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I've spent two different weeks at Fantasy Island and was very pleased both times. Diving was great. DM's let you dive your computers. Fills were good. Boats can be a little crowded at times though. We did 4 dives a day every day plus one night dive.
I have no opinion on their rental gear since we have our own.
Food was good but not great. Plenty to eat though and never had trouble finding a good selection of things to eat. I'm not real picky.
Rooms are decent but nothing fancy. Ask for a room in the new wing as they're a little bigger and nicer.
Overall a very good value. Roatan is a nice island with friendly people but I don't believe any of the resorts are fancy.
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Wherever you go, there you are.
(In other words, no whining!)
Hi all - thought I would ad my 2 cents worth to the Roatan discussion since I have stayed at CocoView Resort in the past and will be visiting Roatan for my 4th time the first week of December this year.
My first trip to Roatan was in 1988 - before most of the resorts existed and long before the cruise ships arrived. What an incredible place it was back then. During my most recent visit which was in 2004, I dove with Alvin of Native Sons Water Sports on the West End. I plan on diving with him exclusively this entire trip as he is a great guy with an fantastic knowledge of the island.
Alvin is a Roatan native who was an instructor and assistant manager at Anthony’s Key Resort then designed and managed the dive facility at Bay Island Beach Resort. He has been operating his own business for some 10 years now and he has won my loyalty. If you really want a good price for both diving and lodging, connect with Alvin's wife, Mish, and she will set you up. They have Chillies Hotel on the West End, where I will be staying. I can not state from experience how good the lodging will be since I have not stayed at Chillies before but I trust Alvin and Mish and I choose to spend most of my cash on diving, not lodging.
My cabin will only run me $30 per night (x7 = $210) and dives will cost $25 each (probably 20 dives or so this trip = $500). Unlike where CocoView is located, I can walk to numerous shops and businesses if I choose and visit with divers from a variety of other dive operators in the area. Check out their web site: Roatan Diving with Native Sons Dive shop
As for flying in and out of Roatan, direct from the US can only be done on a Saturday or Sunday so in response to the comment earlier about a 5-day stay, you will likely have to fly through the mainland of Honduras to achieve that plan. Here is a link that you may find useful: Transportation, Getting to Roatan Island, Honduras
Hey RoatanMan - you wouldn't happen to be the same "Doc" that was a divemaster with CocoView back in the 80's now would you? One of your photos has a resemblance...
Inn of last doesn't have any shore diving really, they are tucked back in a inlet which is rumoured to have salt water crocs! They offer a good boat schedule though.
Floridagirl doesn't know what she's talking about - Spooky Channel is a fun dive- very different terrain, very unique- but yeah not lots of colorful fishies to pet- but diving is about lots of different things besides cute fishies.............
Floridagirl doesn't know what she's talking about - Spooky Channel is a fun dive- very different terrain, very unique- but yeah not lots of colorful fishies to pet- but diving is about lots of different things besides cute fishies.............
URG! All I can think is that is a challenge to go to the most boring dive of your life or you have never been to Bonaire or the Caymans. If you are ever near a beach, go do a dive that consists of sand and a couple of boulders and you've just saved yourself a trip.
Yes, I do dive to see fish. I can see interesting terrain above water.
Spooky is in my top five list of Roatan Dive sites. Admittedly i have only logged about 2500 dives in Roatan, and 90% on the North Shore, but its a great dive. The fish life on the wall were spooky meets it is phjenominal, albeit due to heavy fish feeding by some of the less environmentally concerned operators.
(yeah yeah Im an anti fish feeding, try to keep their behaviour as natural as possible guy).
And i saw a croc with my own eyes in Gibson Bite were In of Last is located. Won´t stop gibson bite also being a site i dive regularly though. The Croc was deep in the bay near the boat dock, NOT ON THE REEF I hasten to add!
Toss my vote in for the Spooky Channel being a waste of time. I did it once, never again. I'd reckon it to the Blue Hole of Belize... really hyped up tourist trap but once you arrive and dive it, you're glad you've done it and won't have to do it again. If I want to see rockwork void of coral life and no colorful fish, I'll dive Illinois. I go to Roatan to see the corals and fish. HTH
- Spooky Channel is a fun dive- very different terrain, very unique- but yeah not lots of colorful fishies to pet- but diving is about lots of different things besides cute fishies.............
If you are ever near a beach, go do a dive that consists of sand and a couple of boulders and you've just saved yourself a trip.
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