I sort of began this post on another thread where I described a dive we did while in the midst of an earthquake. You can read about that here, but I thought I would start a separate thread for just this report: Trip Report - Guanaja Today: Diving During an Earthquake
We were a group of 14 divers from all over the USA who have come to know one another over the last years through diving. We are from Florida, N. Carolina, Kansas City, MO, Washington State and Southern California.
One of the couples in our group has made numerous trips to Guanaja and specifically to the resort where we stayed during this trip. G&G’s Clearwater Paradise Resort. Their website is very representative of the experience and cost associated with staying there. I believe it is one of the best values in the Caribbean, once you make it there. Scuba Diving Trips & Snorkeling, Guanaja Clearwater Divers
Why Guanaja?: Well, for me, I was largely influenced by two factors. First, my trust in my friends who have been numerous times and have endorsed it as one of the more untouched, least visited, high quality dive destinations in the Caribbean and second, my strong desire to go somewhere new and with less dive pressure. I was impressed with the topography and beauty of the island. It is the most hilly and mountainous of all the Bay Islands and reminds me a bit of Taveuni Island in Fiji. It is definitely a bit of a step back in time compared to most other dive destinations in the Caribbean and I love that.
Getting There: There are really 2 options for getting to the island of Guanaja. Option 1 is to fly into Roatan on whatever airline works best for you and then catch one of the daily Lanhsa Airline commuter flights to Guanaja that requires a brief stop in La Ceiba on the Honduras mainland before hopping back across to Guanaja. Option 2 is to look at flights that route you directly to La Ceiba without going to Roatan first (there are various options from the continental USA) and then catch a Lanhsa flight direct to Guanaja. If you are a group of 8 or more, you can work with Clearwater Resort to have them charter you a direct flight from Roatan to Guanaja. This is what we did. https://www.lanhsahn.com/
I flew from Portland, OR to Roatan via Houston on United Airlines for $750 RT. Typical RT airfare on Lanhsa from Roatan to Guanaja will be $150-$200.
Clearwater resort worked with Lanhsa Airlines to book our direct charter back and forth as a group between Roatan and Guanaja. That cost was included in my total cost that you will see below.
Cost: You can look on the resort website, as they have various options depending on whether you are a diver or not and per person for double occupancy or single occupancy. I think you will be amazed at the pricing by Caribbean standards. We are doing the 10-day all-inclusive diving package. This includes 3 dives a day, all meals and snacks, accommodations and ground transport between the airport and the resort. With taxes it comes out to around $1750 p/p for double occupancy and $2150 for single occupancy. Nitrox package for the entire time is an additional $100. Historically and typically, I have paid and expect to pay more for a weeklong 7-day trip most anywhere in the Caribbean. I believe they are on the verge to raise their rates a bit, as they should. So, check the website and contact them directly for up to date rates. I went single supplement in order to have my own room and it was $2300 + $100 for Nitrox, (taxes included) for the 10 day trip.
Accommodations and Food: Food is healthy and plentiful. Most vegetables are grown on the property garden. Fish and seafood is caught locally by local fishermen out in the pangas. Again, the website is very representative and accurate regarding the cuisine. Alcohol is an extra cost, as would be expected. There is a full bar in the main dining area and also upstairs in the community/TV room. The resort is set on a hill, but not very far up it. It will require the ability and willingness to go up and down 50 stairs/steps between the main building and the dive boats twice a day, if doing three dives a day. I consider it very easy and we have someone here who has had recent knee replacement and is still in physical therapy but didn’t want to miss the trip and she did just fine.
The rooms are nice with queen sized beds and a nice thread count on the sheets. Air conditioning and celling fans in the bedroom and bathroom. Bathrooms are oversized with large walk-in shower. Rooms are entered from and open to a huge balcony with spectacular Caribbean water and reef views. WIFI is solid enough throughout the resort to do email, browse the internet and do some streaming. I had no problem watching some Netflix and Amazon Prime movies. The views and breezes are truly wonderful from all points of the resort and makes it worth the short walk up and down the hill.
