My wife and I enjoyed CoCoView very much. I enjoyed the boat dives and the 24/7 shore diving. But, based on what you’re looking for, that’s not what I would recommend.
My top recommendation would be Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman and for a number of reasons. First, the diving. The water in Grand Cayman is much clearer than Roatan. There were a couple of times in Roatan when viz was less than 10 feet – both on the wall and when trying to do a shore dive. The only time we had good viz on shore dives was at slack tide.
At Cobalt, you start the day with a 2-tank boat dive with Divetech, the on-site operator. They have two boats, and since Cobalt Coast is a small, boutique hotel, I’ve never felt crowded on their boats. On all boat dives there are three DM/Instructors. One stays on the boat and two are in the water. For each dive, they do a very thorough, informative and amusing briefing complete with well-drawn site maps.
The first dive is a deep dive on the wall. These are among my favorite dives anywhere. Because Cobalt Coast is on the northwestern part of the island, weather permitting you’ll dive the less visited North Wall – some of the best sites are along this wall. The second dive will be a shallower dive 40’ to 60’. The DMs will give you as much or as little assistance as you ask for. Stay with either DM (one leading, one trail) and you’ll see some interesting creatures and beautiful sights. When you’re new, they will definitely keep a close eye on you to quietly access your skills. If they are comfortable with your skill level and the site conditions, they will let you go on your own (with your buddy) if you prefer. (My wife and I do this often on sites we’re familiar with.)
After lunch, you’re on your own. Divetech offers afternoon trips to the Kittywake and to Sting Ray City. But, having done that, I prefer shore diving. There are two excellent shore dives available – all included in your package. One is off the pier at Cobalt Coast. There is a mini-wall with lots to see and many fish and critters. That’s from 20’ to 60’. Past the mini-wall are sand flats and coral fingers that go out to the North Wall, which begins at 80’. I’m very happy to swim with the turtles, watch the morays and see all the fish and coral along the mini-wall.
The second shore dive is at Lighthouse Point, just a mile down the road. Here, Divetech has another shop with tanks, weights, dunk tanks and benches. If you’re staying on a dive package, Divetech will shuttle you back and forth from Cobalt Coast to Lighthouse almost any time you like.
If you like night dives – which I thoroughly do – either shore site is excellent. You can check out a tank before the shop closes and go when you like. Or, you can go on one of the guided night dives during the week.
Now, for the second reason that I think you’ll like Cobalt Coast better than CoCoView – the hotel.
It’s located in a residential area, well away from the noise of George Town and the traffic of Seven Mile Beach. Built in the style of a Caribbean plantation house, it’s a small hotel with – I would guess – not more than 25 rooms. Most of the rooms are suites, with a sitting area facing the shore and a large bedroom in back. Each suite has a small refrigerator and coffee maker, plus a wet bar.
Cobalt Coast offers an all-inclusive package, as well as an optional meal-plan for $60 per person per day. My wife and I prefer the meal plan. There is an excellent breakfast buffet included in your dive package. On our first visit, we decided to go it on our own for meals. We found we were spending a lot more than $60 per person per day going to local restaurants. The cost of a rental car, (or jitney or taxi), plus the cost of meals was more. And, we also found that we were eating all of our lunches and most of our dinners at the excellent restaurant on premise. The menu is varied and the food is delightful … from Indian curry to Caribbean jerk to American and continental … from hamburgers to salads to something fresh and local from the sea. (The chef does great things with Lionfish; I love the ceviche and tea soup.) The meal plan dinner includes appetizer, soup or salad and entrée and dessert. The daily specials are hard to resist.
The third reason is the hospitality. Even for first-time visitors, coming here is like coming home to dive. It’s like meeting old friends for the first time. Nowhere have I met a host more congenial and more customer focused than Arie … unless it’s Dora, the office manager. They are at the entrance to greet you when you step off the bus. Arie always has a tale to tell and just might sit down at your table during lunch to tell you one. The atmosphere is more like a bed and breakfast than a hotel. And, you’re among friends … fellow divers. There is really only one reason to stay at Cobalt Coast, and that’s because you want to spend your time diving. My wife and I have a number of good friends who we have kept in touch with.
So, check out their website
www.cobaltcoast.com and give it a look. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.