Roatan vs Cozumel

[sharkshark]

Finding 120's on Roatan will be a task.

Comparatively, there is nothing to do on Roatan for the non-diver.

Shore diving (and thus good snorkeling) on Roatan is very limited.

To have only been to Cozumel and not Roatan would be a serious error... at least in the perspective of a diver.

Escape one of your most serious limiting factors- those 120's. They really do not give you that much more air, and they can easily be challenged by good buoyancy and "swimming" styles. Take time off for 1/2 day and do a buoyancy skills refresher. Have someone shoot a video of you, look at your hands and body positions.

Roatan has comparatively no currents. The North & North West are protected zones so you will see many mid sized specimens of what were once common Caribbean fish. The South side is unique in the Caribbean, a nursery set amidst a lush shallow vertical Sunlit wall.

In so many ways, Roatan is not Cozumel.

Great, cheers!

FWIW, while I can always improve every aspect of my dive, I have pretty good buoyancy skills, and almost always tuck hands in (save for when shooting with GoPro). I use air a lot, what can I say. Frankly, I guess I could use more cardio crosstraining to simply be in better shape (can't we all), but they're still fine suggestions. I'd suggest that a 120 does give considerably more air, but then again, not something worth fighting about.

Excellent suggestions, however. Really does seem like a place I have to go.

 

[PeterNBiddle]

And so long as you are in the Bay Islands consider Utila. Even less to do for non-divers, but its a great place to dive.

 

[Mike]

...Just got back from my third trip in three years to Cozumel, now itching for somewhere also not so egregiously expensive to get to for next February from Toronto. My spouse is a non-diver, but we kind of adore Cozumel as it's a place we can shore-snorkel with ease, there's opportunity to go to the East side for a completely different vibe, etc. For me, I adore the fact that I'm diving Nitrox and Steel 120s in the Caribbean, resulting in way more bottom time for this air pig. Plus, you know, the diving's damn good.

This was first year that I experienced the port being closed, killing 2 days of West-side diving (I did get a chance to see the East side, but once seemed enough). We've stayed the last two years at the Palace, centrally located, with a great little reef out front for swimming around in coral. Coz's Playa Corona is still probably the best shore dive/snorkel I've ever experienced.

Still, curious if somewhere on Roatan's there's enough to do for the non diver (including, well, "nothing"), as well as opportunities for snorkel and the like. There seem to be more than a fair share of resort options, and it sure seems like it's not going to be covered in only one trip. Welcome any suggestions from someone that can relate to Cozumel experience options in Roatan.

Been to both multiple times. If you haven't been to Roatan, that's reason enough to go. Roatan has 2 different diving experiences. The non-diving resorts just like staying at the Palace and diving with a house dive op or another op that you do in Cozumel. And the full on dive your ass off dive experience of diving at one of the dive centric locations on the other side of the island. Where ridiculously good shore diving goes hand in hand with their boat dives. Non-divers can enjoy even some of the dive centric dive resorts on Roatan. Just go and keep an open mind that it's not Cozumel, it's another country. One thing where there is no comparison between the two is the scenery. Cozumel is a barren dessert waste land compared to the Gilligan Island tropical look of Roatan.

Infinity Bay will be the hotel that will most mimic the Palace in terms of looks and style. But with far less activity going on and less in regard to the restaurant. But the beach it is on blows away anything Cozumel has to offer. The dive centric resorts are more on the 'rustic' end.

 

[sharkshark]

Awesome, thanks guys/gals...

Yeah, the dive-centric ones might make sense, but a balance (ie., a nice resort) where I can be picked up at the dock w/o too much effort would probably be ideal. Again, if I could go multiple times a year I would, but this is our once-a-year schlepp, and I'm thinking a new place might be nice.

I'm assuming I'm going to get way less learned-on-cruiseship diving there - I'll dig around for more info on dive ops that cater to some of the other resorts, but for those familiar with Aldora type service and clientelle, if you have a suggestion, I'm of course open to hear about it!

 

[Mike]

for those familiar with Aldora type service and clientelle, if you have a suggestion, I'm of course open to hear about it!

No such thing on Roatan. Aldora is a very unique dive operation. You'll be hard pressed to find any dive op like them anywhere else. I'd suggest looking at Bananarama and Coconut Tree

 

[sharkshark]

So, I guess there's the rub... I assume for my first taste, I should go West?

I just realized, given that it's fairly free of current and the like, there's no real reason that my partner couldn't be snorkeling some of these locations while we're diving -that alone would make for a much more equitable trip...

 

[Mike]

You should check with the dive ops directly, I've never seen snorkelers on a Roatan dive boat.

If you end up in West Bay at some place like Infinity Bay, just down the beach against the cliffs (5-10 minute walk on the beach) you will find a snorkeling area that is pretty amazing. You can see just about everything you will on a dives, snorkeling that area. Morays, baracudda, gangs of tangs, french angels, banded coral shrimp, lion fish etc...

 

[Doc]

You should check with the dive ops directly, I've never seen snorkelers on a Roatan dive boat....

At which point the most of them will tell you, "Sure, no problem, mon."

It is indeed a problem, and that is almost anywhere you can dip a fin on this planet. It's like mixing cyclists and in-line skaters.

On Roatam, due to the u/w geology, the reef structure that surrounds the island is very different depending upon where you are. On the North/West, the reef starts a considerable distance offshore and is fairly deep- you are simply not going to see the mix occurring well from the same anchorage. On the South side, the reef is very close in-shore and very shallow.

For this alone, I would give the South a minor edge if you were combining snorkelers and divers on the same boat, but still, the moorings there will ve in 25' of water, but it will get shallow inshore very fast. Still, not a great combination trip.

Three resorts of varying qualities that are situated on good shore dive/snorkel combinations are FIBR, CCV, and RHR.

On the first day of any such trip, SCUBA next to your snorkeler in 6 feet of water- right in front of the resort. Pass the snorkeler your octopus. Let them see how much easier that is. Then, as you get back on-shore, walk them into the dive shop and sign them up for an OW card- they just had the Discover SCUBA Diving bait. Snorkeling is a lot of work and has an increased risk of Sunburn.

 

[diverjen]

On the first day of any such trip, SCUBA next to your snorkeler in 6 feet of water- right in front of the resort. Pass the snorkeler your octopus. Let them see how much easier that is. Then, as you get back on-shore, walk them into the dive shop and sign them up for an OW card- they just had the Discover SCUBA Diving bait. Snorkeling is a lot of work and has an increased risk of Sunburn.

Yeah I have met a couple of DMs who say they dive in three feet of water rather than switch to snorkels sometimes because its just so much easier. Now, I know that diving is more complicated and the setup and the knowledge back ground and safety procedure background is WAY WAY WAY more in depth and work, but the actual act of diving, position control being slightly below the surface and not getting water sloshed in your snorkel and the freedom of movement, etc is way easier than snorkeling in the conditions that you would chose to snorkel. I always tell my snorkel loving non-diver friends (a group I used to be apart of) that it is always worth doing a Discover Scuba.

I have only snorkeled at both Roatan and Cozumel, but been to both twice and I think you will really like Roatan, although they are completely different from each other but in good ways.

 

[sharkshark]

hah, yes, I =know= that SCUBA's the way to go (what bloody forum are we on here!), but if I had a way of not leaving a "widow" behind while I dive for most of the day, that's not a bad thing...

I'm looking forward to something new, and thank you all for your advice. I've been back just weeks, and already itchy for my next trip!

The enthusiasm here is infectious...