Staying at El Conquistador, but looking for options...

[vetdiver]

Hi -

My husband and I are going to be in PR in June while I am at a conference. We will be at the El Conquistador for 2 nights and the Westin Rio Mar the remainder of the time (the former was booked for the first 2 days). We looked at the hotels' respective dive operations - the one at the El Conquistador is pretty expensive... Can anyone recommend an alternate, or is this operation good enough to warrant the price? We'll have a car.

Thanks!!

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

I have stayed at the Rio Mar about eight years ago. At the time it was a wonderful resort. We liked it better than the Conquistador, FWIW. We dove with the Rio Mar dive shop and the diving was so so. Not the best reef in that area and not much wildlife. At the time, the vis was bad, maybe 40 feet. Of course the vis can change in a matter of days. From what I understand the best diving is in the Rincon area. That is on the other side of the island and Puerto Rico is a big island. But as for the resort dive shop...they were professional and nice people. The diving was conservative, as are most resort dive shops from my experience. As for other dive op options, I really can't say.

Go to El Yunque (sp?), a tropical rain forest that the entrance is almost across the road from resort. Very cool.

Have fun.