on Vimeo

 

[Rebaboone]

Fantastic Videos Robin. Wish we were there now.

 

[crunch35]

I just got back from freeport bahamas, topside sucked, just taco bells an kfc,little to see. the people were as nice as any i have seen. diving was cheap but everything else was expensive. shark and wreck diving was incredible.