Diver & Nondiver need 5-star Help!
 

Family vacation: One mom, two teens. My son and I are experienced divers. My daughter, 15, who does dive. Need a place where there is GREAT diving and a big resort to keep her busy. I was thinking Turks & Caicos but I think it might be too quiet for her. No Mexico, and no Caymans--been there way too often. Any ideas? We're going in late August. Help!

Have you looked into the Bahamas? If you stayed on Harbour Island, there is some AMAZING dive sites off island, and there are 2 dive ops there, Valentine's and Fox Dive.

Staying at Coral Sands, you are right on the beach with a lovely pool area, and other families, so your Daughter will probably have an opportunity to meet other teens.

Also the island is very SAFE, so she can run around and you would not need to be concerned at all.

The dive sites in the area include a Civl War Train, (yup, I said train), just after the Civil War, it was purchased by a plantation owner on Cuba and was on it's way there and sank in a very bad storm, makes for an amazing dive site 150 years later. There are also alot of ship wrecks in the area, and some of the best coral reefs as well.

You might try the www.coralsands.com site for pictures and info on the island.

Hope this helps.

Wantsomesun thank you! Problem is I've read that the last few hurricanes have totally wrecked the Bahamian reefs. True?

Not from what I have heard, maybe off Freeport, but off Eleuthera the coral reefs are doing well. Also there are alot of interesting dive sites off the island as well.

Peter Island resort in the BVI might be perfect for you all. Lots of things to do and one of the best diving operations we've experienced anywhere (owner Randy is amazing). Great food, two restaurants, 4 beaches, lots of watersports, mountain bikes, you name it.

Peter Island is really lovely but looses out on your criteria of a big resort. I believe it has about 45-50 units or 100 people at any given time, as I remember. While I do not like Nassau's big resorts you have that and very good diving, though, not as good as Peter Island.I hate to recommend The Atlantis for that is super big.
Obviously almost anywhere in late August you run the risk of a sever tropical depression or hurricane, but we have neen lucky on 4 visits to the Bahamas and Caribbean in July/August but now the weather patterns seem all screwed up.
But that aside, Little Dix or Caneel are 2-3 times the size of PI and while the food at Caneel is average the food at Little Dix is quite good but not as good as PI. I was there 2 years ago, and there were 40 children+/-ages 1-18 in late July. Also, it has quite nice but small beaches but a pleasant ambience, in my opinion. I see PI more for couples. You might only find 12-14 children there in August.