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Dive Review of Scuba St. Lucia/Anse Chastanet in
St. Lucia

Scuba St. Lucia/Anse Chastanet: "Rigid Diving at a Lovely Resort", Dec, 2014,

by David Stoll, NY, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 10 Helpful votes). Report 8092.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 3 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling 2 stars
Value for $$ 3 stars
Beginners 4 stars
Advanced 3 stars
Comments I went to the Anse Chastanet with a family of 3 new divers and 2 non-divers.

This was the most rigid dive operation I have ever seen, partly because St. Lucia law requires a dive master to accompany all divers. Each day, two one-tank boat dives are available, one at 10:00 and one at 2:00. Three shore dives are also available, at 8:30, 11:00 and sometime in the afternoon. There is usually one night dive available, which is a also a shore dive. You sign up for whichever dives you want to do.

All dives are 60-foot max (not enforced) and 45 minutes (strictly enforced). There is only one shore dive spot, so it can get repetitive. The boat dives are very close--the farthest was about 20 minutes.

The reef is a gently sloping wall, usually starting at about 20 feet or so but sometimes deeper. The topography is pretty but not dramatic. The reef fish seemed a bit sparse to me--not as many species or as populous as I expected. Also, big fish are rare.

Snorkeling off the beach was nice enough to satisfy the non-divers, but I found it completely lame.

The resort is casual, with a selection of restaurants and bars. The beach is the focal point during the day. Free sail boats, wind surfers, and paddle boards are provided, and you can order drinks/food from your chaise lounges. The food was very good, especially the fish.

The rooms are not air conditioned, and they get quite hot. I can't even imagine staying there in the summer. There is a ceiling fan that doesn't do much and a separate standing fan that you can point at yourself. The beds have mosquito netting, but I don't think I ever saw any insects in the room or on the beach. I took off the netting for better access to the fan. Temperature aside, the rooms are large, comfortable, and attractive. Rooms have slow WiFi.

The hotel rooms are 100 stairs up and then another hill up from the beach. (The partner resort, Jade Mountain, is even higher up.) You really don't want to forget anything when you go down to the beach! On the other hand, the views from the rooms are gorgeous.

My non-diver friends loved the resort because of the beach activities, food, and ambiance. My diver friends, all of whom completed their certification there, also had a great time and naturally found the diving great (with nothing to compare it to). It is, in fact, a lovely resort with plenty to do for non divers and casual divers. Experienced divers should avoid St. Lucia unless diving is intended to be only a small part of the vacation. I had a great time with my friends, even if the diving left quite a bit to be desired.
Websites Scuba St. Lucia   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Caribbean: Grand Cayman, Bahamas, Cozumel, Honduras, Belize
Pacific: Cocos Island, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 81-83°F / 27-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 60-70 Ft/ 18-21 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions All dives are led by a Dive Master (local law). Max depth 60 feet (not really enforced), Max time 45 minutes (enforced).
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish N/A
Large Pelagics N/A

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 2 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 1 stars Shore Facilities 1 stars
UW Photo Comments The UWP rinse tank on the boat was often not filled enough for my housing. There is no UWP rinse tank on shore. (I think there is supposed to be one, but non photographers use it for gear.)
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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