Hoping to go to Roatan!!! Lots of questions!

[saf_25]

My dive club is going to Cocoview - July 16-23. We were looking for late may/early June, but this was the earliest time slot available. This will be my first warm water trip, so I'm really looking forward to it, and this thread was very helpful - thanks!

 

[mjnansen]

Hi everyone! Thanks for the great advice and info, keep it coming!

A few more questions...
We're planning on using miles to take care of our airfare. Unfortunately our miles are with AA and they don't fly to Roatan, so we were thinking of using them to fly into San Pedro Sula (AA does fly into there) and then paying for an inter-island flight to Roatan. Has anyone ever done this before? Does it make sense? Do you know the name of the inter-island airline or how we would go about booking this?

Also, how's the water in Roatan? Potable? Purified? Or will be be drinking bottled water the whole trip?

MoodieJeff- glad you found the Coz report entertaining! Have a great time on your trip! Wave 'hi' to the fishies and turtles and everyone else for me!

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The inter island planes all run about $70 pp each way and almost always stop in La Ceiba for a few minutes. Your airline choices are Sosa, Atlantic or Islena. We usually fly in and just check to see which airline has the next flight departing- check in and then go upstairs to Dan's Mariscos Y Mas for a Salva Vida (one of the Honduran beers) for my husband and a fruit smoothie for me. If you can get a flight directly to the island it will save you some time (a lot of Taca flights go into San Pedro Sula and take Islena to Roatan). You might want to check and see if Continental takes American miles- it seems like all the airlines are forming new milage alliances right now! They fly right onto the island from Houston on Saturdays (2 flights per day) and rumour has it that they may add a Wednesday flight in the future.

 

[fb49740]

I have stayed at fantasy island and on the west end I prefered the diving on the west end . I dove with Native Sons and they were very good . The owner was a dm at AKR for many years before starting his own opperation . I even got to see the barrel
sponges spawning one morning when the took me out even tho I was the only diver that day . I stayed at Posada Arco Iris on half moon bay and the rooms were very comfortable and clean they are also right next to the west end grocery store .
There are many places to eat on the west end in all price ranges from very inexpensive up to quite pricey also take time to meet some of the residents if you stay there . There are some very colorful & friendly people.
Fantasy Island was also a exelent place to stay if you like AI the dm's were all very helpful as were the captains the food was good and varitey was good also friday night was a great sea food dinner buffet, like eating bugs at grandma's house they couldn't give you enough one pro to staying at fantasy or CCV is the trip to Mary's place a "wonderful dive" and the sand fies appear to a little worse at Fantasy.
www.RoatanForums.com
I hope this information was helpful . if I can help you more email me and i will try

here is a link to native sons dive
http://www.roatanisland.net/native.htm

here is a link from the former owner of tyll's dive shop and member of the BS table
http://www.tyllsdive.com/fiasco.htm

 

[DiversMom]

I'm back to plan another dive vacation! And since I always get the best advice here on SB I'm hoping you guys will help me out yet again!

We have the basics: masks, snorkel, fins, 3mm shorties, and computers, we'll need to rent the rest. Is a 3mm shorty warm enough to dive during the times of year mentioned above?

A shorty is fine for summer. That's what my 17 year old uses and she usually gets chiled very fast. She doesn´t have a problem with it.

We've never really liked all inclusive, but these places are all inclusives, is this the best way to go in Roatan, or would we be missing out on seeing the local town and eating in the local restaurants and stuff?

I find local restaurants are not all that fantastic - especially in West End where we usually stay. I´m exceptionally picky about food because of some dietary restrictions so generally restuarant food does not particularly suit me. We generally get a hotel with a kitchenette and do our own cooking except for the first night. We usually eat breakfast at 6 a.m -well before any place is open. I don´t like being locked into eating at specific times - when a resort decides I should take my meals.

Besides diving, are there any 'must do/see while in Roatan' activities that we should consider? Or is it truly an eat/sleep/dive vacation?

