Help? affordable yet enjoyable dive resort for 10th anniversary trip!!!!

[FF-EMT Diver]

Hi all. I am sorta new to this. I am actually the other half of FFEMT Diver. We will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary this year and want to go to a dive resort...... I am trying to research several on my own and yet would like an opinion from those experienced with dive resorts. At this point I am debating between COCOView in Roaton or Laguna Beach Resort in Utila/Roaton? But I am open to all suggestions even at different venues. But the things important to me would be the great diving and would love to have a cabana to ourselves. I don't necessarily want porch "neighbors". Love meeting new people but would like some privacy as well. (O! and I have a secret passion for Dolphins!!!!!) have never seen any while diving. Thanks, Rebecca

 

[diversteve]

Also consider Anthony's Key Resort instead of Cocoview. Anthony's Key Resort - Roatan - Honduras

A. It's nicer
B. Some(most?) of the Key bungalows have their own private walkway to your own private deck. We went by them on an AKR boat - they looked decently spaced apart. Like waving/raise your voice distance if you felt like it.
C. The Dolphins are there. For $125ish you can dive with them. Dolphin Activities - Anthony's Key Resort - Roatan - Honduras Of course you can also drive over from Cocoview for that.

If I'm not mistaken, most of the overwater cabanas at Cocoview are doubles. So there's someone 20' away on their deck. It's popular so I assume there always would be. Whether that's good or bad depends on what you want.

One thing about Laguna Beach also "Each bungalow is set over the tranquil mangrove lagoon". It's very tranquil (read still) We stayed next door, our dive dock was on that side. Every afternoon around sunset the Sand Flies were pretty bad. Real shallow also - 4' deep. We bumped going in at low tide.

Most people go to Utila to snorkel with Whale Sharks during the spring months. I'm sure there's probably dolphins there but no one mentioned seeing any. Someone posted here once about snorkeling with wild dolphins from Cocoview once. I don't remember where/when.

Laguna's "Beach" is nicer than either of the others though. There's really none at Cocoview and Anthony's is small.

CCV has the best shore dive since they have the wall and the Prince Albert off the property. Anthony's is shallow and average. Laguna Beach's off the ocean side is a nice dive and you can get to two more named Utila sites if you swim west. If you want a pool, it's AKR or Laguna Beach.

One last Roatan option might be Barefoot Cay. It's a full AI resort, you would have your own private beachfront villa (not overwater) it's a much smaller resort than any of the above and they have their own dive operation on-site. Like Cocoview it's a private island. It's much more upscale than either (priced somewhat accordingly) but the food is excellent, the beach is very nice, you can snorkel off the property behind the barrier reef and Mary's Place - one of the signature dives - is 5 mins. off their property. Roatan Island Resort | Roatan Diving | Barefoot Cay It's a pretty small resort - about six villas plus a few shoreside lofts so I don't see how it could be too busy even if full. There's two smaller private bungalows available also - your own deck, private beach area etc.

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Hi again. Thanks for the feedback. Also another resort contacted me with their prices. The quote was very very low compared to others I have priced which sort of makes me wary. So what does anyone know about Las Rocas on the west end of Roatan?

 

[KeithG]

Cocoview is a bit "rustic" compared to Akr. I prefer cocoview. But be prepared to eat family style with your crew (not a bad thing in my opinion).

Belize also has a number of dive resorts that you may want to look at. Not Ambergis, but ones on turneffe & lighthouse reef. I have not been & forget their names...

There is also plaza & divi in Bonaire.

Or maybe just do a live aboard? We like t&c explorer or the Belize dancer. Not much cabana action...

 

[diversteve]

The West End properties are cheaper because in many cases they're just not as nice. Older, across the street from the beach, fronted by dive shops, bars or restaurants possibly also. One half of Coconut Tree's cabins are mostly blocked by the 3 story CTD building in front of them for example. Posada Arco Iris has the Argentinean Grille in front of it. Although they close by 11 that must be annoying. And the bars in that area play music till late later in the week.

Given your desire for privacy, you may want to see if the proximity of the bungalows to each other and the public spaces at Las Rocas will be suitable. Cause they're pretty close.

Spoiler

I sort of had the impression that you were looking for overwater cabanas also based on the places you'd asked about. That's why I specified Barefoot wasn't.

If not, there's other options. On the east end of Half Moon Bay in the West End is Seagrape, they have a few single bungalows. Seagrape Plantation Resort Hotel and Diveshop in West End, Roatan | Bay Islands | Honduras

Nearby is Cocolobo, one of the nicer properties. However their accommodations are in lodges, not individual. All are ocean view. Cocolobo, West End, Roatan, Honduras. Hotel and dive packages Both properties however are on ironshore cliffs so there's virtually no water access right there. Seagrape has a concrete pad/ladder for access. There's actually a shore dive there, you enter there and drift around the point and into Half Moon Bay. Get out at HMB Resort and walk back. I rent a house right there, its' about a 5 minute walk to the West End. We barely heard the noise at night - sometimes not at all.

West Bay Beach is the nicest on Roatan but the cruise excursions also go there. You might see if Bananarama is what you're looking for in that area - the Pearl cottages seem very nice. It's an upscale part of the resort. One downside of Bananarama is they actively solicit day cruisers so the beach is more crowded daily than it appears in their photos. Roatan Diving, West Bay Beach Resort, Bananarama Dive

There's also other properties both in the West End and further west in West Bay that have individual cabanas. Let us know if you're interested, someone probably knows others I don't. Especially in West Bay, I've mostly only seen it from the water.

 

[Geordie97]

If you have decided where you want to go, please allow me to check on pricing for your trip. As a travel agent, I can sometimes get better deals for you.

North Mississippi Travel Consultants, Division of KVI Travel - Home

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Having a few technical difficulties. But yes an over water cabana a little bit of privacy and dolphins all at an affordable rate would be ideal. But I know I can probably not have all the above so shooting for the best possible. Open to all suggestions still. Thanks

 

[chillyinCanada]

Just for clarity, Los Rocas is in West Bay and not West End.

 

[parrotman]

AKR on Roatan has the dolphin dive. Probably one of the only places where you are pretty much guaranteed to see dolphins while diving. Although a bit expensive. As for the over the water bungalows, if you stay pretty much anywhere on Roatan plan on taking a bath in DEET to keep the bugs at bay. At AKR some of the bungalows are sort of buried in the mangroves, more of an "over swamp" type of thing. Laguna beach bungalows are on the lagoon and during low tide, sometimes you have a great "over mud" bungalow and again, even thought they have a nice beach it is not used very much, probably due to the bugs. As for a nice over the water bungalow where you are actually over the ocean , I think Cocoview has the nicer option. You can do the dolphin dive at AKR even if you are staying at Cocoview.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've been diving and snorkeling with wild dolphins just off shore of West End and until recently, that was the only place I'd been so blessed. Of course no guarantee but much more thrilling than going to the dolphin zoo.

---------- Post added May 3rd, 2014 at 11:27 PM ----------

Rebecca, can you give us a rough idea of your budget please?