Roatan for divers broadening their horizons?

[Jpenn]

Hi All,

New to the board and really enjoying all the info provided here

My husband and I were OW certified a couple years ago during our honeymoon in Sicily. Later AOW certified in Puerto Morelos and have about 40 dives under our belt mainly up and down the coast of the Mayan Riviera and Cozumel (which we love).

Our next dive trip (booked) is the Carib Dancer in September, which we're really looking forward to, and then Jamaica in February for a friend's wedding (not really a dive trip, but we're gonna check it out anyhow, lol).

We're trying to figure out where we want to go next (think between the Carib Dancer and Jamaica, and/or after Jamaica). We were considering Bonaire, but have done absolutely no diving on our own, without a DM, so were possibly thinking Roatan to ease into shore diving.

We're open to almost anything/anywhere, but are thinking we'll slowly start moving farther and farther out in the Caribbean. These are some of the things we're looking for:

100% dive focused trip
Option for boat and shore dives
Ability to have guidance, but learn to venture out on our own
Nice(r) accommodations - please be nice, I'm used to 4+ star resorts in the Mayan Riviera. While we don't need all the ammenities offered by a 5 star resort I do appreciate nice room ammenities, good food, and AC

Anyway, I appreciate any and all feedback! We don't have any friends or family that dive so we're pretty much on our own for dive trips. We're considering a trip with a dive shop to meet some people, but they seem to be priced higher than what I can find on my own??

Thanks again!
Jen

 

[RickyF]

Roatan has some really awsome diving. The only place that I know of that has shore and boat dives is COCO VIEW. I have never stayed there but i understand that the rooms are decently equiped. It is an all inclusive resort that is geared to the hard core diver.

 

[diversteve]

There isn't a lot of shore diving on Roatan. Besides Cocoview - and Fantasy Island next door - there's Reef House resort and a 1/2 dozen other sites spread all over the island. It's a stretch to call either Cocoview or FIBR 3 stars. For that it's one of the nicer resorts in West Bay or Barefoot Cay Resort. Neither has good shore diving.

A list - some are off resorts/private property also: Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean - the 1st three listed are Cocoview.

If you want to "ease into shorediving" consider Curacao. Start with the Dive Bus - escorted shore diving - then go out on your own. The Dive Bus - WELCOME They pick up from any resort in/near Willemstad. Suzy/Mark (owners) are great.

It's low-current, high visibility diving - the same reef as Bonaire. An advantage is that many sites have on-site operators, dive docks or easy beach entries. A lot of Bonaire entries/exits are over sharp ironshore/coral rubble. Unless you "dive the resorts" - none of the Bonaire sites have any operator/on-site facilities. At many you're the only ones there - esp. in the afternoon.

Compare them here: Scuba Shore Diving Region: ABC Islands One slight disadvantage for Curacao is that in some areas the reef is often a slightly longer - but short - surface swim out.

Some Curacao shore dive site options:
East - Dive sites - Curacao Diving Paradise
West - Dive sites - Curacao Diving Paradise

Some that I can recommend as easy entries:

Tugboat - the boat is only 20' deep.
Varsenbaai - beach/dock entry
Porto Mari - beach entry
Playa Lagun - beach entry
Playa Jeremi - beach entry - no facilities
Westpunt - easy entry off Go West's dock

Curacao Travel- Caribbean, Curacao, Dutch Caribbean for more general info. There's also many 4 star hotels there - often with on-site dive operations. The Marriott Emerald Beach is one. Lodge Kura Hulanda in Westpunt - 45mins. from town - if you like quiet - is one of the Leading Small Hotels of the World. Go West Diving onsite is highly regarded - nice facility, I've dove there. Their site - Playa Kalki, is probably one of the best on the island. There's also a newer Hyatt Regency. The Hilton is an older property - nice grounds but I've seen unfavorable comments about the rooms.

About the only 4-5 star property I can think of on Bonaire is Harbour Village. Due to their location, their shore dive isn't that good. Nice beach - one of few there.

but they seem to be priced higher than what I can find on my own??

They typically are - somebody has to pay for the shop's tour guide to go.

 

[Doc]

On Roatan? Focused on diving 100%? Easy, close-in shore diving access? Cool rooms out on posts over an active, changing reef? Arguably the best dive boats? DMs who are naturalist guides, follow them if you want to learn?

That would be Cocoview. See it in pictures at CoCoView Explained in Pictures pictures by Doc_Adelman - Photobucket

 

[diversteve]

4 Stars? Not....

 

[lsorenson]

I could not say enough good things about CoCoView at Roatan... I would not say its for hardcore divers as to me that would imply caves, deep wrecks, and trimix... I would say, hardcore diving... as the diving is relatively easy but you can get an awful lot of diving in if you chose...

I have been to CCV a couple of times and will return again as we do enjoy the diving there but we also enjoy the diving at Bonaire as well. Good place to find Seahorses (which I absolutely love to see) and plenty of other small critters... Octopus's can put on a really good show at night! Early morning shore dives, Night shore dives, mid afternoon shore dives, couple of boat dives, and a couple of drop off dives each day if you like...

