Looking for a Cocoview-like experience (but somewhere else).

[diving4ever]

Hi all,

I've been to Cocoview twice in the last three years and have LOVED it. The great valet service, ease of diving, comfortable shady boats, and low-key mellow atmosphere are (IMHO) the best kind of dive vacation. I'm certain I'll be heading back to CCV soon, but I'd like to travel to a new destination this year. I'll be diving in Kona this October, but I'm hoping to plan a one week dive trip to the Caribbean in January and/or June.

Can anyone recommend resorts similar to Cocoview? My must haves include:

• valet style diving where I don't have to schlep everything
• reasonablesingle supplement
• a bed that is not rock hard
• internet access; which is a requirement for work. The internet can be somewhat slow or available only in common spaces....I just have to be reachable

I'm guessing the single supplement and the internet access will preclude a live aboard.
I'd appreciate any personal recommendations. Thank you in advance.

Melissa

 

[Doc]

CoCoView represents different things to various of serious hard-core divers.

Your "must have" bullet point list is fairly easily fulfilled at many dive resorts in the Caribbean.

For me, CCV is: the easy access, easy to do 27 dives a week. The dive boats are uncrowded and perfect for the environment. Hard to beat the rooms on stilts over an active changing reef structure. The DMs are actual u/w Naturalists, constantly pointing out the cool stuff. Airport transfers are seamless and pain-free both in and out. Food is when you want it and doesn't get in the way of diving. Great "wet room" gear lockers, rinse tanks everywhere, no TV or phone, but the best internet access one might expect (hope for) on a Honduran Island. Secure enough so that your camera and dive watch will remain where you left them 6 hours earlier.

The same or equal in the Caribbean? I haven't found it yet.

I do feel there is better diving (for many newer divers) in some places, but the diving at CCV is unique in the Caribbean for the more advanced Naturalist.

We have found one very unusual place that I find a great comparison, it is in the Philippines at Atlantis Resort in Sabang Beach (Puerto Galera). Very dive-centric, easy access to diving, a great variety of underwater features and attractions for many levels of diver experience. Philippines Hotel Atlantis Pto Galera Sabang Photos by Doc_Adelman | Photobucket

In the Caribbean, the most delightful experiences we have found do not satisfy all of your bullet points directly, but then again, maybe internet access comes at the expense of remoteness. In the Caribbean, that can be a huge deciding factor for us in terms of diving quality. If I looked at the list of any place that might begin to compare to CCV, the first thing that would have to be scratched off the list would be WiFi. Valet service would run a close second in terms of not-happening, but pretty-much no one will encourage guests (in the Caribbean) to carry their own tanks.

For some of the points on my list, maybe look at the Riding Rock Inn (Salvador Bahamas), Blue Waters Inn (Speyside Tobago), Gran Roque (VZ), the North East end of Grenada (that's a private charter)

January can be problematic in the Caribbean/Bahamas, but if you stay far South in the Caribe, and East in the Bahamas, you lessen your chances of disagreeble weather.

In the Caribbean, to match CoCoView, you're looking for a liveaboard that doesn't rock. The Nekton's Fleet, alas, is gone.

 

[BDSC]

You should look at either Little Cayman Beach Resort or the Brac Reef Beach Resort. Both resorts are owned by the same folks and sometimes the Brac resort will run deals where you don't have to pay a single supplement but not sure which months they do that. Other than not offering shore diving if that is something you really want, I have found both resorts to be far superior to CCV. The rooms and resort are newer and more modern, the food is exponentially better, and the diving around the Sister Islands of the Caymans is better as well. People are really friendly and they offer valet diving. Once you set up your gear the first time you don't need to touch it again. At the end of the diving day you just carry your mask, fins, and wetsuit back to rinse and hang up. If I had the option, I'd most like pick the June date. Excellent wifi at both resorts. The Brac Reef Beach Resort is a little easier to get to because the large planes can land there. If you want to go to the Little Cayman resort, you must fly in to Grand Cayman and take the island hopper on Cayman Air to Little Cayman.

 

[diving4ever]

For some of the points on my list, maybe look at the Riding Rock Inn (Salvador Bahamas), Blue Waters Inn (Speyside Tobago), Gran Roque (VZ), the North East end of Grenada (that's a private charter)
January can be problematic in the Caribbean/Bahamas, but if you stay far South in the Caribe, and East in the Bahamas, you lessen your chances of disagreeble weather.

