Hello again Mpm013160,
The Seahorse Dive Shop
Below you will find everything I was able to locate regarding the
Seahorse Dive Shop and the owner and diver Brian Young. According to
the material below Brian Young, an accomplished and expert diver, and
the Sea Horse Diver Shop has excellent reputation among divers and
tourists worldwide.
From the Scuba Diving Magazine: History
?In the late 1990s, a fisherman named Brian Young relived part of
Owens's experience. As one of the few divemasters in Placencia's
fledgling scuba industry, Young began taking divers to Gladden Spit, a
place fishermen knew was a magnet for Sapodillo Toms. "I would talk
about our whale shark encounters in the bar, and people looked at me
like I was crazy," says Young, who now owns Seahorse Dive Shop. Since
then, the number of divers coming to see whale sharks has increased
each season. "In the past, there were days when it was just me and my
guests at Gladden," Young says. "This year, boats are lining up out
there."
Scuba Diving - The Magazine Divers Trust
http://www.scubadiving.com/travel/atlantic_ocean_and_caribbean_sea/behemoths_of_belize/2/
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From the June, 2000 issue of Undercurrent:
?Every diver I know who's seen one has a story to tell, but usually
they're chance sightings -- it was just his lucky day. As far as I
know, Sea Horse Dive Shop in Placencia, Belize, is the only dive
operation in the Americas -- and one of the few in the world -- to
offer a regular program of planned whale shark dives, as opposed to
snorkeling or chance dive encounters.?
(?)
?Sea Horse is owned and operated by Brian Young, a Placencia native,
with the able help of his wife Ardie, sister-in-law Julie,
brother-in-law Louis, and a plethora of agreeable, young assistants.
Brian has been instrumental in promoting diving and conservation in
Placencia and is currently active in World Wildlife Fund efforts to
make the Elbow and Silk Cays area, where the whale sharks migrate,
protected marine reserve. He fished and dived the area for years
before opening the shop about five years ago. Now he's diligently
charting whale shark sightings, marking locations with GPS. It's hard
to imagine a more pleasant, laid-back op. Boats left when everyone
arrived, often not until 9:30 or so, but no one hurried and no one
worried. Briefings were good, and generally, divers were given lots of
freedom on the 40-minute to one-hour dives.?
The description goes into more detail.
Equipment
?Brian runs three boats: a 33' with twin 150 Yamahas that carries 14
divers, a 25' with a single 115 Evinrude that carries 4 to 6 divers,
and a 19' skiff powered by an 85 Yamaha that takes 2 to 4 divers. All
are short on space when filled, and during my visit the larger two
were always nearly full of U.S., Guatemalan, and European guests. Half
the days both boats went to the same site, and half the days they went
to different ones. The main boat has O2 and a first-aid kit;
communication is by cell phone. Exits/entries are anywhere and anyway
you can manage them; railings on the two larger boats make them
challenging. Boats had portable rung ladders, but the ladder on the
second boat was one rung too short, which caused a good bit of
grumbling.?
Dives
?The whale shark drill is 2 dives a day: a morning dive around 11:00,
finning as deep as 90' or so, looking for the schools of cubera
snapper. If spotted, the dive group is to congregate tightly above,
creating a large column of bubbles that hopefully will attract the
curious whale shark, who may think it's a chimney of spawn. I found
this a low-yield dive as spawning typically doesn't take place until
later in the day, though sightings sometimes occur. The afternoon dive
starts around 3:00 and seems more likely to deliver. (Take a hint from
when the whale shark research vessel starts diving, which usually
isn't till late afternoon.) Areas of spawn can clearly be seen by
around 5:30, but the crew doesn't like diving this late since you
won't get back to shore until well after dark. Nevertheless, insist on
diving as late in the day as possible.?
Safety
?Ah, but what an inexpressible thrill when these docile
plankton-eaters do appear, silent, graceful, and colossal. Their
magnificence makes it difficult not to strike out to cruise alongside
or reach out for a touch. But I learned to restrain myself, as such
behavior only drove them away. If you do attempt to follow one, Brian
will grab you; if you touch, you're back on the boat. I observed him
restrain a photographer by the arm and another diver by the fin when
they bolted for one. And this is as it should be.?
(?)
?In five days of diving, I saw whale sharks two days. That's
consistent with Brian's estimate that one will see them 8-10 days a
month during the spring migration. If that's accurate, then chances
are you'll make at least one encounter if you go for a week at prime
time.?
