AKR vacation? A great choice!

[AllenG]

I've been down to Roatan and AKR many times and will keep going back. I'm trying to put together a visit in late April/early May so perhaps I will catch you down there. Mind you, a visit to Roatan is invariably filled with, to be charitable, certain complexities. But don't fret over them, just anticipate them, laugh at them, and plan to spend a week with a great bunch of land & dive staff, some really nice guests, and some super dive sites. Yes, whatever airline you take (probably Grupo Taca) will likely delay the arrival of some or all of your luggage (but anticipate that the staff will strive to accomodate you until your luggage predictably does arrive the next morning!). Plan to get bit by no-see-ums (after you've packed what you think is way to much bug spray, pick up another 2 or 3 bottles, aw what the heck, may six more!), but you'll no doubt meet some interesting folks when you offer to share a spare bottle with someone who didn't quite pack enough.

AKR has a great staff, local owners who are there every day and very engaging, good food, nice (but simple) accomodations, and lots to do, a good daily pace of diving and relaxing, and great dive sites within a quick boat trip.

If I get this trip together, I'll let you know and hope to see you down there!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

So what do they pay your for the commercials? I only dove AKR once as a cruise ship stop. I agree it was a great place. Well organized and staffed. Nice boats and equipment. Good diving.

 

[AllenG]

Sorry - I was trying to reply to someone's question re AKR and screwed up by starting a new thread.

And, oh if only they paid me for every time I spoke highly of the place. . . . I could afford an extra trip per year!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I would say that the cons to AKR are as follows: 1) Definitely in the Third World (maybe Fourth); 2) No alternate activities for the better half (shopping, nightlife, shopping. . .did I mention no shopping); 3) Not a lot of other dining options. For these reasons I would yake TCI or Coz. Just my opinion.

 

[DivePartner1]

I liked AKR, but you have to be comfortable with where you are if things go wrong.

In December our trip was bulloxed by a snow storm. It took us almost two days to get there. While we avoided being stranded for a night in El Salvador (barely), we ended up doing a night in Honduras. AKR's travel agent found us a decent hotel and a driver (at our expense) and having a member of our party fluent in Spanish and familiar with Honduras was a definate plus.

By the time we arrived in Roatan, AKR gave up on us and wasn't there to greet us so the local Red Caps seized our luggage and held it for ransom on arrival. A small annoyance and such aggressive service is understandable given the poverty of the place, but still.

Despite that I really liked AKR and the diving and I hope to make it to Utila for president's day.

 

[richhagelin]

Pardon me, but what is AKR?

Rich

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Anthony's Key Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras.