Just returned from Roatan!

[Diver Lori]

I did a trip to Roatan last year, and I too, was not impressed enough to return. Don't get me wrong, the resort and op were top notch (Fantasy Island), but I just think there are other places with more life worth my diving dollar.

Also, I am not a one trip a year diver either.

 

[mjnansen]

If you want to experience the colors and flavors of Roatan- you won't find it at CoCo View. Why? Because CoCo View is designed and run to provide a very 'sanitized' and protected place for divers to come down and dive- and almost nothing else! CoCo View is in Roatan, but only physically- the only 'natives' are carefully choosen venders and employees- kind of the Disney approach. CoCo View does it's job very well- the type of divers who want this kind of experience get exactly that- and there is a large, loyal following because CoCo View provides worry-free, thought-free, diving and 'vanilla' resort experience.
If you are the kind of traveler who wants to experience a place- the sights, colors, flavors and the chance to meet people of all types from all over the world (yes- there are lots of Americans and Canadians, also Europeans as well as native Islanders and mainland 'Spanish' Hondurans- tourists and residents both- the usual kind of funky mix that make island travelling so interesting), stay in the West End or anywhere on the island other than CoCo View and the all-inclusive resorts.
Roatanman's views on Roatan and CoCo View are well known (I usually end up not agreeing with him, and in fact, think he should change his name from Roatanman to CoCoViewman! he he!) The culture issue of the island is something I really disagree with him about- but he does offer sound advice about a lot of other things and is honest about what he expects (and gets- dive, dive, dive!) from his visits to CoCo View.
Different people have different needs and expectations about vacations, and dive vacations are no exception. I can and have spent lots of time on Roatan without diving and kept quite busy (I've also spent lots of time in Las Vegas without gambling and found lots to see and do if that tells you what kind of sick puppy I am). You get out what you put in when it comes to travel experiences. I happen to be one of the people who love Roatan ( I've been averaging about 9 weeks a year there for the past few years). I work for the airlines so I can travel anywhere for very little, and I still find myself wishing I was in Roatan whenever I fly somewhere else!

 

[hopefulist]

MJ - I haven't been to Roatán yet but avoid resorts at all costs everywhere I go for the reasons you describe. I try to get away for a month at a time and look forward to the week or 2 that includes diving. The rest of the time I'm studying Spanish, hiking, rafting, learning to make tortillas and ceramics in mountain villages, visiting Maya ruins, or teaching village kids how to play frisbee or yahtzee. I love to dive but would be so disappointed if I could only do one of the things I love on a trip!

 

[DiversMom]

Guess I just got the week from hell.

It has been that way ALL OVER Honduras for approximately 2 to two and a half weeks. First it was Wilma, then it was the outer fringes of Beta and then we had a stalled cold front. It has been wet, rainy, miserable from the Islands all the way into Tegucigalpa (even the capital was on alert for mudslides). We actaully had three hours without clouds, rain or drizzle yesterday. The Honduran army is heading up to the north coast in CH-47 helicopters to deliver relief supplies to those who have been flooded out by all the rain in the past few weeks.

 

[Hawk]

You mean the US Army is taking some Honduran Army people there. They do not have any CH-47 (Chinook) helicopters of their own.

This is how I got to see most of Honduras and several other countries. I was a flight engineer on a CH-47 for seven years. I got to spend 5 months in Honduras and fell in love with the place.

 

[Dee]

Herman...I just got back today from a 2 week stay at CCV. As parrothead described, our first week had really strange currents and low viz on most of the south side. This past week the viz everywhere BUT the front yard was back to normal. The constant rain 24/7 kept the viz in the front yard down to 2-3 feet of brown mucked up water. In fact our DM skipped the morning drop offs and we did two reef dives to avoid the front yard. It was so bad I only did 2 drop offs my whole 2 weeks there, viz like that I can get at home. All the DM's and dive staff commented that they had never seen the current and viz conditions this bad.

As for the lack of critters, we all noticed it, too. The juv. Drums that are usually found around every corner were non-existant, only spotted one juvie and one adult during both weeks. Flamingo Toungues, Eagle Rays, French and Gray Angels, schools of Tangs, etc...all the fish and critters we normally see were just not there. According to Patty at Dockside, some fish are just sort of seasonal, you'll see them most in certain parts of the year. Even though the water temps were only 3-4 degrees cooler than our May trip, it does affect the life on the reef. We went to the West End and north side on an all day trip where it was as different as night and day. Viz was 80+ and we saw nurse sharks, turtles and all the 'normal' fish life. At the west point of the island where the light house is, you could almost draw a line in the water where the blue water from the north side met the cloudy water from the south.

On the other hand, I saw things I don't usually see in the spring. A hammerhead shark one day, 4 different types of Nudibranchs were so common I got tired of seeing them. The big adult Scrawled Filefish were everywhere, 3-4 together at a time. Ocean Triggerfish and small schools of Black Durgeons were abundant.

October is definately my least favorite time of year there. In the future I'll avoid this time of year. What you had the week you were there is definately not what we've seen to be normal in the spring around March - May. Before you give up on it, try a different time of year.

As for the 'sanitized' 'vanilla' resort experience....to each their own. Thank God we don't all like the same thing!

 

[herman]

Thanks Dee, I was hoping to hear from you. I was beginning to wonder if it was just me expecting too much. From what you describe, you saw about what I did. With all the people telling me how great the fishlife is, I knew something had to be off. I did not see a spotted drum all week and with the exception of sergent majors and creole wrasse we never saw more than 2 or 3 fish together. This was my 4th trip of the year. Compaired to the other places Roatan was almost devoid of life. From your description, I think the fish had better sence than we did and got out before the storms hit. They will return and so will I. I want to see Roatan the way you have seen it.

 

[JTemple]

It's interesting to read of the different experiences from people who were there at the same time as I was! One day, when the vis was crap everywhere else, the front yard itself was crystal clear! Go figure! I saw trumpetfish on every dive. Flamingo tongues on several. A huge school of over 200 sennet one day. All sorts of angel fish in various stages on every dive.Turtles on 2 different days. Seahorses on every dive. Etc....

The CCV operation itself is designed to facilitate diving and to be sure everyone is comfortable. I was soooo comfortable and relaxed, I regret being home! It's not designed to be a portal into another culture.

It's unfortunate when people head off to a new destination with all sorts of expectations. I think if you can go and experience for what it is, and take in stride whatever it is mother nature decided to serve you, you will come away having had a wonderful vacation. I sure did.

 

[hopefulist]

Agree on the expectations: "Don't go down to the ocean with a notion of what you will find." (Mason Williams)

 

[ORdiver]

I'm investigating a trip to Fantasy Island Resort - Roatan during May 2006.

Have been to Fiji (Bamboo Beach and Marlin Bay) in the past but am now looking for a new place to try for warm weather diving.

We're looking for comments that anyone might have about this area and Fantasy Island Resort. We're also looking for more information about the presence of sand fleas and sea lice. How large of a problem are either of these?

If you have been there before, would you go back ?

Thanks for your help !