Don't waste your money on the Butterfly farm. It´s not worth the admission price IMHO. There were only about 5 species of butterflies (I see more in my garden on mainland Honduras than I did at the "exposition") - and none were blue morphos.

 

[goofygirl]

Thank you all for your help and info! Unfortunately there was no availability for the dates of our vacation. We won't be going to Roatan afterall.

So now I'm headed over to the Mexico board to try to get some info about Akumal!

 

[Moodiejeff]

Thank you all for your help and info! Unfortunately there was no availability for the dates of our vacation. We won't be going to Roatan afterall.

So now I'm headed over to the Mexico board to try to get some info about Akumal!

Wow, That Sux! I guess I'd better book far in advance if I want to go there late summer!

Good luck with Akumal, I just got back from Coz and we went over for a day to dive a cenote and see Tulum. Both are a must do... If you go to Tulum make sure to see ALL of the ruins before you even go near the water. Once you see the incredible beach you'll be like "Mayan who?". Also bring a towel and a swimsuit as you'll definitely want some beach time. What a view!

Cozumel was awesome and yes, I did say "hi" to the fishies for ya!

Jeff

 

[Bay Island Diver]

Chech out www.bayislandsdiver.com for the answer to lots of Roatan questions. It gives lots of impartial advice on where to stay, eat drink etc, but no good if you want to pay top dollar for lots all inclusive resort packages.

 

[SoSiouxme]

Hi everyone! Thanks for the great advice and info, keep it coming!

A few more questions...
We're planning on using miles to take care of our airfare. Unfortunately our miles are with AA and they don't fly to Roatan, so we were thinking of using them to fly into San Pedro Sula (AA does fly into there) and then paying for an inter-island flight to Roatan. Has anyone ever done this before? Does it make sense? Do you know the name of the inter-island airline or how we would go about booking this?

I use AA miles to get to Roatan from California. Taca is a partner of AA - so you can use your miles to get straight to Roatan - no inter-island puddle jumper required.

 

[DiversMom]

Hi everyone! Thanks for the great advice and info, keep it coming!

A few more questions...
We're planning on using miles to take care of our airfare. Unfortunately our miles are with AA and they don't fly to Roatan, so we were thinking of using them to fly into San Pedro Sula (AA does fly into there) and then paying for an inter-island flight to Roatan. Has anyone ever done this before? Does it make sense? Do you know the name of the inter-island airline or how we would go about booking this?

I use AA miles to get to Roatan from California. Taca is a partner of AA - so you can use your miles to get straight to Roatan - no inter-island puddle jumper required.

Sosa, Atlantic and Islena are the inter island airlines.

 

[Dive Bunny]

We are looking to go to Roatan also, probably in April or May. I looked at Anthonly's Key and CCV also, but what about Bay Island Resort? Has anyone Stayed there? It looks to be nice and they offer a good pkg. The big attraction there I think for us is that it is right on the spooky Channel, which we have heard is excellent. And you can shore dive it as much as you want. We are not into big elaborate resorts so that kind of kept us away from Anthony's Key. I feel it might be too much. Let me know if anyone has any info about Bay Island Resort. I want to stay somewhere on that side of the island. I heard the Fantasy Island side is the windward side and it can get pretty rough.

CCV's boats go out twice a day, at 9am and 2pm. Each trip consists of 2 dives, that's four boat dives in total per day. On each trip, the first dive is on one of the many reefs within a 10-15min boat ride. The second dive of each trip is a drop-off dive. You are dropped off on one of two walls in front of the resort, either Newmann's Wall or CCV Wall, and you end the dive with a shore exit. You'll learn to navigate the front yard on your orientation dive but it's very easy. Both walls lead to the Prince Albert shipwreck and there's a chain from the ship that leads you to the path back to the beach. You soon learn it like the back of your hand. But if you are still hessitant, a DM or another guest will always go with you.

Between the 4 boat dives and the shore diving, we usually do 5-6 dives a dayt CCV.