Roatan questions...

[wgw04024]

Hi, have gone through lots of posts and was wondering about a few things.

1. Is there times that are better to go during the year? Wind issues, rainy season, etc?
2. We like to tool around a bit on dive trips, so usually airbnb and get a car. Are there places to shore dive, or night dive from shore without having a house reef like at a resort?
3. Do people rent cars?
4. Is there other things to see around the island?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[KatieMac]

Things slow down in April. Good time to go if you can get a good flight price. You can rent a car - some rent scooters. There are other things to do, but not many. This is an island that is all about the diving and snorkeling.

Most airbnbs are more expensive than staying in one of the hotels or inns though.

Where on the island were you thinking of staying?

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

The locals use www.windfinder.com for their weather info.
We went to Roatan for the last two weeks of January this year. We had plenty of rain. The locals said it was way more than they usually get. Stayed in Westend, rented the top floor of a condo Playa Del Mar. Happy with the accommodations - there were 6 of us. Next time we would try a different area. Many reviews here on ScubaBoard suggest the dive resorts. Think would be our choice last time.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

We liked Curacao much better. All shore diving for us.

 

[diversteve]

The biggest obstacle is finding someone to rent you tanks anywhere but at the dive resorts that have shore dives. I believe Sueno Del Mar still might.

Arguably the best shore dives are off Cocoview or Fantasy Island. You have to be a guest at CCV - IDK about FIBR.
Anthony's Key has two shallow dives - one in the channel, one off the Key. I believe you have to be guest there also - most of the dive resorts are not set up to handle walk-ins.

I've read that from Sueno Del Mar's beach you can access a known dive site - they're also about the only place I've heard that will rent tanks to walk-ins. IDK if you can remove them from their property though.

Most of these are dive resorts or private property. I rent a house near Seagrape - the entry there is one way - you jump off the slab and float around the point into Half Moon Bay - on a calm day...

Old list - most are resorts or in the case of Spooky - private property. Afaik #4 is the only "public" site.
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Honduras, Roatan, Caribbean

We dove with Coconut Tree Divers. When we mentioned it, they offered to drop us out on West End Wall to swim in to Half Moon Bay beach - we didn't try it.

There's also a shore dive off Reef House Resort and Media Luna further east - IDK anything about either.

 

[diversteve]

We were there in late Mar/Apr. It rained about 1/2 the week at night mostly. Did not affect the diving - we got out every day.

Most people take cabs due to insurance liability. There;s a lot of stray dogs that become someone's cheri$hed family pet if you hit one. Plus the roads for the most part aren't paved. My friend rides a motorcycle in Phoenix traffic daily - he and g/f rented a scooter once - just once was enough - not much to see.

The West End is a mix of shops/bars/restaurants - fun at night. There's Gumblimba park and a couple other ziplines - including the one a couple recently died on. Not the first time I've read that. Coxen Hole is named correctly - ok during the day if you want to hit the cruise tourist shops. There;s the iguana farm and a sad little zoo.

You go there to dive...

 

[KatieMac]

The biggest obstacle is finding someone to rent you tanks anywhere but at the dive resorts that have shore dives. I believe Sueno Del Mar still might.

Arguably the best shore dives are off Cocoview or Fantasy Island. You have to be a guest at CCV - IDK about FIBR.
Anthony's Key has two shallow dives - one in the channel, one off the Key. I believe you have to be guest there also - most of the dive resorts are not set up to handle walk-ins.

I've read that from Sueno Del Mar's beach you can access a known dive site - they're also about the only place I've heard that will rent tanks to walk-ins. IDK if you can remove them from their property though.

Lots of dive sites within shore dive distance of Sueno. You'd have to email about tanks though. Their dive shop is under new management. I have stayed there several times. Great location too - just beyond the edge of town so when it gets busy on cruise ship days, you're away from the bustle. And the drinks at Tita's - the bar on the property - never use short pours.

Incidentally, even boat dives with a DM are inexpensive in Roatan compared to lots of places in the Caribbean.

You're right about late January. Rainy season - and some years that extends to late February. March is the super busy season.

 

[wgw04024]

Thanks, this gives me a good idea of what's what there. Sounds like if/when we go it'll just be coco view for the convenience and house reef. One last question....is it easy to get from Cocoview to the center of town (wherever that is)? I see from google earth there doesn't appear to be any roads to/from it.

 

[Doc]

CCV runs a boats to the landing. They have a stable of English speaking drivers. Taxi, day vans the like. Most people go to CCV to get their 27+ dives in a week, not so much to leave the place, but they do have planned day outings that you can jump on.

The plain fact that there are no roads to CCV is one of the biggest selling points in my book. I can and do leave iPads, cameras and other shiny valuables lying about in common spaces, where they will remain until I return for them. You have no uninvited guests appearing, very secure area.

If you came to dive, CCV represents a bargain. It's easy to do that 27/wk, and at $35 a dive anywhere else, you're going to have to shell out $950 extra to do this at a "bargain" accommodation, then add in food. CCV works.

French Harbor town is 9 minutes East (with ts own grocery store plus a Bojangles Chicken) then about 30 minutes East lies the Coxen Hole metroplex where you'll find the Mallwart Store and its own Bojangles Chicken and further on down say 40 minutes total you can join the Pod People in West Bay.

 

[laurenceh]

the best weather and viz is from April til the end of September.