Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort

Dominica at Fort Young Hotel

The Fort Young is the ideal hotel for individual family scuba vacations adventure trips and Kids Sea Campers alike. Whether you are visiting Dominica for a family diving vacation. Caribbean hiking tour or a conference, our oceanfront location at the heart of our island’s historic capital Roseau makes Dominica’s finest heritage hotel the perfect place to stay. For scuba diving families, Fort Young is fully equipped with a PADI 5-star Dive Dominica dive shop and a jetty/ dock where the boats come to pick you up, whether you are diving, snorkeling, or heading off into the bay to go whale watching. Hikers can arrange a wide variety of excursions in close proximity to the hotel such as treks to waterfalls in the rainforest and bird watching trips from Fort Young Hotel’s own activities desk.

If you are looking for some traditional Caribbean relaxation, there’s Fort Young's rooftop jacuzzi, infinity pool, gymnasium, and spa. Add in the Palisades restaurant where you can dine while watching the sunset into the sea, as well as a buzzing cocktail bar and cafe.

What's included

• 7 Nights in ocean-view accommodations
• 5 days of diving - 2 dives daily plus 3-afternoon dives
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 1 soda or juice included with each meal
• All rental gear for kids
• Private boat
• Private dive guides
• Privat transfers
• SASY Instructor & crew pack
• Seal Team Instructors & crew pack
• Jr. Open Water instructor, rental gear, BCD, Fins, Mask Snorkel, 9 training dives, + 3 additional days of diving and full KSC package.
• Unlimited shore diving
• Private sunset cruise with sperm whale watching trip
• 1 guided night dive
• SeaLife cameras to use all week
• Dominica sperm whale presentation
• Garifuna cultural dance presentation
• Titou Gorge excursion
• Trafalgar waterfall excursion
• Sasy daily- fins/mask/snorkel for them to KEEP
• Seal team daily- fins/mask/snorkel/BCD for them to KEEP
• PADI, JOW/ Open Water program- fins/mask/snorkel/BCD for them to KEEP
• Airport transfers from DOM to the resort and return on departure day
• Opening orientation and closing presentations and closing slide show.
• Private dive boats 
• Marine park fees included
• Treasure hunt for the Seal and SASY teams
• Pizza movie night during the night dive

Not Included:

• International flight to Dominica (DOM)
• Adult rental gear & dive lights for the night dive
• Nitrox $189 week (does not include taxes)
• eLearning for Jr. Open Water, must be purchased and completed prior to arrival- https://www.padi.com/courses?irra=22402 
• Continuing Education courses: you must send request at the time of the booking and based on space or available instructor will it be confirmed. Confirmation will not happen till 1-2 months from trip departure and will not exceed a max of 4 students
• Additional non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverages not mentioned above
• Additional tours or dives not mentioned above
• Dive staff gratuities 

Programs/Courses

SASY (PADI): Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth is for kids age five to seven. Essentially, SASY is snorkeling using scuba equipment instead of a snorkel. Once a child completes the SASY program they receive a SASY participant card and wall certificate.

SEAL Team (PADI): This is a confined water scuba experience for ages eight and up. Kids learn basic scuba skills and do “AquaMissions” in a pool where they are limited to a maximum depth of 12 feet (3.6m). Children who progress and accomplish more skills become a “Master Seal” and are then certified to a maximum depth of 20 feet (6m) with an instructor.

JOW (PADI): Children 10 and up can take the full PADI Open Water Diver scuba certification course with specific age limitations for scuba diving. Kids can progress to Junior Open Water diver, which allows them to dive with a PADI-certified parent, guardian, or professional to a maximum of 40 feet.

A general schedule for Dominica

SAT: (ALL DAY) Arrival at DOM airport pickup and transfer to Fort Young resort. Resort orientation and check in to your room. Check-in at Fort Young, get your lockers, equipment, and dive waivers turned in. 6:30 PM: Private dinner reception for Kids Sea Camp families. Welcome from Fort Young GM, Food and Beverage, and Dive Dominica.

