7DaysinParadise
Travel => General Travel => Topic started by: flopnfly on January 21, 2010, 02:08:50 PM
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I've been following prices on Roatan, and they just dropped the prices for next week so now I'm tempted.
Has anybody been or know anything about it?
My first choice for resort is the Henry Morgan.
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Hi Flopnfly
I have been a few times, let me know what info you are after and if I know it, I will get it across to you.
Here are some diving pictures I took on my last trip to give you an idea of the marine life.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/Wossa/Roatan-March2009134.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/Wossa/Roatan-March2009489.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/Wossa/Roatan-March2009158.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/Wossa/Roatan-March2009466.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/Wossa/Roatan-March2009326.jpg)
PS808
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We have always had our eye on Roatan ... price and time havent worked out so far.. but those pictures! wow!
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PS - I am speechless! Those photos should be in National Geographic!!! They are incredible. The turtle photo is absolutely stunning. Thanks for posting them. TC :grin:
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PS808, you've just confirmed that the marine life is alive and well in Roatan.
We've never been so don't know anything about the resorts, and it really doesn't matter except for the dive shops :grin:
The Henry Morgan would appear to be the better resort but maybe it isn't?
When we originally started looking at Roatan a few years ago, we were going to Fantasy Island, but I don't see it listed anymore out of Toronto.
There was a travel advisory out last summer, and I haven't seen anything more current so does that mean that it still stands?
Our dive shop is leaving for Henry Morgan on Monday, and we were considering going but then I started reading about the Malaria and we haven't taken any meds for that yet so I guess we'll have to wait.
Have you taken the malaria pills when you've gone and have you met anybody that has contracted malaria while there?
It's such a beautiful place and I really want to go, but I have to admit that the malaria scares me.
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Those pics are fantastic. Thanks PS808 for sharing.
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The best resort in my opinion is Henry Morgan, a simple rustic resort, but it's really clean and comfortable. It's a great place at night to just chill out, have a few beers and really relax. There is no night club or anything like that on the resort or nearby, at night they have a musician tinkering away on a keyboard singing a few dodgy old covers, but it's a very social resort.
The best thing about the Henry Morgan is the dive shop, operated and run by TGI (Tropical Gangsters Inc), it's a very well organised and run company, the best by far I have dived with in the Caribbean to date. They offer 3 dives a day and a night dive once a week, shark diving, plus a good wreck dive and they also have Nitrox, if certified. (I will post some pics of the different dives below to give you an idea).The dive shop is in the middle of the resort, the DM's are really professional, knowledgable and they will ensure you enjoy your diving.
It's also worth noting that they have a really well stocked ''Mares'' dive store. Roatan is tax free so you can pick up more or less any of the Mares range at awesome prices, regs, fins, wetsuits, computers, masks, way cheaper then in Canada or the UK.
There was some serious political issues on the mainland last year which I think may of been sorted out as I havent heard of any more problems since September. I would advise you to check on your government travel advisory board to get the most up-to-date information, I don't think you will see or hear anything that suggests of any unrest on Roatan.
As for Malaria, I have never taken any precautions for any of my trips, probably my stupidity not too, but unless it's a specific condition of travel, I just pack and go!! I have never even thought about Malaria to be honest and I have never come across it or spoken to someone who has contracted it whilst out there......again, if you take the right precautions then I would think you would be safe. I guess I am foolish not to take this into consideration but I wouldn't let this put you off from going.
A couple of pics from the shark diving.
(http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu66/PacificState808/IMG_1884_edited-1.jpg)
(http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu66/PacificState808/Cara-a-Cara159.jpg)
Roatan has lots of turtles, both Hawksbill and Green.
(http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu66/PacificState808/Roatan-March2009073.jpg)
The wreck dive, the wreck lays in around 35 metres of water so they will only take the advanced divers that are happy to dive below 30m, it's a relatively easy dive though.
(http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu66/PacificState808/test012.jpg)
(http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu66/PacificState808/test037.jpg)
I hope this of some help to you, let me know if you need anything else. My advise would be to go, you will have a blast !!
PS808
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Thankyou for your kind comments on my diving pics by the way !!
PS808
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Excellent pics!
Heather regarding Malaria, remember lots of cruise ships stop at Roatan and never a mention about Malaria, just carry your deep woods off!
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Fred, I was thinking the same thing about the cruise passengers. I wonder if they are warned about it when booking?
The mosquitoes don't bother me, but I have to think about poor John who acts as mosquito bait for me :grin:
PS808, thanks for the info :icon_thumright:
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Ha Ha! Tracie is the same she has "AAR" (actively attracts Mossies) ....So how about we all go and you and I will be fine as long as JC and TR are in the vicinity!!! :ROFL:
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I see Fantasy Island is back on offer. That resort looks interesting.
I'm still not convinced that I would go without the malaria meds, but we've decided to leave Roatan on the shelf for now. Maybe later in the year.
We're looking at going diving in Playa Giron. Only 2 and 3 star resorts around there, but we don't need anymore than that for a dive trip.
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This link has some interesting info regarding diving Plaga Giron.
http://www.cuba-diving.de/DIVE-CUBA/DIVING_PLACES_CUBA/South_Coast/PLAYA_GIRON_/hauptteil_playa_giron_.html
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thanks for the link PS808 :icon_thumright:
have you done any diving in Playa Giron?
We've had a couple of day trips, but never stayed in the area.
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I have never dived in Playa Giron, although this area is meant to be one of the the best places to dive in Cuba. I checked out a couple of SCUBA forums that did say that many of the divers found the diving a little boring as there wasn't many fish to see and the coral etc was a bit sparce. I think after diving Coz you might notice the difference, but hey, a bad dive is still better then a good day at he office !!
PS808
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We came to the same conclusion after a bit of research.
We started looking at Santa Lucia area of Cuba, a couple of dive groups from Toronto are heading there soon, so I think it must be ok diving but I have to admit that I'm still being pulled toward Roatan. :grin:
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Roatan will give you some of the best (if not the best) diving in the Carribean/Central America, I don't think you would have any regrets.
I
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(Sorry about the above post....I was half way through the post and I clicked the wrong button...I don't seem to have a delete option ?)
Roatan will give you some of the best (if not the best) diving in the Carribean/Central America, I don't think you would have any regrets.
It's definately worth taking time out and doing some homework into locations, especially if you are looking to base your vacation as a dive holiday. Websites and brouchures can be very deceiving regarding what they claim the actual dive sites are like.
I dove in the DR a couple of years ago, the dive op was showing me the usual pictures of Whale Sharks and even Humpback Whales that they claimed frequent their dives almost daily.....I swear to you the most interesting thing I saw on the dives where a bicylcle tyre and a few really scrawny fish.
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http://pacificstate808.smugmug.com/Holidays/Roatan-2009/11083994_d8b9n/
PS808