AKR November 14 – 21

[HJeffreyM]

Hello! I’ll be staying and diving at AKR November 14^th thru the 21^st and I have a few questions for those of you who have been there.

Firstly, anyone else planning to be there that week? Despite the BOGO promotion, I’ll be there solo, so one of my first questions has to do with buddy pairing. Do they assign you an insta-buddy based on skill level or do you pretty much have to work that out amongst your fellow divers?

What kind of weather and water temps should I expect that week?

What is the WiFi situation? Some people on Trip Advisor say the in-room reception is awful, some say alright. I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the kinds of apps that work well there. I do need to be somewhat connected while I am away. Does Skype (either video chat or just plain phone) work? How about email? Any entertainment (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sirius radio) apps work? They claim there’s WiFi throughout the property. I’ll be on the Key.

Are the sandflys bad this time of year? I have plenty of DEET and also bug-off (permethrin) clothing. Will that do the job?

What do you do if you want to eat something between dinner and breakfast? Is there a place that delivers nearby?

Well, that’s it for now. I’m looking forward to a great dive trip. I’ll share a trip report when I return.

Happy diving!

 

[scubadiva729]

I have been to AKR and that was in 2012. The last time the wifi was hit or miss on the key at night (wasn't in my room during the day) but I was able to use the computer they had on the hill near the reception desk and use my devices there as well. I was able to post some things to social media on the key but like I said it was hit or miss. As for the sand flees I have not been there this time of the year however it is their rainy season and they are pretty bad year round as far as I am reading. Just be prepared to use lots of spray and maybe hit up their store for the cactus juice. The last time I was there I was hardly bitten but plenty of people had lots of bites. Cant answer the other questions as I was there with my university and we were well fed and very busy and had our own dive boat assigned to us separate from the rest of the divers. I will be heading to AKR on Sat and if I can answer anymore of your questions (i.e water temp and weather when im there I will)!! safe travels

 

[mcdougal]

Hi. We just returned from AKR on Saturday, and we had a great week. Trying to address your questions.
-There were a few solo divers on our boat but they were able to buddy up easily enough or with the DM. I think it really depends on your DMs.
-Last week it was very hot, water temps were ~83F, air low 90s. The locals were complaining about the heat, and maybe that explains the sand fleas. Bring the deet, and bring more deet! I usually never get bitten (they tend to focus on my wife) but towards the end of the week I was pretty chewed up.
-I thought wifi was adequate for my needs - emails, occasional skype calls, even on the key. Looks like your needs are pretty intense, we had no time for TV, netflix etc. I did get Pandora to work there too!
-I grabbed some fruit/muffins from the breakfast bar for snacks. Others ventured in to town, but I stayed on site and never went hungry. There is a pretty meager snack shop if you get desperate. Strange thing, the dive boats had no snacks, water only, so plan according to your needs. You do go back to AKR between most dives, but still, no crackers?
The diving was excellent, especially the night dives. We had a full moon last week maybe that helped!

I'm sure you'll love it, the food was very good, diving great, and if you're lucky the weather will cooperate.
Happy diving!

 

[diversteve]

Is there a place that delivers nearby?

I'd be hugely surprised if there's a place that delivers on Roatan period. AKR is kind of all by itself. Fenced/gated and not near much of anything. Probably the closest is in the West End - under a 10min. cab ride. (should also be under $10) If you're just going for food, ask the cab driver to wait and give him a few $$ extra.

Three on this list that probably pack to go are Anthonys (no affiliation with your resort) Tacos El Pastor or Sundowners Beach Bar. Also a little farther west in the West End - Rotisserie Chicken does - we did takeout from there. The 10 Best West End Restaurants 2015 - TripAdvisor This shows some options also: Sandy Bay Restaurants on Roatan Island

There's also a couple of small food stores along the way to the West End and a couple in the West End. Popular Grocery Stores on Roatan Island (the top 3) Coconut Tree also has a small store in their building for snacks/drinks and a few staples.

 

[Doc]

/begin somewhat comedic post

Firstly, anyone else planning to be there that week?

Curiously, AKR doesn't engender much of a following on :sblogo: It is a world class operation (with some features to occupy a non-diver with a low threshold of an amusement factor...Hey, it's Roatan afterall) that inexplicably doesn't get a lot of repeat customers. They get most of their revenue from cruise ship day visitors, so that might explain why they are BOGO so very much of the year. They take excellent care of their weeklong guests, but dolphin shows are the huge draw.

What kind of weather and water temps should I expect that week?

Weather? No one can give you even the slightest clue. Weather at this mid-November time frame is very unpredictable and in general the very worst time you could select to go to Roatan. The good thing: It has so far been a whimper of a tropical storm season. Your selection of AKR was very smart in terms of a North/West type location, as they have the wherewithal to motor you around to the South side if/when the rains come in. (BTW- always accept the bus shuttle to the South to meet the boat, you DO NOT want to be a sailor-man and "enjoy" that cruise)

Water temps on West/North run about 79-81° at the surface, pretty reliably. Minor fluctuations can be noted.

What is the WiFi situation? Some people on Trip Advisor say the in-room reception is awful, some say alright.

You really read TwitAdvisor? (For SCUBA related anything?)

I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the kinds of apps that work well there. I do need to be somewhat connected while I am away. Does Skype (either video chat or just plain phone) work? How about email? Any entertainment (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sirius radio) apps work? They claim there’s WiFi throughout the property. I’ll be on the Key.