Sunday to Thursday:  Diving for adults and kids begins early at 8 am after breakfast, 2 tank morning dives, afternoon dives, or excursions. One night dive will be provided with a Pizza movie night.  Presentations and slide shows throughout the week in the evenings. Whale watching & Sunset Cruise. Seal Team courses, Jr. Dive Master courses, Jr. Open Water courses, UW Naturalist courses, and digital photo courses being run. If you purchased a course you are already signed up and if you are interested in a course please email or call us to let us know and we will sign you up based on availability. Max 4 students per course.

Friday: Family day diving, graduation, and final slide show and poetry presentations and prizes.

Saturday: Say goodbye and see you again soon. Post and share your photos of your amazing time at Kids Sea Camp.

A detailed schedule is subject to change with excursions, dinners, and tours that will be provided in your documents package.

Rooms with an awesome view

Ocean Front Suites: Our finest accommodation. Each of our suites is named after a key figure from Dominica’s past and is fit for those appreciating a bit of grandeur today. All suites combine spectacular views from the bedroom and balcony with a giant double bed, a walk-through dressing room, along with two bathrooms, featuring both a whirlpool tub and shower. And for those wishing for some privacy to entertain in their exclusive quarters, the dining room table seats eight.

Ocean Front Rooms: Combining breathtaking views (some with wraparound balconies offering 270-degree vistas), there’s nothing but sky separating the balconies of our oceanfront rooms from the turquoise seas below. Families are well catered for, as four of the rooms interconnect, and every room comes with a bath with shower, cavernous cupboards to store your clothes and possessions, coffee making facilities, and a color TV.

Amenities and Features

• Air conditioning
• Balcony or patio
• Bathrobes
• Blackout drapes/curtains
• Cable TV service
• Ceiling fan
• Coffee/tea maker
• Connecting/adjoining rooms available
• Daily housekeeping
• Desk
• Free WiFi
• Free bottled water
• Free toiletries
• Free wired high-speed Internet
• Hairdryer
• In-room childcare (surcharge)
• In-room climate control (air conditioning)
• In-room massage available
• In-room safe
• Iron/ironing board
• LCD TV
• Non-smoking
• Phone
• Premium TV channels
• Private bathroom
• Rainfall showerhead
• Refrigerator
• Room service (limited hours)
• Turndown service

Be the only dive boat on the water

By the time you have been driven across the island from the airport to the hotel, you will already be stunned at the sheer rugged beauty of Dominica. These overwhelming sensations of The Nature Island are just a precursor to your introduction to the best half of Dominica: the underwater world! The dramatic mountains you have traversed are mirrored in the topography of our underwater dive sites. Cliff faces plunge into the Caribbean Sea and descends straight down 1500 feet (460 meters), pinnacles rise up from the surrounding depths almost to the surface, and volcanic ridges slope off into deep blue water.

These dive sites are covered in thriving healthy coral reefs and schools of midwater fish like Chromis, Creole Wrasse, and sergeant majors. Larger pelagic patrols the outer edges of the reefs and barracudas, turtles, and stingrays frequently swim right through dive groups causing delightful photographic chaos.

Our reefs are made up of volcanic formations of ledges, crevices, and swim-throughs. These formations give refuge to a myriad of small critters considered rare in other destinations. Seahorses and frogfish are common and almost guaranteed sightings for divers on a week-long package. Other rarer critters like batfish, flying gurnards, yellow head jawfish, upside-down jellyfish, and flamingo tongue snails can be found if you carefully search the reefs.

Our reputation as the region’s most colorful diving is due to the profusion of sponge life and crinoids. First time divers in Dominica will be amazed at the variety of color, from yellow tube sponges, azure vase sponges, pink vase sponges, green finger sponges, lavender rope sponges to crinoids of every hue.

You might think that Dominica’s multitude of rivers and lush interior would lead to limited visibility, but once again Dominica defies logic. Due to our very deep waters close to shore and heavy sediments from our volcanic sands, our visibility averages over 80 feet (24 meters) year-round. After heavy rains, the sediments subside within hours and you can be back in the water enjoying good visibility.

Water temperatures vary from a high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius) from July through December to 76 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) from January through June. The windy season is around April. Our rainy season is in the summer months from July to September. Despite the possibility of tropical storms during these months, the weather is often dominated by flat calm seas, sunny skies, and perfect diving conditions!

The reality is that there is no bad time of year for diving in Dominica. Good visibility, warm seas, excellent marine life along with uncrowded dive sites, and excellent dive staff ensure that most divers simply cannot wait to come back.

Scott's Head Pinnacle: Recently listed as one of the top dive sites worldwide by Scuba Travel in the UK, there are very few who would disagree with this assessment. If truth be told, most dive staff would dive here every day were it not for the sometimes challenging winds and currents. On those days when conditions are perfect, divers are in for a special treat. This pinnacle sits on the edge of the volcanic crater and you can actually swim through the crater wall into the interior. The wall is covered in gorgonians, giant barrel sponges, and whip corals, and it is often patrolled by pelagic like horse-eye jacks, barracudas, turtles, yellowtail snappers, and ceros. The problem with Scott’s Head Pinnacle is knowing where to look!. This site is better for intermediate and advanced divers unless there are perfect conditions.

Champagne Reef is another reflection of the sheer raw volcanic power simmering just out of sight. In shallow water, just 15 feet (5 meters), volcanic vents spew forth hot water and bubble creating the effect of diving in champagne. The surrounding reef is well known for critters like seahorses, frogfish, reef squid, and lobster and also makes an excellent night dive. You will usually tour the Champagne Reef first and then enjoy the bubbles during your safety stop. Look out for the resident reef squid and expect to see snorkelers over your head here! A good dive for all skill levels.

Nose Reef: This sloping reef in the central part of the West Coast is so named for three protruding ledges somewhat reminiscent of a nose. The deepest ledge sits at 120 feet (36 meters) and the shallowest at 40 feet (12 meters), but it is best at about 80 feet (24 meters) on top of the deeper nose. This ridge sticks out into the current and is, therefore, home to thriving sponges of every color and size. The sheer density of corals and sponges here makes it a favorite place for divers, as well as turtles and pelagic to hang out!

Real Caribbean dining

Palisades Restaurant
The place to be (and be seen) in Roseau. Our destination dining restaurant combines the finest of local cuisine with the latest twists on international classics, in a fusion of traditional and contemporary flavors. Try tantalizing Caribbean dishes such as locally caught seafood, pumpkin, and ginger soup from the pick of our island’s farms, or perhaps our take on a Dominican classic – hearty Provision Pie. With mouthwatering views from every table on the terrace, along with Roseau’s only air-conditioned restaurant inside for those that prefer, the Palisades is an unforgettable place to dine.

It just got easier than before

Direct flights from Miami to Dominica on Wednesdays and Saturdays

Getting to Dominica can be done through St. Maarten (SXM) You could book from most places in the US to SXM then connect on Winn-Air to DOM.

San Juan Puerto Rico (SJU) There are many flights daily with that connection.

Costs: Round trip from SJU is about $400 to $600 and from SXM $300 to $500. You can check on www.hopper.com and another good source is www.cheaptickets.com. Winn-Air is the best source from SXM http://www.fly-winair.sx/contact-us.html

Take the Ferry: Ride with the locals across from St. Lucia! It will take a little longer (3 hours) and yes you are traveling across the Caribbean Sea. So on a bad day, you may run into a few rollers and white caps. But the trips only cost about $50 per person. 

Please give us a call if you need some help at 803-419-2556

A perfect balance of land and sea

• Waterfall hikes
• Deep-Sea fishing
• Whale watching
• Bird watching
• Canyoning
• Hiking

Please note these are add-ons and not included in the KSC package.