Luca Brasi
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Thinking of a February Liveaboard, any thoughts on Belize v Roatan
Belize or Roatan for February Liveaboard
- Thread starter Luca Brasi
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A Belize LOB can and will take you to far flung destinations not doable from a single resort base. Most land based dive trips originate from the NW shores of a given cay then take you to the windward side SE for more interesting UW terrain. Every daily land based excursion can be a hump. Access to the vaunted (and in my opinion, over-rated) Blue Hole depends on multiple independent factors. Certain land based are too far. A LOB will pretty much guarantee it, but again, it is best viewed from 5,ooo feet from an airplane...that’s the image they show you to “sell it”...think about that. If it’s about a vacay as well as some diving, I’d go land based, but your OP specified LOB, so it is a dive vacay.
Roatan? The LOB option holds a great appeal, at least if the best possible options of dive sites are made available with respect to weather...and the weather dictates everything! I can sit at CCV for 50% less money, get 28 dives in a week, and watch the LOB from CCV for usually 3 days on any given week, doing the same sites.
If the Roatan weather is agreeable, you get to do “the Seamounts” and IF you’re very lucky, you can make the 30 mile bash across open sea to see Cayos Cochinos to the SSW. If. They will usually and reliably do the 15 miles to Utila which lets you say you’ve been diving at Utila, I see no real benefit to that, Utila is no different than the shallow sloping reefs of Roatan.
February puts you at the end of (but NOT yet through) the Western Caribe Storm Season. If you suffer an all-not-that-uncommon late season blow, in Belize? Your trip is going to suck. The same weather pattern affecting a Roatan LOB? It will simply hide along the lee Southern shore of Roatan, Period.
Roatans Southern shore is the truly unique structure in the Bay Islands, Belize, and also the Caribbean. The South shore is where you’ll find shallow vertical walls with constant Souther Sunlight. The LOB takes advantage of this environment and shadow of the wind.
The Southern shore of Roatan also offers a huge draw by featuring Mary’s Place, which I put in the same category of Belize Blue Hole...more marketing hype than not. You can do that MP dive assuredly from the LOB and most any land based. It’s main attraction comes from its architectural difference from the otherwise redundant reef structure.
In short, after 40 years of diving this specific region, I found great use in Belize LOBs, on Roatan, I simply do not find a realized value over CCV.
Roatan? The LOB option holds a great appeal, at least if the best possible options of dive sites are made available with respect to weather...and the weather dictates everything! I can sit at CCV for 50% less money, get 28 dives in a week, and watch the LOB from CCV for usually 3 days on any given week, doing the same sites.
If the Roatan weather is agreeable, you get to do “the Seamounts” and IF you’re very lucky, you can make the 30 mile bash across open sea to see Cayos Cochinos to the SSW. If. They will usually and reliably do the 15 miles to Utila which lets you say you’ve been diving at Utila, I see no real benefit to that, Utila is no different than the shallow sloping reefs of Roatan.
February puts you at the end of (but NOT yet through) the Western Caribe Storm Season. If you suffer an all-not-that-uncommon late season blow, in Belize? Your trip is going to suck. The same weather pattern affecting a Roatan LOB? It will simply hide along the lee Southern shore of Roatan, Period.
Roatans Southern shore is the truly unique structure in the Bay Islands, Belize, and also the Caribbean. The South shore is where you’ll find shallow vertical walls with constant Souther Sunlight. The LOB takes advantage of this environment and shadow of the wind.
The Southern shore of Roatan also offers a huge draw by featuring Mary’s Place, which I put in the same category of Belize Blue Hole...more marketing hype than not. You can do that MP dive assuredly from the LOB and most any land based. It’s main attraction comes from its architectural difference from the otherwise redundant reef structure.
In short, after 40 years of diving this specific region, I found great use in Belize LOBs, on Roatan, I simply do not find a realized value over CCV.
aquabluegreg
Contributor
Are you only considering the Caribbean..? The Red Sea is open, the Galapagos is open, the Maldives are open. There are some Red Sea options far better than Belize or Roatan for less money.
I agree with Doc about a liveaboard on Roatan although I have never been a fan of CCV.
drrich2
Contributor
I've done a live-aboard out of Belize and loved it (trip report); have not dove in Roatan (but read good things about the Roatan Aggressor). I've been digging into the forum and researching Roatan recently, and have compiled some notes. Before I do that, let me say this; Aggressor Fleet tends to have a big sale each year, like > 30% off many of their boats (what times of year are covered may vary), particularly in the Caribbean region. I think you just missed the big November sale. In a nutshell, my attitude on Caribbean Aggressor trips is do not pay list price! Get at least 25% off, preferably > 30%. If you can go very soon, there's a 50% off special (here's a link to specials page). From that:
---------
NEW 50% Savings on Roatan Aggressor
Book a new reservation from Dec 22, 2020 - Jan 6, 2021 on these select weeks and save 50%!
