I have now stayed at TBR twice and was very pleased with the resort. The grounds are beautiful. The pool is perfect to relax in after diving. The food is very good and plentiful. This time, I was a solo traveler, and they were able to not only waive the single supplement but also upgrade me to an oceanfront room at no additional cost! They also provide some entertainment for a few nights of the week. Will stay here again.
Friends recommended Casa del Mar after an enjoyable experience there. I was traveling with non-diving family and friends and wanted a location not too far from town, where they could take advantage of the amenities a resort has to offer. We stayed in ocean view rooms on the second floor. The rooms are comfortable with standard A/C, TV, mini-fridge, balcony, and safe. We had a king-size bed with deluxe bedding, upgraded towels, and 2 complimentary bottles of water each day. Free wifi is provided in all rooms. They also provide racks for dive gear. The rooms are kept spotless and the grounds and pool are immaculate. We ate several meals at the Coral Reef Restaurant and found the menu to be diverse and the food delicious. We also enjoyed the pool bar, jacuzzi, and a game room. The entire staff was friendly and tried to accommodate all our requests.
Diving is offered through one of three associated dive shops. We chose Cozumel Marine World because of their small groups, long dives, and grouping of divers by experience level. They are a professional operation and took us to our favorite dive sites.
Bottom line: Casa del Mar is the type of resort that offers all the amenities that both divers and non-divers can enjoy. It met all our expectations and we would return again.
We traveled to Maui in September as two couples; two divers and two non-divers. We rented a 2 bedroom condo outside of Lahaina and drove there in a rental car we picked up at the airport. After chilling by the pool for a day, we decided to do some scuba diving. We reserved 3 days at a dive shop in downtown Lahaina, walking distance from the boat. We customized our dive package and chose the Molokini Backwall dive the first day. The diver operator provided a light breakfast before we headed down to the dock. It's a drift dive on a near-vertical wall on the back side of the submerged Molokini volcano crater. We drifted between 70 and 90 feet deep while watching the beautiful fish on the wall side. Many of these fish are endemic to Hawaii and found nowhere else in the world. About 20 minutes into the dive, we were surprised to see a pod of dolphins swim past in the blue water. Toward the end of the dive, we spotted a whitetip reef shark. During the surface interval, we ate the included lunch and the boat was moved to the corner of the crater. We started this drift dive just outside and made our way to the inside of the crater. This area has fantastic hard corals and we saw lots of fish, a moray, and a large ray. The water here was very warm and clear. There were a lot of snorkelers above us and we were able to wave to each other. Cookies were served on the ride back. These were two enjoyable dives.
Day two was the Hammerhead trip to Molokai. After a boat trip of about 1 hour, we did our first drift dive looking for scalloped hammerheads. About 25 minutes into the dive, we spotted several. It was exciting to see them, but we were hoping to see a larger congregation. Beggars can't be choosers and seeing even one Hammerhead is a thrill. After lunch, we made a second dive which was very much like the first one. We did see a small group of hammers and enjoyed the show. Once the diving was done, the weather was so perfect, the boat crew went out of their way to cruise around the island so we could see parts that divers and tourists rarely see. Even the crew was excited to be cruising these parts of the island under such pristine weather and ocean conditions. Breakfast, lunch, and cookies were included again.
Day three was a 3 tank safari to the far side of Lanai. This trip included three drift dives on sites less frequently visited than regular trips. The underwater topography is beautiful with really diverse reefs, sheer walls, and some swim-throughs. These were excellent dives where we spotted dolphins, whitetips, turtles, and tons of colorful reef fish. The captain decided to continue around the island instead of returning the way we came. As we started to turn the corner for the crossing back to Lanai, it was obvious the wind had come up and it was too rough to continue. We eventually turned around and went back the way we came. It was a rough ride and my buddy was seasick the whole ride back. Bummer for him! The same meals included, but I'm sure he wished he hadn't eaten at all.
The rest of the trip was spent on the topside with our wives. We drove the road to Hana, stopping along the way to visit some waterfalls, hike in a bamboo forest, and once we got to Hana, we spent time at the seven sacred pools. On other days we found some excellent snorkeling beaches and did some sunbathing. We found some really good restaurants and had fun shopping for souvenirs.
Bottom line: Maui is a place for sun, fun, and great diving. No passport required for US citizens. Be sure to have shave ice in Lanai with all the extras. You won't be disappointed.
I visited the Cayman Islands for a 16 day dive trip in January. On Little Cayman, we chose to stay at the Little Cayman Beach Resort. Reef Divers is the on-site dive operation there. Their custom Newton dive boats leave the dock each morning for a 2 tank dive and again in the afternoon for a third dive. The service here is truely valet diving. The staff and crew load your gear on the boat, set it up, change it over to the second tank, unload it at the end of the day, rinse and clean it, and store it overnight to dry and be ready for the next day. On the boat, they go so far as to have you sit on a bench at the aft, bring your gear to you, assist you to get it on, and then you stand to do a giant stride into the water. No waddling around on deck with your gear on!
