Pampered land based dive trip in Caribbean

[Scuba]

Now that we’ve moved to FL, DH and I want to go on a SCUBA trip to the Caribbean for a few weeks. We aren’t interested in considering other regions because FL is so close to the Caribbean and we love the ease of getting there from FL. Our criteria are:
- Minimal gear hauling. We are willing to give up fabulous shore diving as we want a relaxing vacation where we are not hauling around a bunch of gear.
- Land based, not a liveaboard. Prefer somewhere with beautiful beaches with restaurant/cocktail service so we can relax comfortably after diving. Some options of other things to do (kayaking, biking) if we so choose would be nice.
- In contrast to our usual travel style, which is largely AirBnB’s and a lot of DiY, we are both tired after a cross country move, settling MIL into Memory Care last year, and having a wonderful but rather labor intensive trip to Australia for 2 months in 2023. This time we mainly want to relax, we want diving to be super easy, and we want to be on warm beautiful beaches preferably at our accommodations.

We are considering Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Beach Resorts. We’ve been to Grand Cayman but we are looking for something less busy/more relaxed. Another option could be Vieques/Culebra if there are any resorts there with on site dive shops. We’ve been to some private island resorts in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and the BVI. They were great but we’e trying to experience something new. Had considered Curacao/Bonaire but all that shore diving seems like a lot of work to us in our current state.

Any suggestions? Especially from divers?

 

[2017ish]

Little Cayman Beach Resorts was nice (last trip was 2011), but we thought Southern Cross club (2016) was worth the extra cost for being less crowded and for better food. No matter where you go on the sister islands, be wary of the air transfers from Grand. They've apparently deteriorated, and have never been great for divers checking bags. (2016 was our last trip to Little, but we started diving there in the early 90's...)

Have you considered Cozumel? Jeremy at Living Underwater provides top notch concierge diving. Different diving than Little Cayman, slow drift vs. sheer walls, but both are very good for the Caribbean. You can fly direct to Cozumel and can select whichever accommodations you like on the Island. He (by truck) or his crew (via the boat at nearest dock) will pick you up at a variety of places. Once you give him your gear, you have no worries--it'll be returned to you washed and dried the day after your last dive. (And steel tanks!). If you have an undercurrent.org subscription, you can see the reviews....

_________________
E.T.A.--it isn't terribly difficult to get to Cozumel from Cancun Airport, but not relaxing either... Get your bags, walk past the timeshare salesmen to the nearest bus terminal gate on the right; get on Bus to Playa, get off bus in Playa del Carmen after an hour, drag bags a few blocks downhill on cobblestone streets to the ferry, then take ferry to Cozumel.... MUCH easier to fly direct into Cozumel itself.

 

[DrRoy]

I'm not a diver but have heard that there is good diving in Belize.

 

[folivier]

Grand Turk is a nice option. Not sure of resorts but we rented a nice condo that had a car included. Dive ops should be able to store and load your gear.
Bonaire is our favorite, shore diving is easy and there are some ops that have boats.

 

[Koolau]

We're not divers but snorkeled in St. John USVI. No idea about resorts there as we stayed on a cruise ship. St. John's beaches were perhaps the most beautiful we've ever seen though YMMV.

 

[donheff]

I went to Bonnaire decades ago and shore dived. It was a lot of fun. But you can go out on a boat to catch nice dives and stay on land in a hotel. Cozumel also comes to mind for fancy hotels and nearby sites. The keys off Belize, same deal.

 

[GaryInCO]

Cozumel is FAR more crowded and touristy than when we first went there in '89. 4-8 gigantic cruise ships in port 24x7 really changes the character of the place.

I have friends who stay in a fairly fancy place on the south end of the island, and they love it. It's a nice place, great food, and it's much closer to the best dive sites (so shorter boat rides).

Same friends also love staying at Ibagari, on Roatán. Top-notch facility, great food.

I don't have their budget. The last time I went diving, it was just west of Roatán, on Utila. Very cool laid-back little island. Not a luxury destination though.

 

[USGrant1962]

We did Cayman Brac Beach Resort in 2022 and Little Cayman Beach Resort in 2023.

Little Cayman was a little harder to get to with fewer flights but overall was better. The diving and food were better. The rooms were nicer and have refrigerators (Brac does not). It has more of a beach, they have bicycles and kayaks. The pool is very small compared to Brac.

