New park completion

[cutty]

Any recent visits or "lucky there nows"... comments on the progress of the new park beside DenLamen? Is it terribly noisy and dusty or past that stage?

 

[NDL_Diver]

Any recent visits or "lucky there nows"... comments on the progress of the new park beside DenLamen? Is it terribly noisy and dusty or past that stage?

Just a smoking hole when we past this week. The building close to water is up. Did not stop to see what is what.

 

[NDL_Diver]

When I said up, it is only a block shell. Not completed, not close.

 

[cutty]

How's the parks progress going... we will be there next week to check it out!

 

[NDL_Diver]

Cutty, let us know and snap a pic if you can.

 

[scubadada]

My wife and I will be staying at Den Laman Dec 6-20

 

[RIHappyDiver]

@scubadada, what’s the word? Especially curious as to whether they left the collapsed pier. That was a great artificial reef.
Thanks,

Erik

 

[scubadada]

I will post more completely at a later time with photos. I walked the entire Sunset Beach Park. It is still just partially complete. There is now a new, very nice stairway down from the Den Laman 1st floor seaside deluxe condo down to the "beach". It is separated from the park by a wall. The park has many nice structures partially completed, including many small thatched roof picnic areas. There are some nice kids play areas taking form near the circle entrance to the park. There is what appears to be a small boat launching ramp that does not reach the water yet and a wide walking path to the water. I can't tell about parking or public access to Bari Reef.

The old Sunset Resort pier remnants appear untouched. I see no evidence that Chogogo is building either of their "planned" two piers. I did not dive Front Porch on this visit.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

I will post more completely at a later time with photos. I walked the entire Sunset Beach Park. It is still just partially complete. There is now a new, very nice stairway down from the Den Laman 1st floor seaside deluxe condo down to the "beach". It is separated from the park by a wall. The park has many nice structures partially completed, including many small thatched roof picnic areas. There are some nice kids play areas taking form near the circle entrance to the park. There is what appears to be a small boat launching ramp that does not reach the water and a wide walking path to the water. I can't tell about parking or public access to Bari Reef.

The old Sunset Resort pier remnants appear untouched. I see no evidence that Chogogo is building either of their "planned" two piers. I did not dive Front Porch on this visit.

Fantastic news! At least we have that going for us when we’re there next month.
Thanks for the update.

 

[scubadada]

Fantastic news! At least we have that going for us when we’re there next month.
Thanks for the update.

We stayed up on the third floor in Flying Fish this visit. It is the one-bedroom oceanfront above Parrotfish, another very nice unit. We never heard noise coming from the construction in the park, even when we were out on the balcony. There was little to no dust, much less than from the old dirt parking area.

They planted 5 or 6 very large palm trees down the middle of the park. Currently, there is a sturdy chain link fence with a privacy/wind screen separating the park construction from Den Laman parking, running all the way out to the circle. To enter Den Laman, you now have to enter the small shopping/restaurant center from just past the circle and then turn into the parking area. I believe some of the construction workers are parking out by the circle, not in Den Laman parking. They are using the old Den Laman front office as a construction HQ.

Dive Friends and the gear room, pier are working perfectly. There are two signs, one on the corner of Breeze n Bites across from the gear room and one on the fence/gate at the start of the pier stating that the pier is private and only for owners/guests at Sand Dollar and Den Laman. We saw no problems in the two weeks we were there. Joan is back full time at Dive Friends and runs a tight ship.

The Pita Madre food truck in now located a little farther south on the west side just after the entry to the new park and before Chogogo. The food is delicious, we had both the Pita Madre chicken gyros and the chicken satay. The fire fries with jalapeno mayonnaise are killer. Marnix, the owner/cook is a real hoot, a very friendly guy.

Zhung Kong is well stocked. Doner Station and Luciano's ice cream are still across the street. The old Two Buns is now a pizza restaurant.

What unit are you staying in this visit? Have a great time, we are already planning our return.