Small Hope Bay Lodge

★ 5 · Nicole J. · 2013-04-05

Small Hope on Andros Island, Bahamas has great wall diving and excellent staff. I have been there a number of times by myself and with my sisters. If you are looking for a no frills relaxing vacation spot off the world's 3rd largest barrier reef, this is the place! Oh, and the food is great and all-inclusive.

★ 4 · Gene S. · 2010-03-18

We just spent 10 days with Small Hope Bay Lodge on Andros Island in the Bahamas. We went to complete our open water certification after being referred by our local dive shop here in Vancouver BC. The dive staff were great and very knowledgeable about the area's dives. The equipment was okay,,,its in need of some repair and maybe replacement but useable. The dive boat was okay,,,,it was never crowded and lots of room to move around. Sometimes it was a challenge in swells to get on the ladder and into the boat. The Coral was in great shape and lots of sea life but the reef is invaded by Lion Fish which will decimate the small fish species if not contained soon. Shark feed dive was great,,,,very exhilerating for sure Almost always there was one and maybe two Dive masters in the water with you. You should bring your computer along for sure as the availability to do deep dives in abundant. The lodging was sufficient, nothing to write home about but worked well for a dive holiday. Food was good though no complaints there. People very nice, great staff. Maybe overpriced for what you get but then again 3 dives a day is good. I never worried about my safety the whole time I was there all the dive staff were very experienced and have tons of dives to their credits. Its a bit of hassle getting there,,,by flying you have to make sure you pick the right airline,,,out of Canada, fly from Toronto to Nassau and then to Andros. Much easier! So all in all its not a flashy dive center like some,,,but its a very laid back scene and very enjoyable. A worth visit for sure

★ 5 · Missy D. · 2009-06-19

It was time for our annual Scuba Diving trip and we wanted to get back to the Bahamas. Yet, wanted to try a new spot. We read about the Small Hope Bay Lodge in "Outside magazine's 100 place you must visit". The described it as a family owned/operated eco-lodge equipped with the best diving on Andros Island. How could we pass it up? Our taxi pulled up to the lodge and a wedding had just finished on the beach! I knew instantly we'd love this little place! The wedding partY consisted of the all the guests and lodge staff! This lodge is small and intimate! By dinner time, we had met all the other guests and felt like we just got to the family reunion. Many of the guests were second and third time guests. One family returns every April to dive. Both their children learned to dive with SHBL's dive team. All meals are family style, served same time daily. The best though, of course, is the daily happy hour! They have it at the outside beach bar. Music is pumping and best of all, the Conch Fritters. They make them daily and serve them promptly at 6:30pm. When they're gone, they're gone... until tomorrow! The rooms are simple and very clean. There is no need to lock your door, even with your dive equipment present. All the rooms are decorated with the fabrics made on the island. Bright beautiful colors and patterns of ocean life fill the rooms. Diving with SHBL dive team was a treat. My husband and I have traveled the world to dive and truly consider SHBL's team to be top notch! They too felt like family by the time we left! The dive masters are very knowledgeable and safety is their number one priority! It was impressive to see the staff teaching young diving students. This is where I would take my children to learn to dive, hands down! I would not want to give away all the treats of staying at SHBL, there are so many. I can say that you will adore the staff and the quaint, quiet life of SHBL! We will return and hope to see Moose, Amanda, Skeebo (we know its not likely), and the rest of the family for Screaming Monkeys and maybe to see the Chicken Fish once again!! IF YOU'RE A DIVER AND WANT PEACE & QUIET AND NO FRILLS... GO, YOU WILL LOVE IT!