Undercurrent
http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/Belize200006.shtml
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From an article in The Guardian Unlimited ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/ ) :
?We joined a trip run by the Seahorse Dive Shop. Though neither of us
knows the first thing about diving, we had grasped the basics of
snorkelling. Brian, the dive master, and one of the country's most
proficient whale-shark guides, assured us that when these creatures
appear, they often ascend to quite close to the surface, making them
visible to both divers and snorkellers.
The first dive was a qualified success. To attract the sharks, the
divers mimic the spawning: they descend to around 100ft, gather in a
tight group, then exhale in unison. The resulting stream of bubbles
appears to the hungry whale shark like lunch and, as a result, they
are drawn to investigate.?
?Some of our fellow passengers had booked this trip two years before
and were ecstatic that the wait had been worthwhile.?
Read the full text of this article here:
The Guardian Unlimited : January 10, 2004
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/story/0,7451,1119742,00.html
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The Cyberdiver delivers a detailed diving report with Brian Young and
divers from the Sea Horse Dive Shop.:
?The Seahorse Dive Shop is a fully equipped dive shop located in the
heart of Placencia Village. The shop is owned and operated by PADI and
NAUI dive instructor Brian Young. Brian has over 8 years of training
experience and over 20 years of diving experience. He was one of
Placencia's first dive masters and instructors.?
?Brian is the founder of the Whale Sharks Expeditions. He and his
trained dive masters keep logs of the Whale Shark migrations. Seahorse
Dive Shop can provide such details as when the sharks migrate, the
most suitable dates in the months for viewing the great sharks, or if
a certain shark has been seen previously. Brian seems to have an
uncanny ability to detect the schools of spawning cobera snapper which
the whale sharks follow, and extensive knowledge on how to draw the
massive beasts from the depths.?
?Seahorse Dive Shop has a fleet of three fully equipped multipurpose
fibreglass boats. The main boat, which is used for the 45 min to 1
hour trip out to the Gladden Spit for Whale Shark dives, is a 33ft
craft powered by twin 150 Yamaha outboards. This boat is capable of
carrying 14 divers.?
http://www.cyberdiver.com/trips/belize2.asp
The Cyberdiver states that not all dive shops in Belize are overly responsible.
They do not recommend Hustler Tours on Ambergris Caye
A description of the dive with Brian Young:
?Twelve divers, Brian, and another dive master hopped into the high
swells, using a drift line to keep together until everyone was in the
water and ready to go under. Whale shark diving is a communal affair.
While most divers immediately seek a degree of solitude in the water
by swimming off with their buddies as soon as they hit the water, we
could not do so. Brian had instructed us to remain within "tank
bumping" distance of each other when we found the schools of cobera
snapper we sought. The idea is that a group of divers floating just
above the school will mimic a release of cobera spawn (the whale
sharks food source) with the collective cloud of bubbles that we
emitted.
We headed along the drop-off at a depth of about 80 feet (24 metres)
in search of the school. After about 15 minutes of uninspiring, sandy
bottom views, Brian, seemingly for no good reason, signalled us to
double back. Three minutes later, the snapper school materialized
below us. The fourteen of us huddled as closely together as we could
and waited. Within two minutes, a frantically waved arm directed our
eyes overhead, and there, gliding silently and majestically between us
and the sun above, was a 16-foot whale shark.?
http://www.cyberdiver.com/trips/belize3.asp
The description continues here:
http://www.cyberdiver.com/trips/belize4.asp
Summary
?Diving with Whale Sharks was a truly awe-inspiring experience. I
hesitate to use the phrase "once in a lifetime" because I'm greedy,
and I'll likely be back. If you've yet to have the opportunity of
seeing these gentle giants of the ocean, I highly recommend a trip to
Belize. The next time I return to this wonderful little country, I
can't think of anybody I'd rather have take me out into the blue than
Brian and the crew at the Seahorse Dive Shop?
http://www.cyberdiver.com/trips/belize5.asp
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Brian Young and the Sea Horse are mentioned in this New York Times article:
Saving a Reef for the Fish, And the People
June 1, 2004, Tuesday
By JAMES GORMAN (NYT); Science Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section F, Page 1, Column 6, 1718 words
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30712FD3D550C728CDDAF0894DC404482
Read a free copy of the article here:
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:UYG19xSrgAcJ:www.cdnn.info/eco/e040601/e040601.html+%22He+had+to+time+his+arrival+at+the+spawning+site,+because+just+five+boats+are+allowed+at+a+time.+Even+so,+that+can+mean+close+to+50+divers+and+snorkelers%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3
OR at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/bkc3d
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From The Log of Ithaka at Cruising World:
The Bernons give updates on harbors and destinations, and their
firsthand, ongoing cruising adventures.
