LoudounFisher
Registered
I haven't read any substantial reports about the resort, but in reading through old threads I do see a trend about how great a DM Mark Washington is. It's true.
I went there last September.
My girlfriend and I just started diving last year. After her getting certified in January I started looking into it, researched locations and recommended we go to Roatan. We booked the trip and I spent the middle part of the year getting certified up to AOW.
We booked an all-inclusive package at the Mayan Princess resort Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort Mayan Divers | Diving Resort in Roatan, Honduras. in West Bay. It included 3 boat dives a day, a night dive and unlimited shore diving. We ultimately paid for two more dives on Friday. You could eat at the resort's buffet or for no charge several attached and nearby restaurants (dinner only). There are also snacks available between lunch and dinner. I don't have any complaints about the food. There was always something good and a wide variety.
When you get there your group will meet with Ed the shop operator and he'll brief you everything and get your gear stowed.
The accommodations were comfortable and the internet speed was even good (better than mine was at home at the time). Comfortable bed, some couches and a TV, large fridge/freezer, microwave, dishes,etc, A/C, a balcony and roof area where we could set out our wet gear/shorts. The maid would leave towel animals/creations on the bed each day. It was only 100 yard walk from the room to the water. Just bring your mask/snorkel, fins, boots and any other personal items with you. The shop has a locker area where they'll keep your BCD, suit if you have one and other stuff. The crew takes care of setting up your gear on the boat. Only had one issue when I jumped in at the West End Wall and wasn't sinking. No weights. But that's on me too ultimately.
We dove with four other Americans the entire trip so the boats were never crowded. We initially started out in one of the big boats (they have four total), but it started having issues with contaminated fuel. We blamed that on my GF because vehicle have a tendency to not function properly in her presence. Our dive master was the head DM Mark Washington with Tedy as the Capt, and a few DMs in training that would trail the group. I don't have a lot of experience but the other four in the group are experienced with one of them being a DM/instructor. We were all really impressed with Mark. I'm sure he could find his way through the reef blindfolded. Flawless navigation. Knows exactly where to find what you want to see. The description of him on their site is dead-on. One in our group was an elderly lady and Mark took great care of her and she was never a hindrance to the group.
Conditions were awesome the entire time. Temps in the low-mid 80's. A very brief shower one afternoon and some more substantial rain while on the ride back to the airport. Water was usually 86 degrees top to bottom. A few spots were 84 at the bottom. I dove in shorts and t-shirt the entire time. Visibility was 100+.
On the west/northwest side we dove:
Mandy's Eel Garden
Chloe's Coral -day and night
Tabyana
Three Brothers
Deep and shallow Seaquest
Turtle Crossing
The Bight
Blue Channel (swim through)
Alice's Wonderland
Lighthouse Reef
Canyon Reef (swim through)
Melissa's Reef
El Aguila Wreck (our deepest dive)
Herbie's Fantasy
Winds made it rough on the south side most of the week. But Thursday afternoon it had finally calmed down and we went to Pirate's Cove. We finally found a seahorse there. Then Friday morning we did the West End Wall and Herbie's Place.
The shortest dive was the West End Wall @50 minutes for me. That's due to the current there being stronger and eventually you're no longer over the reef. But as usual Tedy was right there waiting for when we popped up. Mark never used a marker.
Dives typically went a full hour at which point we'd find ourselves right under the boat. Then we could look around the area some more if we had the air. My longest dive was 72 minutes with 900psi remaining. I really improved my air consumption from my training dives. Mark would still have nearly half a tank left every dive.
We saw so many different critters. I got some video of a nurse shark on one dive. No shortage of turtles.
The West End Wall was loaded with barracuda.
Our night dive was Chloe's Coral which is right by the resort. 35ft max. Lasted an hour. We descended and got swarmed by the blood worms, Mark did his flawless navigation and the next thing we know we're back at the sandy patch under the boat. We saw an eel, octopus, squid, a resting barracuda, tiger tail sea cucumbers, slipper lobster and a bunch of other stuff along the way. Once back to the sandy patch we got close together, knelt on the bottom and turned off our lights. Now was the time to get the full bio-luminescence experience. No moon at all so it was perfect. We stirred up the sand or just waved our hand through the water and watched the sparkles. Then we got to witness the awesome "string of pearls" phenomena. Time your trips accordingly.
On our first surface interval of the trip Mark spotted a large pod of dolphins. We headed towards them and they enjoyed playing in our wake for a while. That was really cool. There was even a baby one doing among them. During our surface interval between the West End Wall and Herbie's Place we happened upon a tuna feeding frenzy that had the water 'boiling'.
Friday eve we finally had time to go check out West End. We went to the chocolate factory and got some chocolate. Also got some shirts from another shop. There always seemed to be a water taxi available right at the resort. I think I timed the trip at 7 minutes.
The others in the group warned me and my girlfriend that the experience we had was exceptional, setting the bar high and to not expect nearly as much on future trips anywhere.
