Accommodation advice for Roatan

[pennypue]

Carribeandiver, I don't know much about the other resorts, but CocoView is awesome.

A few things about it, (and I hope you do get a slot off their waiting list) there is not too much else to do besides diving. But that's what I went there for, and why I am going back. There is no need to leave the resort. All your food is included as well.

Part of the set up that works really well is the dive "locker". You have your own slot where your gear is stored right by the boats. You put out your marker to indicate that you are diving off the boat, and the crew loads your gear and sets it up. You bring your mask, fins and computer if it's separate from your regs. Very nice, very convenient. The awesome part is that your gear is accessible for you to dive 24 hours. Tanks are there and available. So grab a tank, put a marker on the board, take the strobe and do a night dive whenever you want as beach dive. Or go out before breakfast. Diving is the focus here.

If you don't need shopping and a wild night life, if you enjoy your own company and want to dive, dive, dive. CocoView would fit the bill nicely. There are two walls you can dive for shore diving. They are also accessible from Fantasy Island. I don't know their setup though to know how easy diving is from there as compared to CCV.

Before I went, I didn't understand how people were so crazy about CCV. I thought it was something they put in the food. Maybe it is, I did eat there.

 

[LavaSurfer]

Anthony's key was mentioned so I will not go there. Its a nice resort.
I also like Fantasy Island.
The locals don't have a lot of good to say about Coco, They have had some incidences in the past.

Why not consider getting a room in east end or west bay and using several dive shops there. They are not all inclucive but lots of great people. I used several of the dive outfits and like them all. Tylls was my favorite.

Another option is Pineapple Villas. They will be open in January and have a shuttle to FI and dive arrangements. I have a condo there and its a brand new outfit.

Scooter

 

[Doc]

Well, you've gotten some good thoughts, some additional resort names, and now some garbage thrown by trolls with contrary business ineterests in Roatan.

There are not "several dive shops" in the East end. There is nothing on the East end. Be careful of the expert advice you receive.

In terms of your original question, FIBR offers more of a resort with diving. CCV is strictly a dive resort. Paya Bay occupies the single most beautiful piece of real estate on Roatan, but it is on the North Side and is not entertaining the volume of guests needed to keep the place viable in terms of the same class of diving as the former two places.

The week you specify, Mardi Gras, is also part of Semana Santa which is a very big draw for South Americans to FIBR. The place is known to pulsate with amplified music late into the night. It is a great place to vacation and do a little diving. TV, Cable, phones in the room, waitstaff and beach, maybe a pool if it's up and running. Nice place to take your non-diving s.o., at least the nicest on Roatan.

CCV is strictly for divers. It has a dive op (DM's, wet room and boats) that you will use as a yardstick to measure all other resorts- I mean that in all seriousness. It is very unusual for a diver to leave there logging less than 24 in a week, often 29... sometimes more.

These two resorts (FIBR and CCV) are on the S side of Roatan, where it is protected from the winter's "Northers". Since this is the protected side of the island, you will not see the simple Caribbean regulars that are found on the North side. Instead, in this lush S side reef system, you will find a nursery of critters. Go slowly, follow a good DM. If he isnt finding Seahorses or Pipefish on every dive, switch.

Every diver who has been to Roatan has their favorites, few have been to more than one resort. I have seen them all, and for my needs, CCV is the clear winner. I do not want or need any "nightlife" other than easy breezy night diving. I don't think food looks any better because it is served to me by a slow waitstaff- I'd rather pick what I want good tasty grunts off of a serving line, chow down, then get back to diving. I don't want a beach, I want a shore dive. I don't need a bar other than to sit around and look at someone's downloaded photos. Bands, disc jockeys and dancing locals make me want to plug my ears.

That's why I'm there, for the diving.

If you really want to "par-tay", go to a place on the West End or even AKR/IoLR/BIBR... they are all close enough to the bars and nightlife and an easy cab ride away every night.

Me? I'm diving.

 

[HowieDean]

It is very small - so you will get allot of personal attention.... Not as fancy as Fantsy
They are right on Spooky Channel - which is one of my favorite dive sites.....

