She seemed very avoidant of Hawai'i on this thread citing colder waters, etc., but named loads of places and why too :)

Glenda.....YOU and I BOTH LOVED Stingray City! Man! That was FUN! Couldn't you just see Robin and her son going there.....eating rum cake in Grand Cayman?! WOW! Then scuba diving Bloody Bay Wall to top it off! Little Cayman We spent a week on Little Cayman. Biggest iguanas I've ever seen on that island. Like a golden retriever!

One of our favorite posh, friendly, great food resorts....Wakatobi. Yes, we stayed in Ubed Indonesia, I can tell him where to visit....the monkey forest there is VERY upscale, lots of old statuary, culture/museum was wonderful.....shopping in Bali...toured a BIG jewelry factory...a batik factory...stayed at what we'd call a 5 star hotel on the beach....super nice! There was an active, smoking volcano we went to. Elephant sanctuary. Temples are everywhere. We saw MANY! A driver and his van costs $75 for a day! He'll take you anywhere.

At the resort, your flown in on a chartered private plane, only way to get there. There are about five different cusines every night to choose from. They serve a new menu every night. You have your own bungalow and maid. The money you pay funds a nearby village. Provides schools and supplies...to keep the local people from fishing. :0)

Here's a link: Wakatobi Video onine: Video

Thanks, Nicole, any others?

Thanks Nicole!

The Grand Cayman Islands are well known for scuba diving. We don't dive, but spent a week there. The people are friendly and they have interestingly enough 100 percent employment rate because everyone has to have a job there!

Yeah....I loved Hawaii! But....I wore a 1/4" farmer john top the whole time I dove. That's like wearing a parka while walking a sandy beach. :0) There's very little coral, too cold. They did have unusual places...like the turtle cleaning station. Hawaii has manta madness: Large mantas

This is a picture of a turtle being cleaned What they don't show you is how cloudy and desolate the water is...due to the cold:

Anywhere in the Caribbean you see the same fish, the people are very nice, the resorts are posh....but it all becomes the-same-ole-thing. Until.....we went to St. Croix, Frederickstead Pier. It's for the serious scuba diver. The pier and the town are OK...a great fort with a GREAT story...shops with great artwork...a local who feeds white herons and they nest in her trees by the hundreds...or thousands....but who's counting. :0) It's diving The Pier that's the attraction. It's shallow at first, up to 35' and that's where it gets good.....frog fish, scorpion fish, upside down jelly fish, bat fish...the enormous variety of exotic...hard-to-find....is right there! So if he's looking for great fish ? or Glenda....is he looking for posh, exotic...? Or does he want to hang out at Carlos and Charlies and party?

Is he doing diving tours or on his own? In countries like Panama and Costa Rica you can dive both the Caribbean and the Pacific, all on the same day if you wanted! My dad's favorite place to dive was Costa Rica, even though we lived in Panama. However, if he has friends along that don't dive, Costa Rica is not always a good place for snorkling.

There is great diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We have a condo on The main island of Provodenciales (Provo). Superb diving there and on French Key, West Caicos etc. Terrain is like the Caymans but not as crowded I.e. Cruise ships.

Thanks, I'll pass the info onto son. They prefer to go just themselves and book thru his travel agent.

He's 51 and enjoys a drink but not a party person to hang out at the local bars.

He enjoys fine dining with atmosphere. He's an outdoors person.

Provo also has fabulous restaurants.

They are more interested in the diving experience. Lucked up with two great all inclusive resorts on last two trips.

Again, thanks everyone for your input.

Just out of wild curiosity, why is he not interested in Australia?

colleen, if I had the money, it'd be the top of my list! Especially since it might not be around forever (bleaching). You have a world treasure there.

It's just what he said. That's all I know.

collenoz....Australia, Pixie Pinnacle, is my favorite dive site! Ideally....I'd like to MOVE to Australia.

Natliewhatley....Provo has fabulous hotels AND restaurants! Been to Turks & Caicos twice. Chaka Khan was loudly playing on the beach, last time I was there.

Honestly Glenda...if he's REALLY into diving he'd be doing live aboards. Two boat dives a day is NOT enough to travel all THAT way. We get in five dives a day on a yacht.