Where to take a new diver?

[Willar]

My sister is planning to get PADI OW certified in the next few months. The plan is to get all the class and pool work done and then get a refferral slip to do the open water dives at some tropical destination. I am in charge of deciding on the destination so help me decide.

What is the best Caribbean destination to take a new diver for check-out dives and the first SCUBA dedicated vacation? Caymans? Bonaire? Curacao? Cozumel? Key Largo? Jamaica? Bahamas?

[ertechsg]

I vote for coz easy drift diving.

[tx.lakerat]

Originally Posted by ertechsg

I vote for coz easy drift diving.

I'd second this...

[WaterRat]

Coz was my wifes first blue water dive and she loved it.

Ron

[loudgonzo]

How are the reefs presently in Coz? I've heard both that they're nowhere near what they used to be before the hurricane several years ago.

[lucidblue]

Just did my first dives after certification in Cozumel. I loved it! However, I wouldn't want to waste time doing the certification dives there. I recommend doing them at home and then just do as much diving in Coz as possible.

I was really comfortable diving there. We were lucky enough to have the DM/boat all to ourselves the whole trip. I wouldn't have wanted to be out with the resort dive ops that had tons of people. I think we got a lot of good knowledge and advice from the DM, plus he was able to take the time to find marine life that we would never have seen and also take a ton of photos of us.

[Vercingetorix]

Scuba Diving magazine did an extensive write-up a few issues ago and ranked the islands on ease of diving. Bonaire was the top beginner-level island dive-site. Boat diving is not required. You rent a jeep and drive to all the dive sites. The currents are not nasty. Lots to see. Good viz.

[unclepooty]

Just returned from week in Cozumel. First dives post certification for myself, wife, son, and friend. It was excellent to see and easy to do. Never saw the reefs before the storm, so can't compare conditions then to now.

[Willar]

I've been to Bonaire and really enjoyed it but I'm not sure how she'll like the surf entries. I think we might have done the tougher sites and I could take her to the easier sites. The cost of this trip would be higher than Cozumel.

I've been to Scuba Club Cozumel, enjoyed it very much and want to return, but many of the dives we did were 100fsw. Are there good dives in Coz for a newly certified diver? I know the diving just off SCC are easy but not much to look at. Do they have a "beginner's boat" that they do easier dives in the morning?

[thesmoothdome]

My vote would be for the Bay Islands or Belize, pretty much because the diving is easy and in most cases, current free. If money isn't an issue and you really want to immerse her in the experience, I'd shoot for a liveaboard. It's the quickest way to rack up dives and the diving is, in a lot of cases, superior to where land based operations will go.