Anyone been to Sandals Dunn's River?

[njneer630]

Going there in April to get married. How's the diving there? How's the staff, the reefs, etc?

 

[Willar]

The best site I know of for information on Sandals resorts is Tropic Travel Online. I'm sure someone there can answer your questions about Sandals.

Tropic Travel Online

 

[Torontonian]

We stayed at Beaches Grande Sports before. Sandals Dunns River was right next to it, and we could use the facilities there. Shortly after our trip, I heard they merged the Beaches into the Sandals resort.

I learned to dive there. But the diving there was not very good. In Jamaico they overfish, they don't take care of the environment. The reef conditions are not good. But it's warm and the diving is included in the AI resort.

The staff there were good, the food was good, service was good. You should enjoy the stay there.

 

[Scuba One]

We stayed at Beaches Grande Sports before. Sandals Dunns River was right next to it, and we could use the facilities there. Shortly after our trip, I heard they merged the Beaches into the Sandals resort.

I learned to dive there. But the diving there was not very good. In Jamaico they overfish, they don't take care of the environment. The reef conditions are not good. But it's warm and the diving is included in the AI resort.

The staff there were good, the food was good, service was good. You should enjoy the stay there.

You are thinking of Sandals Ocho Rios, which is about 3 miles east of Ocho Rios. Sandals Dunn's River is about 6 miles west of Ocho Rios. I ran the watersports/scuba diving at a number of Ocho Rios area resorts years ago including what is now Sandals Dunn's River, and still get there regularly for work and play.

In my opinion the reefs are in much better shape around Sandals Dunn's River than Sandals Ocho Rios. Sandals Dunn's River is on a natural (god made) beach and barrier reef (Mammee Bay) which makes for better quality reefs. I watched them dynamite the cliff to create the Sandals Ocho Rios beach so know it is man made. You do not have the natural coral growth or protected reefs as close to shore in this area.

Being further from town or a population center there is less traffic (divers, fisherman, trappers, boat anchors, cruise ship passengers) or hurricane damage to the reefs around Sandals Dunns River.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/greater-antilles/94128-dive-sites-other-information-jamaica-2.html

 

[Torontonian]

You are thinking of Sandals Ocho Rios, which is about 3 miles east of Ocho Rios. Sandals Dunn's River is about 6 miles west of Ocho Rios. I ran the watersports/scuba diving at a number of Ocho Rios area resorts years ago including what is now Sandals Dunn's River, and still get there regularly for work and play.

Sandals Dunn's River is on a natural (god made) beach and barrier reef (Mammee Bay) which makes for better quality reefs. I watched them dynamite the cliff to create the Sandals Ocho Rios beach so know it is man made. You do not have the natural coral growth or protected reefs as close to shore in this area.

Thanks for the correction. It was years ago.

Now, the beach in front of the main Sandals Ocho Rios is natural. It would have been the small beach portion that was originally part of Beaches Grande Sports, that would have been dynamited off. The side of the small beach looked rocky, and the water does get very steep quickly. Anyway, the whole thing is now called Sandals Grande Ocho Rios.

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OP, don't forget to get some Blue Mountain coffee. It's pretty good coffee. I brought back many pounds, and enjoyed it for many months.