What "apps work there"? I asked a teenager how this Goggles thing works, he said it's all dependent upon internet speed, the pipe, as he called it. On Roatan, this is highly variable due to time of day, volume of users and the wind direction... no joke. A palm tree might get in the way of the microwave link to the mainland, they don't seem to have an island based satellite uplink this week. The real problem comes in when locals and guests decide to stream music, radio, movies- that totally mungs up AKR's already meager wi-fi capability. If "you need to be somewhat connected", I would advise your fellow Board Members at Volkwagen to make their next decisions based upon their best conscience . Leaving humor aside, if you "need" to be available, pick a different island next time.

Are the sandflys bad this time of year?

Short answer: yes. This zone of Honduras is a World Heritage Protected Site for the Sand Flea. Sand Fleas (no-see-ums, sand flies) are all over the Caribbean, but the Bay Islands has been voted #1 every year for having the Best Sand Fleas.

Long answer: A little less worse at this time of year on the West/North because you may actually have a wind to blow them away. This mucks up the diving a bit, but at least, finally, you do enjoy a seasonal breeze.

I have plenty of DEET and also bug-off (permethrin) clothing. Will that do the job?

If and only if you slather yourself in DEET. Conscientiously, every morning and Sunset. After every dive, after every shower. Permethrin is good mixed with Flor de Cana Rum, the sand fleas love that stuff, Cactus Juice, Skin-so-Soft and other Local JuJu, Garlic, and horse-hair bracelets~ same same.

What do you do if you want to eat something between dinner and breakfast? Is there a place that delivers nearby?

Did AKR eliminate lunch? As other posters have noted, West End is a short cab ride away, but due to AKR's boat departure schedule, you're really going to "eat into"your dive access by leaving campus mid-day. Go up the stairs to the restaurant and have a bite, the dive boat schedule is suited to that. (btw- in re above "night dive" comment, I believe they only offer 1 boat night dive per week- that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the muck dive every night right at the pier, search on SB for more on that excellent alternative dive)

Well, that’s it for now. I’m looking forward to a great dive trip. I’ll share a trip report when I return.

PLEASE DO! That would be really good as I said- not much reportage here on SB over what I rate in the Top 3 of Roatan's (real deal) Dive Resorts.

<*}}}))))><
.... .. ... ...._(;}@

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I will be there on those dates with my dive buddy "Katch." Id love to buddy up.

 

[HJeffreyM]

Thanks Doc for your somewhat tongue-in-cheek reply. I know you are quite the Roatan expert, having lived there since the time of the conquistadors.

Just to clarify a couple of items...

I don't use Trip Adviser for dive specific information, but I have found the reviews accurate when it comes to hotel accommodations, facilities, guest services, food, etc. For anything dive related I always kowtow to the BP/W, no split fin, DIR crowd right here on SCUBABoard, for I know that I shall surely perish if I do not.

You'll note that I wrote "between dinner and breakfast" as opposed to "breakfast and dinner," as I was referring to that vast period of time between 9pm and 7am when there's nothing available at the resort. I'll just pack some extra cookies and chips in case I need a little snack.

As far as that WiFi contraption is concerned, I have been to some fairly remote Caribbean destinations and had perfectly wonderful coverage. LCBR on Little Cayman Island comes to mind. It's almost 70 miles from Grand Cayman. All it takes is a relatively inexpensive satellite dish and a few decent wireless routers. It's actually pretty cheap to provide it. All in all, if you are the owner of a resort in this day and age, you have to provide people with the access they need. I know very few people now who can really afford to be away from the laptop or smart phone for a week. If my wife were coming with me on this trip, we would not travel there if the WiFi wasn't guaranteed. She needs to be in touch with clients and suppliers even while on vacation.

Thanks again for the info, Doc!

Happy diving!

 

[CajunDiva]

The last time I was at AKR, they charged you for individual "routers" for the week. I'm not a techno-wizard, but it was a small device you took to your room to enable internet connectivity. Alternatively, you could use their hard-wired computers in reception.

 

[beluga2]

I have seen El Bosque and Bojangles delivery boxes on the back of a motorcycle. But unless you have a local cell phone and speak Spanish, timely/successful delivery is unlikely.

You best bet for food after dinner is to get a cab to West End. According to google maps, it's 8 mins from AKR to Rotisserie Chicken.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Anth...+Rotisserie+Chicken,+West+End+Road,+West+End/

 

[diversteve]

I would think a Bojangles delivery to AKR would be cold b4 it arrives since they're in Coxen Hole. On the flipside isn't Pizza Inn affiliated with them in the same building? Does AKR have microwaves in the rooms? Might be an option. Anybody know if Brick Oven Pizza is still there in Sandy Bay? That would be inland and a little east from AKR.

I forgot to mention that none of the stores I linked to are going to have much in the way of evening hours. Coconut Tree's is probably the latest - they sell some alcohol later at night. Even there I wouldn't expect to find them open past 9 - maybe earlier. Except for the restaurant upstairs - the dive shop etc. is usually closed by 6 or so. I walked past Woody's nightly around dinner (8pmish)and it was always dark. Argentinean Grille might be able to box up a steak later - some nights I think they're open to 11? Basically next door to Woody's and across from Sundowners.

I'm sure all these places have addresses but IDK what they are. The cab drivers will know them by name also.