Honeymoon decisions

[joe0813]

Not sure where to put this, didn't really see a spot. Move if needed please. So, unfortunately for my girlfriend, I asked her to marry me, her not realizing that this means she's stuck with me and that means stuck with me through the hardships of being a firefighter. Poor girl should have ran. But she said yes, sooooo we are trying to plan our honeymoon and prepare for the massive price tag for it. we are getting married October 3rd 2020 and planning on going some where April/ June area. Plan is to have a small wedding and massive honeymoon. Both of us plan on getting dive certified this coming spring. We have been to Belize, Honduras, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. never snorkeled or anything there so still open to this if its worth it. We've been looking to go to the pacific for Fiji or somewhere in Australia for the Barrier Reef.
Here for some suggestions and advice on where to go. We really want to dive some amazing reefs but we also want a decent sized resort. And that was the issue we are having with Fiji. Great reefs but tiny resorts with limited options for food/bars ect. We are all ears, thanks everyone

 

[foxt]

My wife and I went to New Zealand and Australia for our honeymoon. Saved money doing some camping while we were there. It is an amazing part of the world, and the people were very friendly.

I don't know a ton about the best diving locations or resorts in Australia, but we wanted to spend a few days on the GBR so we booked a few nights on an overnight boat. The advantage over a resort is that you save time avoiding the long trip to/fro the reef, you night dive, spend the night on deck looking at the southern stars, stuff like that. The disadvantage is that you do have a lot of down time on a boat, and you need to choose wisely!

 

[Paul B]

I have dove in many places and by far, for us it is Tahiti off the Windstar ship which is a large sailboat with 200 people on it. But of course it is not a resort. The back of the ship opens up and the Zodiac Dive boats go out from there. They also have a nice dive shop aboard.

The smaller Islands in Hawaii have some nice resorts but Hawaii diving isn't too good. Kind of lousy as a matter of fact.
Keep away from Oahu as it is Manhattan with palm trees and nothing but a tourist trap.

I have been to Australia and not much resorts there that I know of.

We went all over the Caribbean and I liked St Lucia for diving and the resorts are kind of nice.
Most of the Caribbean is the same except for Aruba that is a desert but the diving is good.

Windstar in Bora Bora. But no night life there.

 

[joe0813]

I think its going to be difficult to pick somewhere. We want a decent sized resort for the nightlife and options for restaurants and bars. Every where we've looked its great diving and kind of small resorts or its meh diving and great resorts. I wonder how cruises are from cali? we live in Massachusetts so we've done the Caribbean cruise out of Florida.

 

[joe0813]

ha probably should have checked to see how far everything would be if we took a cruise

 

[Paul B]

I hate those Mega Caribbean cruises with 5,000 people on board. The last time I was on one of those I was praying for a torpedo to sink us.
The Windstar goes to much smaller ports and no kids allowed.
But you may like crowds. I don't.

 

[joe0813]

I hate those Mega Caribbean cruises with 5,000 people on board. The last time I was on one of those I was praying for a torpedo to sink us.
The Windstar goes to much smaller ports and no kids allowed.
But you may like crowds. I don't.

we aren't a big fan of big crowds either, but with the big crowds comes a lot of different restaurants and all that good stuff. it also comes with long lines and "sorry we are full"

 

[Billdogg]

I think its going to be difficult to pick somewhere. We want a decent sized resort for the nightlife and options for restaurants and bars. Every where we've looked its great diving and kind of small resorts or its meh diving and great resorts. I wonder how cruises are from cali? we live in Massachusetts so we've done the Caribbean cruise out of Florida.

ha probably should have checked to see how far everything would be if we took a cruise

You beat me to it! A cruise to Fiji from California would take way more of my vacation time than I'd like!!!

Fiji and the GBR or on my list. I've been to a number of islands in the Caribbean and like them all. Bonaire has the easiest diving of anywhere you might go other than a liveaboard. The reefs have been protected since the early 70's.

 

[joe0813]

The thing we are worried about bonaire or any smaller resort for that matter is getting bored. She's just getting into the hobby and I've been in for 11 years so I could dive all day all vacation but I think after the first two dives shed be all done with it. I think if we did a small resort that was just about diving shed kill me out of boredom

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I went snorkeling in the Bahamas on a cruise. The reef wasn’t great for that particular island, but I’m not sure about other islands. I think it was called pearl island.

 

[OrionN]

Bonaire is/was beautiful with a lot of dive sites. We were there 10 years ago. Midnight flight direct from Houston Saturday night, get there at 7:00 AM Sunday. Same flight come back on Sunday AM to Houston. Travel time minimal and not too expensive. There are 50+ dive sites straight from shore and then you can also go off shore.

