Roatan Trip 30-Jan - Advice Sought

[mschaub]

Hi Friends,

My BF and I have decided to go to Roatan on Jan 30th for 7 days for some R&R and diving.

Trip Advisor has numerous reviews on great resorts but would appreciate hearing from you all as well as diving-specific advice (re: is 3MM sufficient?) and any other experiences you have.

Many thanks!
Mary

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I found Anthonys Key to be superior to the rest of the resorts. Great accomadations wtih super dive sites all very close to the resort. Short little boat rides.

Everything else is cheaper if that's a factor.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Everyone will have their favorite places. AKR probably is superior, if money is no object. If you want a bit more of the island experience you might check out West End options. We've stayed at Posada Arcos Iris twice now, right on Half Moon Bay. Here is their website: . About 50 feet south is Native Sons, great dive outfit.

If you contact Posada Arcos Iris you might also inquire about their new sister hotel (another Posada something or other--can't recall). Reason being is the new hotal is right next door to Sea Grape Plantation Divers, another great dive outfit. Louis, the DM and owner, is a local, like the owner of Native Sons. Difference is Louis actually goes out on the boat and his DM's are also locals. They find lots of stuff the non-native DM's don't know about and I've gotten 60-75 minutes dives with them. Both outfits have new, fast boats and most diving is close in on Roatan. Oh, Sea Grape Plantation Resort is adjacent to the dive shop with some great room options but I haven't stayed there. [URL="http://seagraperoatan.com/main.htm"]

Check this site before you go--local weather, temps and WATER TEMPS! That should tell you what to do for a wetsuit. (83F water temp today--about the same as when we dove in late July and didn't use a wetsuit). Dove a 3mm in March when the temps were probably 79-80. Always nice to know conditions just before you leave! [URL="http://www.docksidedivecenter.com/WeeklyLog.html"]

Do a SB search, plenty of threads to help. Roatan is not only great diving but it has a nice slow pace and lot's of friendly folks (Well, except for Dorado but maybe you won't run into him...). Take advantage of water taxis in West End and you won't need a car. Good thing we leave for Bonaire in 2 weeks or I would be missing Roatan something fierce right now!

 

[Bay Island Diver]

You will be arriving right at the end of Rainy season, so there is still a chance of Northers stopping diving on the North side. For that reason make sure you sign up with a reasonably big operation who have a boat on each side of the island. AKR, Native sons, Coconut Tree, Pura Vida are the a few of the larger operations on the north side who don't let themselves get caught out by bad weather.

These guys also use the most experienced DMs/Instructors in town, which as Warm Water says makes a HUGE difference to your dive experience. Although there are a few Gringo instructors in town with thousands more dives on Roatan's reef than some of the recently qualified Honduran DMs/Instructors. Many of these are also qualified Marine Biologists who are down here doing valuable conservation work.

If unlimited diving is a huge concern (by unlimited i mean you will want to do MORE than four dives a day) you will want to look at Coco View. The downside for some people is how isolated these resorts are. A taxi to the tourist centre of West End will cost about $25.

All the resorts I have named here are very active in the Roatan Marine park initiative which is doing an amazing job in Roatan. IF THE DIVE SHOP YOU CHOOSE DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO BUY A MARINE PARK TAG OR BRACELET THEY ARE ONE OF THE FEW OPERATORS NOT CO-OPEARATING, they really do not deserve your business, please make this part of your purchasing decision.

At that time of year you will find me in a 5mm full suit, but many people make do with a 3mm, it depends if you also have an insulating layer of blubber ;-)

If you are flying through San Pedro, expect your luggage to arrive a couple of days after you do! Any medications you may want, such as sudaphed bring with you. Make sure you have a lightweight rainjacket, make sure your currency is in denominations no larger than $20.

Enjoy

Will

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

Make sure your shots are up to date; Tetnus, typhus, polio, Hep A, and be sure to get malaria meds before hand. Bring along some high-content DEET bug spray...the no-see-um's can be bad when the sun goes down.

For what its worth, we like staying at Fantasy Isalnd.

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[Bay Island Diver]

But try not to let the DEET get in the water!

 

[hil71]

enjoyed staying at Las Rocas - smaller "resort" but met some really nice people and had great diving - small groups - nice folks -

 

[NTSilver]

Agree with the San Pedro Sula comment. Take anything that you cannot live without with you on the plane. Ensure that you have your bathing suit and necessary scuba gear. My luggage did not arrive for over 48 hours.

 

[Doc]

In answer to your wetsuit question, this is oft heard on SCUBABoard. A better question is: what will the water temps be? Only you can decide what thermal protection you will need based on the temps. Figure on 82-84 degree water temps as being fairly assured. Remember- this time of year can be rather rainy and the air might be cool- this can be a factor in your choice of gear as well. Surface intervals might not be like a lizzard-sunning-on-a-rock kinda warm!

"Trip Advisor" is barely one step less clueless about the Bay Islands than is Lonely Planet.

You have heard from several posters in regards to various options, or possibly their favorites. Quite often on SB (as in "real life") we all are quick to point up that our only experience mast-have-truly-been the "bestest" ever.

You would do much better in terms of Roatan to specificaly state what you want out of your valuable time. One shorthand version would be: Do you want a dive vacation or a vacation with some diving? Roatan offers little other diversion than SCUBA, anyone that tells you otherwise is exaggerating or gilding the lilly. Sure- there are any number of wst End bars you can drink and carouse, but you can do that anywhere, even back home.

The difference in diving Roatan is unfortunately lost on most visitors, certainly lost on all but a very few astute pre-visit shoppers. We can only know what we know. If you come to Roatan (or the Bay Islands) in search of the same familiar critters that you have seen in Coz or the Bahamas or... the rest of the Caribbean- you are likely be sadly disappointed. The Bay Islands have been over-fished and many of the familiar creatures are seldom seen. The "Conservation Zone" on the NW side has been good for re-establishing havens for these familiar critters.

If you want to understand and see the unique place that Roatan is, the South side, although removed from the party scene (as well as the effects of "Northers") lies along the lush Southerly walls that are sanctuaries for the micro & macro, nurseries for all other waters. The trick there involves always carrying a flashlight as well as a magnifying glass. Go slowly. Whoa- slower than that!

No one resort is good for everyone. At the same time, take advice for what it is worth from people who have not seen them all.

Once again- the key is: What do you need in your resort/vacation? Be specific.

 

[k8brandt]

We were there in October/November just after Wilma came thorugh. I was wearing my 3mil. I put it on in the warm shower and it didn't come off until I got back up into the room in another warm shower. Bring a jacket, it gets cold on the boat and try to pick a spot up front out of the wind.