Thanks Doc. This is great. Very helpful suggestions. I've never heard of Blue Waters Inn or Gran Roque...so I'll check those out. It's probably worth mentioning that I don't really care about carrying and rinsing my own BCD as much as I want a customer centered / helpful experience. As an example my knees are pretty beat and after a few days of diving, I'll often want to hand up my gear on the boat without feeling like I'm imposing.

I've considered the Atlantis Resort, but I'm not willing to fly that far, unless I can stay two weeks...maybe in late 2014 or early 2015.

You should look at either Little Cayman Beach Resort or the Brac Reef Beach Resort. Both resorts are owned by the same folks and sometimes the Brac resort will run deals where you don't have to pay a single supplement

Thank you. I hate paying a high single supplement and would love to avoid it if I can.

Melissa

 

[fisheater]

The Atlantis resorts are awesome and there are two of them. If you fly there, you should "spread out" the PITA of the flight over at least a week at each, Puerto Galera and Dumaguete. During my week at each, I got in a total of 60 wonderful dives.

 

[jwillh9181]

You should look at either Little Cayman Beach Resort or the Brac Reef Beach Resort. Both resorts are owned by the same folks and sometimes the Brac resort will run deals where you don't have to pay a single supplement but not sure which months they do that. Other than not offering shore diving if that is something you really want, I have found both resorts to be far superior to CCV. The rooms and resort are newer and more modern, the food is exponentially better, and the diving around the Sister Islands of the Caymans is better as well. People are really friendly and they offer valet diving. Once you set up your gear the first time you don't need to touch it again. At the end of the diving day you just carry your mask, fins, and wetsuit back to rinse and hang up. If I had the option, I'd most like pick the June date. Excellent wifi at both resorts. The Brac Reef Beach Resort is a little easier to get to because the large planes can land there. If you want to go to the Little Cayman resort, you must fly in to Grand Cayman and take the island hopper on Cayman Air to Little Cayman.

Take a look at Pirates Point in Little Cayman, all of your gear is kept on the boat including your fins and mask, it can't be easier.

They have a single room if you go alone.

The food will be better then anything else on Little Cayman. If you are on the dive plan then you drink for free(pour your own).

Only bad part is they only do 2 dives a day, you could probably add dives with one of the other dive ops there but then you would have to move you gear everyday.

I have been there twice and it is great, better diving then CCV(been there twice also).

John

 

[BDSC]

Take a look at Pirates Point in Little Cayman, all of your gear is kept on the boat including your fins and mask, it can't be easier.

They must have changed things since I was there. I liked Pirates Point as well but when I was there we had to pack up our gear each day and get in the van to go to the boat. Then bring it all back at the end of the day. If they now let you leave it on the boat then that would be much better.

 

[jwillh9181]

They must have changed things since I was there. I liked Pirates Point as well but when I was there we had to pack up our gear each day and get in the van to go to the boat. Then bring it all back at the end of the day. If they now let you leave it on the boat then that would be much better.

You do have to get into a van for a 3 minute drive to the dock.

You have to bring whatever you bring back from the boat the day before. I didn't bring anything back so just a small bag with ear drops, sun tan lotion etc.

I would check on this to see if they still do this, it makes the diving really easy, it is the only place where they have left the gear on boat. Little Cayman is a very small island with virtually not crime so they could leave the stuff on the boat with no issues, the DM's left their gear on the boat right next to my gear, it felt strange at first.

 

[diving4ever]

You do have to get into a van for a 3 minute drive to the dock.

You have to bring whatever you bring back from the boat the day before. I didn't bring anything back so just a small bag with ear drops, sun tan lotion etc.

I would check on this to see if they still do this, it makes the diving really easy, it is the only place where they have left the gear on boat. Little Cayman is a very small island with virtually not crime so they could leave the stuff on the boat with no issues, the DM's left their gear on the boat right next to my gear, it felt strange at first.

Awesome, I'll add this to my list as well. Usually I like to get in at least 3 dives a day, but if I'm working on a trip...2 is plenty. Quick question does anyone (Doc?) know where I can find info on the Gran Roque charter? I've looked online with no luck. TY.

Melissa

 

[Woodiver]

If you only have a week, a trip to the Philippines is probably out but if you can extend your vacation time, go for it. I'd only look at one resort because you lose a day in transit between the two Atlantis properties. If you have two weeks, it's worth a look.

Diving in either place has a huge amount of biodiversity compared to the Caribbean but doesn't have the coral structure that is found in Cozumel, Belize or Roatan. Atlantis does a great job, good food and has very good guides which is important since most of the diving is macro. You will have to walk the plank or wade to the boat with your mask and fins but everything else is handled by the staff.

Internet service is available in both locations but veryyyyy slowwww.