Snorkeling vacation ideas

[Imbarrie]

SIReefer, Sandals in Turks and Caicos is right on Grace Bay. Dive Provo is a great outfit and they have a shuttle. If you can change your location you might consider there. I like T&C. Im sure just getting wet will be fine in Jam. If you are planning a trip to dive or snorkel as your primary activity then I would pass on it.

I went to St Croix for a week to get wet in preparation for a South Pacific dive trip. I liked the island and the people I dived with at Dive Experience. The owner is in the diving hall of fame. A little on the conservative side so would be good for starting out. You might want to look into that?

 

[SIReefer]

Imbarrie, I already booked for Jamaica. Got a good pkg deal. I'm not going for the diving but I'll get a few in while there. Next year I'll be going to Australia for 2 wks & will be doing a liveaboard for 3-4 days. Looking forward to that.

 

[Imbarrie]

Nice, I have friends that dive Oz on live aboards. They love it. Watch out for box jellies and blue rings.

My favorite place is in the Exuma Sound. Plenty of hollow wall diving with swim throughs and some blue holes that I found. And some out of the way bars and empty Cays with no people around.

 

[SIReefer]

Imbarrie, Not to skew this thread but I heard a few bad things about liveaboards in the GBR, specifically safety records. Anyone you would recommend?

 

[jaa1456]

Imbarrie that sums it up, don't take this the wrong way but you were working with a cruise ship line and the cruise ships don't even come anywhere near the Breezes location nor do they even dive or snorkel that location. Breezes has private American instructors not Jamican hired help. I dove all the islands you mentioned plus more, And I went on 2 cruises and I must say they are horrible for dives and snorkel excursions. Only Grand Cayman had an actual reef present. That was through Royal Carribean.

 

[ereefer]

I would agree with Imberrie on Beachs/Sandels, but I also went to the Turks and Cacios and stayed to Beches on one trip, and Club Med on he other. Club Med by far has the best snorkling program. They take you out 2x's/day to the prime reefs, and the best part it's included with your stay!!! Me and my wife went for a long weekend, and never went to the same reef twice. And if your traveling wiht out children, this is a adults only resort. I also have been to Jamacia and would not recommend it to anyone.

 

[jaa1456]

I have been to several Club meds and they are all ran differently. I also visited a Sandals in Jamica that was complete garbage. Just as a Breezes in the Bahamas that I visted was garbage as well. If you want the ultimate dive and snorkel trip just go to Australlia. If you are looking for closer just dive trips and you do not care abouth the rest of the resort and what it has to offer then try Grand Cayman or any of the ABC islands. Aruba is the worst for diving out of the 3 and the island looks like crap.

 

[Imbarrie]

Yea cruise ships get a really bad reputation. Their excursions need to accommodate so many different types of people that they often fail to meet even average expectations. I like dives that challenge my experience level. Strip reefs in 40 feet is what I used to freedive.

I also used to crew 65 foot liveaboards around the Bahamas and Caribbean. They are a lot more fun for diving. I have a well rounded view of the average recreational diver.

The best guides to live aboards are online. Try google reviews. If you have time there is a dive expo called Beneath the Sea. All the major players in the dive industry will be there. Its coming up soon in the Meadowlands. You can meet some of the staff and ask questions personally. I would highly recommend going if you are unsure about who you want to dive with.
Whenever I go on dive boats now, I always make sure they know who I am. Either by being really helpful or being really noticeable. Its easy for me to stand out. I figure when they are doing the head count they will notice if they dont see me.
Most boats use a tag system or count tanks to prevent leaving someone. You can also agree with another buddy team that you will look for each other or each others gear after every dive. Its a good back up.

My friends always dived with Nimrod Explorer. Queer name but they kept going back. Their company dives all over the Caribbean and I was on the Caribbean Explorer out of T&C.
Overall a good experience.