Dive Op recommendation in Roatan

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beninfl

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Messages
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Location
Ithaca, NY
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi,

I'm going to Roatan in Feb. and my usual searching hasn't really yielded good results. I'm looking for an Aldora (Coz.) or indigo/dns (cayman) quality dive op.

Can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!
 
Where are you staying? That's a big one.

My favorite dive op down there is West End Divers, but I may very well be looking for other things in my diving. West Bay is the place to stay if you have the money (Luna Beach, Bananarama, Mayan Princess), West End is the place to stay if you're looking to just dive (Splash Inn, Sueno Del Mar, etc). Either way, West End is where you want to be for restaurants/bars/shops/diving/etc.

CocoView is an all-inclusive type of place, if that's what you're looking for. So is Anthony's Key Resort.


Caveat: Not familiar with Aldora or Indigo
 
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I may be underinformed, but I don't think there is any independent dive op on Roatan that gives you valet/personalized service like, say, Aldora (Cozumel). I am familiar with West End Divers, and they did a professional job but nothing more. I would recommend them. But West End is a laid-back place, not quite the kind of tourist amenity-laden place like Cozumel. No big hotels, little automobile traffic, etc. If you want a higher level of service, consider a true resort like Anthony's Key Resort (AKR). I've been to AKR, too, and I still wouldn't say it's "valet service"; you still are expected to take your gear from your locker each morning, bring it to the boat, and set it up, and then the reverse procedure later, including washing and hanging up your wetsuit.
 
Check into Quality Time Divers. It's newish and sort of the dive op for XBalanque, but I think they will take people from other resorts. Their rates are much higher than other Roatan ops, in fact I just looked and I think they've almost doubled from when we dove with them when they were just starting up. (Like the paint wasn't dry and I don't think they had a name yet new.) I suspect they see an unfilled niche at the high end and are looking to fill it, similar to the resort. I'm not personally familiar with the ops you mention like Aldora, but QTD may get you the experience you have in mind. I would definitely dive with them again.

Barefoot Divers may be another one to look at, if you haven't decided where you're staying yet. Probably wouldn't make sense to dive with them if you were staying someplace like West End.
 
If only BIBR hadn't gone under....:)...........IF you were staying on the north side-----that is..........EDIT....btw, where you staying??
 
Hi,

I'm going to Roatan in Feb. and my usual searching hasn't really yielded good results. I'm looking for an Aldora (Coz.) or indigo/dns (cayman) quality dive op.

Can anyone recommend one?

Thanks!

I'll be diving with Black Pearl next month, so I'll let you know what I think of them.
 
Where are you staying? That's a big one.

My favorite dive op down there is West End Divers, but I may very well be looking for other things in my diving. West Bay is the place to stay if you have the money (Luna Beach, Bananarama, Mayan Princess), West End is the place to stay if you're looking to just dive (Splash Inn, Sueno Del Mar, etc). Either way, West End is where you want to be for restaurants/bars/shops/diving/etc.

CocoView is an all-inclusive type of place, if that's what you're looking for. So is Anthony's Key Resort.


Caveat: Not familiar with Aldora or Indigo

Hmmmm. . . West Bay is a boring collection of secured buildings (IMHO of course). What little island culture that might be on Roatan can be found in West End.

We stayed at CocoLobo, and would stay there again. A very short walk to 'downtown' West End. Big thumbs up to Coconut Tree divers, but you're going to have to put on your big-boy pants and carry your gear to the boat.
 
West End Divers! Yes, not valet but will give a bit more service of need be. Still expect you to be able to take care of a few things but they are conditioned that way due to training all the dm's. Be that as it may, it's good for a princess like me from time to time. :)

That said, like the previous poster's, we need to know where you'll be staying to give any of our advice meaning.
 
Aldora doesn't just mean valet service. Aldora means dive your brains out on big steel 120s at advanced sites or sites that only they access with divers grouped by experience and every dive is about max bottom times, leaving early to get to the dive sites before anyone else. And then on top of all that is the valet equipment thing, but that is the least of the services they offer that influences my diving with them.

So who does all this on Roatan?
Aldora means dive your brains out on big steel 120s at advanced sites or sites that only they access with divers grouped by experience and every dive is about max bottom times, leaving early to get to the dive sites before anyone else.
 
Greeting from Roatan!!!
Mayan Divers @ The Mayan Princess in West Bay for sure!!!
We are spending our last 2 days of a 2 week trip here and after a false start with another operation we have been super happy with MD! I cannot say enough good things about Mark the DM. He is calm, cool, professional and absolutely the best DM I've experienced in 26 years diving. That said he has taken my novice certified husband (April '14) to the level of a experienced diver in just a few days! DM Edwin took us both through the advance course with patience and superb professionalism this week. We are both coming away from this trip with complete glee & satisfaction in all areas of our diving experience. We've tried to keep it casual just diving mornings but I got 19 dives! Totally Valet service too, awesome! My last 2 week trip I got 36 dives here. It's hard to quit!

Our dives have seen so much variety of sea life and corals, we quit counting turtles 3 days in! We've done deep dives, night dives, swim thrus, and at every opportunity "must see" things have been pointed out to us. This is my 3rd trip here, total of 6 weeks and we will be back and will dive with Mayan Divers again.

You can water taxi to Half moon bay & west end or hire a cab to take you both ways. We've enjoyed West Bay so much we've never left! We've eaten at all the Restaurants but The Argentina Grill makes the best meals. Beachers does fantastic fish & chips too! Fosters for fish tacos. We're staying in the studios behind the Argentina Grill, Posada Seremein. Super clean, kitchen, great A/c & great people!

omg, I hate to leave...
 

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