Some of the 50 or so islands that make up the USVI barely break the surface of the water. However, if you delve underneath, you'll find some excellent diving environments. Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine, a leader in the field, surveyed 6,000 readers for their ratings on a host of scuba diving categories. The USVI did extremely well among its Caribbean neighbors, coming in as the eighth best overall dive destination in the Caribbean, fourth in underwater photography and wreck diving, second in diving for beginners, and third in snorkeling and off-shore diving.
One of the better-known U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is home to numerous dive sites including coral reefs such as the Andreas Reef, with its garden of hard and soft corals, the Frenchcap's impressive pinnacle and Grasso Junction; wrecks such as the Cartanza and the Major General Rogers, and the Caves of Cow and Call: In nearby St. Croix, the wall at Cane Bay has a drop of 600 feet and the Salt River Canyon has a 1,000-foot drop. Eagle Shoals and Carval Rock are the two top dive sites off St. John's and are popular with experienced divers.
Divi Carina Diving
While on St. Croix, divers can stay at the Divi Carina Bay Resort, one of nine Divi resorts on six Caribbean islands. It features 130 rooms and 20 villas, and is located about 30 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from the town of Christiansted. Guests at the resort have the run of two pools, two whirlpools, a fitness center and two tennis courts, as well as two restaurants, three bars and the first casino in the Virgin Islands. The latest addition to the resort is the Anchor Dive Center. The center runs daily dive trips with a maximum of six divers per trip on each of the three dive boats. It has received PADI's five-star Gold Palm distinction as a top dive center. A series of packages to celebrate the opening is now available. The packages include flights from the U.S.; transfers; stays of three, five or seven nights, starting at $897, $1,150 and $1,345 per person double, respectively, at Divi Carina Bay Resort; beachfront accommodations; continental breakfast on the mornings before dives; scuba diving ; a snorkel excursion; and a kayak tour of the Salt River National Park.
The three-night package includes one two-tank dive, the five-night includes two two-tank dives and the seven-night includes three two-tank dives. The packages are available through Dec.21. Call Divi Carina Bay Resort at 877-773-9700 or visit [www.divi carina.com].
Great Bay Options
Another lodging option for divers is the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, which sits on 30 acres along Great Bay on the eastern tip of St. Thomas, a few minutes by boats from dozens of small islands and a wide diversity of underwater landscapes. Each of the hotel's 200 rooms has its own balcony or terrace. A new boutique spa, fitness center, two pools (one of which is an Infinity pool) and four restaurants are available for divers of all levels of experience. Scuba and snorkel excursions depart from the hotel's dive center on a daily basis. Scuba and snorkel programs are also available for children.
The hotel is offering four-and seven-night dive packages for both advanced and novice divers. The packages include breakfast daily and a scuba refresher course. The four-night package includes two two-tank dives per guest, and the seven-night package includes four two-tank dives per guest. Beginning divers can swap one of the two-tank dives for a class and pool training sessions, or snorkel tours. The four-night package begins at $350 per night, while the seven-night package begins at $364. Call 800-241-3333 or visit [www.ritz-carlton.com].
If the underwater beauty of the Virgin Islands isn't enough of a lure for your dents, you can also remind them that the islands enjoy year-round temperatures between 77 and 82 degrees. Call the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism at 800-372-8784 or visit [www.usvitourism.vi].
Source Citation
Ruggia, James. "Scratching the surface: divers can lounge on land or explore the sea, as the USVI provides the best of both worlds. (Focus on: Dive)." Travel Agent 311.6 (2003): 46. Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Collection. Web. 16 Mar. 2010.
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