IBAMIE
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Posts posted by IBAMIE
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It makes me sad to see all the negativity about Coki Beach. I was born in the VI and we spent many weekends at Coki plus I have gone back on several cruises. I've never felt unsafe there. If you have an issue with pot, I'd suggest staying away from almost any Caribbean island and Hawaii too. Especially Jamaica. And while you're at it, some US states too. I don't see anything wrong with it. No more than anything wrong with seeing someone drink a Painkiller on the beach. Also, about the "dirty" "rundown" look of Coki. The truth is, the Caribbean locals are mostly quite poor and simple people who may not have much but love life and their natural surroundings. If you want manicured beauty and never see a dirty kid, or a homeless person, then stick to resorts and the cruise boat.
I understand what you're saying and trust me, I am not the type who wants manicured beauty etc...I have many friends who are from and who still live in Belize where I have seen as much and more than what you described above. My issue with Coki Beach was not about the pot, I could care less what people were smoking, it doesn't bother me at all. My problem was the way we were treated. My husband and I were there with a large group. Since you are familiar with the area, you know how tourists are approached by every vendor, waiter/waitress etc...I didn't feel unsafe but I did get mad when my husband was going to one of the guys to get a bucket of beer and a female vendor tried to 'take' his business. When my husband politely explained that he had already ordered from the one guy, the woman asked him if he was gay for not wanting to order from her. I totally get why the vendors were trying to get all the business they could get, I didn't like seeing people insulted. So no, my problem was not about the area, it was being treated badly that I didn't like.
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Based on recommendations from CCers, my wife and I chose Coki beach for snorkeling. I felt creeped out from the time I got off the bus to the time I left. We were greeted by a seemingly high "manager" dude, and we felt like we were lambs to the slaughter, being pestered about renting beach chairs, drinks we didn't want, etc. Evidently, you have to pay for beach chair rentals, but that's not at all obvious. We got accosted for cash only after we sat down on a beach chair. Don't have a problem paying to rent a chair, but the guy should have said something about it during his long greeting speech.
There were some other weird things--it started raining, and it seemed no one (vendors) wanted to let you get out of the rain unless you immediately bought something. All our gear, including towels of course, got drenched.
Then, one vendor began fighting with, and swearing at, another vendor for stealing one of "his" customers. Although the snorkeling was decent, my time at Coki Beach was *the* most stressful time I've ever had at any beach. Beaches + stress just don't go together.
Even got hassled about wanting to leave by the "Monsieur"; which I did shortly after I'd been soaked by the rain. Can't tell you how happy I was to hop on one of those open-air shuttles back to Port. Rip-off city. Didn't feel safe at all and couldn't relax.
Some questions:
* Has anyone else had this experience at Coki Beach?
* Is this a typical beach experience on St. Thomas and other caribbean islands? Aside from Cocoa Cay, I'd never been on a beach in the caribbean.
* What type of experience would I have had at Megans Bay on St. Thomas or Trunk Bay on St. Johns? Do those places have less of a "den of thieves" feel?
* Are there other beaches on other Caribbean islands that have the same feel as Coki Beach? Would like to know so I can "give them a miss" in advance.
I'd read on cruise critic that Coki beach was a "mellow, locally run place." Note to self--find the beaches that *aren't* locally run on St. Thomas and elsewhere.
My favorite snorkeling experience ever has been in Kona, Hawaii. Fabulous snorkeling--best I've ever seen. No dudes accosting me upon arrival and departure or pestering me for buying drinks, etc.
I'd chosen Coki Beach as a cheaper alternative to ship excursion beach visits. Booked my own transport from the Port. In retrospect, I probably should have paid for one of those snorkeling tours where they take you out in a boat to some remote, private place, hopefully free of scary locals who view snorkelers as a flock to be fleeced. Or am I kidding myself and this is the case everywhere in the caribbean? I didn't mind the drink guys at all on Cocoa Cay--since I knew it was an RCI owned private island. Pretty relaxing time there. But Coki Beach had this weird "outlaw", desperate feel that I can't quite describe.
I had almost the same experience last week when we were there on a cruise. No rain, but the vendors and attendants were rude, pushy and sketchy.
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Thanks [emoji5]
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Just to update, I talked to Javier and Arnie this evening and they are adding dive tours through one of the dive shops. Please check out the site soon and you will see the addition. I just let them know that people were interested and they started working on it.
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Trust me, I can relate to (I wouldn't really use the term "pushing", but more or less passionate) this. I have gone a lot of places and done a lot of things in port. When there's something that you find that is just so good, you want to tell everyone about it. Sometimes people may feel that I might appear a little pushy about Little French Key in Roatan. It's just that amazing and beautiful there to me. So I constantly mention it to everyone. No worries though I appreciate everyone's help, even if it's not exactly what I'm looking for at the moment. Sometimes this information can be used at a later visit. :)
I will definitely check into hammerheads. I think I have contacted another 3 more places referred and awaiting a return email from them as well. Hopefully something will work out.
Totally understandable. No worries. I appreciate the info and will keep all suggestions in mind for future visits. :)
Thanks [emoji5]
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Trust me, I completely understand about booking with the locals and giving them our business. I do this 99% of the time. I will ALWAYS book with a local and not the cruise lines inflated rates where the money always goes in their pockets (unless there's something that I just absolutely can not do on my own due to time restraints, location or other factors). :)
Lol sorry for sounding pushy earlier. I just want to help my friend get his business up and running. He's a good kid, about a year older than my own son so he's become like my adopted child. If you know anyone going to Roatan who just wants a day doing whatever, please recommend them. They really are awesome.