Excerpt:
?I started swimming slowly through the waves toward them. Brian Young,
the Belizean dive master leading this excursion out through the cut in
the reef at Gladden Spitt, had told me and the few other snorkelers to
stick with the divers, to follow their bubbles and remain in a tight
formation over them. He'd told the divers the same. "This isn't a
regular dive," he'd said with emphasis, "where you'd give each other
space down there. On this dive, I want you right next to me, so close
that our gear touches, and stay like that as we move along." We'd been
in the water only 10 minutes or so, and Brian's formation still left a
bit to be desired, but we were working on it and beginning the ballet
of finding each other and closing in as we got more comfortable in the
rough water.?
?Except for the hour-and-a-half trip each way from Placencia in the
Seahorse Divers high-speed powerboat, and an hour for lunch, we spent
all day in the water with the whales. The thrill of my first encounter
in the morning would be repeated several times in different and
equally awesome iterations throughout the day, although I'd never be
completely alone with them again as I had that first time.?
?Editors' Note: Brian Young, who owns Seahorse Divers, a PADI and NAUI
certification dive school in Placencia and who's well respected in
Belize as an environmental preservationist, specializes in dives to
find the whale sharks. People come from all over the world to dive for
the sharks with Brian.?
Cruising World http://www.belize.net/hyperseek/hyperseek.cgi?search=CAT&Category=Travel:SCUBA+Diving&Qualifier=
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?We did some diving with Sea Horse Dive Shop and did a day sail with
Next Wave, and would highly recommend both.?
TripAdvisor
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g291977-d308849-r3497155-Kitty_s_Place-Placencia_Stann_Creek.html
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??with Brian Young, at the Seahorse Dive Shop, who seems to
consistently see whale sharks on the prime days. Jim Constable went to
this location in April and saw several large sharks.?
The Under Sea Adventurers Dive Club?s 2001 Overseas Dive Program
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:VYyIuE0h8jYJ:www.underseas.org/news/0009.pdf+%22SeaHorse%22++OR+%22sea+horse%22+%22+Brian+Young%22+safety&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7
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Brian Young has a great deal of experience.
?Seahorse Dive Shop is a fully equipped dive shop located in the heart
of Placencia Village. The shop is owned and operated by PADI/NAUI dive
instructor Brian Young. He has over 6 years of training experience and
over 15 years of diving experience. Brian was one of Placencia first
dive masters and instructors. Prior to opening the dive shop, he was a
fisherman and skin diver. He knows the reef as only someone who has
made a living from the sea can.?
BelizeNet
http://www.belize.net/hyperseek/hyperseek.cgi?search=CAT&Category=Travel:SCUBA+Diving&Qualifier=
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From VirtualTourist.com:
A review of the Sea Horse Dive Shop posted on June 2, 2003.
?Brian Young is a local Belizian who had a very respected dive shop
with local dive masters.
?Whale shark tours are also one of their specialties. Brian's wife
supplies lunch to those who don't want to bring their own. It takes
longer to get to the reef from Placencia than it does from the
northern cayes.?
Equipment:
?They have 3 boats. The main boat is a 33ft craft powered by twin 150
Yamaha outboards. This boat is capable of carrying 14 divers. That was
the one we used as we had both divers and snorkelers. Brian himself
was doing check-out dives at the beach. The 25ft boat is powered by
one 115 hp Evinrude and is capable of servicing four to six divers at
one time. The smaller 19ft skiff is powered by a 85hp Yamaha outboard
and is capable of carrying two to four divers for a more
individualized dive experience. The two smaller boats are also
outfitted for fishing and trips up the spectacular Monkey River?.
Virtual Tourist
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Caribbean_and_Central_America/Belize/Stann_Creek_District/Placencia_Village-1647865/Sports_Travel-Placencia_Village-SCUBA-BR-1.html
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Frommer's recommendation:
Whale-shark dives are recommended for advanced divers or divers with
25 dives or more.
?Seahorse Dive Shop has Whale-shark dives for $150 per person which
includes two tanks, weights and weight belt, tax and lunch. Other
equipment rental is available for a reasonably low cost, i.e.
regulator for $7.50. Please note that this dive is recommended for
advanced divers or divers with 25 dives or more.?
Frommer's: August 4, 2005
http://www.frommers.com/articles/2990.html
Placencia (Snorkeling & Scuba Diving)
?Most of the larger resorts have their own dive operations, and
there's a handful of independent operators in the village servicing
folks at the rest of the hotels. If you're not staying at a hotel with
a dedicated dive operation, check in with the folks at Natural Mystic
Dive Shop (tel. 523-3278) or Seahorse Dive Shop (tel. 523-3166;
www.belizescuba.com).?