We were a group of 14 divers from all over the USA who have come to know one another over the last years through diving. We are from Florida, N. Carolina, Kansas City, MO, Washington State and Southern California.
One of the couples in our group has made numerous trips to Guanaja and specifically to the resort where we stayed during this trip. G&G’s Clearwater Paradise Resort. Their website is very representative of the experience and cost associated with staying there. I believe it is one of the best values in the Caribbean, once you make it there. Scuba Diving Trips & Snorkeling, Guanaja Clearwater Divers
Why Guanaja?: Well, for me, I was largely influenced by two factors. First, my trust in my friends who have been numerous times and have endorsed it as one of the more untouched, least visited, high quality dive destinations in the Caribbean and second, my strong desire to go somewhere new and with less dive pressure. I was impressed with the topography and beauty of the island. It is the most hilly and mountainous of all the Bay Islands and reminds me a bit of Taveuni Island in Fiji. It is definitely a bit of a step back in time compared to most other dive destinations in the Caribbean and I love that.
Getting There: There are really 2 options for getting to the island of Guanaja. Option 1 is to fly into Roatan on whatever airline works best for you and then catch one of the daily Lanhsa Airline commuter flights to Guanaja that requires a brief stop in La Ceiba on the Honduras mainland before hopping back across to Guanaja. Option 2 is to look at flights that route you directly to La Ceiba without going to Roatan first (there are various options from the continental USA) and then catch a Lanhsa flight direct to Guanaja. If you are a group of 8 or more, you can work with Clearwater Resort to have them charter you a direct flight from Roatan to Guanaja. This is what we did. https://www.lanhsahn.com/
I flew from Portland, OR to Roatan via Houston on United Airlines for $750 RT. Typical RT airfare on Lanhsa from Roatan to Guanaja will be $150-$200.
Clearwater resort worked with Lanhsa Airlines to book our direct charter back and forth as a group between Roatan and Guanaja. That cost was included in my total cost that you will see below.
Cost: You can look on the resort website, as they have various options depending on whether you are a diver or not and per person for double occupancy or single occupancy. I think you will be amazed at the pricing by Caribbean standards. We are doing the 10-day all-inclusive diving package. This includes 3 dives a day, all meals and snacks, accommodations and ground transport between the airport and the resort. With taxes it comes out to around $1750 p/p for double occupancy and $2150 for single occupancy. Nitrox package for the entire time is an additional $100. Historically and typically, I have paid and expect to pay more for a weeklong 7-day trip most anywhere in the Caribbean. I believe they are on the verge to raise their rates a bit, as they should. So, check the website and contact them directly for up to date rates. I went single supplement in order to have my own room and it was $2300 + $100 for Nitrox, (taxes included) for the 10 day trip.
Accommodations and Food: Food is healthy and plentiful. Most vegetables are grown on the property garden. Fish and seafood is caught locally by local fishermen out in the pangas. Again, the website is very representative and accurate regarding the cuisine. Alcohol is an extra cost, as would be expected. There is a full bar in the main dining area and also upstairs in the community/TV room. The resort is set on a hill, but not very far up it. It will require the ability and willingness to go up and down 50 stairs/steps between the main building and the dive boats twice a day, if doing three dives a day. I consider it very easy and we have someone here who has had recent knee replacement and is still in physical therapy but didn’t want to miss the trip and she did just fine.
The rooms are nice with queen sized beds and a nice thread count on the sheets. Air conditioning and celling fans in the bedroom and bathroom. Bathrooms are oversized with large walk-in shower. Rooms are entered from and open to a huge balcony with spectacular Caribbean water and reef views. WIFI is solid enough throughout the resort to do email, browse the internet and do some streaming. I had no problem watching some Netflix and Amazon Prime movies. The views and breezes are truly wonderful from all points of the resort and makes it worth the short walk up and down the hill.
Thank you!