 

[joe0813]

we will have to look into bonaire again

 

[joe0813]

Bringing this back up since we still havent decided where to go. And now with even more reefs bleaching its making it even harder

 

[OrionN]

With the COVID 19, I rec you drive to Key West.

 

[joe0813]

With the COVID 19, I rec you drive to Key West.

This wont be happening until next year. We are getting married in october unless covid doesnt go away. Which we are starting to worry about.

 

[Jaebster]

Tahiti!!! (Just for the overnight stay), move on to Bora Bora Four Season hotel. Book some dives. Fly over to fakarava, tikehau, and rangiroa. All atolls have diving which superb. Tons of reef sharks, turtles, corals and clams. If you can splurge, stay in the overwater bungalows. It's absolutely stunning. This is a must do for honeymoons.
Wife and I had our honeymoon in Tahiti, Mootea and Bora Bora. She cant swim (sinks like a rock) and is scared of water. She took up diving just before we got married and had her first real dive (other than training dives) in Moorea. She actually likes diving now. Dont go anywhere else for your honeymoon. It's a once in a lifetime experience. You can go to Fiji, Caribbean, or anywhere else but when are you gonna actually spend that much for a trip? OVERWATER BUNGALOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit... wife and I had same thoughts. Tiny elegant wedding (total guests 53 people) and spend it all on the honeymoon. Best decision ever.

 

[joe0813]

Tahiti!!! (Just for the overnight stay), move on to Bora Bora Four Season hotel. Book some dives. Fly over to fakarava, tikehau, and rangiroa. All atolls have diving which superb. Tons of reef sharks, turtles, corals and clams. If you can splurge, stay in the overwater bungalows. It's absolutely stunning. This is a must do for honeymoons.
Wife and I had our honeymoon in Tahiti, Mootea and Bora Bora. She cant swim (sinks like a rock) and is scared of water. She took up diving just before we got married and had her first real dive (other than training dives) in Moorea. She actually likes diving now. Dont go anywhere else for your honeymoon. It's a once in a lifetime experience. You can go to Fiji, Caribbean, or anywhere else but when are you gonna actually spend that much for a trip? OVERWATER BUNGALOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit... wife and I had same thoughts. Tiny elegant wedding (total guests 53 people) and spend it all on the honeymoon. Best decision ever.

Thanks for the info. We are actually doing the same for our wedding... Keeping it small and all the money goes to the honeymoon

 

[joe0813]

Tahiti!!! (Just for the overnight stay), move on to Bora Bora Four Season hotel. Book some dives. Fly over to fakarava, tikehau, and rangiroa. All atolls have diving which superb. Tons of reef sharks, turtles, corals and clams. If you can splurge, stay in the overwater bungalows. It's absolutely stunning. This is a must do for honeymoons.
Wife and I had our honeymoon in Tahiti, Mootea and Bora Bora. She cant swim (sinks like a rock) and is scared of water. She took up diving just before we got married and had her first real dive (other than training dives) in Moorea. She actually likes diving now. Dont go anywhere else for your honeymoon. It's a once in a lifetime experience. You can go to Fiji, Caribbean, or anywhere else but when are you gonna actually spend that much for a trip? OVERWATER BUNGALOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit... wife and I had same thoughts. Tiny elegant wedding (total guests 53 people) and spend it all on the honeymoon. Best decision ever.

How long ago was your honeymoon? We have been getting great spots to dive but then we go look it up and all the corals are bleached and dead. We would hate to spend all this money and then dive and see skeletons.

 

[Jaebster]

How long ago was your honeymoon? We have been getting great spots to dive but then we go look it up and all the corals are bleached and dead. We would hate to spend all this money and then dive and see skeletons.

10 years ago coming this June. Oh, that's too bad if that is the case. The lagoon in Bora Bora was splendid. We also dived outside of the atoll also. Huge gardens of corals with thousands of tridacnas wedged between the corals. It was awesome!

 

[joe0813]

10 years ago coming this June. Oh, that's too bad if that is the case. The lagoon in Bora Bora was splendid. We also dived outside of the atoll also. Huge gardens of corals with thousands of tridacnas wedged between the corals. It was awesome!

Unfortunately it is. We have looked a lot at the barrier reef and a lot of the spots weve looked have bleached out and died. so far we are between Indonesia Raja Ampat and then Fiji. Another problem is we dont want to JUST dive. We do want the resort aspect and the different excursions we could do. So thats also making this hard.