Where to go first?

[rapanui]

Hello all, my girlfriend and I just finished getting Open Water certified. We did it in anticipation of booking a vacation for early 2025. We don't think we want to go to Bonaire (we heard it was pretty much just dive, dive, dive) but we're considering other places in the Caribbean.

If there's a place you think is excellent for beginners and offers other stuff to do beyond scuba, let me know please. If there's a place you would avoid as a beginner, that is also worthwhile information.

Thanks!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Places that have good diving but also "with other stuff to do beyond scuba" makes it difficult, especially places for beginners. Florida may sound cliche, but the Keys are a classic place for beginners, and it's a pretty interesting area if you have never been there.

I think SB'ers are biased toward places with good diving that may or may not have topside activities as well. There are places like Jamaica that have great topside activities but poor diving. Maybe if you can be more specific about topside activities you can get better responses? For instance, if nature preserves and jungle are your thing, there are islands with that in addition to diving. Or maybe if history and culture are of interest, Belize, and of course Mexico, have Mayan ruins to visit.

Bonaire can be "dive dive dive" if one wants it to be, but the great thing about Bonaire is you are free to plan your days--more so than "dive resorts" where you are on a schedule. You could say, "I don't feel like diving tomorrow. Let's go mangrove kayaking." Or windsurfing. Or drive up to the nature preserve.

@drrich2 , suggestions?

 

[drrich2]

Bonaire (we heard it was pretty much just dive, dive, dive)

They have windsurfing, kite boarding, the park up north to spend a half day driving around, the donkey sanctuary is fun once, exploring the capitol a bit, you can find other things to do.

But if you like the idea of shore diving plus more topside attractions, Curacao.

Curacao Trip Research Notes

Curacao Trip Report with SB Surge Jan. 2019

Many people love Cozumel. It is drift diving, but it's also got excellent visibility, some varied reef structure, occasionally something a little bigger (e.g.: eagle rays, big grouper), and has stuff topside for tourists.

My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip - My Research Notes from Planning Cozumel Trip

Tres Pelicanos & Casa Mexicana, Cozumel Sept. 2018 Report - Tres Pelicanos/Casa Mexican Trip Report Sept. 2018

When you're checking out destinations with topside attractions in mind, one thing that might help is picking popular cruise ports. If cruise ships unload hordes of passengers, there will be entertaining excursions on offer. With that in mind, I'd add Grand Cayman.

How many dives do you want to do? Is this the typical 1 week trip?

 

[BoltSnap]

Curacao!!

You want to go on a dive trip and dive but not dive, dive, dive, dive, dive, eat and sleep??? What's wrong with you?????????

 

[rapanui]

Hi all, thank you for your suggestions. A little clarification:

We're both still feeling the diving life out, specially my GF who deals with anxiety sometimes. I don't want to put any pressure on her to do more diving than she's comfortable with. That's why it would be nice to have other touristy (historical, curiosities, food, dancing, hiking, etc) activities available.

So far, we've considered Turks and Caicos and also St. Lucia. Curacao and Cozumel sound great too.

I'm a big fan of warm water and beautiful beaches.

Also, "drift diving" means we get carried with the current and so does the boat so we don't end where we begin right? Does that add a lot complications or risks?

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

I'll say this.

For a new OW diver, the resort type boats with a dive leader would probably be a good way to get started. Shore diving, unless you've got a buddy that is experienced, or unless you pay a local guide, can be intimidating for new divers.

It took me about a dozen dives off the boat, following the DM like a puppy dog, before I got my bearings. Granted, my OW training was not optimal, and I've seen other classes where new divers had much more grounding than I got.

How much diving do you intend to do? A week? 3 dives a day? 4? 2? Or maybe dive three days and do other stuff on off days? For me, I was diving with a purpose: the focus was to get as much diving experience as I could, as fast as I could, so that meant being on the boat every time it pulled out. The first couple of days induced anxiety, at least a little, every time I jumped in, but by the 3rd or 4th day, I was looking forward to the splash. And by day 7, I was really saddened by the realization that there were only a couple more.

Someplace easier might be better, particularly if your buddy gets anxious. My first outing was AKR on Roatan and I did my AOW on that trip. I found it very useful in getting comfortable in the water. I liked Roatan as it was easy to get to and relatively inexpensive compared to other places. Others rave about Cocoview on the other side of the island. That kind of environment, there or elsewhere, may be suited for new divers.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Many people love Cozumel. It is drift diving, but it's also got excellent visibility, some varied reef structure, occasionally something a little bigger (e.g.: eagle rays, big grouper), and has stuff topside for tourists.

Also, "drift diving" means we get carried with the current and so does the boat so we don't end where we begin right? Does that add a lot complications or risks?

I was reluctant to mention Cozumel, as there are differing opinions on whether it is a good place for a brand-new diver. It's not so much the drift diving itself (which, yes, means you drift along with the boat and get picked up by the boat somewhere along the reef), but rather the strength of the current. Cozumel currents are notoriously unpredictable. One day they could be mild, and the next day they could have drift divers flying along the bottom so fast they can hardly stop to take a look at the reef. As a newer diver in Cozumel, I hadn't yet learned techniques to slow myself down in fast currents, such as streamlining my orientation relative to the current and crouching in the lee side of coral outcroppings, and I exhausted myself trying to stay with the rest of the group. When I went back to Cozumel a few years later, I did much better.

 

[BoltSnap]

Based on my experience as a dive instructor who led many dive trips to the Caribbean for entry level certified students, I'd say stay away from Cozumel. In fact, Curacao is the best place to start. Curacao has excellent easy diving but still has a good size "city" with things to do there. You should use an operation called "Dive Bus" in Curacao for guided shore dives in addition to going on boats with dive-masters as guides. Curacao is the best choice overall. Your GF will be hooked.

 

[ontdiver]

Curacao is a very good match for most of the things you are interested in. It is also an easy place to drive around.

 

[LI-er]

Avoid liveaboards.