Some questions for those who went to the Roatan Invasion last year...

[Hoomi]

Since we're heading to Anthony's Key resort here in just a few weeks, we were wondering a few things.

Our LDS went to Roatan last year, staying at a different resort. The owner of the LDS commented that they had a bad problem with biting bugs like noseeums, and said to take along a strong bug repellant. Did anyone experience a similar problem at AKR?

We have one of the hill bungalows. How is the wifi at the resort? When we went to Cozumel in 2016, we could only access the wifi from the resort lobby. The AKR website states the bungalow has wifi access, so were wondering how it really is.

What's the gratuity practice there?

Anything we should take that might not normally occur to dive travelers?

Thanks in advance!

 

[diversteve]

Bugs are pretty much a given there - and most of Roatan since it's a tropical jungle island. Anywhere there's standing water something is likely to breed. AKR is waterfront but just a mile or so inland from there is the rain forest.

It's the only island I've visited in the Caribbean that I did the Mosquito Malaria protocol before and during. Lots of sand flies esp. around sunset. Seemed to me they were often the most active just before sunset. Deep Woods Off spray worked for me - my friend had some sort of concentrated Deet liquid but it made me sort of ill to rub it on. Little suckers are under the tableclosths everywhere also.

And there's sand fleas on many of the nicer beaches in West Bay - someone once told me that area was a reclaimed swamp originally. They bite also.

Surprisingly I spent a full afternoon on the beach in the West End bug-free but that night at Sundowner's on the beach is memorable for how chewed up we got - there and across the street at the Argentinean Grille. I counted 50+ visible bites on the plane ride home - mostly my legs.

It's just a fact there. Don't open any windows/shutters unless there's a screen. We nade that mistake once on Utila and had to "fog" the room at 2am to stop them from buzzing around - and biting.

I've been to AKR twice but not stayed there so can't answer your other questions.

If you want alcohol in your room you'll need to get that in the West End nearby or ask if the shuttle will stop on the way from the airport in French Harbour although that's less convenient. The Coconut Tree Store at the entrance to the West End sells it - possibly Woody's Market a block east also - can't recall.

The AKR store is more typical tourist things, t-shirts etc. I think they expanded the photo store into part of it also more recently.

If you have extra luggage space medical supplies are always apreciated at Clinica Esperanza in Roatan, Honduras - Clinica Esperanza It's a short ride from AKR - we asked our driver to deliver the stuff instead - 6 of us each packed a 2nd bag. I just bought common things like bandaids, creme's etc. I'm pretty sure there's a needs list on their website. No drugs though - that didn't seem like a good idea...

 

[tridacna]

Just want to clarify: Sand Flies = Sand Fleas = Mosquitoes. Different words for same biting animal. Get Deet and don’t mess around with “natural botanical” sprays.

I just go back - I got devoured.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Thanks for the info on the bugs. We are leaving for Roatan today!!

 

[kelemvor]

I guess this is a little late now, but...

I went on the invasion trip. I applied OFF liberally. I don't think I got a single bite, but I'm from Florida so I'm quite used to defending against our unofficial state bird (the mosquito). I did see a few folks who didn't and they were covered in bite marks. It looked miserable. They sell bug repellent at the resort if you forget it.

 

[Hoomi]

Kelemvor, you're not too late. We're leaving for Roatan in a couple of weeks.

If I understood our LDS owner correctly, one or two people on their Roatan trip last year got so badly chewed up by the bugs, that they ended up missing a day of diving from the sores on their legs. He specifically mentioned noseeums, and IIRC, those little bastards can leave open sores behind. I'll make sure to pick up some good quality bug repellant before we go. When we were in Cozumel, we had forgotten to pack any, and the resort gift shop only had a botanical based repellant that was barely adequate (I must have some kind of aura about me that broadcasts "All You Can Eat Buffet" in mosquito, as they always seem to zero right in on me, long before they notice my wife).

 

[kelemvor]

I forget what that "botanical based repellent" is called. it's what they sell at Anthony's Key. Someone from our group bought a case and brought it down to resell to our group at cost. Those that used it reported good results.

I myself am an off/deet kind of guy so I brought several bottles of "off". I use off familycare. It smells a little better, and is more comfortable on your skin all day. It does have a slightly lower concentration of DEET compared to deep woods off but I've never had a situation where it didn't work. Also, applying it over (or under, I did it both ways) sunscreen did not seem to detract from the functionality of the OFF or the sunscreen. Both worked.

I went to Cozumel in 2015 and forgot bug spray. Fortunately they had Off at the "Mega" which is the Mexican version of a Walmart supercenter pretty much.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I was there a few years ago and lived in the hill bungalows. Bugs are a problem all over the island but less in Roatan than in Utila. I took bug spray and have lived to tell the tale The food portions were insufficient (at least for me) and there has been discussion on it. If I was to go there again, I will go to the market and get a load of snacks. I am not sure about Wifi because I was taking vacation to get off the grid and vanish from the world so getting back on the net was against the spirit of the vacation.

It was an amazing trip even though we went at a really bad time (November.) The place is amazingly entertaining.

 

[Hoomi]

We don't typically spend much time online while on vacation, but it is fun to share the day's photos with friends, and it's useful for contact, since the phone will work over wifi without concern over potential international roaming charges.

Any insights into the gratuities? The resort where we stayed in Cozumel told us that housekeeping and dining employees were covered, and gratuities were not expected, and that we only needed to tip the dive boat crew. What's the standard practice at AKR?

 

[kelemvor]

We probably overtipped. We usually try and tip our DM $10/tank, and we tip waiters and housekeeping staff. It was painful to do all at once, but we did it. We liked our DM and did give him the customary $10/tank. 3 dives a day and 2 divers.. that adds up quick. I think we tip the houskeepers $5/day, we left something for the back of the house and waiters. I think I did tip the bartender in cash, as I would at any bar. Everything else went on my card at check-out time.

AKR does have information on tip recommendations but it's vague imo: https://q.bstatic.com/data/bsuitewf/79322dc1325cb98224055756938696a2db1bc828.pdf

Since it's common to do tips in bulk upon checkout, there's no pressure for tips if you're worried about that at all.