Anthony's Key - any helpful advice before we leave?

Hi All!

I'm new to the board

Hubby and I leave for Anthony's Key in 5 1/2 weeks and we have only been there from a cruise ship for a day. We loved the dive crew and the boat was nice but we didn't get to explore around the property much.


I've definately learned from the boards to bring lots of bug spray so will definately do that!

Would love to have advice on the following:

Is food available at all times or just 3 times a day? I'm one of those "snacks all day" people - particularly when diving.



Anyone had any problems bringing snack foods in their checked luggage?



We have a direct flight from Miami to Roatan on TACA so I'm hoping our luggage will arrive with us - any tips?




How is the shore diving (I've read on the boards that CCV has the best shore diving - but is AKR shore diving worth hopping in for?) And can you do a night shore dive?



Is their film developing reasonably priced?



Any other tips of things to bring that one wouldn't normally think of?


Thanks so much - I'm so glad I found this wonderful community :yl2jump:

I was just there in February with my parents (hey, do we ever get too old to travel with our parents when it comes to a free dive vacation?? ). I'll offer you what insight I have in order of your questions:

1. Food is only available for the three meals but they are large. What you can do, which we did, is request items such as hard boiled eggs to take with you at breakfast (even if you eat the breakfast they do not have a problem with this). You can also take fruit with you at breakfast time.

2. We didn't take snack food so I am not sure how much I can help there but there is a snack shop where you can purchase items (albeit more junk food oriented) by the diveshop. There are also stores on the island where you can buy many food items (accessible by taxi). There was a fridge in our room where we could store left overs etc.

3. If you have a direct flight you should likely be okay for luggage. Ours got left behind in LA by United (flew Vancouver to LA to San Salvador to Roatan) and was lost for SIX days!! I do recommend you carry whatever you can and ensure that you bring some essentials (bathing suit, underwear, cert cards, prescription goggles, etc) in your carry on at the very least. The good news, however, is that if your dive gear does get waylayed, the dive shop will take very good care of you. The staff are also EXCELLENT in unrelentingly tracking down your stuff!

4. While the canal dive was recommended to us as a shore dive, we never did do it. With three boat dives a day we never felt the need. The canal is supposed to have wonderful juvenille specimens in it though.

5. I cannot sing the praises of the photo shop enough. They offered us help with our underwater photography for the two weeks we were there and we only had to pay the cost of the film developing. They even loaned us additional equipment to try out such as different lenes for my dad's Nikonis system. Their tips were wonderful and the cost of film and developing was really quite reasonable (although I cannot remember exactly what it was, it was not outrageous by any means). They sat down with us and went through every picture and what was done right and wrong.

6. Other tips:

- book your dolphin encounter early on so that you don't miss out
- also book horse riding early on if you are interested
- catch a cab from the road and not the resort to get better prices. While the cabbies will try to tell you differently, cab fare to West End is, if memory serves me correctly, $3 US per person (cab fare is per person and not by distance alone and this number may be less, I just can't remember right now)
- bank machines are available in Coxen Hole
- to avoid paying too much, pay in local currency whenever possible or make sure you are current on the rate (the hotel staff will generally be fairly honest of what it is) if you are paying in US currency
- if you have to choose between the shark dive or the dolphin dive, do the shark dive - it was great!


ENJOY YOUR STAY!!

Michelle

I've not stayed at AKR, but I can offer suggestions for Roatan and travel...

Anyone had any problems bringing snack foods in their checked luggage?

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I mixed several bags of trail mix - mixed nuts, M&Ms, raisins, and took them. Also took a coffee maker and supplies. There's really no restrictions of which I'm aware going; it's coming back. One fellow packed his pills in a zip lock, though; wouldn't do that!

We have a direct flight from Miami to Roatan on TACA so I'm hoping our luggage will arrive with us - any tips?

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I tie orange ribbons all over my bags for easy ID - by me, or in case they have to search for them. And Trip Insurance is important here, too, as the airline is only liable for $9 a pound on your luggage. Carre your regs, masks, computers, camera in roll-on bags. You are allowed 2 70# bags, though, I think, as well as your carry ons.


And check the CDC site for advisories for Roatan. I always take maleria preventative, make sure my tetnus is up to date, Hep A is a good idea. Don't brush you teeth with the tap water, much less drink it.

Have fun!