I would absolutely go there again.
I went there last September.
My girlfriend and I just started diving last year. After her getting certified in January I started looking into it, researched locations and recommended we go to Roatan. We booked the trip and I spent the middle part of the year getting certified up to AOW.
We booked an all-inclusive package at the Mayan Princess resort Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort Mayan Divers | Diving Resort in Roatan, Honduras. in West Bay. It included 3 boat dives a day, a night dive and unlimited shore diving. We ultimately paid for two more dives on Friday. You could eat at the resort's buffet or for no charge several attached and nearby restaurants (dinner only). There are also snacks available between lunch and dinner. I don't have any complaints about the food. There was always something good and a wide variety.
When you get there your group will meet with Ed the shop operator and he'll brief you everything and get your gear stowed.
The accommodations were comfortable and the internet speed was even good (better than mine was at home at the time). Comfortable bed, some couches and a TV, large fridge/freezer, microwave, dishes,etc, A/C, a balcony and roof area where we could set out our wet gear/shorts. The maid would leave towel animals/creations on the bed each day. It was only 100 yard walk from the room to the water. Just bring your mask/snorkel, fins, boots and any other personal items with you. The shop has a locker area where they'll keep your BCD, suit if you have one and other stuff. The crew takes care of setting up your gear on the boat. Only had one issue when I jumped in at the West End Wall and wasn't sinking. No weights. But that's on me too ultimately.
We dove with four other Americans the entire trip so the boats were never crowded. We initially started out in one of the big boats (they have four total), but it started having issues with contaminated fuel. We blamed that on my GF because vehicle have a tendency to not function properly in her presence. Our dive master was the head DM Mark Washington with Tedy as the Capt, and a few DMs in training that would trail the group. I don't have a lot of experience but the other four in the group are experienced with one of them being a DM/instructor. We were all really impressed with Mark. I'm sure he could find his way through the reef blindfolded. Flawless navigation. Knows exactly where to find what you want to see. The description of him on their site is dead-on. One in our group was an elderly lady and Mark took great care of her and she was never a hindrance to the group.
Conditions were awesome the entire time. Temps in the low-mid 80's. A very brief shower one afternoon and some more substantial rain while on the ride back to the airport. Water was usually 86 degrees top to bottom. A few spots were 84 at the bottom. I dove in shorts and t-shirt the entire time. Visibility was 100+.
On the west/northwest side we dove:
Mandy's Eel Garden
Chloe's Coral -day and night
Tabyana
Three Brothers
Deep and shallow Seaquest
Turtle Crossing
The Bight
Blue Channel (swim through)
Alice's Wonderland
Lighthouse Reef
Canyon Reef (swim through)
Melissa's Reef
El Aguila Wreck (our deepest dive)
Herbie's Fantasy
Winds made it rough on the south side most of the week. But Thursday afternoon it had finally calmed down and we went to Pirate's Cove. We finally found a seahorse there. Then Friday morning we did the West End Wall and Herbie's Place.
The shortest dive was the West End Wall @50 minutes for me. That's due to the current there being stronger and eventually you're no longer over the reef. But as usual Tedy was right there waiting for when we popped up. Mark never used a marker.
Dives typically went a full hour at which point we'd find ourselves right under the boat. Then we could look around the area some more if we had the air. My longest dive was 72 minutes with 900psi remaining. I really improved my air consumption from my training dives. Mark would still have nearly half a tank left every dive.
We saw so many different critters. I got some video of a nurse shark on one dive. No shortage of turtles.
The West End Wall was loaded with barracuda.
Our night dive was Chloe's Coral which is right by the resort. 35ft max. Lasted an hour. We descended and got swarmed by the blood worms, Mark did his flawless navigation and the next thing we know we're back at the sandy patch under the boat. We saw an eel, octopus, squid, a resting barracuda, tiger tail sea cucumbers, slipper lobster and a bunch of other stuff along the way. Once back to the sandy patch we got close together, knelt on the bottom and turned off our lights. Now was the time to get the full bio-luminescence experience. No moon at all so it was perfect. We stirred up the sand or just waved our hand through the water and watched the sparkles. Then we got to witness the awesome "string of pearls" phenomena. Time your trips accordingly.
On our first surface interval of the trip Mark spotted a large pod of dolphins. We headed towards them and they enjoyed playing in our wake for a while. That was really cool. There was even a baby one doing among them. During our surface interval between the West End Wall and Herbie's Place we happened upon a tuna feeding frenzy that had the water 'boiling'.
Friday eve we finally had time to go check out West End. We went to the chocolate factory and got some chocolate. Also got some shirts from another shop. There always seemed to be a water taxi available right at the resort. I think I timed the trip at 7 minutes.
The others in the group warned me and my girlfriend that the experience we had was exceptional, setting the bar high and to not expect nearly as much on future trips anywhere.
I would absolutely go there again.
I could show Mark Washington a thing or two! 
