Slow Dive - Casa Chihuahua
Slow Dive - Casa Chihuahua
Slow Dive - Casa Chihuahua
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Slow Dive is an eco-friendly Dive center that also organize authentic land and sea excursions and roadtrips in the Dominican Republic. Casa Chihuahua is a Bed & Breakfast in Bayahibe - Dominican Republic.
Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
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Slow Dive - Casa Chihuahua
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
81 reviews
Excellent
81
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0
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luigi capri
8 contributions
Jan 2020
Nice, friendly and enthusiast people. Everything nice and easy !
1) Only center with option of warmer suits in the winter where water is warm but not enough after long dives. People on our boat with different dive centers was so cold after the dives !
2) Julie alwasy carries her camera for great pictures and keep and share memories with the world.
Guys ... other cenrters just do not do that !
1) Only center with option of warmer suits in the winter where water is warm but not enough after long dives. People on our boat with different dive centers was so cold after the dives !
2) Julie alwasy carries her camera for great pictures and keep and share memories with the world.
Guys ... other cenrters just do not do that !
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much Luigi for your nice comment, and you pointed right what are the small extras that we offer at Slow Dive : long sleeves wetsuits are available and we also have some special rashguard and hoodies for the divers that are always cold, even in a 27°C sea ;-), and the pictures are also a small gift we offer to our divers when we can (depending on the level of divers we have).
You were especially lucky that on the day of your dive we saw this nice green turtle that was not shy and posed for the picture!!!! You guys are now famous on our Facebook and Instagram pages :-D
Written January 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Avid1
United Kingdom97 contributions
Jan 2023
We found Slow dive by (the best bit of) luck, after another dive centre had trouble collecting us for a Catalina Island trip. Some dive operations in the area run large boats, with large crowds. That isn't Slow Dive's method of operating. They focus on ecology, and rather than paying lip service to it...they walk the walk. You only have to speak to David and Julie for a few minutes before you recognise a true passion for the environment they operate in. If you care about the reefs you visit - this is the team for you.
Their lifestyle was fantastic news for us as it meant that even catering for vegans on a day trip, didn't phase them. We were expecting a small plate of something with salad but instead, we were given large plates of rice, dahl, salad and plantain, not to mention freshly made peanut brittle, fruit and tea! It's hard to describe how good it was.
Almost forgot to describe the dives here. We had two days of diving with them, visiting Catalina Island and El Penon. Both were fantastic. David was our guide and didn't rush anything. We have over 60 dives each, so are not novices but are by no means experts. David provided some advice on suitable weights for the dive and was patient when we wanted to stop and look at something. More importantly, he still seems interested in the sites despite 12 years of operating there. He even spotted an octopus in the daytime for us...something we'd never seen before.
Their group sizes (in fact ours was just us two) mean their prices may seem a little higher than some other dive centres in the area, but after the dives (and seeing the large groups on other boats) we were glad we made the choice to go for it.
Lastly, you might be fortunate enough to see their beautiful rescue dogs - spoiler alert - most are Chihuahuas!
Their lifestyle was fantastic news for us as it meant that even catering for vegans on a day trip, didn't phase them. We were expecting a small plate of something with salad but instead, we were given large plates of rice, dahl, salad and plantain, not to mention freshly made peanut brittle, fruit and tea! It's hard to describe how good it was.
Almost forgot to describe the dives here. We had two days of diving with them, visiting Catalina Island and El Penon. Both were fantastic. David was our guide and didn't rush anything. We have over 60 dives each, so are not novices but are by no means experts. David provided some advice on suitable weights for the dive and was patient when we wanted to stop and look at something. More importantly, he still seems interested in the sites despite 12 years of operating there. He even spotted an octopus in the daytime for us...something we'd never seen before.
Their group sizes (in fact ours was just us two) mean their prices may seem a little higher than some other dive centres in the area, but after the dives (and seeing the large groups on other boats) we were glad we made the choice to go for it.
Lastly, you might be fortunate enough to see their beautiful rescue dogs - spoiler alert - most are Chihuahuas!
Written January 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saya
1 contribution
Jul 2021
We have booked many activities with Casa Chihuahua, and everything was great : personally I have worked (and passed) the PADI Advanced Open water with David, who is an amazing instructor. With the family we have organized a boat trip, a cave visit (with some snorkeling in the pure fresh water of the underground lake). Flexibility, professionalism and very nice atmosphere. I can only recommend this small company, very different from the big operators.
