With unlimited dining and playtime, vacations don’t get any easier than the all-inclusive resort approach. These resorts are perfect for a laidback escape, mixed in with breathtaking diving. We’ve scoured the globe for the all-inclusive resorts that not only include food and drink but offer diving as well, from glitzy locales in Cozumel to private islands in Belize!
Read on to find out everything you need to know about these all-inclusive dive resorts with epic diving onsite or nearby.
Occidental Grand Papagayo, Costa Rica
For an adults-only experience, the Occidental Papagayo, an all-inclusive resort located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is all about indulgence coupled with adventure. Just a 20-minute boat ride from the Papagayo, Playas del Coco features over 20 different dive sites that attract divers and snorkelers. Dive shops, like Rocket Frog Divers, pick divers up from the beach and deliver them straight to the dive sites.
Monkeys Head, a volcanic rock that resembles the head of a gorilla, offers comfortable conditions from 30 to 75 feet (9 to 23 meters). It’s also home to eagle rays and stingrays. Virador, with depths starting at 30 feet (9 meters) is another favorite for its stingrays, white-tipped sharks and schools of sparkling grunts. At Las Pelonas Islands, located nearby, it’s not uncommon for divers to see eagle rays, sea turtles, and reef sharks.
Back on land, each of the 163 rooms at the Occidental Grand Papagayo features either a patio or terrace looking into the ocean or gardens. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at any of the four onsite restaurants is also included in the room rate, plus, unlimited non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages at the four bars. Lastly, other amenities available to guests include snorkeling, kayaking, and access to the gym, health club, and pool.
Allegro Playacar, Mexico
Scuba diving expeditions from Allegro Playacar, a Mexican retreat located in Riviera Maya, are fit for a variety of skill sets. The onsite dive shop offers guided dives as well as gear rental and day trips for beginners to experts. From walls to reefs, there’s no shortage of ways to take in Mexico’s underwater realm. Experienced divers also come here for the dramatic views of the cenotes, flooded underground rivers and cave systems found in the nearby jungle areas.
With the hotel’s prime beach location, water sport options are endless and include snorkeling, sailing, kayaking and fishing. For even more active time, two tennis courts, a basketball court, and two swimming pools are also available. To ensure energy levels stay up, unlimited meals at the three onsite restaurants and five bars, as well as a 24-hour snack service, is available.
Wakatobi Dive Resort, Indonesia
When it comes to combining the perfect climate, conditions, marine life and geography, Wakatobi has all the boxes checked. Located in the heart of Indonesia, this Marine Protected Area delivers with a plethora of marine life and a variety of diving styles, including fluo diving – an experience using UV lights to witness the fluorescent colors of marine life. Other dives available at Wakatobi Dive Resort include night dives, rebreathers, and shore dives on their famous house reef, teeming with life. Boat dives to more than 40 dive sites are also available.
From Bali, a private charter takes guests on the three-hour flight to the private island. Once there, hand-crafted villas and bungalows have all the amenities of home with internet access, A/C and spacious living conditions as well as gourmet meals and snacks prepared daily. With just 24 bungalows, the all-inclusive experience is personalized to each guest’s needs, whether they want to indulge in the onsite spa or dine in laidback style at the beach restaurant with options for all types of dietary restrictions, including low-carb, gluten-free and vegetarian. For those that want more of a liveaboard experience, the Wakatobi Dive Yacht takes divers to more remote locations for exotic reefs, lagoons and muck diving sites.
Boutique Beach All-Inclusive Diving Hotel, Maldives
This all-inclusive snorkeling and diving resort, located on Dhigurah island in the Maldives, gives guests all-access passes to Indian Ocean adventures. Guests can chose a dive or snorkel-inclusive package with up to three dives a day or one excursion per day, respectively. Famous for being a home to whale sharks, the South Ari Atoll has whale shark sightings year-round. The British Whale Shark Conservation Group, also based on the island, recently recorded 301 whale sharks in the area. Other marine life to look out for includes dolphins, manta rays and rainbows of soft corals.
Mornings here are equally colorful with breakfast created daily by the onsite chef at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. With divers in mind, each of the six boutique-style rooms features a camera working station and charging area, while open-air bathrooms, balconies and private gardens provide added space to enjoy the atmosphere. After a day in and under the water, the rooftop terrace is the prime spot to take in a spectacular sunset.
Royal Belize Private Island, Belize
The Royal Belize Private Island Resort encompasses what many would call paradise on Earth; the entire 7 acres of lush island is yours for your stay. This all-inclusive resort is more affordable than you may think, with space to accommodate up to 10 guests for your private island escape. The grounds are luscious, brimming with white sand beaches, tropical vegetation and dreamy seas enjoyed by divers and snorkelers alike. Rooms offer stunning, beach-front ocean views with luxury toiletries.
Staff members are onsite to cater to your every need 24 hours a day and seven days a week, including preparing exquisite meals with locally harvested food and drinks. Transfers are included from Belize International Airport or the Dangriga airstrip for domestic flights. Guests can enjoy kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling or Hobie cats as well as free pickup and drop off to dive with the offsite, PADI Five-Star Dive Center, Belize Underwater. Up to four boat dives a day are offered.
Where Will Your Next Adventure Be?
From marine protected areas in Indonesia to the secluded lagoons of Egypt, the world’s dive map is full of incredible all-inclusive resorts. These resorts allow you to truly immerse yourself in everything the ocean environment has to offer during your stay. At the same time, you can explore the on-land activities and experience fantastic dining while reminiscing about the unforgettable encounters of your dive days.
Find more dive resorts around the world by visiting PADI Travel.
