Can anyone answer a few questions for me about Fantasy Island for Dec 11th -18th?
What water temp should we expect?
79-82*
What air temps should we expect?
It might be rainy. 88-96* during the day.
Do they have the bug problem this time of year and do we need to bring the spray?
Yes and yes.
Do they have some less traveled dive sites that I could ask for for intermediate to advanced divers, or do I just let them take me where they want?
They're going to take you where their moorings are. If you fill the boat and if what you refer to in your experience level is: the conditions permit a drop-off dive and subsequent recovery, it can't hurt to ask.
You are missing the point of the Bay Islands, however. It aint the real estate that you cover, it's how slow you go. Better to have dived the same spot over and over, moved slowly and searched for the macro critters. If you want landscape variety, you may be disappointed.
How is the Fantasy Island Resort? Don't pull any punches!
As far as AI resorts, I would rate it in the #3rd to #5th slots on Roatan. The dive crew is commodious and top rate, but they suffer from corporate penny pinching that leaves them with the infrastructure that they have. Sheer manpower, labor and effort overcomes a lot of deficiencies. If but not for the crew, it would be a mess.
It is, essentialy, a resort designed with the European (South American) in mind. The daily dive schedule tells you that. In some regards, it tries to be everything to everyone, but that's no easy task in a built up island, much less the primitive supply lines we see in Roatan. It is kind of a Petti-Coat Junction act.
They spread the dives outover the day, and entertain you with that agonizingly slow wait staff service that Europeans enjoy... where dining is an activity. The food there is no better than any of the other AI resorts.
The rooms have TV and phones. Is that a good thing?
Tennis court and Pool (?) and a great man made beachthat has unfortunately all but ruined their shore dive. Most of the people that do the dive off the front motor out in a little pram and backroll in.
As many rabid fans as FIBR has, I always wonder: a) What they are looking for in a vactaion (dive-dive-dive... or maybe some partying and lolling around on their great beach) and b) How broad a base of experience they have to compare on AI versus the other.
I understand there's not much else to do but dive which is OK, but is a trip to anywhere else close by worth a day trip on an off day of diving?
If you are a rabid diver, absolutely not. Roatan has taken the tourism cue and if they aren't in the Dive Business, some of them figured out ways to amuse you. There is a jungle canopy tour (a p.c. term for sliding down cables, and being caught by young Honduran kids... tip them well), a Botanical Garden, and Iguana Farm. The best thing is the beer which is really cheap. There are three remarkable restaurants, none of which most tourists ever go.
You can do the dolphin snorkel over at AKR on your off gassing day.
Other than that, dive or drink, that's about the best that the Bay Islands has to offer. Not at all a bad thing.
Thanks a lot in advance,
Matt