Written August 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Sayavong and congratulations again for your Advanced Open Water certification! It was a pleasure to have your lovely family with us for the boat trip to Saona and the Chicho cave adventure. We only organise activities that we like ourselves, so if we like it, you should like it too! We want to stay a small company and make sure we can offer a personalised dive or snorkelling trip to our guests, because in very small group it is always better.
Written March 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joe U
Atlanta, GA4 contributions
May 2021
All dive shops are not created equal. Going on a small boat with minimal divers is a much better experience. And that's what you get with Slow Dive - Casa Chihuahua. They let you dive until your air runs low or until you want to come up, not a standard amount of time. Of my 4 dives with them, the shortest was 57 minutes. Julie takes her camera and snaps a lot of great photos and gives them to you for free. The equipment, which is provided for no extra charge, is in very good condition. You get a lot of value for a very fair price.
I also stayed in one of their B&B rooms on property. They are newly renovated and very nice, and you get a good breakfast included.
Some days, a Dominican lady cooks a huge spread of food, and you can eat this local meal for a couple hundred pesos at the dive shop following your day on the water. And there are plenty of other food options close by. The shop has a great location on a small street among local businesses.
There are several sweet little chihuahuas to play with during your down time.
Bayahibe is a nice little town with some good beaches as well. So there is plenty to do other than diving. There is a great cave with a fresh water spring filled with stalactites and stalagmites. I hadn't heard of it until Julie told me about it and gave me directions.
Dive with them. You'll have a great time!
I also stayed in one of their B&B rooms on property. They are newly renovated and very nice, and you get a good breakfast included.
Some days, a Dominican lady cooks a huge spread of food, and you can eat this local meal for a couple hundred pesos at the dive shop following your day on the water. And there are plenty of other food options close by. The shop has a great location on a small street among local businesses.
There are several sweet little chihuahuas to play with during your down time.
Bayahibe is a nice little town with some good beaches as well. So there is plenty to do other than diving. There is a great cave with a fresh water spring filled with stalactites and stalagmites. I hadn't heard of it until Julie told me about it and gave me directions.
Dive with them. You'll have a great time!
Written May 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much Joe for diving with us and staying at Casa Chihuahua. As you say, we are a small dive center, and we provide more private service with small groups.
It was a pleasure to dive with you, and you were really lucky to be able to see turtles, barracudas and big stingrays as well as plenty of reef fishes and critters during your 2 days diving in Peñon and in the local reefs in Bayahibe.
We are happy that you enjoyed your stay and could discover the real Dominican life, far from the resorts. We hope to see you again some day!
Written May 29, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kmdje
Shanghai, China7 contributions
Nov 2022 • Family
Our family had a private dive excursion with Julie and David at Slow Dive Case Chihuahua. It could not have gone better. We wanted to do a blend of a certified scuba dive, discovery dive and an afternoon boat ride with lunch with some dietary restrictions! Julie was so helpful in advance to sort everything out and make sure it was exactly what we wanted.
We arrived for the dive. They have a small office but it is a first class operation. We got all the gear together some briefings and off to the Boat. There was a dive master for the certified divers and a dedicated dive instructor for the discovery diver. It was done the correct way to ensure safety for all was managed carefully. David and his team were very focused on safety and making sure everything was smooth. They choose 2 great dives and we saw some incredible turtles and stingrays.
After the dives we had a nice lunch and relaxing boat ride while being constantly entertained by David’s great stories about life in the DR.
We have done travel diving in many places. It often feels like you are on a conveyor belt of divers. You don’t see much or worse the dive masters have too many divers to watch.
Julie and Dave do it the right way.
We arrived for the dive. They have a small office but it is a first class operation. We got all the gear together some briefings and off to the Boat. There was a dive master for the certified divers and a dedicated dive instructor for the discovery diver. It was done the correct way to ensure safety for all was managed carefully. David and his team were very focused on safety and making sure everything was smooth. They choose 2 great dives and we saw some incredible turtles and stingrays.
After the dives we had a nice lunch and relaxing boat ride while being constantly entertained by David’s great stories about life in the DR.
We have done travel diving in many places. It often feels like you are on a conveyor belt of divers. You don’t see much or worse the dive masters have too many divers to watch.
Julie and Dave do it the right way.
