bonairefans
Contributor
We just returned from 13-nights on Cayos Cochinos. This is our 4th trip to Plantation Beach Resort, now under different management and called Turtle Bay Eco-Resort.
We were there primarily to dive and explore the tropical forest. We completed 37 dives, although its possible to do many more. From our own experience, diving conditions here are the best in the Bay Islands. On many dives, it was just the two of us, along with DM Jason, and Captain Dani. The staff is high-spirited, tireless, and unbelievably dedicated to service. The setting of the resort is beyond incredible tropical perfection, indeed.
What didnt work about our trip is the Honduran taxes: $450 for our package, plus another $80 at SAP (departure tax). The room tax has increased from 16% to 19%...OUCH!
When the haze lifts, a killer view of the Honduran mainland presents itself
We love everything about life on Cayo Grande in general and Turtle Bay specifically, with one exception related to the dining room. Previously, meals were served buffet-style. Now, its plated. Guests want to have choices in terms of what they eat and the quantity. We left the dining room still hungry more times than we care to choose to count.. It would be nice if the resort switched back to buffet. There are just too many things than can go awry when meals are plated.
This twin-engine plane crashed and touched bottom at 65. The coral reef has transformed twisted metal into a thing of
beauty.
The above 2 issues aside, for our style of diving and tropical living, Cayos Cochinos approaches perfection. Our final dives were 2-tanks to the Roatan Banks and a drift dive from Pelican 1 to 3 just amazing.
Travel logistics. From SAP to La Ceiba, the resort offers transportation for $135. We opted for the one-way Avis rental ($126. plus ~ 500 lemps for gas.) Its a pretty drive SAP-La Ceiba, just watch-out for several car-swallowing potholes. The Avis return is conveniently located at the entrance to La Ceiba, and after you return the vehicle, the agent will drive you gratis to Gran Hotel Paris. . Boat transportation La Ceiba-Cayos Cochinos is $100 p/p RT. The wonderful Roger Remington does a meet-n-greet with guests at Paris and handles transportation to the Grand Marina.
This is just an anecdotal observation, but La Ceiba has a safer feel to it. During our last visit 4-years ago, violence was definitely on the up-swing. We had the profoundly disturbing experience of stumbling upon a homicide victim who had just been shot and left on the roadside outside of La Ceiba.
But on this trip, there wasnt a moment we didnt feel safe. We cant make enough positive comments about Cayos Cochinos, Turtle Bay, and its wonderful staff what a great group of people.
Here is our experience:
[video=youtube;y9LcsfFfkjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9LcsfFfkjY[/video]
We were there primarily to dive and explore the tropical forest. We completed 37 dives, although its possible to do many more. From our own experience, diving conditions here are the best in the Bay Islands. On many dives, it was just the two of us, along with DM Jason, and Captain Dani. The staff is high-spirited, tireless, and unbelievably dedicated to service. The setting of the resort is beyond incredible tropical perfection, indeed.
What didnt work about our trip is the Honduran taxes: $450 for our package, plus another $80 at SAP (departure tax). The room tax has increased from 16% to 19%...OUCH!
When the haze lifts, a killer view of the Honduran mainland presents itself
We love everything about life on Cayo Grande in general and Turtle Bay specifically, with one exception related to the dining room. Previously, meals were served buffet-style. Now, its plated. Guests want to have choices in terms of what they eat and the quantity. We left the dining room still hungry more times than we care to choose to count.. It would be nice if the resort switched back to buffet. There are just too many things than can go awry when meals are plated.
This twin-engine plane crashed and touched bottom at 65. The coral reef has transformed twisted metal into a thing of
beauty.
The above 2 issues aside, for our style of diving and tropical living, Cayos Cochinos approaches perfection. Our final dives were 2-tanks to the Roatan Banks and a drift dive from Pelican 1 to 3 just amazing.
Travel logistics. From SAP to La Ceiba, the resort offers transportation for $135. We opted for the one-way Avis rental ($126. plus ~ 500 lemps for gas.) Its a pretty drive SAP-La Ceiba, just watch-out for several car-swallowing potholes. The Avis return is conveniently located at the entrance to La Ceiba, and after you return the vehicle, the agent will drive you gratis to Gran Hotel Paris. . Boat transportation La Ceiba-Cayos Cochinos is $100 p/p RT. The wonderful Roger Remington does a meet-n-greet with guests at Paris and handles transportation to the Grand Marina.
This is just an anecdotal observation, but La Ceiba has a safer feel to it. During our last visit 4-years ago, violence was definitely on the up-swing. We had the profoundly disturbing experience of stumbling upon a homicide victim who had just been shot and left on the roadside outside of La Ceiba.
But on this trip, there wasnt a moment we didnt feel safe. We cant make enough positive comments about Cayos Cochinos, Turtle Bay, and its wonderful staff what a great group of people.
Here is our experience:
[video=youtube;y9LcsfFfkjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9LcsfFfkjY[/video]
