Paradise Travel
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Dive Vacations

Luxury dive vacations, matched to the way you dive.

A luxury dive vacation has to work above the water as well as below it. The reef can be perfect and the trip still falls apart if the boat ride is long, the resort is a drive from the dive shop, or your partner who doesn't dive has nothing to do.

I plan both halves. The right reef for your certification level, a dive operation I trust, and a place to stay that the non-diver loves too.

Where I plan dive trips

The Cayman Islands

Wall dives that drop off into the blue, the Kittiwake wreck off Grand Cayman, and Bloody Bay Wall on Little Cayman. I'm a certified Cayman Islands Specialist.

The Virgin Islands

The wreck of the RMS Rhone in the BVI and the wall at Cane Bay on St. Croix. I'm certified for both the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, and I work with a dive instructor in St. Thomas I trust.

Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean

Easy drift diving along reefs protected as a national park. I've spent time in Cozumel and I'm a certified Mexican Caribbean specialist.

Tahiti and French Polynesia

Rangiroa and Fakarava are known for their passes, where the tide pulls you through with sharks, rays and huge schools of fish. I'm a Tahiti Tourisme Specialist, and a small ship like Paul Gauguin reaches the Tuamotus on its longer voyages.

The Maldives, Fiji and the Seychelles

Manta rays and whale sharks in the Maldives, the soft corals Fiji is famous for, and granite reefs in the Seychelles. I've completed destination training for all three.

Diving from a ship

Some ships bring the dive boat with them. A small ship anchors near reefs a resort can't reach, and Scenic Eclipse even carries its own submarine for guests who'd rather stay dry. I'm certified with Scenic and PONANT.

It's a good fit for couples where one dives and one doesn't. Same ship, different mornings, dinner together.

Is a dive vacation right for you?

It fits you if

  • You're certified, or want to get certified on the trip.
  • You'd rather plan around the reef than around the hotel.
  • You're traveling with a non-diver and want the trip to work for both of you.

It's not the best fit if

  • You have a medical reason not to dive. Snorkeling trips are a good alternative.
  • You need to fly home the same day as your last dive.
  • You want a big-resort party scene. Dive towns run on early mornings.

Questions

Questions I get asked

The Caribbean dives well year-round. December through April has the calmest weather. Hurricane season runs June through November, so I read cancellation terms closely for those months.

Certified divers who want a great reef and a comfortable place to come back to. Couples where one dives. Families with teens getting certified.

Anyone who can't dive for medical reasons, or who has to fly out the same day as the last dive. I'll plan a snorkel trip instead.

The dive operation matters as much as the reef. I match the shop and the boat to your level, book the dives before you land and build in the no-fly time after your last dive.

Plan a full day out of the water before your flight home. Common dive guidance calls for 18 to 24 hours between your last dive and flying, and it's an easy day to save for the spa or the beach.

Five to seven nights in the Caribbean. Ten or more for Tahiti, the Maldives or Fiji, because the flights are longer and the diving deserves the time.

Four to six months for the Caribbean. Six to twelve months for Tahiti, the Maldives and Fiji, especially over the holidays.

It depends on the destination, the resort and how many dives you want. Some resorts sell dive packages and some don't, so I quote each trip directly and list exactly what's included.

You'll connect through a hub like Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver or Dallas, then fly on to Grand Cayman, St. Thomas or Cozumel. Tahiti and the Maldives take a longer route, and I plan the overnight so you arrive rested.

Tell me your certification level and the best dive you've ever done. I'll find the next one.

Begin your tripOr talk to Beverly

I reply within one business day.

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