Where to stay in Roatan?

[hopefulist]

Are the cruise ship days predictable? Random? Constant?

 

[angles8]

For the last two years, my wife and I have spent a week in June at Los Rocas. It's a very very small dive operation. Nine cabins, a dive shop, and a resturant/bar. You could throw a rock and hit everything in the "resort". Rooms are clean, have AC, food is good and cheap - no cable, radio's, or papers - bring a book. Diving is rolling off six-packers and in my 30+ dives there, I've not had a bad one. Lot of sea life and coral. My favorites are a drift on the west end wall and Blue Hole. Depending on the package you choose it's $400-$600 pp for the week including cabin, breakfast, & 15-20 dives. Staff is OK but changed from year one to year two, they do work for tips so there is motivation for them to take care of you.

 

[Doc]

Are the cruise ship days predictable? Random? Constant?

Cruise Ships are more predictable than German trains, see http://www.cruisecompete.com/vacations/visits/roatan_island/1

God bless Google.

Oh, wait, what? You thought maybe you can avoid the effect of the cruise ship just by avoiding their presence? Re-read Sandi (DiverMom's) post above a bit more carefuly. It's all over. Try Utila, fast.

 

[hopefulist]

I'm heading to Utila, then the SE area of Roatán, but thanks for the cruise link.

 

[Doc]

The South Shore of the East End of Roatan- still a lot of adventure remains there! Don't worry about cruise ship influences in either place!

 

[leelee]

Is RHR far from west end? For one or two nights will going to the west end just to wander a big problem transporation wise and time wise?

RHR is about an hour from west end. seems like everything is. but the resort has access to a taxi company that is like your own personal Limo, nice, air conditioned van that takes you where you want, for as long as you want, and waits for you and is there for you. They aren't guides though just drivers.
Going to the west end is a must if you have never been and there is lots to do if you are adventures,, kids or adults. the canopy walk, the iguana gardens, the butterfly gardens, dance, party, walk the beach, It is a great place to decompress before flying.

How's RHR's shore diving? I read somewhere that the waves can be strong that's tough
to go thru even though the walls are pretty close. Is that true?

it is open to the seas, which is advantageous cause of all the potential for pelagics. I also believe that that keeps the wall clean and does not get the bad viz that I hear happens around the Prince Albert wreck. but some times there is large surge. this is easy to deal with if youare used to surge and comfortable with topo navigation. It is great! You should check it out.

 

[shadowdiver]

Are the cruise ship days predictable? Random? Constant?

Right now there is one cruise ship every two weeks, this will increase, most of the cruise shippers interested in diving have prepaid packages with the big resorts ie. akr, fantasy island, and with the new addition of coral cay (the mayors new cruise ship destination) , it really is only the more adventurous cruise shippers that make it into West End. the description Sandi gives of West End is a little bit of an over reaction in my opinion. West End is still a quiet,beach road community, servicing divers and tourists alike during the day and it comes alive of a night time. Of the places you mentioned to stay Island Pearl no longer has a dive facility and I think probably Luna Beach Resort would be perfect for you. It has a pool, is very quite, yet a close enough walk to West End if you feel the need to venture out. With the other places you mentioned you are at the mercy of the local taxi drivers or the resort bus. (Baaa, baaaa)The accomodations are private cabins of a very high standard on the beach. Their dive boat is a large covered boat, without the cattle herd feeling of the bigger resorts. I know this website is intended to give unbiased information, and I guess for the most part thats what most people are trying to do, but there will always be difference of opinions and it also seems like some people are advertisements for certain resorts. Whatever you decide, enjoy.

 

[Zebra mussel]

Right now there is one cruise ship every two weeks, this will increase, most of the cruise shippers interested in diving have prepaid packages with the big resorts ie. akr, fantasy island, and with the new addition of coral cay (the mayors new cruise ship destination) , it really is only the more adventurous cruise shippers that make it into West End. the description Sandi gives of West End is a little bit of an over reaction in my opinion. West End is still a quiet,beach road community, servicing divers and tourists alike during the day and it comes alive of a night time. Of the places you mentioned to stay Island Pearl no longer has a dive facility and I think probably Luna Beach Resort would be perfect for you. It has a pool, is very quite, yet a close enough walk to West End if you feel the need to venture out. With the other places you mentioned you are at the mercy of the local taxi drivers or the resort bus. (Baaa, baaaa)The accomodations are private cabins of a very high standard on the beach. Their dive boat is a large covered boat, without the cattle herd feeling of the bigger resorts. I know this website is intended to give unbiased information, and I guess for the most part thats what most people are trying to do, but there will always be difference of opinions and it also seems like some people are advertisements for certain resorts. Whatever you decide, enjoy.

There are often several crusie ships a day and several days week in West End. It is not as bad as posted above,but it aint like it used to be. Starting to see venders pestering tourists ala Mexico. The good thing is they are usually not on the dive boats and in town when you are out diving. When the dinner bell on the ship rings....they vanish as fast as they first appeered. The vast majority of the cruisers are on the West Bay beach. Id rather not put up with them,but it is still a far cry from many places. Dont let it scare you off. West End is still an laid back,interesting place. I would definatly make a point of visiting it on your off gassing day and make your own mind. I usually stay there when I visit Roatan because of the variety of restuarants,accomidations and dive shops. It offers lots more options than the all inclusives.