My husband & I just got back from AKR last Saturday!!A few tips:No matter what you do...you will get bit by the noseeums!! We had 3 kinds of bug spray! ONLY DEET works(yes 90 percent deet.....you can only get this with military issue which a girl on our trip had...)I didn't let it ruin the trip though...just use spray several times a day! Do the dolphin dive for sure!!!(the one in the ocean not in the enclosure) There is snacks available in the dive shop..ice cream,chips,cookies, etc. We flew to Honuduras and did the white water rafting trip. FANTASTIC trip! Do it if you can. The front desk will set it up for you. We did it the day before we left' cause we couldn't dive. If you do, wear gym shoes or dive boots!! We had flip flops so had to go barefoot and there is alot of rocks when you get out to swim. You also do a gorgeus hike up the mountain to a waterfall, but its quite a hike in flip flops. Wish someone would have told us to bring shoes!! Still reccomend it!! The shore dive is a great little reef. I snorkeled it, which is all you need to do!!!Worth the time. I went for about 40 minutes!!The diving on this side of the island is a little sparse so don't expect alot of big stuff, but the reefs are beautiful. Dive staff is fabulous. Ask for Ruperts boat!!! Have a great time!!!!

Hello. I too have heard good things about AKR, but being new to diving, I'm not sure if it is the right place to visit. What did you think from your earlier visit as far as choosing it as a diving destination is concerned?

dhappydiver:

Hi All!

I'm new to the board

Hubby and I leave for Anthony's Key in 5 1/2 weeks and we have only been there from a cruise ship for a day. We loved the dive crew and the boat was nice but we didn't get to explore around the property much.


I've definately learned from the boards to bring lots of bug spray so will definately do that!

Would love to have advice on the following:

Is food available at all times or just 3 times a day? I'm one of those "snacks all day" people - particularly when diving.



Anyone had any problems bringing snack foods in their checked luggage?



We have a direct flight from Miami to Roatan on TACA so I'm hoping our luggage will arrive with us - any tips?




How is the shore diving (I've read on the boards that CCV has the best shore diving - but is AKR shore diving worth hopping in for?) And can you do a night shore dive?



Is their film developing reasonably priced?



Any other tips of things to bring that one wouldn't normally think of?


Thanks so much - I'm so glad I found this wonderful community :yl2jump:

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Oh and one more thing for Dhappydiver going to AKR. Bring some kind of baseball cap for "Ross." He runs the little boat back and forth to the key and LOVES hats!!! He's great. The rooms are on a little island and you take a boat ..about a 15 second ride!Also say "HI" to Elder in the dining room from Karen & Irwin!!He's also a DJ at The Monkey Bar in town.Check it out!!

AKR is a great place for anyone we went last yr and really enjoyed it. For new divers there is a little more "structure" than other operations where you are left more on your own. You can get 90% Deet at REI they call it Jungle Juice, it works great.

run262x10:

Hello. I too have heard good things about AKR, but being new to diving, I'm not sure if it is the right place to visit. What did you think from your earlier visit as far as choosing it as a diving destination is concerned?

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We chose AKR because the boat crew was great (helpful when we needed help but they did not rush us or boss us around) and it only took 5-10 minutes to get to the dive sites! We also noticed that they had lots of new boats and the cabins on the key looked nice (but we didn't actually go on the key). We had about a 20 minute bus ride from the cruise ship to the resort and the AKR rep that rode with us was very personable and he gave us the advice to visit in September because they are not as crowded then. But we'll see - I'm slightly concerned that there may be a lot of people on our boat for the week from what I have seen some people writing - but we dive in Palm Beach so we're definately used to "cattle boats"!

I guess another big reason that we chose AKR is that we would rather go to somewhere we have seen with our own eyes! But when we go for the week we are going to venture out and look around the island - particularly at CoCoView (CCV) because so many divers on this board are singing CCV's praises.

I'll post a message about our trip when we get back (Sept 26) to share our experience :fish:

Welcome to diving run262x10 - it is such a wonderful feeling to breathe underwater and swim with the fishies - just wish I had gills!

-Denise

Scubadu27:

ONLY DEET works(yes 90 percent deet.....you can only get this with military issue which a girl on our trip had...)

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I bought some at a local Walmart recently?

Oh yes, take a solid cap for yourself, too. You don't expect to get chilled on a boat ride back in the tropics, but with body core dropping in 80oF dvies, then wind blowing on wet hair, it happens. I shared my cap and a quart of hot chocolate every day, but never had enough to go around.