LvSun

Any suggestions regarding DR, Jamaica, Cozumel or Tortola?

Would be great if the hotel had snorkeling off the beach.

Would also like hotel to offer dive and adventure/nature sightseeing tours.

Looking to take a quick trip over Labor Day. Looking at good airline and hotel packages. USAir appears to have some good deals - I'm trying to sort through the hotels now - there are a bunch and I have to decide quick. (Got desperate and went to travel agent - no more help than I can get off the net. So I am again turning to my friends here).

Luxury not a requirement - not wild about places I have to get dressed up for dinner. Not looking for dumpy place either.

Somewhere easy to get to from Pittsburg. Looking at Dominican Republic, Jamaica, maybe even Cozumel, Tortola, or the Atlantis. Going against all I hold dear but figure will have to stay at a busy resort.

doug_stallings

You won't find much good off-the-beach snorkeling in either the DR or Jamaica. However, there is some pretty good snorkeling that can be done on day tours out of the resorts in La Romana or (with a longer drive) out of Punta Cana.

The best off-the-beach snorkeling will be in Cozumel or Tortola, but I don't know how Cozumel has fared since the hurricanes (for off-the-beach snorkeling, at least). I think the reefs came through ok.

virginia

i've read through some of your posts, mentioning grand turk, roatan/belize and your prefered jbuffet style of travel. i do think you will like grand turk's style, although it is not lush at all like roatan/belize. you should be able to find some very quiet spots to hang on the beach there while your men dive.
re labor day: take a look at akumal beach resort in mexico. it's a small ai, not much on activities, short walk into the small town where you'll find several restaurant/bars. good snorkeling right off the beach and at yal-ku lagoon about 1 mile from akbr. tons of nearby activities include: diving (playacar reef is i think 2nd or 3rd largest in world), the cenotes and caves, zip lines, golf & tennis, mayan ruins to explore, horseback riding, atv jungle tours, shopping if interested in nearby playa del carman, and eco-marine parks xcaret and xel-ha.
you would be able to wander down the beach and be fairly alone or to lol-ha the other direction.
http://www.locogringo.com/akumal/aku...Beach%20Resort
be sure to click on the tiny airplane and the "satellite view" towards the bottom of the page.
here's a look at the beach at lol-ha restaurant: http://www.locogringo.com/Upload/akumal-beach-cam.html
and here's yal-ku lagoon: http://www.locogringo.com/destinatio...rkel-ipix.html
and yes the water really is that clear.
info on all above activities on locogringo site under activities.
there are also many condos available in akumal. and tons of other resorts/ai's along this coast.

ParrotMom

La Romana has my vote.. the Sunscape/Dreams has snorkling right of fthe beach.. and if you want to save $$ you can walk into the village and make arrangements for diving..Of course all sorts of of adventure tours... It is my very, very favorite resort in the world.. the people, the resort (not megabig)

LvSun

Thanks all. I will check out all the suggestions. Labor Day is going to be past before I get a trip arranged.

LvSun

Thanks for all the suggestions - I'm putting them in my future travel file.

Decided to rent a house on the North Shore of Grand Cayman. We've been there several times and it's a laid back area. Plus can do some decent snorkeling and good diving. Truly appreciate all your help.