Where to Go for a Honeymoon?

[medic_diver45]

Here's the deal: My fiancee and I are getting married- the date is still up in the air, but it will probably be sometime next summer or fall (Currently the date is set tentatively for 15 October 2005- but this could change due to logistics issues).

The one thing we really have left to decide is the honeymoon location: since I have an obvious interest in diving (and I'm trying to convince her that if she's willing to suck air from a tank on her back while crawling around in a burning building (we're both volunteer firefighters) she should try scuba diving- I think she's at least willing to get her OW cert sometime before we leave) I am looking into honeymoon locations that have good diving.

A few stipulations:
-Good wreck diving- I've got a definite interest in them.
-Reputable dive shop(s)
-Good diving within the range of an OW diver (I'll probably be an AOW diver with a fair amount of experience by the time this all rolls around, but I want somethings that will keep Jennifer's attention).
-NOT CROWDED (One of Jennifer's demands)- she doesn't want somewhere that's going to be crawling with people; she's probably going to be a nervous wreck by the time this is all over with and will probably strangle anyone who pesters her.
-As cheap as possible (we're "broke a-- college students" who can't blow more than $3000 on a honeymoon; the total budget for everything else is only somewhere around $6K- thank God wedding stuff is cheap around here)-

ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS? More importantly, would anyone like to contribute to the "Send Steve and Jen Somewhere Nice and Secluded on Their Honeymoon Fund"?

 

[SDNetGeek]

Here's the deal: My fiancee and I are getting married- the date is still up in the air, but it will probably be sometime next summer or fall (Currently the date is set tentatively for 15 October 2005- but this could change due to logistics issues).

The one thing we really have left to decide is the honeymoon location: since I have an obvious interest in diving (and I'm trying to convince her that if she's willing to suck air from a tank on her back while crawling around in a burning building (we're both volunteer firefighters) she should try scuba diving- I think she's at least willing to get her OW cert sometime before we leave) I am looking into honeymoon locations that have good diving.

A few stipulations:
-Good wreck diving- I've got a definite interest in them.
-Reputable dive shop(s)
-Good diving within the range of an OW diver (I'll probably be an AOW diver with a fair amount of experience by the time this all rolls around, but I want somethings that will keep Jennifer's attention).
-NOT CROWDED (One of Jennifer's demands)- she doesn't want somewhere that's going to be crawling with people; she's probably going to be a nervous wreck by the time this is all over with and will probably strangle anyone who pesters her.
-As cheap as possible (we're "broke a-- college students" who can't blow more than $3000 on a honeymoon; the total budget for everything else is only somewhere around $6K- thank God wedding stuff is cheap around here)-

ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS? More importantly, would anyone like to contribute to the "Send Steve and Jen Somewhere Nice and Secluded on Their Honeymoon Fund"?

Howdy, Medic_diver45! I'd seen one of your other posts, I am a former FF/EMT myself (about 20 years ago), so good to meet ya!

I do have an idea, it is where my wife and I spent our honeymoon in May 1999 - at DiveDiveDive Ltd. on New Providence (Nassau), Bahamas. They are in Coral Harbor, on the "diving" side of the island, where there are several good, and famous, wrecks. One is the "James Bond" wreck, the Vulcan bomber sunk for "Thunderball;" the Willaurie, a 150ft freighter in about 55ft, a Cessna airplane, and a couple others - check their website http://www.divedivedive.com. The folks are very nice, captains & DMs are excellent, and the price is right - kitchenette villas (they'll take you to the grocery if you don't rent a car), price includes 2 AM tanks plus the 2 PM tanks if there's room (there was room 3 of 5 days for us). Also offer night and shark dives, my wife had under 15 dives when we went and she loved it. (If Jennifer can handle a ScottPack in a structure fire, heck she should LOVE night diving - same thing but cooler!) We had the place completely to ourselves for 4 nights, a big group had cancelled. I understand you can ride with their van which comes from Nassau proper to bring divers from the city hotels AM and PM, they also rented us their "extra" car, a 1970-something Mercedes, $20/night worked for me for 2 nights. It's a bit remote - if you don't want to cook, there are 1 or 2 "local" restaurants but even the corner store is a fair walk (1 mile?).

If you don't want to cook or don't want to be that remote, stay in any hotel in Nassau, Paradise Island or Cable Beach and their shuttle will pick you up and bring you back. We had fun in Nassau, I like to play blackjack and craps (several casinos), lots of restaurants, shopping, etc. We recently went to Cozumel and when TS Earl looked threatening, we almost switched to DDD.

I am also considering them for our hopefully-annual group dive trip (took the wife and 6 others to CZM) next year. If you want more info drop me a PM, I'll give you my email and or landline#. And Best Wishes to you both.

 

[SDNetGeek]

...Love your signature!

 

[medic_diver45]

Thanks for the info....I'll definitely have to look into that place.

 

[bubblesdame]

Hi Steve & Jen

Take a look at Utila for your honeymoon for $3000 including air fares you can get a very nice honeymoon. Take a look at www.deepblueutila.com they have a lovely resort with good all inclusive pricing and the time of year you are looking at is low season. I would suggest you contact Steve & Jasmine who are the owners and are really nice people and they may even be willing to do you a deal for your honeymoon (worth a try). It certainly meets most your criteria except there is only 1 large wreck dive.
-Good wreck diving- I've got a definite interest in them.
-Reputable dive shop(s)
-Good diving within the range of an OW diver (I'll -NOT CROWDED (One of Jennifer's demands]

 

[Mako Mark]

Go to Bali if you can, it is the most romantic island in the world and the diving is awesome.

 

[caymaniac]

You can usually get the $777.each on the Brac, in the fall of course, next year is an unknown but generally speaking. Maybe spend a few days on Grand Cayman, go to Sting Ray City then on to the Brac. Wrecks are: the Russian wreck (destroyer 777), and two other wrecks that I cant remember the names of, ones at East Chute and the other is at a real shallow site.

Congrats,
Caymaniac

 

[AggieDiver]

The wreck at East Chute is the Cayman Mariner. It is about as much of a wreck as most quarries have for divers to look at on their first check out dives. It is nicely encrusted, but isn't much to explore. I do like East Chute though...the sandy area inshore of the wreck itself has a couple of coral ridges that we found a lot of cool stuff in, not to mention rays and peacock flounder in the sand flats. I definately agree with the advice to get to Little Cayman as many times as they let you. If asked, Randy's Gazebo, Marilyns Cut/Hole in the wall, and Meadows are all really nice LC sites.

 

[medic_diver45]

Thanks for all the advice....keep it coming, we're always interested in hearing all the ideas we can. So far we have liked everywhere we have looked at.