jwc3
Contributor
I went to AKR in August of 2008 with my wife and our two boys, then ages 6 and 9. We loved it and we are returning in June of 2009.
The primary reason we went to AKR was for the well-organized Kid's Dolphin Camp. Our boys had a blast. They interacted with the dolphins every day and could recognize several of them and call them by name at the end of the week. (Their favorite was "Mr. French") Our younger son did SASY (snorkeling with a small tank) and our older son did Bubblemakers (scuba down to 6 feet). They also learned to identify reef fish, went horseback riding, visited a small local zoo, had two movie nights, etc. They really loved it.
We stayed in a "Hill Superior" cabin on the mainland. When we return in June we're staying out on Anthony's Key, just to try something new. The food at the resort was surprisingly good. For dinner each night there were usually two or three choices, and service was better than the average Caribbean island. There are activities planned throughout the week, like a cookout on the island with crab races, a limbo contest, and fire dancers.
There are three boat dives each day (two morning and one afternoon), two night dives during the week, and unlimited shore diving. For an extra fee you can do a shark dive or a dolphin dive. There is also a dedicated snorkeling boat that goes out twice a day. The snorkeling boat also goes out for night snorkels.
As others have mentioned, the dive boats are very nice. Divers are assigned to a boat for the week, so you have the same dive master and captain the whole time. I was on "Haydee." There are typically no more than 12 divers on a boat, and we became friends quickly. Most of the dive sites are within a 15 minute boat ride from the resort, so the boat usually comes back to the docks between each dive. This lets divers pick and choose which dives they want to do, and also gives everyone the chance to use the restrooms or buy a snack between dives. Each boat has a large chalk board that lists each dive site that is planned for the day. Write your locker number on the board to indicate that you want to do that dive, and the crew will load your tanks on the boat for you. There are several large fresh water tanks on the dock for rinsing gear and gear lockers are also right on the dock. Also, it's nice to know that there is a recompression chamber at the resort.
You can see some photos from AKR on my blog: jetlagjournal.blogspot.com
When you get there, click on "Honduras" on the right side.
Overall, we loved it! I'm a life-long travel nut and it's very rare that I go to the same place twice, but I'm looking forward to returning in a month and a half.
The primary reason we went to AKR was for the well-organized Kid's Dolphin Camp. Our boys had a blast. They interacted with the dolphins every day and could recognize several of them and call them by name at the end of the week. (Their favorite was "Mr. French") Our younger son did SASY (snorkeling with a small tank) and our older son did Bubblemakers (scuba down to 6 feet). They also learned to identify reef fish, went horseback riding, visited a small local zoo, had two movie nights, etc. They really loved it.
We stayed in a "Hill Superior" cabin on the mainland. When we return in June we're staying out on Anthony's Key, just to try something new. The food at the resort was surprisingly good. For dinner each night there were usually two or three choices, and service was better than the average Caribbean island. There are activities planned throughout the week, like a cookout on the island with crab races, a limbo contest, and fire dancers.
There are three boat dives each day (two morning and one afternoon), two night dives during the week, and unlimited shore diving. For an extra fee you can do a shark dive or a dolphin dive. There is also a dedicated snorkeling boat that goes out twice a day. The snorkeling boat also goes out for night snorkels.
As others have mentioned, the dive boats are very nice. Divers are assigned to a boat for the week, so you have the same dive master and captain the whole time. I was on "Haydee." There are typically no more than 12 divers on a boat, and we became friends quickly. Most of the dive sites are within a 15 minute boat ride from the resort, so the boat usually comes back to the docks between each dive. This lets divers pick and choose which dives they want to do, and also gives everyone the chance to use the restrooms or buy a snack between dives. Each boat has a large chalk board that lists each dive site that is planned for the day. Write your locker number on the board to indicate that you want to do that dive, and the crew will load your tanks on the boat for you. There are several large fresh water tanks on the dock for rinsing gear and gear lockers are also right on the dock. Also, it's nice to know that there is a recompression chamber at the resort.
You can see some photos from AKR on my blog: jetlagjournal.blogspot.com
When you get there, click on "Honduras" on the right side.
Overall, we loved it! I'm a life-long travel nut and it's very rare that I go to the same place twice, but I'm looking forward to returning in a month and a half.