They have a large selection of rental gear and offer instruction. The staff is very professional and especially knowledgeable about diving in general, with Little Cayman and Bloody Bay Wall their specialty.
Most of the diving is done at sites along Bloody Bay Wall. It's no wonder it is listed on almost every top 10 list of best dive spots. The diving is phenomenal! The wall is home to many groupers that may follow you throughout the dive, often coming very close, and sometimes rubbing against you.
I just can't say enough about how great this dive operation is. Will return again!
I have traveled to the Cayman islands many times. I’ve been to Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. I've stayed at hotels and used independent dive operators and I have stayed at dive resorts with on-site dive operations.
On Grand Cayman, I stayed at hotels on the west end along Seven Mile beach. From these locations, I was able to dive the west end and also the North Wall. The Seven Mile Beach area and the main city, Georgetown, are very developed with large hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, etc. Cruise ships visit here, so expect everything you would find in most international cruise ship ports. This is also where you will board your liveaboard. This area is an international tourist destination and can be crowded.
If you want to escape the crowds of cruise ship passengers, the East End is the place to go. I have stayed there several times at a dive resort with on-site dive operation. No crowds. Great diving. Wonderful restaurants nearby. Everything most divers want. Don't forget to visit Stingray City before leaving Grand Cayman. Most dive operators will take you there. I thought it might be too “touristy”, but it was a lot of fun.
If you want to go a little more remote, try Little Cayman. This island is very small and there is little to do, other than dive. No worries, the diving is world class on Bloody Bay Wall. I stayed at an all inclusive where the food was exceptional, prepared by a world class chef. Boat rides were no longer than 15 minutes, with most being around 5 minutes. The non-divers with us were content to lounge by the pool, visit the spa, ride bikes, and go for walks. Everything here is very low key and there is a small local population.
You will find the Cayman Islands to be very diverse, from quiet Little Cayman, to bustling Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. From 5 star restaurants to fish frys at the local gas station. From Rolex watches to Caymanite earrings to a shell necklace. This is really a divers paradise.
I’ve been to Kona three times, and each time we’ve stayed at a beachfront condo just south of Kailua-Kona, the main town on the west side of the island. Hotels are also available, but we find the convenience of a condo to be much better. There are many to choose from. The ones we’ve stayed at were walking distance to restaurants, bars, and stores. We rented a car so we could have the flexibility of doing some exploring and getting to the dive boat each day.
For the non-divers with us, there were plenty of things to do, including hiking, snorkeling, visiting beautiful beaches, and shopping. Many beaches are within a short drive from Kailua, where the snorkeling is easy, in shallow water, and lots of fish are easily spotted. Several of these beaches have restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and barbeque grills. Hawaiian green turtles are plentiful here and are frequently seen while diving, snorkeling, and on the beaches. We've even seen them lazing right in front of our condo. Kona is also one of the places where you can see the endangered Hawaiian Monk seal. We saw them several times during our visits.
The diving here is mostly by boat to reach the top sites. On the boat ride, you're likely to see Spinner dolphins performing acrobatic maneuvers while leaping out of the water. Since Hawaii is so remote, there are many endemic species that are not found anywhere else in the world. About 20% of the fish here are only found in Hawaii. The topography tends to be a sloping reef, so you can start your dives deep and shallow up, finishing in shallow water where you might find lava tubes, arches, and craters. The visibility is often 80-100 feet. We frequently made 90-minute dives because of the shallow depths, but didn’t sacrifice seeing fantastic sea life for the extended time. Kona is also a place where you have an excellent chance to see Tiger sharks. We saw tigers on two different occasions. If you're lucky, you may see dolphins on your dives and hear humpback whales singing in the distance.
Two of the world's best night dives are offered here; the world famous Kona manta ray night dive, and black water diving, that one of the dive operators calls “Pelagic Magic”. Before we did the manta ray night dive the first time, I thought it might be very commercial and touristy, attracting large crowds. That scenario is somewhat true, but the opportunity to interact with a dozen or more of these large, magnificent animals is worth it. Divers sit stationary in a circle on the bottom, shining their dive lights upward to form a column of light that attracts plankton for the mantas to feed on. They come swooping in to feed and we had to duck our heads several times they came so close. This is an exhilarating and enjoyable dive not to be missed and only found in Kona. The black water dives are conducted far offshore, in deep open water, in total darkness. They are done to see planktonic creatures (many of them fish or other animals in their larval, or juvenile stage of life) that ride the ocean currents. This is very exciting, but not for the faint of heart.
Lastly, if you have time and a car, a drive to the east side of the island near Hilo is a good diversion. You can visit Volcanos National Park where you can see two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Bottom line: Kona is a great place to visit for the tropical island experience, world class diving, a warm and welcoming population, and fun topside activities. Everyone speaks English, you don't need a passport, and the currency is the US dollar; all of this without leaving the U.S. Tip: Don't forget to try shave ice for a delicious sweet treat.