Brac has a much nicer pool and lounging area and a fancier bar that is also a locals hangout. Brac has a nice wreck but you usually go there one day from Little Cayman.

Neither beach was suitable for swimming, they are very shallow.

We would do Little Cayman again, probably not Brac.

 

[donheff]

Cozumel is FAR more crowded and touristy than when we first went there in '89. 4-8 gigantic cruise ships in port 24x7 really changes the character of the place.

I spent a week diving there in 79. You took slow boats from town at 8:00 AM, and were out all day. The coast south of town where the best reefs are had no hotels - you pulled ashore and cooked fish lunch. I understand that is all built up with hotels now.

 

[Scuba]

We did Cayman Brac Beach Resort in 2022 and Little Cayman Beach Resort in 2023.

Little Cayman was a little harder to get to with fewer flights but overall was better. The diving and food were better. The rooms were nicer and have refrigerators (Brac does not). It has more of a beach, they have bicycles and kayaks. The pool is very small compared to Brac.

Brac has a much nicer pool and lounging area and a fancier bar that is also a locals hangout. Brac has a nice wreck but you usually go there one day from Little Cayman.

Neither beach was suitable for swimming, they are very shallow.

We would do Little Cayman again, probably not Brac.

Thanks for the "intel" on these destinations. One thing nice about living in FL is that we can fly out of MIA non-stop to Cayman Brac. Then it's only a 10 minute flight to Little Cayman from there. Going home we have to make 2 stops and go through Grand Cayman, but we'll be on our way home so not so bad. Also we can fly back into TPA which will be closer to home.

 

[Scuba]

Little Cayman Beach Resorts was nice (last trip was 2011), but we thought Southern Cross club (2016) was worth the extra cost for being less crowded and for better food. No matter where you go on the sister islands, be wary of the air transfers from Grand. They've apparently deteriorated, and have never been great for divers checking bags. (2016 was our last trip to Little, but we started diving there in the early 90's...)

Have you considered Cozumel? Jeremy at Living Underwater provides top notch concierge diving. Different diving than Little Cayman, slow drift vs. sheer walls, but both are very good for the Caribbean. You can fly direct to Cozumel and can select whichever accommodations you like on the Island. He (by truck) or his crew (via the boat at nearest dock) will pick you up at a variety of places. Once you give him your gear, you have no worries--it'll be returned to you washed and dried the day after your last dive. (And steel tanks!). If you have an undercurrent.org subscription, you can see the reviews....

_________________
E.T.A.--it isn't terribly difficult to get to Cozumel from Cancun Airport, but not relaxing either... Get your bags, walk past the timeshare salesmen to the nearest bus terminal gate on the right; get on Bus to Playa, get off bus in Playa del Carmen after an hour, drag bags a few blocks downhill on cobblestone streets to the ferry, then take ferry to Cozumel.... MUCH easier to fly direct into Cozumel itself.

Thanks for this info and the suggestion. We have been to Cozumel. Stayed at Scuba Club Cozumel which had a pretty decent dive operation and nice house reef. Trying to go somewhere we've never been this time. We did enjoy the drift diving in Cozumel - and the very cool splendid toadfish!

 

[Scuba]

Thanks everyone for the comments! We have been to Grand Turk, Cozumel, Belize, Bonaire, and the USVI and BVI multiple times. I agree they are all wonderful destinations - just trying to go somewhere new this time. I think we will book the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman resorts and do a two week trip there to check it out. Seems to meet our criteria of easy diving and well-regarded dive operation.

 

[G POP]

Thanks everyone for the comments! We have been to Grand Turk, Cozumel, Belize, Bonaire, and the USVI and BVI multiple times. I agree they are all wonderful destinations - just trying to go somewhere new this time. I think we will book the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman resorts and do a two week trip there to check it out. Seems to meet our criteria of easy diving and well-regarded dive operation.

Roatan is pretty awesome. Did an all-inclusive 7-day dive trip there 2 years ago.

 

[Scuba]

Roatan is pretty awesome. Did an all-inclusive 7-day dive trip there 2 years ago.

We've not dove in Roatan, but we did go to Utila for 2 weeks. It was pretty amazing underwater. Topside we could have done without the no-see-ums.

 

[folivier]

Second vote for Roatan, haven't been in many years but have been to Anthony's Key and Fantasy Island and both were very good diving. But yeah the no-see-ums are bad.