We like the bungalows as they sit over the water... A & C are the king size beds and my preference is C... Food is plenty and fairly good but some complain while others rave about it; me, I think its plenty good and have never gone hungry...!

FYI, if you read enough about Bonaire and Roatan, you will find each having their own hardcore fans... Me I love them both and I think you will find the diving just as easy and fulfilling at either location!!!

Either way will be a good choice! lee

PS I took this picture on the CoCoView wall...

 

[mala]

bonaire is exellent for easy shore diving.
you may have to downgrade your accommadation expectations.
some boat diving as well.

 

[Hoyden]

I would also recommend CocoView. I have a couple of trips there and would go again any time the opportunity presents itself. The choice between Cocview shore diving and Bonaire shore diving really comes down to the ease of shore diving in CocView versus the variety of shore diving locations in Bonaire. As someone with crappy knees, I love shore diving at CocoView, but the hikes and/or gear hauls to some Bonaire sites, not so much. It is hard to beat the variety of sites that you can shore dive in Bonaire, but if you are looking to ease into shore diving, I'd recommend CocoView. Then plan a trip to Bonaire in the future.

Jackie

 

[Jpenn]

Wow, thanks everyone for the info/insight!

@ diversteve, I had heard good things about Curacao, but after plugging some dates into our mileage provider the flights, while decently priced, are a nightmare length/connection-wise (although, it was nice to see they even had availability, we can barely find any flights to and from Bonaire). Of course I understand that eventually, to visit the dive destinations we want, we'll have to actually pay for flights.

We're going to go with Roatan because we're hoping to experience a bit of a different environment than we already have. We'll have the option of both boat and shore dives, and can hopefully start to venture out on our own. I understand that I have to lower my standards for accommodations, but as long as they're reasonably clean/comfortable (AC is a must have!) I'll be fine, because to be quite honest, we can do this trip so time/cost effectively, that I may be lucky enough to wrangle a spring Cozumel trip out of DH after the Jamaica wedding

In deciding to book Roatan, I have a few more questions I was wondering if you'd all be willing to help me out with

Our time frame for this trip is October - January (end of October being the earliest). I realize we're traveling there during the rainy season, but is there a better month to go? What kind of weather should we expect? All rain, some rainy days, or is it just luck of the draw?

I read on one of the websites that the resorts prefer a Saturday to Saturday booking. We work a Wednesday to Tuesday shift, or do you think they will be able to accommodate us, or will we have to adjust our schedule? I realize, of course, that the best way to get the answer for this is to call the resort Just wanting opinions first... maybe someone else has traveled other than Sat-Sat?

From reading/reviews, it seems like CoCo View is the place to go. We've definitely narrowed it down to either there or Fantasy Island (most likely going to CCV as the prices are similar and the reviews on here are outstanding), just wondering why CCV is rated so much higher? I'd love to hear pros/cons of both places.

Thanks again for all the help!

Jen - new, very appreciative diver

 

[diversteve]

FIBR has gone thru about 2-3 ownership/management changes in recent years. One of them let it get pretty run-down. The prices/service reflected this. At one time they offered an unbelievable deal to entice guests - IIRC it was something like $600 total for the week.

Some friends took advantage of it and were there just after one change about 3 years ago and there were signs of improvement - rooms being remodeled, new air conditioners etc. stored on-site but not installed yet. Their "new" room was clean but the shower and A/C didn't work reliably. The food was just average - they ended up going off the resort a couple of days for dinner. From there, that's fairly a fairly expensive cab ride as CCV/FIBR are pretty far SE with not a lot nearby. Both CCV and FIBR are on cays off the mainland - FIBR has a long footbridge, CCV moves it's guests by boat. It's often suggested you don't rent a car on Roatan - I concur.

One of the more recent owners was a resort/hotel chain - IDK if they still run it now - you don't see much about FIBR in the Bay Islands forum here - I'd go to Cocoview.

They were there in late Nov. and weather wasn't a factor on the south side. On the north side it was - my friend commented that waves were crashing over the road near the West End one night. If you plan to do any shore dives near there - call a resort nearby to ask about conditions before you make the trek. For Front Porch that's Anthony's Key. Seagrape and Half Moon Bay call either Seagrape Plantation or one of the dive shops in the West End - maybe Coconut Tree Divers. Spooky Channel isn't for new shoredivers. You probably can't get out there now anyway, BIBR closed a few years ago and the dock is privately owned by adjoining house rentals.

The other thing to know about independent shore diving on Roatan is that tanks are exceedingly difficult to rent. Cocoview won't let you take them off-property afaik. The only place I've heard that will is possibly Sueno Del Mar or one other shop in the West End - maybe West End Divers?

For future reference:
An easier way (at least for us) to Bonaire is fly to Aruba or Curacao first. If you can get to either by mid-afternoon, it's possible to get to Bonaire by early evening via one of several local airlines - Insel or Dutch Antilles Express are two of them. Flights off-peak are as little as $50 between the islands: Info Bonaire - Airline Information and Connections

fwiw, RoatanMan ^ is probably one of the better sources here for info on Cocoview and the south side.