Source: Frommer's Belize, 1st Edition
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/print-narrative.cfm?destID=3552&catID=3552020354
?If you need to use the Internet, head to the Purple Space Monkey
(tel. 523-4094) or Placencia Office Supply (tel. 523-3433). Both are
on the main road and have high-speed connections. Rates run around
BZ$8 to BZ$10 (US$4-US$5) per hour.?
Source: Frommer's Belize, 1st Edition
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/print-narrative.cfm?destID=3552&catID=3552010002
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A reader at the Lonely Planet recommends the Sea Horse Divers.
When in Belize, go to Placencia! We hesitate to even tell you since
it's so tempting to try to keep this little "secret" to ourselves. We
literally didn't wear shoes for a week. Go! and dive or snorkel with
the crew at Seahorse, and stay at the Tradewinds.
Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/letters/cam/bel_pc.htm
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The Seahorse Dive Shop is a member of the Belize Tourism Industry Association
http://www.btia.org/members_profile.php?member_id=730
=========================
The Inn at Robert's Grove
=========================
Below are reviews, testimonials and assorted magazine and newspaper
articles for The Inn at Robert's Grove.
The 32-room Inn at Robert's Grove has been awarded Fodor's star rating
and five stars by Belize Guide to Mainland Belize.
?On 15 acres, the property is owned by Risa and Bob Frackman,
transplanted New Yorkers who place an emphasis on great food,
hospitality and ease of travel. Features include two restaurants, the
top PADI dive operation in southern Belize; a fly fishing center with
new 23' skiffs, instruction, and a chance for a "grand slam," tennis,
Sea Spa, two 50-foot swimming pools, internet center, gym, marina and
a fleet of kayaks, windsurfers, canoes, hobie kats, sailboats and
bicycles; and an in-house tour operation that can arrange excursions
to the Mayan ruins, Barrier Reef, Cockscomb Jaguar preserve and Monkey
River.?
Where To Go Next: December 2003
http://www.wheretogonext.com/releases/2003_12_18_Anglers_Away___The_Inn_At.php
--------------------------------------------------------
The TripAdvisor is a great source for unbiased reviews of hotels
http://www.tripadvisor.com
The Inn at Robert's Grove ranks Number 2 on the TripAdvisor?s
popularity index of 21 Hotels in Placencia.
Reviews for The Inn at Robert's Grove.
The majority of the reviews for Robert's Grove are exceptional;
however there were about five tourists that were not completely
pleased. Read the reviews at the links below.
Read the first 10 reviews here:
All of them are extremely pleased with their stay, the service and facilities.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g291977-d308809-Reviews-j3-Inn_at_Robert_s_Grove-Placencia_Stann_Creek.html
Read review 11-31 here:
The last five reviews are from travelers that were a little bit disappointed.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g291977-d308809-Reviews-or10-j3-Inn_at_Robert_s_Grove-Placencia_Stann_Creek.html
View TripAdvisor Traveler Photos here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviewImages-g291977-d308809-rb0-Inn_at_Robert_s_Grove-Placencia_Stann_Creek.html
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Customer reviews from VirtualTourist.com:
Posted on July 18, 2003:
?The Inn at Robert's Grove is an upscale resort and has 32
beautifully decorated beach view rooms, a pool and an excellent
restaurant. On top of the rooms are Jacuzzis from where you can see
the mangroves on one side and the ocean on the other. The atmosphere
is excellent and the staff very helpful.?
Comparison: more expensive than average
Posted on April 21, 2004:
?Arrived by boat w/wife and 3 children friom Guatemala in their
Marina on Placencia Lagoon. Beatiful place, big rooms, good food,
reasonable service.Rooftop Jacuzzis.?
Source: Virtual Tourist
http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels/Caribbean_and_Central_America/Belize/Stann_Creek_District/Placencia_Village-1647865/Hotels_and_Accommodations-Placencia_Village-BR-1.html
?Went to The Inn at Roberts Grove for a special dinner. Very lovely.?
Virtual Tourist: September 8, 2002.
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Caribbean_and_Central_America/Restaurants-Caribbean_and_Central_America-BR-1.html
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From Fodor?s Forum:
Date: 07/14/2005
?I just returned from Placencia and stayed at both, I liked them both
but would definitely choose the Turtle Inn over Roberts Grove?
Date: 07/15/2005
?We stayed at the Inn at Roberts Grove last February and loved it.
Turtle Inn definitely looks fancier from the road and it is closer to
Placencia but you can get free bikes from Roberts Grove and bike to
town.?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=6&tid=34648540
Date: 08/07/2005
?The two-bedroom units at Turtle Inn and Robert's Grove are fantastic.?