Written November 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Krista S
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Couples
We had one of our best dives ever with David. We really appreciated the small group, slow speed, focus on ecology and conservation, and hearing about the reef restoration work David and Julie are engaged in. The reef we visited was the best we’ve seen in the Dominican Republic. We did a full day trip so a couple of great dives in the morning and then some lunch at a spot where we could relax and swim and then a brief tour of the mangroves. The food was excellent, zero waste (all reusable containers) and they put together something vegetarian for us. One of the best dive operations we’ve seen in 10+ years of diving.
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review! You have said it all : small group, slow speed, ecology and conservation, that really describes us well ;-)
Written March 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Antoine G
1 contribution
Sep 2020
We had an amazing time / experience thanks to Julie and David. They like what they are doing and you really feel it when diving with them: amazing diving sites, always felt secure and in good hands, explanations about the environment (fishes, corals nursery), interesting conversations. I highly recommend diving with them, it will literally change your vacations. Thanks again for the wonderful experience!
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much Antoine for diving with us! It was a pleasure to take you diving to the coral nurseries and to teach you the PADI Advanced Open Water. We also enjoyed the nice conversation with you, we like to talk about what we love!
Written December 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alvaro O
Benicasim, Spain5 contributions
Dec 2021
My sister and I just did the full day dive trip to Peñón with a visit to Palmilla and the mangroves around Saona. It is without a doubt one of the best diving experiences I've had. Julie and David are great hosts and make everything feel very relaxed and comfortable. It is clear that they love their job and really take an interest in being eco-friendly and respecting nature as well as helping out with conservation efforts.
I will definitely come back when I return to the Dominican Republic.
Thank you for giving us this great experience.
I will definitely come back when I return to the Dominican Republic.
Thank you for giving us this great experience.
Written December 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review! We are glad you enjoyed your day in Peñon with us! As you said, we love our job and so it is easy for us to do a good job. We only do organise excursions that we would buy ourselves ;-) Thank you for your consideration about our conservation efforts. We are committed to protect what we like and try to make it discover to as many people as we can, because the more you know, the more you care for the wonderful nature around us! We hope to see you again when you come back. ;-)
Written March 10, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Felix H
4 contributions
Oct 2022
I could not think of a better place to learn to dive and to go on dive trips. I felt very comfortable and safe during the first breaths underwater up to OWD certification. Julie and David are wonderful people to go diving with and we enjoyed great dives with them at different spots nearby. Their top ranking in Green Fins for sustainable and responsible diving is very well deserved.
Written November 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SamiTee
Helsinki, Finland31 contributions
Feb 2020
We were diving with Slow Dive Casa Chihuahua for seven days in January and February 2020. We felt very welcomed by Julie and David and of course by all their rescued chihuahuas and cat.
We loved to dive with Slow Dive. Julie and David are real professionals. Everything from start to end was relaxed, safe and enjoyable. Groups were small and pace was nice and slow. We had enough time to look everything interesting and take photos. We dived also with Brianda who helps them sometimes. It was just as good with her. We also got to do some special things along our dives, like replanting of corals.
During our visit visibility was good and there were lots to see. Not so much big fishes but interesting small creatures, turtles, lots of sting rays and even white-spotted eagle ray. There are many kinds of soft and hard corals and reefs are in quite good condition. The wrecks were interesting as well.
Julie and David really live and run their business by their values. Slow Dive Casa Chihuahua is small and eco-friendly dive center with great attitude. Their rental equipment was very good quality and in excellent condition.
Julie and David were also always ready to help us with all our questions about Bayahibe and sightseeing.
We loved to dive with Slow Dive. Julie and David are real professionals. Everything from start to end was relaxed, safe and enjoyable. Groups were small and pace was nice and slow. We had enough time to look everything interesting and take photos. We dived also with Brianda who helps them sometimes. It was just as good with her. We also got to do some special things along our dives, like replanting of corals.
During our visit visibility was good and there were lots to see. Not so much big fishes but interesting small creatures, turtles, lots of sting rays and even white-spotted eagle ray. There are many kinds of soft and hard corals and reefs are in quite good condition. The wrecks were interesting as well.
Julie and David really live and run their business by their values. Slow Dive Casa Chihuahua is small and eco-friendly dive center with great attitude. Their rental equipment was very good quality and in excellent condition.
Julie and David were also always ready to help us with all our questions about Bayahibe and sightseeing.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you sooooo much Sami and Jenny for such a nice review. You have said it all!
It was a real pleasure to dive with you and make you discover the underwater beauties of Bayahibe, first because you are very good divers and also because you were such nice people. We are happy that you found us and we are happy that you enjoyed and considered our values. Stay the way you are and if you want to come back you know how to find us ;-)
Written March 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience