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Dreams Curacao Resort, Spa and Casino

Dreams Resort, Spa and Casino is a scuba diving destination in Willemstad Curacao. They have 197 rooms that range from Deluxe Island and Deluxe Pool rooms up to Junior or a Presidential suite. This is an all-inclusive resort with unlimited luxury with 5 onsite cafes and restaurants, plus 24/7 room service. The rooms also include free wifi, balcony, and flat screen tv. Enjoy our blog article: Curacao. Can We Say Choices?

Dreams Resort Diving

Caribbean Sea Sports is the local scuba diving center. They have been next to the beach here for more than 15 years. They have a Pro 42ft boat that takes up to 22 divers out at a time, they offer two tank boat dives followed by free unlimited shore diving. Dive sites include locations at Seldom Reef, Bullen Bay Wall, Bachelor Beach, Double Reef, and Directors Bay. While staying at Dreams Resort you can also do guided shore dives, night dives, or take one or more PADI dive courses. The beaches are small, but the home reef diving is great, you just have to look closely to spot the seahorses. Nitrox or Enriched air is also available. They also do half day snorkel trips, and fishing trips.

Attractions and Activities

Dreams Resort, Spa and Casino offers 3 ala carte restaurants including Portofina; Italian cuisine, Oceania; seaside restaurant, and Seaside Grill featuring steaks and other grilled items. World Café is buffet style and open for breakfast and lunch. Finally, you can get your fresh morning cup of coffee and pastry at Coco Café. For adult beverages, Dreams Resort has the Hideaway Beach Bar, and the Crafty Iguana Brew Pub. This brewery offers Tex-Mex as well as handcrafted local microbrews. Moreover, for those looking for one bar open from morning until after midnight, Rendezvous Bar is located next to the main lobby. As for exercise, they have tennis, volleyball, a pool, and whirlpool. Caribbean Sea Sports also rents kayaks, paddle boards, and dive lights for night time snorkeling adventures. They also have their own Spa. The resort is 15 minutes from the airport.

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The Sandpiper

The Sandpiper is a scuba diving resort in historic Holetown, Barbados. It was built in 1970 and has been family operated ever since. So, the resort has 48 rooms and sits right against the beach and turquoise waves.  There are Garden view rooms, 1 & 2 Bedroom Suites, Tree Top Suites, and Beach House Suites. The rooms come with Air conditioning, a hairdryer, ceiling fan, refrigerator, safe, and ipod/ ipad docking station. Some of the suites have spacious living rooms, and walk in showers, 4 polster beds, and dinning for 6 on the veranda with a spectacular ocean view. Beach House Suites have a covered patio with a wet bar and sun deck. Enjoy our blog article on The Cuttlefish The Undisputed Master of Camouflage.

The Sandpiper Diving

HighTide Watersports is the preferred scuba diving center. This dive center is located close by at the sister hotel; Coral Reef Club. So, the dive center was established in 1993 by Willie Hewitt. They are known for their nice people, safe procedures, and quality service they offer to their guests. So, they offer discover scuba, open water classes. Specialty courses include night diver, underwater photographer, wreck diver, and enriched air diver. They also offer quality dive gear rentals. More importantly, some of the dive sites they frequently visit include Silver Banks, Shark’s Bank, Bright Ledge, Spawnee, and the easy-going wreck Pamir. Farther south from The Sandpiper, they go to Dottins, Stavronikita, and Carlisle Bay. Carlisle Bay is where you’ll find a nice collection of five wrecks.

You may see tons of turtles, several species of sharks, and assorted fish. Keep an eye out for octopus, seahorses, sponges, lobster and conchs. On the surface you may see pilot whales, and pods of dolphins.

Attractions and Activities

The restaurant at The Sandpiper offers a free breakfast. The executive chef and his team change their dinner menu five times a week. They offer Caribbean flair and a fusion of European and Asian techniques and ingredients. On Wednesday night they have west indies specialties and an international buffet. Sunday is BBQ night and steel drum music. Harold’s Bar has alfresco lunches, and delicious concoctions that help you decompress and unwind. So, the resort has a spa and wellness center. As for activities, you can go kayaking, paddle boarding, or Hobie cat sailing. They also have tennis courts, and a fitness gym. Furthermore, you may wish to visit the golfing greens at Sandy Lane or at the Royal Westmoreland.

If you would like to participate in an ongoing conservation program, you are fortunate to be right next door to the Barbados Sea Turtle Project. So, you may also like to relax in the mosaic pool or swim in the 60ft lap pool. Moreover, the Tree top suites have their own plunge pools. Finally, to put your hair back in place, you may wish to visit the sister hotel hair salon and boutique.

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Coral Reef Club

Coral Reef Club is a family owned and run scuba diving resort. So, they are located by historic Holetown, Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. This 5-star luxury resort has 88 accommodations ranging from luxury rooms, cottages, and suites. The luxury suites even come with 4 pollster or canopied beds. So, rooms have flat screens and private bathrooms. Moreover, selected rooms have balconies or patios. Above all, some rooms also come with complimentary starter bars. Enjoy our blog article on Sea Turtle’s; The Godfathers of All Dive Magazines?

Coral Reef Club Diving

HighTide Watersports in the onsite scuba diving center. So, the dive center was established in 1993 by Willie Hewitt. They are known for their nice people, safe procedures, and quality service they offer to their guests. So, they offer discover scuba, open water classes. Specialty courses include night diver, underwater photographer, wreck diver, and enriched air diver. They also offer quality dive gear rentals. More importantly, some of the dive sites they frequently visit include Silver Banks, Shark’s Bank, Bright Ledge, Spawnee, and the easy-going wreck Pamir. Farther south from Coral Reef Club, they go to Dottins, Stavronikita, and Carlisle Bay Carlisle Bay is where you’ll find a nice collection of five wrecks.

You may see tons of turtles, several species of sharks, and assorted fish. Keep an eye out for octopus, seahorses, sponges, lobster and conchs. On the surface you may see pilot whales, and pods of dolphins.

Attractions and Activities

The restaurant at Coral Reef Club has a buffet style breakfast. They offer an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner. Fine dining and personal service are a high priority at this “Small Luxury Hotel of the World”. Furthermore, Thursday Night is BBQ night complete with local entertainment. Monday is cocktail night. So, for activities, they have a fitness center, a Spa, and 2 outdoor mosaic tiled pools. Golf is available at Sandy Lane and Royal Westmoreland. Roz’s Salon is available for hair care. So, the salon can also help you look perfect for a wedding at the resort. Finally, Coral Reef Club offers Hobie cat sailing, kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkeling.

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Solitude Lembeh Resort

Solitude Lembeh Resort was formerly known as Kasawari Resort and has 24 accommodations. This scuba diving resort is 30 minutes north of Bitung on the eastern coastline of North Sulawesi in Indonesia. So, the Garden Villas have a partial sea view. There are also 2 Sea Front Villas and 14 Deluxe rooms 6 of which have sea views. Each room has AC, Wifi, a 32” flat screen TV, and satellite channels. The rooms also have a ceiling fan, writing desk, fridge/mini-bar, hair dryer, and bath robes., hair dryer, and bath robes. Each villa has its own terrace or veranda. Enjoy our blog article on Frogfish, The Overlooked Camouflage Artist.

Solitude Lembeh Resort Diving

This scuba diving resort uses two boats and most dive sites are 2-15 minutes away by boat ride. Moreover, the resort has a purpose built camera and recharging room. They have Nitrox available and teach certain dive courses including Enriched Air/Nitrox at their onsite dive center. Complimentary shore dives are available  between 10-3pm. More importantly, you’re minutes away from the Lembeh Straights and the muck diving capital of the world. So, the waters around Solitude Lembeh Resort are famous for creatures that are as small as a leaf, look like a leaf, or swim like a leaf.

You might see the flamboyant cuttlefish, blue ring octopus, or mating squid. Then again, you might see a rare hairy frogfish or a sea fan, home to two dozen pygmy seahorses. Furthermore, the scuba diving staff at Solitude Lembeh Resort will be glad to point the tiny creatures out. Keep in mind that there are over 60 dive sites out here. Some of the more popular ones include: Nudi Falls, Jahir, TK 1, Hairball, and the Mawali.

Attractions and Activities

At Solitude Lembeh Resort, they typically have lunch buffet style. However, all meals may be a la cart depending on how many guests they have at the resort at one time. The themes of the daily meals may include Asian, Western, and International cuisine prepared by their staff chefs. Please note in advance if you have any special dietary needs. So, from the bar adjacent to the restaurant you can order wine, cocktails, and beer. Above all, we should mention that the resort is wheelchair friendly. They also have an infinity pool with a built in Jacuzzi.
For outside activities, you can go white water rafting, mountain hiking, visit the Minihasa Highlands, or do a village walk /cultural tour.  Solitude One and Solitude Adventure liveaboards make Solitude Lembeh Resort their home port, so you may desire to stay at the resort before and/or after a liveaboard trip too.

 

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Villablanca Garden Beach Hotel

Villablanca Garden Beach Hotel & Dive Resort is located on Cozumel Island, Mexico. This scuba diving resort is in a quiet area 2 miles from downtown San Miguel and 5 miles from the airport. The resort has 50 rooms and suits. So, the rooms come in Standard or Superior with garden or ocean views and balcony or terrace. Moreover, each room comes with a refrigerator, air conditioning, and ceiling fan. In addition, Villablanca has 2 villas and 1 Penthouse. Enjoy our blog article on Cozumel Mexico, Always a Top Dive Destination.

Villablanca Diving

There are four dive shops either onsite or 100ft from the Resort. Two D’s Diving and Tour Adventures, Phocea Mexico, Hogs Scuba Dive Emporium, Scuba Mau, and Dive Paradise. Dive Paradise has its dive center and operates the pier across the street (Quintana Roo C-1). So many dive shops, means plenty of opportunities to go scuba diving, however, they can all be quite busy when the cruise ships are in port so it’s best to book dives early in the day or later in the day when the cruise ships guests on shore are few and far between.

So, the majority of dives near Villablanca are drift dives. You merely descend underwater using your BC (buoyancy compensator). Next, drift along the reef. When finished drifting, use your BC to ascend. So, the boats follow the bubbles. They pick divers up once they surface. There are over 250 species of fish, and turtles, nurse sharks, stingrays to see. We think Palancar Reef should be on every diver’s bucket list.

Attractions and Activities

Villablanca has two restaurants. Nemo’s is a romantic restaurant with gourmet seafood and Continental cuisine. Las Adas has a bar and casual dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are several restaurants nearby as well. Hog Town Café is very popular for early breakfasts before diving. So, for activities you can go swimming in the pool or step into the Jacuzzi. They have tennis available too. The Mega stores, shopping malls, and other stores are 1 mile north of the resort.

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Occidental Grand Cozumel

Occidental Grand Cozumel is located in Cozumel, Mexico. This scuba diving resort has 247 rooms. So, Deluxe, Deluxe Concierge, Deluxe Romance rooms come with a minibar, cable TV,  and hair dryer. Royal Level Luxury, Royal Level Jr Suite, and Family Suite come with additional benefits. Preferential booking at resort restaurants is one Royal perk. So, they also have 24hr room service, a living room, and free WIFI. Family Suite comes with 2 bathrooms and a home theater system. Enjoy our blog article on Cozumel Mexico, Always a Top Dive Destination.

Occidental Grand Cozumel Diving

Pro Dive International is the onsite scuba diving center. They are located right next to the jetty. Moreover, they teach beginning divers, advanced divers, and a host of specialty classes. They also offer free Nitrox to those enriched air certified. Above all, they have a selection of dive equipment for rent. Furthermore, they have a fleet of dive boats. Nearby dive sites include San Francisco Reef, and Palancar Garden.

So, the majority of dives near Occidental Grand Cozumel are drift dives. You merely descend underwater using your BC (buoyancy compensator). Next, drift along the reef. When finished drifting, use your BC to ascend. So, the boats follow the bubbles. They pick divers up once they surface. There are over 250 species of fish, and turtles, nurse sharks, stingrays to see. We think Palancar Reef should be on every diver’s bucket list.

Attractions and Activities

Occidental Grand Cozumel is an all-inclusive resort. Scuba diving is extra. They have 7 restaurants and 5 bars. Restaurants include La Posada, Beach Club, Sonora, Los Olivos, La Piazza, and Coral. La Carreta is exclusive for Royal level members. Moreover, Bars include the Lobby Bar, Relax Bar, Beach Club Bar, Pool Bar, and La Mision. Activities at Occidental Grand Cozumel include tennis and volleyball. Kayaking and snorkeling are available right on San Francisco beach. Furthermore, they have a fitness center/gym, spa and beauty salon. They also have 3 pools. The adults only pool has a Jacuzzi. Finally, the kids will love the Kids Club.