 

[Tomdive]

Having been going to West End for many years,I agree with the above poster that it is not like the good old days,but it is still much more relaxing and interesting than many tourist oriented places. It caters to a much different crowd than the all inclusives seem to,although that is changing too. Having said this,because of the fact that I want to maximize mt dive time, and topside diversions in West End are becoming somewhat commonplace for me,Im considering an all inclusive for my next visit. This is just me. There seesm to be a rabid following for Coco View resort here. In my way of thinking,there must be a good reason for it. I do have a couple of questions that im a little confused about. After reading these posts and checking out their website,Im under the understanding that they offer 2 tank boat dives twice a day plus unlimited shore diving. I also understand that they take you out to a specified site for the first tank and drop you off for the second tank and you swim back to the resort. Is this how it works? If it is true and I want to make 4 boat dives plus a night dive per day,It would seem to me that 60% of my diving would all be taking place within 3000psi of the dock. Why would I want to do that? I understand you can dive the same dive site several times and see unique things on each dive,but I would prefer to dive more sites rather than repeat the same ones that many times. Is my assumption correct or am I missing something? Ive also heard very conflicting reports on the vis on the shore dives there. Any opinions on that? Im hoping Im mis informed as Coco View seems to be my resort of preferance at this point. One other minor point. I see some people here touting the local artisans selling their wares at CocoView. The fact that sell "beautiful black coral" to me is not a postive thing and should be stopped immediatly.I question the enviornmental awareness of the resort and particularly the posters who seem to think this is a selling point for the resort. I appreciate any information you can supply me with concerning the boat/shore diving. Thanks.

 

[Doc]

There seesm to be a rabid following for Coco View resort here. In my way of thinking,there must be a good reason for it.

Good deduction.

I also understand that they take you out to a specified site for the first tank and drop you off for the second tank and you swim back to the resort. Is this how it works? If it is true and I want to make 4 boat dives plus a night dive per day,It would seem to me that 60% of my diving would all be taking place within 3000psi of the dock. Why would I want to do that? I understand you can dive the same dive site several times and see unique things on each dive,but I would prefer to dive more sites rather than repeat the same ones that many times.

Good, conventional wisdom. Suffice to say that the "drop off" dive that allows you to return to shore by SCUBA is a dive that most prefer over others after a few tries. Many divers select to be "dropped over the wreck", which is right in front of the resort- so they can familiarize themselves intimately with their night dive location. Other divers prefer to be dropped off at considerable distance frm the resort, a so called "enduro" dive. Either way, you can dawdle to your heart's content. Many such drop-off dives last well into an hour and twenty minutes. Your only limit is your ablility.

Most divers, after aquiring precise buoyancy control skills, hone their observational abilities to what Roatan is best for, "The Small Stuff". There is no better place to see the macro life than in the shallow tops along a brightly sunlit wall.


Is my assumption correct or am I missing something? Ive also heard very conflicting reports on the vis on the shore dives there. Any opinions on that?

Yes, when the dredged sand from FIBR's beach gets stirred up, sometimes the viz can really be marginal. The best time to dive it is at high tide, even better if there is a "Norther". Most times, though, the shallows at CCV which are marked by an anchor chain that runs from the shore (your room) out to the Prince Albert Wreck is fairly much an aquarium. (see http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/ccv/vpost?id=516958 for a description of the "Front Yard"). Sometimes, when you ghost over the intact 140' tanker lying in 35-65fsw, the FIBR side can be pretty murky. If so, just head seaward to the walls. In terms of a drop off dive, if one is doing the walls then runs into an occluded area, all you have to do is go shallow towards CCV and you'll come up out of it.

Take a look at http://www.cocoviewresort.com/webcams.html for a webcam image of the "Front Yard". The viz is fairly discernable.

Or- look at http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/ccv/vpost?id=614540&trail=30 for s perfect day.

FIBR offers three one-tank boat dives each day. I would rather get on a boat twice and get four dives than three times for 3. But- maybe jus' me?

Im hoping Im mis informed as Coco View seems to be my resort of preferance at this point.

No resort is what it was ten years ago, or yesterday, for that matter. If the ham fisted neighbor had been a little smarter, the shore dive would still be stellar. Now it is a lesser gem, but as for Roatan, you're simply not yet going to find a better resort based shore dive.

Here's the real deal: Night diving is just the coolest thing. The problem with the activity is that the prevading thought on any diver's mind- encompassing every thought- is... "how do I get back?". Lets face it, if there's a heavy chain lying on the sea bed that connects your bed to the wreck, 300 feet away, what's the concern? It is night dive paradise.

Here's a report on the "Prince Albert" as a dive site: http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/ccv/vpost?id=516963

One other minor point. I see some people here touting the local artisans selling their wares at CocoView. The fact that sell "beautiful black coral" to me is not a postive thing and should be stopped immediatly.I question the enviornmental awareness of the resort and particularly the posters who seem to think this is a selling point for the resort.

Question away. What you were reading is the simple statement that the vendors that are invited to CCV are the best that the island has to offer. Artisans come to CCV who bother to appear at no other resort.

The materials you reference are actually purchased as 'by-catch' from the shrimpers- I've seen the transactions. Does that make it right? Arguments aplenty. What have I done about it? I don't eat shrimp.

Et tu?

CoCoView isn't for everyone. Nor is any one resort. The trick is to see them all before you figure you know what's what. You, TomDive, have that broad basis for comparison by being familiar with the West end- most do not. It will be intersting to hear your reports.