Jan 9 - 16, 2021 Feb 13 - 20, 2021
Jan 16 - 23, 2021 Feb 20 - 27, 2021
Jan 30 - Feb 6, 2021 Feb 27 - 6, 2021
Feb 6 - 13, 2021
---------
If you can make those dates work, the value for dollar proposition may be compelling. If not, notice the Belize 50% off deal weeks:
---------
Belize Aggressor III – Jan 9 - 16, Feb 13 – 20
Belize Aggressor IV – Jan 9 – 16, Feb 6 – 13
---------
If you want more on the Roatan Aggressor, here are the notes I've compiled:
Roatan Aggressor
Expensive compared to the other options unless you catch their seemingly annual >30% off (Nov. 2020 37th Anniversary 37% off!) sales, a very easy all-inclusive experience offering up to 5 dives/day covering Roatan, Utila and Cayo Cochinos, and at that sale price…hard to say no! A common lament with live-aboards is the potential to miss the boat due to travel delays, so it’s wise to fly in a day early and overnight in a hotel – but that may not be an issue with the R.A. (see Doc’s Post #36).
Roatan Aggressor Trip Report – Sept. 2017 by CajunDiva (pay attention to Post #23, comparing diving in different regions).
Trip Report – Roatan Aggressor July/August 2018. By JasonReid50 (27 dives offered, 1 a shark dive).
So…is the Roatan Aggressor. 2017 Thread. Cut to Post #38 by Jameseg for a Nov. 2017 trip report.
Roatan – CocoView Resort or Aggressor Liveaboard. Cut down to Post #32 for jrmdad’s 2018 review comparing both. He noted the Aggressor includes the shark dive and lets you take your own photos and video, unlike local operators.
Belize or Roatan for February Liveaboard – Doc (Post #2) noted some dive site choice comparisons and weather issues.
CocoView Resort is quite popular, doesn't tend to run big discounts often, so you don't need to wait for a sale to book. I've been collecting notes on them, too. In a nutshell, if you're looking at paying full price for the live-aboard, CocoView Resort may be a better value, though expected to be a different experience.
OP
Luca Brasi
Contributor
Thanks 4 all the great information
drrich2
Contributor
Roatan is fairly complex for a Caribbean island destination. I had to try to get West End and West Bay straight. Then, since a number of people spoke of West Bay getting a bunch of cruisers when cruise ships are in, I assumed it was the cruise port - nope. There are 2 ports, and neither is there. Then there was the north coast (i.e.: Anthony's Key Resort) vs. south coast (i.e.: CocoView Resort) dive environment, how far one wants to be (or not) from West End/West Bay, whether one wants a sandy beach nearby (more north coast) or not (more south coast), which places (few) offer good shore diving, and what the pro.s and con.s were for land-based vs. live-aboard.
And that's just Roatan; never mind if someone chimed in with 'What if you go to Utila instead?'
Roatan sounds like a destination where, to really 'do' it, one ought to do north coast (AKR or Turquoise Bay Resort) and south coast (CocoView Resort) a week each, and ideally spend a week staying at West End and diving out of there so as to compare and contrast.
Reminiscent of the old story of the blind men asked to describe an elephant, who gave widely varied depictions based on what part each examined - trunk, tail, legs, etc... I appreciate Doc's posts, since he's seen a variety there and offers 'compare and contrast' input.
Like the blind guys, if blessed to hit Roatan on a scuba trip, I'll probably just 'feel' one piece.
And that's just Roatan; never mind if someone chimed in with 'What if you go to Utila instead?'
Roatan sounds like a destination where, to really 'do' it, one ought to do north coast (AKR or Turquoise Bay Resort) and south coast (CocoView Resort) a week each, and ideally spend a week staying at West End and diving out of there so as to compare and contrast.
Reminiscent of the old story of the blind men asked to describe an elephant, who gave widely varied depictions based on what part each examined - trunk, tail, legs, etc... I appreciate Doc's posts, since he's seen a variety there and offers 'compare and contrast' input.
Like the blind guys, if blessed to hit Roatan on a scuba trip, I'll probably just 'feel' one piece.
you should do a "sticky" on roatan. sounds like you have all the info needed.
we did what you are suggesting on our trip to curacao. never been there and couldn't decide on the north end or by the city. so we did a week in each. was a good way o experience different aspects of the island. everyone is different and may enjoy different things but at least we found some pros and cons for each.
we did what you are suggesting on our trip to curacao. never been there and couldn't decide on the north end or by the city. so we did a week in each. was a good way o experience different aspects of the island. everyone is different and may enjoy different things but at least we found some pros and cons for each.
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Discounts for any Caribbean trip, Sept thru Feb should be expected as an inducement to book in the face of fairly reliable bad weather.
Come se dice...El Noviembre sucko mucho, Septiembre es no mas bueno.
Come se dice...El Noviembre sucko mucho, Septiembre es no mas bueno.
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