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Allegro Cozumel

Allegro Cozumel is a scuba diving resort right on San Francisco beach on the Island of Cozumel in Mexico. This all-inclusive resort has 305 accommodations. So, the four styles of rooms range from Superior, Superior Pool View, Superior Premium Level, and Premium Level Suite. Each room has air conditioning, hair dryer, TV, and a private bathroom. Enjoy our blog article on Cozumel Mexico, Always A Top Dive Destination.

Allegro Cozumel Diving

Pro Dive International is the onsite scuba diving center. They are right next to the jetty and minutes from Santa Rosa Wall. Moreover, they teach beginning divers right in one of the resort’s pools. Actually, they have a whole list of regular, and specialty classes that they teach. They also offer free Nitrox to those enriched air certified. Above all, they have a selection of dive equipment for rent. Furthermore, they have a fleet of dive boats. Most dive sites are within 20 minutes away from Allegro Cozumel resort. Within 5 minutes away are La Cieba, San Francisco Reef, Santa Rosa, and Palancar Garden.

Keep in mind, the majority of dives here are drift dives. You merely descend underwater using your BC (buoyancy compensator) and drift along the reef. At the end of your dive, you use your BC to ascend back up to the surface. The boats follow the bubbles, then pick divers up once they surface. With over 250 species of fish, and turtles, nurse sharks, stingrays and more, Allegro Cozumel and Palancar Reef should be on every diver’s bucket list of dive destinations.

Attractions and Activities

First of all, Allegro Cozumel resort has four main restaurants. The Topaz offers breakfast and Dinner buffets. A la carte menu restaurants include O Sole Mio for delicious Italian cuisine, Fuju for sushi and teppanyaki, and Cielito Lindo for Mexican favorites. So, Allegro Cozumel bars include the Sports bar, the Disco Bar, Pool Bar, Wet Bar, and Beach Bar. Did we mention that they have 5 pools? One pool is for kids and a favorite of the Kid’s Club. There is a Game room too, with darts, billiards, and ping pong. So, there is also beach volley ball or beach soccer.

On the inland side of Allegro Cozumel are tennis courts and a basketball court. Finally, perhaps you would like to visit the fitness center or relax in a hot tub or sauna or have a massage at the wellness center.

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Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort

Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort is located within the (750 acre) Tobago Plantation Estate. Scuba diving is a short drive away from this 178 oceanfront room resort. They also have 22-1 & 2 bedroom oceanfront suites. Magdalena Grand Beach was formerly the Hilton Hotel and has an 18 hole PGA golf course. Each room has a safe, mini-fridge, HD satellite TV with satellite programming, ceiling fan, AC, coffee and tea maker, and bathroom with bath and shower. Enjoy our blog article on Tobago. The Less Known Dive Vacation Island.

Magdalena Grand Beach Diving

For scuba diving while at Magdalena Grand Beach, Frontier Divers LTD is close to the ARN Robinson Int’l Airport and a short drive from the resort. They instruct dive courses, do single and 2 tank dives, and charter a 32ft pirogue, which is perfect for the stronger drift dives at this southern end of the island. So, there are over 40 dive sites around the island. Most of the local dive sites are under 25 minutes away from shore. So, while staying at Magdalena Grand Beach, close by dive sites include lots of pelagics like sharks, rays, and mantas.
Therefore, advanced dive sites like Flying Reef, Sting Ray Alley, Divers Dream, and Divers Thirst, can’t be missed. Up north you have to visit Japanese Gardens, Kelleston Drain, Black Jack Hole, and Flying Manta. For advanced divers, you have to try London Bridge, and any of the 5 pinnacles around The Sisters. Kamikaze Cut is also a popular dive site when tides are right. So, for wreck dives, we recommend the 350ft long, former car ferry turned reef, MV Maverick. Black Rock Divers in Stonehaven Bay on the east side would be the next closet dive center from Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort.