Keep in mind that all though the North side of the Island has allot better dive sites... You might loose a day or have a very rough day weather wise in Feb.....

You might want to stay on the South Side of the island that time of year....

Off course we also have a wonderful resort and would be more then happy to have you.... but we are also on the north side - we dive the South side if it's too ruff on the North......................................

If I can help with any other questions post or pm me

 

[Doc]

.... Not as fancy as Fantsy (Island)

I like that way to spell it, "Fantsy Island". To a large extent, it seems they (and every other resort on Roatan) are gilding the lilly. Roatan must be seen for what it is. I like the sow's ear just fine... it aint no silk purse.

Roatan has fallen into a marketing nightmare. It's inbound tourist capacity and financial need to generate those numbers has outstripped its entertainment resources.

It is just (so far) good for diving. When cruise ships arrive and disgorge their thousand pod people, many wonder what the reason is for this port of call? After they have snorkled with Flipper at AKR, they find little else to do but drink the rest of the day in the West End bars and be able to talk about a cool, out of the way Island back home. The shopping is dismal, the local power structure and squabbling keeps it that way. The diversions such as the "canopy zip-line tour" is rather limited in terms of access, the Boatnical gardens and Iguana Farm... I guess. After that? There is only beer. For some, that is enough.

Roatan isn't Cozumel, Cayman or Freeport. Right now, it's more like the Bahamian out-islands or Tobago. Not much to do other than swim, dive, snorkel and drink.

That won't last long. Go now, see it now.

- we dive the South side if it's too ruff on the North

IoLR makes a constant and great effort to cater to "divers first". They are one of the few resorts that we regularly see diving on the South Side.

 

[Carribeandiver]

hmm, saw some info on Anthony's key, I am open to any resort. My primary goal is to get a lot of dives in. I dont need 5 star accommodations, I have survived a Blackbeard live-aboard cruise. Any accommodation is a step up. If I can get in as many dives and have as good a time, then it will certainly be something to talk about.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

hmm, saw some info on Anthony's key, I am open to any resort. My primary goal is to get a lot of dives in. I dont need 5 star accommodations, I have survived a Blackbeard live-aboard cruise. Any accommodation is a step up. If I can get in as many dives and have as good a time, then it will certainly be something to talk about.

Get on the waiting list for CCV or ask if a beach house is avail the resort is wonderful Doc and I have been going there for years...uh not together but we were there at the same time once ....you can dive around the clock...plus you are on the south side of the island...so if a norther blows in you can still dive....the waters are calmer...AKR is on the north side....

 

[cgilyeat]

While there are a number of full-service resorts on Roatan (CCV, CKR, etc), what about condos, etc. I see very little discussion about them, are they a viable option or not?

 

[LavaSurfer]

Well, you've gotten some good thoughts, some additional resort names, and now some garbage thrown by trolls with contrary business ineterests in Roatan.

There are not "several dive shops" in the East end. There is nothing on the East end. Be careful of the expert advice you receive.

Oops, Brain fart, West end.
and there are a ton of great dive shops there.

Need you be so arrogant about your way of pointing this out?
Whom are you pointing out as "trolls with contrary business ineterests in Roatan?"
If its me, I have made a standing offer of discounts to SB people to both my condo's. Sheesh, I have just about had it with this board and its crap. If Tobin posts about gear is he a "trolls with contrary business ineterests"

 

[Doc]

While there are a number of full-service resorts on Roatan (CCV, CKR, etc), what about condos, etc. I see very little discussion about them, are they a viable option or not?

Absolutely viable.

Three considerations, though. And these would apply to any island.

1) Are you willing to deal with not having your gear standing and rigged 24/7 ? Meaning- even if you tag up with a day-dive-op and they keep your stuff and you don't mind the trip to the pier (versus leaving from an AI resort that is part-in-parcel of your room).

2) No access to a 24/7 shore dive entry ? A few resorts have shore dives, they all vary in quality, but at least there is a shore dive. This means "free night dive".

3) Are you willing to take the travel time and also the time to make your own meals?

Some people want a dive vacation, others are happy with a vacation that has some diving. There isn't one answer for all, just know what you want and be sure to get it.