Why dive in Hawaii? Warm water, awesome visibility, endemic fish (species found only in Hawaii), lava tubes, mantas, hammerheads, tiger sharks, Hawaiian Monk Seals, turtles, turtles, turtles, volcanoes (yes, you can dive one), beautiful lush scenery with waterfalls, pristine beaches, fantastic food, etc. Have I piqued your interest? I had to stop because the list is too long!
From my own experience, I have traveled to the islands of Hawaii (the “Big Island"), Maui, and Oahu. I have been diving in Kona (the Big Island), Maui, Molokini Crater, Molokai, Lanai.
On the Big Island, the diving is centered along the Kona coast. I found the diving we did was along sloping reefs with myriads of colorful fish. We usually started the dives deeper looking for specific, rare, fish and then shallowing up to complete the dives. We generally stayed pretty shallow to find most of the best sea life and dive through the lava tubes. This allowed us to make 90 minute dives the entire week. During our dives, we spotted a Hawaiian Monk seal (endangered and rare) and a tiger shark that had been hanging out in the area. Kona also has a world famous night manta dive. It's an opportunity to see perhaps a dozen or so mantas up close and personal.
On Maui, there’s a chance to dive several nearby islands. Just off shore from Maui is Molokini Crater, a crescent-shaped, partially submerged, volcanic crater that juts vertically 161 feet out of the ocean. Diving can be done either inside the crater or on the outside of the crater wall. It seems that snorkelers mostly do the inside. We dove the back wall. Really nice vertical wall diving with lots of fish and turtles.
Dive boats leaving from Lahaina Harbor on Maui are able to cross the Pailolo Channel and take you to an area just off the coast of Molokai which is famous for Hammerhead sharks. This trip is for advanced divers with iron stomachs. The crossing can be very rough due to strong wind and waves. The diving is all drift diving from a live boat in choppy, mostly blue water. “No problem” you say? Great! Because it’s all worth it. We saw schooling Hammerheads swimming below us on both dives!
Boats from Lahaina can also take you to Lanai for diving. We did a 3 tank trip, all drift diving, off the far side of the island. Beautiful diving in an area that doesn’t have a lot of pressure from divers. After the diving, the weather was so good and the sea like glass, the crew gave us a boat tour around parts of the island that are rarely seen by small boats because of bad conditions.
I could go on about diving, but you can see how diverse the dives can be.
Top side activities are just as diverse as below. You can visit volcanoes, pristine beaches, world-class restaurants, hike to waterfalls, and do any watersports you want. This is definitely a destination for the entire family. All levels of divers will be thrilled by the diving and non-divers will have plenty to keep them busy. Before you leave be sure to try popular local foods like poke, shave ice, SPAM musubi and loco moco. You'll love Hawaii above and below.
St. Croix is my favorite of the 3 U.S. Virgin Islands; for the diving, the people, the food, and the laid-back vibe of the island in general.
Diving in St. Croix mostly takes place along the wall, which stretches the length of the north side of the island. It's on the edge of the Puerto Rico Trench, which drops off to around 13,000 feet. Many of the wall dives here are nearly vertical. There's abundant marine life, including morays, rays, crustaceans, turtles, sharks, plenty of reef fish, and much more. The times I have dived here, current was almost nonexistent, making both boat and shore diving easy and pleasurable. Another great dive that shouldn't be missed is the Frederiksted pier. If you have a rental car, it's an easy, leisurely trip across the island. If you don't have a car, any of the dive shops in Christiansted will arrange a trip. While diving the pier, we saw several seahorses, a few octopuses, a baitball, and a lot more. It was an excellent, out-of-the-ordinary dive. Please make the effort to do this one.
The people here are warm and welcoming. That includes the local island people and ex-pats as well. If you're on the island during "Jump Up", be sure to take in the festivities. Jump Up on St. Croix is a party in the streets of Christiansted. It has become one of St. Croix’s favorite social events among locals and visitors alike. Music, dancing, food, drinks, street vendors, cultural dancers, shopping, steel pans, fire dancers, as well as the iconic Mocko Jumbies all come together and Christiansted comes alive. Another bonus is that English is the official language, no passport required, and the official currency is the US dollar!
There are a lot of restaurants on St. Croix, including everything from fine dining to small local Island food places. Be sure to try some of the local dishes. My three favorites are Conch, Roti, and Rum Cake. You can also bring rum cake home from many shops and the airport as well.
In St. Croix, life seems to move in semi-slow motion. It's much slower than busy St. Thomas, and not filled with condos owned by the rich and famous, like St. John.
As you can see, I'm a big fan of St. Croix. I'll continue to return for the wonderful island experiences. If you like jewelry, check out the famous St. Croix hook bracelets. You'll fall in love the first time you visit this island paradise.
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