Attractions and Activities

Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort has four main restaurants including the Pembois, Salaka Grill, Kali’na, and Robinson Crusoe Pub. There is also the Benne Café for coffee, the Tavaco Lounge for cocktails, and Li’l Nylon Pool Bar. Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort has three pools and a fitness center. The onsite spa is The Equilibrium Face & Body Clinic. The ocean has great waves for adult body surfing, but for children the pool is the best bet. They also have a kid’s club.
So, the oldest forest reserves in the western hemisphere (1776) are the perfect spot to take a tour. You might also like a glass bottom boat tour or a tour to snorkel Little Tobago Island. There is also bicycling, birding, exploring the old sugar mills and plantations, visiting the 1770 Fort George, or checking out the beaches. Finally, April-July at night you can view the female leatherback turtles nesting on the beaches.
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Occidental at Xcaret

Occidental at Xcaret is a 700 room resort near Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan Peninsula Maya Riviera in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The scuba diving resort features Deluxe to Royal Level Master Suite. The higher end rooms have premier amenities, mini bars refilled daily, and up to Beach Butler Service. Enjoy our blog article on The Riviera Maya.

Occidental at Xcaret Diving

The Resort works with Pro Dive International. They have a scuba diving center opposite the main and near the lagoon.  The do dive training right in the pool and have rentals. There is also a free shuttle that take you down to the main dive center and where the boats are located. So while staying at Occidental at Xcaret, Pro Dive has several dive packages that include half day or two tank dives, or full day dive trips. Some of the ocean dive sites include: Chun Zumbul, Pared Verde, Barracuda, Tortugas, or the shrimp boat Mama Viña. Furthermore, you can even go over to Cozumel and dive Palancar Reef or Santa Rosa Reef. Best of all, there are several cenotes nearby where you can dive and see Mayan artifacts, marine fossils, stalactites and stalagmites. Gran Cenote has an easy entrance and is close by.

Attractions and Activities

The all inclusive Occidental at Xcaret resort has a total of 11 restaurants. For fine dining there are 5 a la carte restaurants, and one buffet. For more casual dining they have Paco’s Tacos, and the Beach Club to name a few. They also have nine bars including the Night Club Palenque, and the Swim-Up Pool Bar, which seems to be the casual dress favorite. There are 7 swimming pools, one of which is saltwater. Mini-golf, archery and tennis courts are also available. Oh, they have a kids club too, as well as nightly entertainment. So, all guests staying at Occidental at Xcaret have all day anytime access to the archaeological site “Xcaret Park”. They also perform intimate Beach weddings and/or have the Mayan ruins in the background.

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Allegro Playacar

The Allegro Playacar is a 286 room resort in Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan Peninsula Maya Riviera in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The scuba diving resort features superior and Superior Premium (near beach) rooms with balconies or a terrace. So, it’s about a 40-60 minute drive south of Cancun. Enjoy our blog article on the The Riviera Maya.

Allegro Playacar Diving

This scuba diving resort works with Pro Dive International. They have a Check in point at the resort and a dive center next door at the Royal Hideaway. It takes just over a 1 minute walk to reach the shop or where the boats pick up divers. They also do scuba lessons right in one of the pools at the Allegro Playacar resort.  So, Pro Dive has several dive packages that include 1 tank dives, or two tank dives, or full day tank dives. Some of the ocean dive sites include: Chun Zumbul, Pared Verde, Barracuda, Tortugas, or the shrimp boat Mama Viña. Furthermore, you can even go over to Cozumel and dive Palancar Reef or Santa Rosa Reef. Best of all, there are several cenotes nearby where you can dive and see Mayan artifacts, marine fossils, stalactites and stalagmites.

Attractions and Activities

The all inclusive Allegro Playacar resort has three a la carte restaurants and one buffet. They also have a pizzeria, Snack & Grill, and 24 snack service. So, the bars include the Lobby Bar, the Ambar Bar, Disco Bar, and the Theater Bar. However, the swim up Pool Bar seems to be the casual dress favorite. There are 3 kid’s club pools, 2 tennis courts, 1 basket ball court, and a plethora of locations on the beach to play soccer. Oh, we forgot to mention ping pong, darts, Kayaking, and a nearby Hard Rock Golf Course. Allegro Playacar also has nightly entertainment. Weddings and Honeymoon programs can be arranged. You can also snorkel in the nearby ocean shallow waters or just relax around a pool and go for a warm tropical swim and cool refreshing drink. It is a short walk to Fifth Avenue downtown with all the shopping and nightlife.

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