Dominica - Fort Young or Castle Comfort?

[Dave Zimmerly]

Thinking about taking girlfiend and myself to Dominica for a week of diving in March. Done the research about the island, diving and accomodations, and have narrowed it down to staying at either Fort Young or Castle Comfort.

Any and all comments/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[DougY]

Hi,
I have stayed in both castle comfort and fort young. If you stay in castle comfort you can shore dive off their dock, its not the best dive in the world but a good way to spend an hour. The rooms at Fort Young are better especially if you get one of the water front rooms. If you stay at castle comfort the meals are included the food is OK but there is not a huge choice and its pretty similar every day. If you stay at the Fort Young you have the choice of eating in Roseau or in the Hotel. In both places there are places to store your kit and the dive boat will pick you up from the dock at both hotels.

Its a hard choice as both have their good points. If I was going back I would probibly pick the Fort Young as in th eevening you can go out and have a few drinks in the town, especially Friday night when the whole town comes out to party.

Doug

 

[DCDivenut]

Hi,
I have stayed in both castle comfort and fort young. If you stay in castle comfort you can shore dive off their dock, its not the best dive in the world but a good way to spend an hour. The rooms at Fort Young are better especially if you get one of the water front rooms. If you stay at castle comfort the meals are included the food is OK but there is not a huge choice and its pretty similar every day. If you stay at the Fort Young you have the choice of eating in Roseau or in the Hotel. In both places there are places to store your kit and the dive boat will pick you up from the dock at both hotels.

Its a hard choice as both have their good points. If I was going back I would probibly pick the Fort Young as in th eevening you can go out and have a few drinks in the town, especially Friday night when the whole town comes out to party.

Doug

I mostly with the above with the caveat that I although I grew up on the island it has been a 3 years since I was last there. I thought that the diving off the dock at Castle Comfort was amazing. I saw lots of flying gunards, a short nosed batfish and tons of octopi on night dives.

Fort Young is definitely a better place if you want to experience a little more of the local culture and people and are willing to leave the "resort" (neither one really is ) Roseau is a fun little town and you could always stop ny my alma mater St. Mary's Academy and tell Brother Wakeham Josh Dobrow says hello. Of course I was such a holy terror that might not be a good idea. However, the Botanical gardens are kind of neat and there are some neat little stores and stuff. I hear the waterfront has beccome very touristy to service the cruise ships and that is a shame but I am sure you can find some nice handmade stuff that is not total junk. There is not alot of nightlife during the week but there will be things going on on Friday and Sat.

If you stay in Castle Comfort you are not that far, but you do NOT want to drive at night, especially of you have had ANYTHING to drink, and the cab situation can get sketchy late at night. It is not a bad base of ops if all of your non diving time will be spent doing hikes etc but you will be a little more isolated.

Feel free to PM me or ask any other questions about the island.

 

[Acrodog]

ANy other recommendations as to places to stay down there? Best diving appears to be at the southwest end near Scotts Head. Never been there - looking to go this summer and need some info to make plans.

 

[ddawson]

Acrodog

You are right. The people who live on Dominica say the best diving is at the southwest end near Scotts Head.

You can see my dive report and a slideshow for Dominica at
http://www.ces.clemson.edu/ece/crb/dawson/scubareports/scubareports.htm

You need try to stay in the upper unit of the Gallette Cottage that Nature Dives operates. If you cant get the upper unit stay in the lower unit.
If you cant get either unit in the Cottage, you need talk to Karen at Natures Dive.
karen moise [natureidive@cwdom.dm]
She will help figure out what to do about lodging.
She can explain all the options that are available to you and help work out something.

I am going again March 2006. The diving is Scotts Head is awesome.

darren

 

[csick]

They are different. We went to Ft Young for dinner, definitely go for homemade ice cream, but can't see paying extra for it. It's just a low-end Euro hotel but it is right in town if you want to be there. We booked at Castle for the dive package and we always like shore diving as an option--but first stayed next door at Evergreen. All managers are helpful and we had some exceptional private land tours. We would have stayed next door all week and did eat there most every night. I'll add that Castle was using empty tanks to hold the dive shop doors open which caught my wetsuit and fractured my toe.

 

[rowenajo]

I mostly with the above with the caveat that I although I grew up on the island it has been a 3 years since I was last there. I thought that the diving off the dock at Castle Comfort was amazing. I saw lots of flying gunards, a short nosed batfish and tons of octopi on night dives.

Fort Young is definitely a better place if you want to experience a little more of the local culture and people and are willing to leave the "resort" (neither one really is ) Roseau is a fun little town and you could always stop ny my alma mater St. Mary's Academy and tell Brother Wakeham Josh Dobrow says hello. Of course I was such a holy terror that might not be a good idea. However, the Botanical gardens are kind of neat and there are some neat little stores and stuff. I hear the waterfront has beccome very touristy to service the cruise ships and that is a shame but I am sure you can find some nice handmade stuff that is not total junk. There is not alot of nightlife during the week but there will be things going on on Friday and Sat.

If you stay in Castle Comfort you are not that far, but you do NOT want to drive at night, especially of you have had ANYTHING to drink, and the cab situation can get sketchy late at night. It is not a bad base of ops if all of your non diving time will be spent doing hikes etc but you will be a little more isolated.

Feel free to PM me or ask any other questions about the island.

Josh, is quite right. Staying near the city and moving out to the better diving sites is key. Having also grown up on the island the advice comes with special knowledge The best diving is found off the south coast near Scotts Head. Champagne is well known for is active underwater volcanic dive teeming with aquatic life. In any event staying at Fort Young gives visitor the best look at life on the island. There's not problem getting to the dive sites from this spot and its completely worth it!

Josh if you read this rowenajo@hotmail.com!