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Hi Ibamie, that's good to know. I prefer to book with those trying to start out and grow their tourism business, it's hard work and it's a competitive business. We go to Roatan often and I'll certainly keep him mind for myself our other friends there.
Thank you. I agree it's very competitive and it doesn't help that the ships will warn people to not go outside of the port, implying they won't be safe if they do. In Mahogany Bay, the locals have to stay way downhill from the port and they're lucky if they get any business at all. Most of the people you see inside the port are actually from mainland Honduras. Carnival won't even hire the locals to work inside the port. So very little of the tourism money actually gets to the locals. [emoji20]
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Hi Mitsugirly,
Wow, someone is really trying to push that tour company. Anyhow, I know you are trying to find something on West Bay Beach so here is another suggestion. Try http://www.hammerheadscuba.com/ This is a newer dive shop that have good reviews. We were in there last year and it's a nice little shop with brand new everything. Seem like nice people and I noticed they have a bubble maker course on their website for $50.
So you're familiar with West Bay Beach.....they are located at the opposite end from Infinity Bay just past Beacher's and Foster's. It's a new construction wooden building that juts out onto the water. Perhaps you'll have some luck with them.
I didn't mean to come across as pushy. I'm trying to help my friend who lives there. I've known Javier since he was 19 when I met him while in port in Roatan. He's a good kid, 25 now and has been working on a cruise ship for the last year and a half. He's trying to start a business at home so he doesn't have to be away for 6-9 months at a time.
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So then sorry, but I'm even more confused now. Why would I need a third party to do this for me when I can coordinate directly with the dive shop myself? (I know third parties don't work for free and will charge a little more for something that you could pay a lower price for yourself...just like booking with a cruise line you are going to pay double or triple the amount of doing it on your own).
Don't take this the wrong way or negative...I'm just trying to understand the benefit of using this person. :)
I understand where you're coming from and agree, if you're only interested in going on a dive excursion and aren't looking to see or do anything else, then booking your excursion through a dive company is fine. Mostly I just encourage people to book through the locally owned and operated excursion businesses because the locals there make little to nothing off the excursions booked through the cruise ships. Since I know these guys personally, I trust them and I know they don't price gouge. They provide a personalized experience and will bend over backwards to make your day in Roatan an amazing experience.
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I'm confused. Are you saying they are certified PADI divers that will take us diving where we want to go? When I looked at their website briefly, it looked like a tour company to take you to see the sites around Roatan. Am I wrong?
No, sorry for the confusion. They aren't certified but they can design an excursion to include diving with a certified instructor if that's what you want to do. Like I said, they are very accommodating. Just an FYI though, pretty much every resort in the area will have certified divers there to take you out on the reef.
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If you contact Javier or Arnie, they will be happy to accommodate whatever it is you want to do. We were there in August and just had them pick us up and take us over to the resort where my husband wanted to take the kids snorkeling. They are very accommodating and will basically just take you wherever you want to go.
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Our family is really not into tours. We actually avoid them. What we "did" have booked was the sloth, 2 snorkeling places and a beach excursion. It was supposed to include a tour of Roatan and we asked that this part be removed. :)
If you contact Javier or Arnie, they will be happy to accommodate whatever it is you want to do. We were there in August and just had them pick us up and take us over to the resort where my husband wanted to take the kids snorkeling. They are very accommodating and will basically just take you wherever you want to go.
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Excursions
in Roatan
Roatan is AMAZING!!
https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/
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Get in touch with these guys. I've been in Roatan every year for the past 5 years and these guys will take good care of you. https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/
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You can check out these guys, local business and I know them personally. If you need a direct email, I can get that for you.
https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/
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This is a friend of mine, he's a local and will take you to the best places in Roatan. I've been there every year for the last 5 years and I wouldn't book with anyone else.
https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/
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If you are looking for a fun time in Roatan, I have a friend who lives there that will pick you up and take you wherever you want to go.
https://www.roatanwebstertours.com/
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Anyone else creeped-out by Coki beach? Better alternatives? e.g. Megans Bay / Trunk?
in St. Thomas/St. John
Posted
And I understand your issues as well. I get really upset when I hear people talking about places I've been where I actually know the people and the area. In part, I blame cruise lines for unnecessarily frightening people into NOT going outside of the ports. Not that every place is without risks, but most places I've been are about as safe as anywhere and some even safer than places here in the U.S. But from the perspective of someone from the U.S., it is intimidating to go somewhere and see 'police' or military carrying semi-automatic or fully automatic rifles. Seeing that implies 'safety concerns' from a tourist perspective. But I've never had an issue anywhere aside from Cozumel where I saw friends get pulled over by the cops and shook down for about 30.00 to avoid getting a ticket for speeding on a rented scooter, but even that wasn't a real issue, it was actually kind of funny. One of my favorite times my husband and I have had was going into Belize city and meeting up with a local guy who gave my husband a tattoo at his house. We spent the entire day at his house drinking beer with him and his friends while my husband got a tattoo. Everyone we knew thought we were crazy and that we were lucky we hadn't been robbed or hurt...but I have never felt unsafe there and we've been back every year. It's the same with Roatan. There are some very poor areas there and it pisses me off when I hear the the cruise line act like people would be unsafe if they step outside of the port. I always encourage other cruisers to just go outside of the ports and see what it's like. I like meeting the locals and seeing what the actual country is like. I think my positive experiences in other places is why I was so disappointed in St. Thomas. Nobody likes being treated like a prospective mark to be taken advantage of.