Date: 08/08/2005
?The Robert's Grove two-bedroom units (they are condos) are wonderful,
and they do have A/C. Turtle Inn is more exotic, but Robert Grove
units have all the modcons -- cable TV, phones and A/C.?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=6&tid=34656742
?The grand villas at Roberts Grove are about 75 ft from the waters
edge and they have a/c.?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=6&tid=34548257
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The TravelLady Magazine ( http://www.travellady.com/ ) gives The Inn
at Robert's Grove an excellent review.
Read the article here:
http://www.travellady.com/articles/article-diveinto.html
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According to the Yahoo ranking of Placencia Hotels, The Inn at
Robert's Grove is rated Number 1.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-481639-placencia_hotels-i;_ylt=AssJKU2pF2XOwlc3.oKkwqj8xmoA
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Frommer's Review of The Inn at Robert's Grove
?One of the original luxury resorts on the Placencia peninsula, this
place has aged well, expanding and upgrading regularly along the way.
All of the rooms are roomy, comfortable, and come with a host of
modern amenities. Rustic red tile floors, Guatemalan textiles, and
Mexican ceramic accents abound. The standard rooms come with either
one king bed or two twin beds, as well as a fold-down futon couch. All
come with a private balcony, hung with a hammock. A pair of ceiling
fans means you can opt to forgo the air-conditioning. I'd try to land
a second-floor room, as these feature higher ceilings and better
views. The suites come with fully equipped kitchenettes, a large
living room, and a large balcony. There are six -- count them -- six
rooftop Jacuzzis spread around the resort. These are particularly
inviting for late-night stargazing and soaking.?
Full-service resort
?The hotel also owns and manages two small private islands, Ranagua
Caye and Robert's Caye.?
?All rooms nonsmoking?
Read the full text of this article here:
Source
Frommer's Belize, 1st Edition
Author: Eliot Greenspan
Pub Date: December 13, 2004
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/placencia/H33664.html
An Online Update for Frommer's Belize
?The Inn at Robert's Grove has added 8 new two- and three- bedroom
suites, which can all be broken down and rented out as either one-,
two- or three- bedroom units. They also added another swimming pool,
giving them a total of 52 rooms and three pools.?
Frommer's: January 10, 2005
http://www.frommers.com/articles/2560.html
?The restaurants at Kitty's Place and the Inn at Robert's Grove are
both consistently excellent.?
Source: Frommer's Belize, 1st Edition
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/print-narrative.cfm?destID=3552&catID=3552010028
?If you're looking for a little pampering while in Placencia, there
are several options. Most of the big resorts, like Turtle Inn and The
Inn at Robert's Grove, have their own spas and spa services.?
Source: Frommer's Belize, 1st Edition
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/placencia/3552020532.html
Frommer's Star Ratings
?Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has
been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special
features using a star-rating scale.
Hotels and restaurants in the Very Expensive and Expensive categories
are rated on a scale of one (highly recommended) to three stars
(exceptional).
11 Placencia Hotels are rated here:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/placencia/3552_indacc.html
The Inn at Robert's Grove is rated with three stars. (exceptional)
--------------------------------------------------------
The Fodor's Caribbean 2006 Trade Paperback might interest you as well.
1088 pages
$22.95
?Word of Mouth? from Fodors.com:
?Read what fellow travelers are saying about their favorite places to
explore and unwind, featured throughout the book. Then, when you
return from your trip, share your opinions on Fodors.com and they may
get published in our 2007 edition!?
Hotel/Resort Chart:
?Simple charts summarize prices, amenitites, and the distinctive
character of lodging on every island.?
Photos and Maps:
?Unique photos throughout illustrate the history and local activities,
while brand-new topographical maps designate sights, beaches, dive
sites, restaurants, island-to-island ferries, and more!?
Island Finder:
?A straight-forward, concise overview of every major island, including
comparative ratings in terms of cost (high and low seasons), best
beaches, dining, shopping, night-life, golf, casinos, diving &
snorkeling, eco-tourism, and family-fun. ?
Always Up-to-date:
Fodor?s Caribbean guide is updated EVERY year?it?s the most accurate
book available!
http://www.fodors.com/shop/buy/?isbn=1-4000-1541-3&category=gold
Search terms:
Seahorse OR ?Sea Horse? Dive Shop
Brian Young
The Inn at Robert's Grove
Placencia BElkize
References reviews facilities equipment opinions problems trouble
comments travelers tourists articles safety
Fodor's
Frommer's
Trip Advisor
Virtual Tourist
I hope the information provided is helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
