About San Salvador & Riding Rock Resort

The small island of San Salvador in the Bahamas, just 360 miles southeast of Miami, is one of the premier scuba diving and fishing Mecca’s of the world featuring powdery white sand beaches and warm crystalline waters. Perched on a pinnacle and washed by warm breezes and clear azure waters, San Salvador is home to Riding Rock Resort & Marina. The diving here is unlike anywhere else in the Bahamas. San Salvador lies just outside the Caribbean in the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by deep water, encounters with pelagic species like scalloped hammerhead sharks are not unusual. Visibility often exceeds 100 feet–our wall dives are simply breathtaking.

Riding Rock Resort & Marina is one of only two resorts located on the scenic San Salvador oceanfront. Built, owned and operated by the William’s family since the 1960’s, the resort is and always has been dedicated to the comfort and convenience of scuba divers, fishermen and water sports enthusiasts.

The Diving

San Salvador Island sits on its own isolated carbonate platform, which is also unique compared to the other Bahamian Islands. When we say “wall diving”, we mean WALL DIVING! Some of the dive sites descend vertically from 40 feet or less to thousands of feet… …straight down. It is one of the top five wall-diving destinations in the region. Underwater visibility can easily reach 100 feet or more. The majority of the diving takes place among the many dive sites that are located in close proximity to the marina on the islands lee side, so rough seas are rarely encountered. 

The two dive boats are docked in the resorts marina, which is also the location of Guanahani Divers, equipment rental, and gear storage facility. Both boats are suitable for 20 divers. Sun decks, camera water rinse barrels, large swim platforms with ladder, seated tank racks, bottled drinking water, ice chest with fresh fruit, and well-maintained safety gear is available on both boats. The dive boats depart the marina around 9:00 am for the first of the two morning-dives. The close proximity of the dive sites enables the boats to return to the marina between dives, as necessary, allowing divers to take a break off the boats during the surface interval. Should a dive group prefer to stay at sea for the surface interval, the boats need not return. The afternoon dive boats depart after lunch, generally at 2:30 pm, for a one-tank dive.

The dive sites are almost all walls so the possibility of going deep is available, though divers need not go deeper than 40 feet to reach the reef if they prefer to keep a shallow profile.
Shark lovers will be pleased to hear that San Salvador is home to many shark species, the Scalloped Hammerheads being a favorite with visiting divers. These giants are regularly seen in our waters in the cooler winter months. Hammerheads are not aggressive sharks, but their size, crazy-shaped heads, and eye placement on either end of their heads do make your Bahamas diving adventure a bit more exciting! Caribbean Reef Sharks are also frequent visitors and our reef fish are more than abundant. Unlike formal “shark dives” in the Bahamas, our shark experiences are a natural part of your visit to our local reef ecosystem. We don’t draw animals in with a bait box, and we don’t kneel in a circle on any of your dives. The sharks choose to dive with us on their own.

Accommodations 

The resort features 18 rooms. You will enjoy your stay in an Ocean View Deluxe room. The rooms come with either one king bed or two queen beds. All of the Deluxe Ocean Front rooms have a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean.  All rooms are air-conditioned and offer cable TV, a mini-fridge, private bath, porch or balcony, outside drying hooks, tile floors, and daily housekeeping. For your convenience, beach towels can be found in your room to be used at the pool only. Beach towels for diving are provided on the boats. The resort also features a freshwater swimming pool and access to a breathtaking white sand beach to the South of the rooms.

Dining

All of your meals are included in your package. The restaurant specializes in American and Bahamian cuisine with an accent on fresh fish. There is also the Driftwood Lounge for cocktails. Both provide a friendly, casual atmosphere to enjoy your drinks and food with a magnificent ocean view. 

Breakfast is served from 7:30 am to 9:00 am. Fresh fruit, cereal, French toast, pancakes, bacon, and sausage are served to order or buffet style.

Lunch is served from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. Conch chowder and fresh Bahamian bread are served daily. Your choice of a meat or fish dish or a buffet-style meal is prepared. Cracked conch, grouper fingers, steamed conch, pizza, and baked chicken are some of the selections.

Dinner is served from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. A garden salad is served with each entree. Your choice of meat or fish dish is prepared or a buffet-style meal. Grilled dolphin, roast beef, steamed grouper, stuffed chicken breast, and steak are some of the selections.

The Driftwood Bar opens at 4:00 pm and will close when the last customer staggers out down the steps! It’s a great place to check emails or share your dive images utilizing our free Wi-Fi – which is also available in the restaurant. Beer, wine, sodas, and a wonderful variety of mixed drinks and blended island drinks are available from our expert local bartenders. Cable TV brings in sports games from home. The management sponsors two cocktail parties each week. Try the ring toss game or relax on the open-air patio overlooking a beautiful beach. Don’t forget to leave some personal artwork behind to adorn the ceiling and walls.

Getting There

Here are the current options to get to San Salvador and Riding Rock:

1. There is a daily scheduled flight out of Nassau, Bahamas on Bahamasair. Please check the latest schedule and price at http://bahamasair.com for Bahamasair Vacation Packages.
2. On Saturdays only, there is also a direct Bahamasair flight between Miami and San Salvador. Upon arrival, passengers will clear Bahamas Customs on the island, and on the return home will clear US Customs in Miami. We recommend flight connections 4-6 hours later. To get the most up to date flight information, please visit http://bahamasair.com.
3. If you prefer not to overnight in Nassau, there is currently a Jet Blue flight that leaves Fort Lauderdale, Florida for Nassau Saturday morning. Please check the latest schedule and price at https://www.jetblue.com. This flight arrives in Nassau, early enough for you to catch the scheduled Bahamasair flight to San Salvador. Depending on your home location, this may entail an overnight stay in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale is famous for its beaches, arts, culture, and events with a wide range of accommodations and a great place to spend the day and evening before departing for San Salvador. Visit http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/fort-lauderdale.html for more information on the city and for places to stay. The latest Jet Blue flight from Nassau departs in the evening.

*Make sure you have a minimum of 6 months left on your passport before the expiration date. 

Pricing

Diver Double Occupancy $2,425/pp
Single Diver Occupancy $2,975/pp
Non-Diver Double Occupancy $1,835/pp

Package Includes

• 7 Nights ocean view room
• 3 Full meals per day
• 16 boat dives
• Round trip airport/hotel transfers
• All Bahamian Government & Resort Taxes

Package Excludes

• Airfare
• Dive Crew Gratuities (mandatory): $120 Cash
• Beverages
• Personal Dive Gear
• Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Dive Insurance
• Departure Tax

Payment Schedule

• $500 Deposit at the time of registration
• Remaining balance due September 1st, 2024

How to Register

• Complete the online TRAVEL AGREEMENT
• Call us at 978-927-9551 to reserve your spot and pay the deposit

Cancelation Policy: Please know all travel payments are non refundable unless your spot is sold. If we can fill your spot, refund subject to 7% service fee.