Roatan in December

[renpirate]

My wife and I are tentatively looking at going to Roatan December 22nd-30th and staying at Cocoview. We usally go to Cozumel during this time, but thought we would change the routine for a year. As I understand it, December is at the end of the rainy season. We are choosing Cocoview to avoid the hoardes of families with children and as a great place to dive directly off the resort. My question is are there other people who go there during that time period and is it a decent time of year?

 

[HowieDean]

CCV is on the South side of the island which is the best side to be at that time of year...

The winter in Roatan translates to RAIN - air temp will still be in the mid 80s and water temp probably be 78 to 79 deg......

Every time you see a Northern drop through Texas it will usually arive a couple days later in Roatan bringing a strong Northrly wind which the hilly Island will block most of....

The dive sites are close in and CCV boats are all covered so you shouldn't get too cold if it happens to rain.....

Hope this helps... Roatan man might respond to this tread as he is the expert on CCV....

I will assure you that if you have been diving Cozemul in December the weather in Roatan will be better on any given day in Dec then Coz and the dive sites are much closer to the resort so all in all I would deffently go for it.....

That's just my opinion I could be wrong.....

 

[DiversMom]

My wife and I are tentatively looking at going to Roatan December 22nd-30th and staying at Cocoview. We usally go to Cozumel during this time, but thought we would change the routine for a year. As I understand it, December is at the end of the rainy season. We are choosing Cocoview to avoid the hoardes of families with children and as a great place to dive directly off the resort. My question is are there other people who go there during that time period and is it a decent time of year?

the middle of the rainy season. We were there in December 2004 (same time frame as you are planning) and lost over half the days as far as diving went. We were on the north side though. The folks on the southside, where CCV is fared much better. It is more sheltered and when the seas are too rough on the north side to dive, they are acceptable on the south side. AKR, on the north side, took their boats over to the south side during that period and bused their divers over there. Pura Vida, also on the norht side, did the same thing on several days.

Suggestion for clothing - do take rain gear, long pants and a sweatshirt. It got quite chilly on stormy days.

 

[renpirate]

Thank you both for the responses. So, I take it that December is not optimal. I know I have always gotten good dives in at Cozumel during this time. Is there another place that you might recommend? I have also been looking at Bonaire.

 

[Doc]

Go to the Caribbean in April-May if you want optimal.

Otherwise, it's hurricane/storm season.

The islands that are seldom if ever visited by Hurricanes? The Bay Islands including Roatan and the ABC's including Bonaire.

They get rain instead.

There is no safe haven (for sunworshippers) in the Caribbean in December.

We go to Roatan every December. Hate to miss Christmas and New Years amongst "the regulars".

 

[renpirate]

We go to Roatan every December. Hate to miss Christmas and New Years amongst "the regulars".

That is actually when we were planning on going. We usally go somewhere warm from December 25th-January 2nd. Rain doesn't bother me as long as I can still dive. So you are defintely the one to ask, if I may;

How is the diving at that time?
Which of the accommodations at Cocoview do you recommend?
how early should we book?
Are there any other activities besides diving that you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[ScubaKimmie]

You are going off season and prices are cheaper off season for a reason.

 

[Doc]

How is the diving at that time?

Every season has its reasons and delights. Suffice to say, if it is rainy, the viz can get icky. The critters don't care, but they don't like the cold fresh water. then you have to dive deeper accordingly. Otherwise Roatan is a little-critter shallow water dive 1:20 BT delight.

Which of the accommodations at Cocoview do you recommend?

They all work, Cabanas, Bungalows, On-Shore. We like the Cabanas (C1>12), I think they're cheaper. More privacy than the rest. The on-shore units upstairs, #13,14,15,19,20,21 are also very private, #17 is the darkest and coldest (my favorite as I tend to sleep a lot during the day and night dive all night. TSR is close by and has the only bathtub. The Bungalows are pretty and quaint, and they do have large beds, but they have zip for a front porch and if the reason you came to CCV was to not be at Fantasy Island, they Bungalows can be kinda close to that sonic nightmare, especially around holliday time.

how early should we book?

For Christmas/New Years I would suggest you call yesterday or sooner. CCV is generally sold out all the time, but some openings pop up around holidays. That family pressure jazz. Do not be afraid to get on a wait-list. If they put you in a Beach House, they're okay, too. Just 80-200 yards down a hard sand path to the main lodge. Still on the same small private island.

Are there any other activities besides diving that you recommend?Thanks!


Sleeping. And eating.

Go to Roatan to dive. As of yet, there are no topside activities of the character and quantity that other cruise ship destinations/dive resort islands are well known for. Dolphin snorkel at AKR if you didn't swim in the wild with them on the South shore, zip line canopy tours, Iguana Farm, miniature golf..... get the idea?

Go to Roatan with good buoyancy skills and go there to perfect your small critter finding skills. After you have seen your 50th Lobster and 73rd Crab, your fifth Reef Shark and whatever else gets your blood a'pumpin', then settle down and find a Pipefish. Do this by following a good DM. They're all good at CCV.

Check out http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/ccv for more CoCoNuts as well as the live cameras at http://www.cocoviewresort.com/webcams.html

We go to many dive destinations every year, but usually manage to spend two weeks at CCV.

 

[k8brandt]

Most important, don't forget a waterproof parka for the boat rides back to the resort. AND a rain poncho. We were there in Oct/Nov just after Wilma and Beta came thorugh, so it was very rainy. I wore my 3mil and was okay in the water, but on the boat brrrrr! Ruben was kind enought to get some hot coco for our surface interval.

We like Cabana 4 as it is far enough away from any noise, but close enough to the activity. The hotel rooms are nice, but the cabanas have more room.

I also highly recommend getting on the CocoView chat room, all your questions will be answered by those who know.

We're going in 5 days!! WOO HOO!!!!!!

 

[renpirate]

Thanks for all the great information. I will call them ASAP!!