Roatan for Solo Traveler

[Painter]

Check out Coconut Tree Divers. I liked them very much.

 

[Pbdiver84]

That doesn't make any sense. A nitrox dive isn't different (longer) than an air dive beyond what's in the tank you use. Anybody that wasn't using nitrox should have had it removed from the bill.

Tell me you don’t understand NDLs and surface intervals without telling me you don’t understand NDLs.

 

[Gdog]

I think there is merit in what Doc says. To get in that many dives, stay away from topside stuff! CCV would be my choice for you as well. Dive, eat, dive, rinse, repeat.

 

[TooCold]

OP, I assume from the shops you've already checked out that you're looking to stay in West End? I've had good experiences with both Coconut Tree and West End Divers, 5 or 6 weeks with each (and another operator that is sadly gone). But my last 2 trips I decided to leave the (bigger) camera gear at home. All diving from the West End is guided group diving, so photography can be frustrating since you can't really dawdle.

Not a lot in this thread has.

The OP wants 32 dives over 8 days, and the original list and follow-on suggestions range from “nope to not really” possible.

The OP wants to do 2 to 4 dives a day, not 4 dives a day every day. Big difference. Pretty much any operator in West End does a 2-dive morning trip, a 1-dive afternoon trip, and 1 or 2 night dives per week. That's right up the OP's alley.

My suggestion would be to focus first on finding accommodation that suits you in your price range, and if they have a dive deal great. Otherwise go visit candidate dive shops on the afternoon you arrive, tell them what your goals are, and pick the one you like best. Unless things have changed radically since covid I'd be shocked if a dive shop turned you away because "we're full".

Hope you have a great trip, and hope to see your comments on what your experience was like...

 

[diverswifey]

I am not a diver but the trip planner- husband is the diver. In May we spent a week at Brisas del Mar in West End and he dove every day with Island Diving Center, on site there at Brisas. He was very pleased with the diving and the service he received. We both really liked the location, amenities and ability to walk to many restaurants, shops and bars in West End within minutes.

 

[diverswifey]

tech3324- please write a trip report here after your visit to Marble Hill- I am very interested in knowing more about it. Thanks and have a great trip.

 

[CajunDiva]

There’s also Marble Hill resort. I haven’t been there yet, going in May.

Would love to hear all about it after your trip...

 

[GreggS]

The Roatan Aggressor (RAG) is appealing on many levels but mathematically makes no sense. Due to crazy fuel costs it largely sits off the South shore. You can see it via Cocoview webcam sitting offshore 3/7 days. At a 35% extra cost you dive the same sites as land based. If the weather and their budget was not an issue, it would be a great alternative- but it aint.

Exactly right. When we were in Roatan last June/July, there was a liveaboard (I'm assuming RAG, as you put it) parked just off Bailey's Key for several days while we were at AKR. When we moved down to West End for the rest of our stay, it was parked just outside Half Moon Bay for 2 or 3 days. It did not do a lot of moving for those several days.

We dove several times with Coconut Tree Divers while in West End and enjoyed it very much. They do have a hotel as well. But, really, in West End, you can't throw a rock without hitting a dive shop and several have stay and dive packages. All of them seemed to be busy.

 

[BLee88]

I did Sundivers in 2022 and Roatan Divers in 2023... both in June, almost exactly a year apart.

Their dive schedules were similar in that they have 3 one-tank dives each day, along with two (IIRC) night dive opportunities each week.

In 2023, I literally went out on every available dive with Roatan Divers over a continuous 6 dive day period and got in 20 dives (6*3 + 2 night).

I do have to say that we couldnt go out on any night dives with Sundivers as they didn't have enough people to fill the minimum. I suppose we could've bought out the empty slots but I didn't want to spend so much.

If I were to go back, I'd try Coconut Tree just to say that I've tried 3 of the bigger West End ops. Barring that, I'd probably take Roatan Divers over Sundivers due to the larger number of customers mitigating risk of getting skunked on night dives.

 

[Doc]

I do have to say that we couldnt go out on any night dives with Sundivers as they didn't have enough people to fill the minimum.

….Barring that, I'd probably take Roatan Divers over Sundivers due to the larger number of customers mitigating risk of getting skunked on night dives.

It is quite common for Day-Dive ops offered night dives to fall through because of lack of minimum divers.

You can shop around down the West End strip on the day of any other dive op’s offered night trip… they’ll gladly take “outsiders”.