Island Diving Center, West End Roatan

[DeepMeditation]

We just got back from a week of diving with Island Diving Center, in West End (at Brisas del Mar Hotel). They are just beyond where the paved main street turns to dirt along the water. This used to be Sueno del Mar, which was a troubled operation (I spent many months diving and working in Roatan from 2006-2013, and probably dove with most of the West End dive shops at one time or another). IDC was as good as I hoped for, and I very much recommend them. As very experienced divers who know the dive sites, they showed us new sites, as well as the old favorites, and with nitrox we did nice long dives (average 65 min) on a boat with a small group of 4-6 experienced divers.

Vasco, who runs the shop, genuinely took time to find out what kind of diving we wanted to do, and then coordinated to deliver that. All of the dive masters we went with were warm people, with many years of diving but still excited to do more. We saw a ton of cool stuff (the usual highlights: squid, octopus, seahorse, turtle, rays, large grouper, barracuda, swim throughs, caverns, canyons, etc.), and really enjoyed our time, so I want to recommend it as a well run and customer focused place to choose in Roatan. We stayed at Brisas del Mar, which is now really nice, well run, with new rooms and condos, but the shop is also close to other lodging options.

 

[Doc]

You did the IDC, this trip, or back in the Sueno days? Please tell us about that if recent!

Pix of the boats, please!

Island Diving Center Roatan

Scuba Diving Roatan, Roatan Dive Center, Roatan Dive Shop, Stay & Dive Packages Roatan, Scuba Certification Roatan, PADI Dive Shop, PADI Dive Center

islanddivingcenterroatan.com

 

[DeepMeditation]

You did the IDC, this trip, or back in the Sueno days? Please tell us about that if recent!

Pix of the boats, please!

https://islanddivingcenterroatan.co...https://islanddivingcenterroatan.com/[/QUOTE]

just got back last night from Brisas and IDC. that was what i was writing about. I don't have photos, but they do.

 

[drrich2]

Glad to see a trip report from a West End trip, since I don't see quite as many of those. Got any photos? Especially topside; would be nice to get a sense of what looking around would be like.

Richard.

 

[Doc]

Oh, IDC = Island Diving Center! I thought it was Instructor Development Course!

Thanks.

 

[DougA]

We just got back from a week of diving with Island Diving Center, in West End (at Brisas del Mar Hotel). They are just beyond where the paved main street turns to dirt along the water. This used to be Sueno del Mar, which was a troubled operation (I spent many months diving and working in Roatan from 2006-2013, and probably dove with most of the West End dive shops at one time or another). IDC was as good as I hoped for, and I very much recommend them. As very experienced divers who know the dive sites, they showed us new sites, as well as the old favorites, and with nitrox we did nice long dives (average 65 min) on a boat with a small group of 4-6 experienced divers.

Vasco, who runs the shop, genuinely took time to find out what kind of diving we wanted to do, and then coordinated to deliver that. All of the dive masters we went with were warm people, with many years of diving but still excited to do more. We saw a ton of cool stuff (the usual highlights: squid, octopus, seahorse, turtle, rays, large grouper, barracuda, swim throughs, caverns, canyons, etc.), and really enjoyed our time, so I want to recommend it as a well run and customer focused place to choose in Roatan. We stayed at Brisas del Mar, which is now really nice, well run, with new rooms and condos, but the shop is also close to other lodging options.

I appreciate your trip report. Sounds like you have extensive background there. I am heading (for the first time) to Roatan, West End in 2 months. Excited! Looking for the best dive operator for my situation. Will be staying at Cocolobo with my wife. IDC sounds real good, but is further down the road. Person at the hotel suggested Coconut Tree Diving, and Sun Divers, both real close. I am sure there are more than a few good operators.
Also considering doing an advanced cert.

 

[DeepMeditation]

I appreciate your trip report. Sounds like you have extensive background there. I am heading (for the first time) to Roatan, West End in 2 months. Excited! Looking for the best dive operator for my situation. Will be staying at Cocolobo with my wife. IDC sounds real good, but is further down the road. Person at the hotel suggested Coconut Tree Diving, and Sun Divers, both real close. I am sure there are more than a few good operators.
Also considering doing an advanced cert.

Coconut Tree has been around forever, a great shop, but caters to a young crowd. So it depends on who you are. Sun Divers is a newer shop that I have not dove with: we saw them out a bunch. Most of the Roatan shops are pretty firm about having AOW to do the deeper dives and the wrecks, so it is a good place to get AOW cert. if you don't have it. Also in the area is Roatan Divers, Pro Divers, and Native Sons (who have been great for us in the past).

 

[Doc]

Most of the Roatan shops are pretty firm about having AOW to do ….

This is really OT by the spirit if the OP, but this thread is wandering into that space….

“most” as in most operations on the West Zones which cater to day-dive and cruise ship divers.

“pretty firm”, maybe they will sell you an AOW module dive, instead?

Some (non-West) resorts that have no in-house dive op, offering only off-premises “pick-up-at-pier” dive boats, they have similar restrictions.

The diving offered to most visitors is the standard fare of any destination island we go to. They really do not offer much more than the standard “trail ride”.

AOW card? It’s a liability thing, it’s also an “ease of operation” methodology. It is a money maker.

I’m not going to engage in the perception of value in a plastic card- but complete and absolute dive freedom is still available on Roatan, just not in West Margaritaville.

I just dropped a thread on this Roatan forum about the (woohoo advanced must-do!!!) dive called “Mary’s Place”. I posted a dive map sketch that no West End DM is aware of, They wont let you go off exploring, no matter what card you have.

Others will. If you want freedom, earn it, pick your dive charter operators after analysis of their offer. Know your limitations, know what you want!

The AOW course modules are best used as a license to learn.

Go for it! Learn more by simply diving more!

 

[FezUSA]

Coconut Tree has been around forever, a great shop, but caters to a young crowd. So it depends on who you are. Sun Divers is a newer shop that I have not dove with: we saw them out a bunch. Most of the Roatan shops are pretty firm about having AOW to do the deeper dives and the wrecks, so it is a good place to get AOW cert. if you don't have it. Also in the area is Roatan Divers, Pro Divers, and Native Sons (who have been great for us in the past).

We've been diving with Sun Divers since 2014. They did have a change in ownership a couple years back. Still the same great service though. 2 nicely appointed boats for small groups (8-10 max usually), good boat captains, good DM's. If you need equipment it's newer and well kept. Shannon (male) and Natalie are the husband/wife team that own the OP and set the tone for top notch customer service. Wife is probably under water with them as I type this!!