Shore diving in Roatan?

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KneeDeep

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Is there any shore diving in Roatan. Thinking of a trip, but would like to know if any shore diving is possible. Bonus if a resort/house rental has a shore reef, but a car ride is also doable.

I would do 2-3 boat dives, but also a couple from shore.

What side/area is possible/better.
 
Here's the list. Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean

Some notes:

#'s 1,2,3 are shared between Cocoview and Fantasy Island Resort. CCV at least is resort guests only - IDK about FIBR.

#4 is a very long swim out thru possible boat traffic.

#5 is closed
#6 is off private property now.

#7 is the shoredive at Anthony's Key Resort. It's off the Key itself so guests only. It's also shallow for a very long way. AKR does not do walk-in diving either afaik.

#8 is possible but it would be polite to rent tanks from the on-site operator - SeaGrape diving - assuming they offer them - IDK. It's their private property. That dive is also one way- once you commit and jump off the slab you're diving/swimming/floating around into Half Moon Bay to get out - the ironshore cliffs along there are vertical and about 8-10' tall.

#9 is really a better snorkel. It's actually the first place to get out if you do #8.

There's also a shallow dive off West Bay Beach - #11.

Additionally Reef House Resort on the south side has a house reef.

The bigger issue is that just about no one rents tanks that you can remove from their premises. I have heard Sueno Del Mar might.
 
As above. Roatan shore diving is all but non-existent. One major exception.

I would do 2-3 boat dives, but also a couple from shore.

Per day? Only one answer- Coco View.

(CCV and FIBR might "share" real-estate, but any similarity ends there)

When weather is agreeable, also a consideration is Reef House Resort (RHR, a South side AI), but keeping up that dive schedule at RHR would be all but impossible. At FIBR it would also be sheer exhaustion (plus other negatives).

Considering your given desired dive schedule, you are pointing at an AI if but for nothing else, economy of cost as well as economy of time consumed. Anything more than 2x a day diving, AI's make great financial sense. When you factor in the "need to feed", it also makes sense to have food put in front of you.

Vacationers of all kinds come to Roatan, similar to SCUBABoard or Twit Advisor. When you come here and state:
I would do 2-3 boat dives, but also a couple from shore.

There are plenty of divers visiting Roatan who buy their 10 dive package for the week, have the time of their lives at night (not diving), and have the best Roatan experience that they can imagine.

Your OP tells me that you are in search of a Dive Vacation, not simply a vacation with some diving. Not everyone comes looking for that, not everyone can relate to that, even fewer can write about that while knowing the differences.

Know what you want, get what you need.
 
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I (mostly) only travel out of the US for diving. I live in the Seattle area and dive weekly (2-3x min). So when I get into blue water, I'm more of a dive whore.

I was planning on Belize, but in the end it seemed a bit $$ so was looking at other options. I don't mind spending the money, but want to have value. Just got back from La Paz... no value in going back, but I could see myself returning many times to the Belize/Roatan region of Caribbean.

I personally would do a live-aboard, but the wife... if she had to lol. She LOVES to dive, but does get motion sickness.

I like the AI, but don't need the booze, as I don't drink as much/heavy on days/nights before so no value to me. I would pick HI and CoCo alone just for the shore diving.

Thanks all, just wanted to get a high level idea of options. I may revisit this thread to finalize hotel and dive shops if I don't go AI.
 
I like the AI, but don't need the booze, as I don't drink as much/heavy on days/nights before so no value to me. I would pick HI and CoCo alone just for the shore diving....

Not all AIs include liquor, CCV doesn't, anyway. Most that include booze are found in Mexico, but on Roatan, FI does this, but has some negative reviews even on that feature.

Lots of other ways to play on Roatan, the majority of which are simple day-dive operations largely found on West End area. Not any shore diving, some lesser volume of dives, but great non-dive diversions!

Something on Roatan for every perception of a "dive vacation"... On the West End, there is night life you can get "dressed up" for, but at CCV, night life is at 8pm... Under water.

Let us know how your search progresses, and whatever you do, please post a trip report!
 
Re: 2-3x dives a day
Don't want to contradict Doc, as I've not yet dived Roatan, but we're flying out this Saturday and staying+diving with Fantasy Island Resort (shares reef with CoCoView).
One thing I was really happy with FI is the diving. It's AI (drinks+food) & "unlimited shore" diving with 3x boat dives per day:
2x morning, 1x afternoon - then an alternate 4th dive on way back where the boat drops you off on the reef & you finish swimming back to the shore gazeebo (drop tank there)

A friend from my local dive club, just dived with her this past weekend, just returned from FI resort a couple of weeks ago & said she got in 4-5 dives every day due to the 3x boat + dropoff diving.
I'm also planning on some night-diving, so also should satisfy my similar "dive whore when travel" drive. :)

For what it's worth, I've heard the resort has improved much recently with the new owners who took over, I believe just this year(?).
I've also heard glowing reviews about the dive operator. My dive buddy loved 'em.

Of course, have heard nothing but great things about CoCoView. We finally went with FI because CCV only had an entire "house" avail which would've cost us too much. Also, we're on a longer 4wk holiday & saved $ with the AI ( +drinks, my drink bill would be heavier than most :) ).
Good luck with whatever you find.

Will be reporting back in later Jan on FI.
Doug
P.S. Don't know if this is proper SB ediquette to talk bookings/prices, but for the budget conscious, we paid $888 (USD) for 8 days AI: food, drinks, 7 nights, airport transport to/from, 3x daily boat dives (1 scheduled night), unlimited shore dives. When I add the cost of the diving to other AI trips we've done (several times Cozumel, Aruba, Bonaire, Dominican Rep) - Roatan's probably working out to be the best deal. Airfare, however, was more for us than say Cozumel.
 
Don't forget the 14% (IIRC) tax on that $888, plus another 5% (IIRC) on any credit card uses in Roatan, plus rather aggressive pushes for gratuities for more than just the DMs.
 
I hear you on the taxes.
We did pre-pay earlier in the (Aug?) year. Just grabbed a bunch of USD today for tips & such so won't be using CC while there. Also, if required, using my US-CC as I've had horrible exchange rates before when using my CAD.
 
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