 

[5Miler]

Thanks everyone for the comments! We have been to Grand Turk, Cozumel, Belize, Bonaire, and the USVI and BVI multiple times. I agree they are all wonderful destinations - just trying to go somewhere new this time. I think we will book the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman resorts and do a two week trip there to check it out. Seems to meet our criteria of easy diving and well-regarded dive operation.

DGF and I have been to most of the same destinations although our annual treat is spending time on Bonaire. The most pristine dive location we have seen in the Caribbean is Dominica. They were just starting to build up some dive operations there after the notoriety they received from first two Pirates of the Caribbean movies when hurricane Maria (I believe it was Maria) knocked most out of the area. Compared to Dominica, most of the other dive locations we have been to in the Caribbean are noticeably dive worn. We have not stayed on the island but we have dove there multiple times via cruise ship only.

Our favorite dive resorts are Scuba Club Cozumel and Buddy Dive Bonaire. Neither offer a real beach experience.

 

[fosterscik]

Second vote for Roatan, haven't been in many years but have been to Anthony's Key and Fantasy Island and both were very good diving. But yeah the no-see-ums are bad.

We've been to Roatan several times. But only at Turquoise bay resort (north shore) and CoCoView (south shore). We're big fans and will be at Cocoview in May. Cocoview is essentially fairly basic with very little to do other than dive but food is good and cabins are very comfortable. Willy the bartender mixes really good drinks . Turquoise Bay is a bit more upscale, has a small, but nice pool. Good food and bar. Good dive lockers.

We prefer the family atmosphere at cocoview. They have fabulous dive boats (with center of the bottom ladder through a trapdoor access so you can easily dive when the weather is quite rough). They run a concierge service - tanks are loaded on the boats and regs attached for you for each dive. Equipment is rinsed and stored for you in the dive lockers overnight. So very little effort unless you want to shore dive.

FYI - I've yet to be bothered by no-see-ums there. Maybe I've just been lucky but there's always been nice breezes when we've been there and perhaps that's dispersed them for us.

 

[erkevin]

I 2nd the Cayman Islands. Wall diving is extraordinary and the shore diving is also very good. Service and food is also excellent, although not inexpensive.

 

[G POP]

They have fabulous dive boats (with center of the bottom ladder through a trapdoor access so you can easily dive when the weather is quite rough). They run a concierge service - tanks are loaded on the boats and regs attached for you for each dive. Equipment is rinsed and stored for you in the dive lockers overnight. So very little effort unless you want to shore dive.

That boat sounds awesome.

We stayed at Mayan Princess. Loved the concierge. Always check your own air though. On my third dive I found (while under) that my valve wasn't all the way open. After that they still set me up but I always triple checked my valve.

No c ems were not a problem. Much better than the state bird mosquito's in Minnesota.

 

[erkevin]

That boat sounds awesome.

We stayed at Mayan Princess. Loved the concierge. Always check your own air though. On my third dive I found (while under) that my valve wasn't all the way open. After that they still set me up but I always triple checked my valve.

No c ems were not a problem. Much better than the state bird mosquito's in Minnesota.

Back in the day, turning back your valve was taught and practiced by all: https://www.girlsthatscuba.com/quarter-back-turn-scuba-tank/

I did OW1 in the 80's

 

[G POP]

Back in the day, turning back your valve was taught and practiced by all: https://www.girlsthatscuba.com/quarter-back-turn-scuba-tank/

I did OW1 in the 80's

The new way (I'm hearing) is to not back it off like we were all taught in the early 90's.

 

[erkevin]

The new way (I'm hearing) is to not back it off like we were all taught in the early 90's.

That is correct; cylindar valves have improved and no longer require the 1/4 turn. However, I am sure a lot of diving locations still use old cylindars and old valves.

 

[folivier]

Learned the valve thing too, I also remember J-valves and to make sure the reserve valve was up before your dive. Yeah I'm that old. I started diving before bc's and pressure gauges were readily available.

 

[G POP]

Learned the valve thing too, I also remember J-valves and to make sure the reserve valve was up before your dive. Yeah I'm that old. I started diving before bc's and pressure gauges were readily available.

So glad the weight belts are gone.

Hey, my 1500th post. Do I get a prize? Mods: "No. You are lucky we haven't kicked you out"

 

[2017ish]

So glad the weight belts are gone.

...

DW is in your camp; she loves the integrated weights. Me, I still prefer the belt, but I'm definitely in a shrinking minority!