Anthony's KR vs. Hamanasi vs. Roberts Grove

[Stargazer]

OK, these are the top choices combining diving + land adventures to keep all family members happy (although how they can be happy not diving is beyond me). Will be going for a week in late December (yeah, school vacation week....). Can anyone offer any comparisons - quality and type of diving, quality of resort, food, location, etc., and overall value (since they're all expensive). Thanks for helping me choose!

 

[Hank49]

That's a hard one to call. The diving is pretty much the same as they are pretty close and more or less on the same reef (that's what Roatan man says so it must be true). I've dived in both places and they look the same as far as floura and fauna.
The only resort of the three I'm familiar with, other than location, is Robert's Grove. I've eaten there, gassed up my boat and rented tanks there. The food is good. The rooms are nice. They're about 45 minutes, on a calm day, from the barrier reef. AK is maybe 1 minute away. Hamanasi is closer to the reef (25 minutes) but has more or less the same type of beach as Robert's Grove. The water is nice but not reef quality due to the proximity to the mainland and the effect of the river runoff. On windy days the water is brown.
There is probably more to do in Belize other than diving, than on Roatan. I'd just draw a name out of a hat to choose. Not a lot of difference.

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks for the input - I guess if they're about the same, I would go with the cheapest, which is AKR....by quite a lot. Their package seems pretty complete.

 

[Rev. Blade]

Thanks for the input - I guess if they're about the same, I would go with the cheapest, which is AKR....by quite a lot. Their package seems pretty complete.

If you have people in your group who like the water, and water animals... you may want to consider the dolphin snorkle dive with AKR. I've heard good things from people who've done it.

I did the open water SCUBA adventure with the dolphins from AKR, and rate it among my top dives. The snorkle adveture is longer, but not out in open water. (It's done in their pen.)

 

[Stargazer]

Do you remember about what the dolphin dive or snorkel costs ? It was really pricey in Cozumel.

 

[Hank49]

Thanks for the input - I guess if they're about the same, I would go with the cheapest, which is AKR....by quite a lot. Their package seems pretty complete.

I stayed at CocoView in Roatan. You get more dives there with the shore diving and two, 2 dive boat trips everyday. I took my daughter for a "special" dive trip as a gift three years ago and it was actually cheaper for us to go to Roatan from Belize, including airfare, and dive for 5 days than it was to go to Turneffe Lodge here (I can get there on my boat in less than 1 1/2 hours). and here we were guaranteed only 2 dives per day.

 

[Doc]

I stayed at CocoView in Roatan. You get more dives there with the shore diving and two, 2 dive boat trips everyday. I took my daughter for a "special" dive trip as a gift three years ago and it was actually cheaper for us to go to Roatan from Belize, including airfare, and dive for 5 days than it was to go to Turneffe Lodge here (I can get there on my boat in less than 1 1/2 hours). and here we were guaranteed only 2 dives per day.

CoCoView is my favorite place to go for pure diving as well, but depending upon the age of the kids, they might not even take the booking. CCV will accept kids, but in certain accomodations and with a big reminder: CCV is a dive resort above anything else, and kids are okay as long as they are sucking air through hoses.

AKR has my highest recommendation for folks that have non-divers along for the ride. Besides the fact that they cater to families and kids (not only the Dolphin Camp but also the constant parade of Cruise Ship divers that are on the property), but they are closer to the diversions (such as they are) that Roatan has to offer. It's not my faviorite side of the island to dive- for a lot of reasons, especially in December when the weather there can really suck, but it will be the best bet for kids and non-divers.

We got a little side tracked above with the AKR dolphin dealie, and as with most advice, always balance reports agains the breadth of a poster's experience. I have seen both the Dolphin Dive and the Snorkel. My vote goes for the snorkel on a lot of cfriteria. You'll have a lot more interaction, for the main thing. Since I view it as something for people to do on the off-gassing pre-flight day, it makes that day more intesting. Once you've done it, that will be enough. Don't count on it being a daily exercise.

There is little else to do on Roatan other than dive. There is drinking, but you can do that back home. Restaurants are limited, there is precious little to buy of local manufacture, and other diversions (jungle zip line canopy tour, horseback riding, etc) are very limited. Non-divers should have a high threshold for boredom.

Divers, however, will be highly amused. You can come to Roatan and understand and know how to see larger critters. On the North side, in the "marine park", you may well be entertained. If, however- you want to see the cool microscopic critters that lurk among the shallow South side, you'll understand why Roatan is such a treasure.

 

[Stargazer]

If I could go for pure diving, I'd be on my way to Palau right now. As it is, AKR doesn't sound so bad, and I prevailed on rest of family last year, so have to keep them happy this year. I see that AKR claims they run day trips to rain forest, river rafting, wildlife preserve, etc. on the mainland. Sounds better if it's true. Also they claim to take divers farther out - Barbaretta, Cayos Cochinos - is that worth the trip ?

 

[diver 85]

Guess I'm jumpimg your thread, but I have a house on Roatan(2 miles east of AKR as a matter of fact) & would thing C.C. not that good, Barbaretta/Pigeon cay on the other hand, would be well worth the extra time & money.....You'll not go wrong with Roatan, esp AKR(more water things for non-divers to do).....Tell Julio & Julito I said hello if you make it there....Joe(Matt's dad, he'll know)....good luck.......

 

[Doc]

If I could go for pure diving, I'd be on my way to Palau right now.

You'd be surprised what else lies beyond Palau!

As it is, AKR doesn't sound so bad, and I prevailed on rest of family last year, so have to keep them happy this year.

I'd say it's way better than "not so bad"!

I see that AKR claims they run day trips to rain forest, river rafting, wildlife preserve, etc. on the mainland.

Most AI resorts do, nothing exclusive.

Sounds better if it's true. Also they claim to take divers farther out - Barbaretta, Cayos Cochinos - is that worth the trip ?

It is absolutely worth the trip. I have maybe 54+ weeks of diving logged on Roatan, and I have seen most all of it. AKR is forced to offer such far-flung adventures because of the nature of the diving on the North Side. They need a little diversion, but in this case, it takes a lot of gas. Babaretta is close, but they make the crossing on the North side of Roatan- it can be quite a ride. They go to Cayos when the seas are calm, and although it is easily 3x the distance as to Barbareta, when the seas are calm, it's a snap with their deep vee hull boats.

Will these longer excursions be a steady diet? You will have to pay extra for them. Your dive week will consist of 1/2 day Sunday with Mon-Thurs and 1/2 day Friday... if you push it. That would be 4 "whole days", tough to decide when they post the scheduled days for the longer trips, yes? Hate to miss the wreck dive and....

Yes, there are some options. Here's something I saw: A few years ago, my favorite South side resort offered these and similar day trips at a nominal add-on price. People are so entranced with the reef structure and shallow water nursery of the South side, they really didn't flock to the trips. They were soon abandoned as everyone was happier just diving the local places... way beyond the vaunted "Mary's Place".

I go into this not to dissuade you from AKR as a great family place- it sounds perfect for you to be sure. I mention this only to remind all other readers that different dive ops behave differently... for a lot of reasons.

AKR sounds like the place, but understand why and how it operates... as well as what other options are available. There is no one resort for everyone!