Raotan Recommendations

[trtldvr]

My wife and I are thinking Roatan for a week next July. I am a diver, she is not, but she does enjoy snorkling. Of course we are familiar with Anthony's Kay, but the most known is not always the best. We are looking for reasonable rates (not the cheapest), we do not want to leave the resort to get to the dive boat, we would like to be close to town (the west end) and since it will be July AC is a MUST!!!


Thanks and Safe dives.
trtldvr

 

[diversteve]

Luna Beach Resort might meet your requirements: Luna beach - roatan resort - scuba diving services In addition to their own diveop, they have an interesting on-site snorkeling arrangement. And a water taxi to the West End.

fyi - AKR isn't really walking distance to the West End. And their compound is pretty isolated. IIRC it cost me $6 to go there from the West End taxi stand.

 

[robint]

My wife and I are thinking Roatan for a week next July. I am a diver, she is not, but she does enjoy snorkling. Of course we are familiar with Anthony's Kay, but the most known is not always the best. We are looking for reasonable rates (not the cheapest), we do not want to leave the resort to get to the dive boat, we would like to be close to town (the west end) and since it will be July AC is a MUST!!!


Thanks and Safe dives.
trtldvr

could I ask why you want to be close to west end? How many dives do you want to do? Are you looking for an all-inclusive or not? Do you want a small cozy resort with just other divers/snorkelers or do you want to be close to west end to party late at night? There are a wide variety of places on Roatan to choose from!

robin

 

[diverken374]

My wife and I are thinking Roatan for a week next July. I am a diver, she is not, but she does enjoy snorkling. Of course we are familiar with Anthony's Kay, but the most known is not always the best. We are looking for reasonable rates (not the cheapest), we do not want to leave the resort to get to the dive boat, we would like to be close to town (the west end) and since it will be July AC is a MUST!!!


Thanks and Safe dives.
trtldvr

Luna Beach Resort might meet your requirements: Luna beach - roatan resort - scuba diving services In addition to their own diveop, they have an interesting on-site snorkeling arrangement. And a water taxi to the West End.

fyi - AKR isn't really walking distance to the West End. And their compound is pretty isolated. IIRC it cost me $6 to go there from the West End taxi stand.

I agree that this is an excellent choice. I do not remember having air conditioning in my room so you may want to inquire. I went by myself as my wife does not dive however when I got there I thought that she would have really liked it as well.You can walk down the beach to the West End in 5 to 10 minutes.

 

[diversteve]

I agree that this is an excellent choice. I do not remember having air conditioning in my room so you may want to inquire.

It's on the front page:

All of our rooms offer:

* air conditioning
* room safes
* coffee makers
* drinking water
* hot and fresh water showers from our natural springs
* beautiful, well maintained and the cleanest rooms around and much more

 

[trtldvr]

Does not have to be West End, but it must be close to some town. We would like to be able to walk to a watering hole or restaurant and not stay on property all week. Does not need to be all inclusive.

I would plan on diving a lot 3 to 5 tanks a day.

 

[Doc]

My wife and I are thinking Roatan for a week next July. I am a diver, she is not, but she does enjoy snorkling. We are looking for reasonable rates (not the cheapest), we do not want to leave the resort to get to the dive boat, we would like to be close to town (the west end) and since it will be July AC is a MUST!!!

I think you already got some good answers, and I never responded previously because I knew there are many out there who had those responses. Yet, with your latest post you have reinforced the original vision of a Bay Islands Nirvana you were seeking. It really doesn't exist.

West End is really your best and only choice. Nothing there will fit each and all of your requirements, but you're as close as you can get.

Now that you have added the desire for "3~5 tanks a day", it's really not going to happen with any ease anywhere but an AI. If you examine most west End dive boat schedules, yes- they do offer 3 boats a day, but usually it is physically impossible to make the 2nd boat if you have done the first boat. Night dives, at least from these ops, occur once a week as scheduled, if there are enough participants.

The availability of snorkeling combined with being near "town" is the biggest problem.

There are three "towns", so to speak, on Roatan. One is "Coxen Hole" and there is nothing there for the tourist other than some curiosity shopping. (not curios, curiosity). Another is West End, a place that is kind of near everything from AKR to West Bay. Cruise ship people are dropped there and manage to stay entertained for the day.

The best available shore snorkel on Roatan is from CCV/FIBR on the South side, but these are not near any town. They are close to French Harbour, but that is a place more curious than the aforementioned Coxen Hole.

With your desire for a low cost, I would seriously reconsider and look at the currently bargain priced Fantasy Island (FI). Downside? Not close to any town or other shopping or restaurant/bar diversion, except for the two fancy places in French Harbour... and one delightful place fairly close by.

You will get an easy 3 a day plus a night shore dive, and the snorkeling is the best there is from an easily accessed setting. Next door at CoCoView is about the only place you can get an easy 4+1 a day, but it is even more remote and always more expensive than FIBR.

You're going to have to decide what is most important and then make some adjustments. Precisely what you want does not really exist on Roatan.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

Roatman is right,

4-5 Dives a day you need to be at an AI, CCV or FI do have excellent shore dives
3 Boat dives a day can easily be done in West End.

HTH

Will

 

[Rainer]

Some great info here. Thanks to those who have shared.

We recently booked seven nights at Bananarama (West Bay Beach) for late Jan / early Feb (our first trip to Roatan). I'm looking at their dive boat schedule and it says they have a two cylinder charter at 8:30 AM and another two cylinder boat at 1 PM (as well as a one cylinder boat at 2 PM and it sounds like night dives can be arranged). I'll certainly contact them, but any idea if you can make both two cylinder charters (8:30 AM and 1 PM) in the same day? Or is the best bet to plan for two dives in the morning and the one cylinder charter (2 PM) in the afternoon (and night dives when they can be arranged)? We're certainly looking to do a bit of diving, but nothing crazy.

Thanks, again.

 

[Doc]

... any idea if you can make both two cylinder charters (8:30 AM and 1 PM) in the same day? Or is the best bet to plan for two dives in the morning and the one cylinder charter (2 PM) in the afternoon (and night dives when they can be arranged)? We're certainly looking to do a bit of diving, but nothing crazy.

Your question could have multiple meanings.

Is it physically possible to make the boarding for the 13:00 boat after returning from the 08:30 dives? Sure, not really a big deal unless the 08:30 boat is going to a distant dive site, possibly Mary's Place or Dolphin's Den. It might be quite a while in returning if so.

If the 08:30 boat visits a local dive site, you could be in the water 0900-1000, with a SI that lasts until a dive begins at 1030 running to 1130, then back at the docks by Noon.

Or, are you asking a question about NDL limits and exposure?

Understand that by sheer geography, the dive sites nearest to the West and Northern operations are fairly deep, at least as compared to the South shore- a place that has the dive-dive-dive AI's.

On the South, you can actually do the 4 daytime dives and a night dive and never reach NDL limits, still while doing it on air.

It will be up to you, your dive planning, and your abilities. Of course, using nitrox on these deeper profiles will certainly extend your NDL, so that is a consideration. You can successfully dive that deeper zone, even using air, if you are a good diver and maintain control of your profiles.

Depends on what you were asking, but to some extent, you have the same answer... yes, it is possible.

And, yes, doing a night dive whenever you can is a beautiful thing, especially on Roatan.