Vacation + SCUBA, what would you pick?

[Josh]

So here are your options:

Aruba
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico
Brazil (this is a stretch, but I am pushing for it!)

What would you pick for 6 days and 2 days worth of scuba?

Any ideas for where to stay or what to do?

-Josh

 

[bad coffee]

Belieze.

Not that I dive but friends have raved about it.

Out of your list I think Brazil would rock. But I'd want more than a week there!
B

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Josh I have only been to aruba and only snorkled there but it was nice I don't know how to describe it anyother way cause I am a complete novice and I was on my honeymoon at the time.

 

[ellebelle]

Dominican Republic is similar to Puerto Rico and less touristy and cheaper. So, between the two of those, I'd go that route. I've never been to Brazil or Aruba, so I can't speak from experience about either of those. If you're willing to expand your list of possibilities, I would recommend Costa Rica. Costa Rica is FABULOUS to vacation in, absolutely beautiful - if you want to travel the road well travelled, you can stay on the Pacific Coast. If you want something less touristy, you can do the Carribbean Coast (which is a little more difficult to get to and fewer big resorts).

I've also heard the diving is amazing in Nicaragua and the nice hotels are cheap cheap cheap if you want to be really adventurous. Several of my friends do research there, so if you ever decide to go that route LMK and I can give you some very precise suggestions of places to stay, etc.

 

[Josh]

Brett, we lived in Belize for a month, so no go there, already done that.

And we went to Costa Rica 2 years ago so thats not an option either. Just the destinations I listed please as we have some non divers with us who need nice beaches and all that crap to keep them entertained . Suckas.

 

[Josh]

FYI, my main problem with Brazil is cold water diving, aside from that its a great vacation. But not much coral and the dive spots are very far from the beach areas (Rio, Sao Paolo). Good shark waters though.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Well for the nn divers Arubas beaches are great

 

[tosiek]

Did some deep snorkling in puerto rico this summer, nothing too special. The guide said there isn't much in reef diving there thats actually worth making a trip for. And the all inclusive resort (there's only one) in PR is meh at best. Beautiful hotel with a casino but crappy entertainment. beach is very very small. The hotels up north are alot better but you gotto make a trip to the beach from alot of the city hotels.

Did some guided scuba in dominican but only seen fish. The beaches are great and the resorts are nice but that was about 8 years ago or so. I still hear good things about it =0) And i hear they have descent scuba too if you wanna go deep.

Aruba = shopping, so if you don't want to spend half your time watching your wife in a outlet store.... =0) my parents just went there 2 years ago and weren't too thrilled, cept my mom who went shopping the whole trip.

Depends on what your looking for, all inclusive or the other choice.

I would say to push for brazil but we know your not too thrilled about it because of the scuba.

 

[Josh]

Did some deep snorkling in puerto rico, nothing too special. The guide said there isn't much in reef diving there thats actually worth making a trip for.

And the all inclusive resort (there's only one) in PR is meh at best.

Thats what I heard, so DR or Aruba is it, trying to upsell to Brasil. Samba!

 

[tosiek]

go to bed josh =0) its 3:30

 

[Josh]

go to bed josh =0) its 3:30

Its early morning, I am getting on the elliptical for a 5 mile run.

 

[digitalreefer]

I'd personally try for Brazil... I think my buddy is doing his drysuit class soon... maybe you could join him... cold water diving is warm and toasty in a drysuit. I've done as low as 38 degrees in one.

 

[scumonkey]

I'm an advanced deepwater NAUI diver. I have dived all over the Carib (as well as the world). Your choices leave a little to be desired for the diver....
Forget PR-Diving is well off shore and all dives nshould be booked well in advance- but a fantastic island. If you do go to PR, look for diving on the west side of the island.
Dominican Repub- the sea has been over harvested here...if ya know what I mean?!
Aruba is a great place to have fun but the diving is marginal,However-
It's just a puddle jumper away from Bonaire's world class diving (but not much else to do on that island). I have not personally been to Brazil yet
but would imagine you'd really have to do your homework before booking-sounds like fun though?!
I know you said you wanted to stick with your list but also consider these...
Grand Cayman-fine diving and lots to do topside (can be expensive)!
Cozumel-Superior diving and tons to do top side!(fairly inexpensive)!!
Sounds like a fun time!!!

 

[digitalreefer]

I'm an advanced deepwater NAUI diver. I have dived all over the Carib (as well as the world).

Do any local diving? I've probably seen you on the Jeanne II if you have.

 

[scumonkey]

Only local diving has been in the rockaways + some north shore diving (me hates the cold water and low vis).Ohh yeah....and the pool on 57th street:lol_large

 

[DEEPWATER]

Grand Cayman-fine diving and lots to do topside (can be expensive)!

agreed ,this is a great place for a vaction and diving ,i was ther not long ago ,Im not a diver but i did lots of snokling ,and it was amazing ,getting up in the morning was fun to walk the beah ,you actullay saw lots of fish along the shore ,there is also a trip you can trip in the caymen taht allows you to go swimming with sting rays ,I know i know,ppl have been going diving with these rays for years ,i swam and held these monsters(180lbs ray) in my hands (in water ofcourse)you can feed them too and if i remember there is a submarine that takes you to see the reefs as well ,some go as far as 1000 ft deep

worht every penny ,well dollar really

 

[DEEPWATER]

here is a birds eye view of the Island .waters are blue and clear ...you are your wife will have a great time ,trust me

 

[fritz]

DR sucks, it's a great place to go with friends, get drunk, meet some hoochie and wake up in a bathtub of ice missing a kidney, but not a good place to dive.

On this side of the planet you have only two options:

1. Cozumel
2. Playa del Carmen

Both are in Mexico so call your travel agent and change your plans. Cozumel is really cheap it's an island (reef with land in the middle really) just off the coast of Cancun. It's the best diving on the east coast of the western hemisphere. The entire island is a coral reef, it doesn't matter where you stay the diving is great. I'm not kidding when I say it's a coral island, there's no beach. There are pits of sand where you can enter the reef but you have to lay down in them and pull yourself out on your stomach. There is a small shelf around the resorts but it gets deep quick and when you turn around you'll see the cliff face covered with animals. No place like it,

I stayed at the Fiesta Dive Resort which I highly recommend. If you stay there get one of the jungle huts. You have a view of the rain forest and you're right next to the "beach." If you leave your fruit basket in front of your door each morning you get a large iguana as a door man.

 

[ellebelle]

On this side of the planet you have only two options:

1. Cozumel
2. Playa del Carmen

Well, that depends on what you're looking for. If you want warm water reef type diving, then perhaps (although there is some nice warm water diving off the coast of Baja Mexico at places like Cabo and La Paz). But there is some of the best shore diving in the world off the coast of Monterey in California where all of the kelp forests are. It's a lot of "cold water reefs" and plenty of life.

Josh, make sure to be aware in Sao Paulo. I've not been there myself, but a couple of my friends have said that the crime problems there are on par with Johannesburg and Nairobi. Not a problem if you're aware of what's going on around you, of course.

Wherever you decide to go, have fun!

 

[digitalreefer]

On this side of the planet you have only two options:
1. Cozumel
2. Playa del Carmen

Fred... strap on 2 steel 130s, throw a drysuit on, fill your tanks with some helium and I'll prove you wrong! We've got some of the best wreck diving on the planet right off the Long Island shore!