Looking for a relaxing get-away with sun,
white sand, and beautiful water....Roatan, one of the Bay Island
off the coast of Honduras is just the place. We spent five
wonderful weeks there in July. We flew from here to Panama City
to Guatemala City to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to Roatan so the
trip to get there was an all day experience; but as of November,
Taca Airline will have more direct flights so the trip should
be only about six hours. Airfare was less than $600 per
adult.
The diving on Roatan is very good
(according to our daughters). Getting PADI certified with
West End Divers cost $200 - 250.. The people are friendly, helpful,
and speak English; the food is delicious, and the water was crystal
clear, blue, and calm. We stayed at Casa Calico where
a room that sleeps six and has a kitchen costs $750 for the month.
It didn't have air-conditioning, but we really didn't need it
except for several hot nights. There was always a breeze,
and we enjoyed long hours in hammocks on our balcony reading and
visiting. Casa Calico was at West End, the touristy part
of the island. Water taxis to the white sand beaches of
West Bay were easy to get, inexpensive, and a beautiful
ride ten minutes away. West Bay is the area with the nicest resorts
and best water, I think.
Delicious places to eat included Cindy's
for burritos, Half Moon Bay Resort for a lobster dinner,
Sueno del Mar for chicken salads, and the Brick Oven
for pizza and videos on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Food
can be purchased at a grocery store in West End and, more inexpensively,
in Coxen Hole. We brought a suitcase with food we had purchased
in Peru so didn't need to buy as much. Food is rather expensive
since everything has to be brought from the mainland.
Other island activities included swimming
with the dolphins, visiting the Bird Park, picnicking at Carambola
Gardens, visiting the many souvenir shops, taking a car tour
of the island, and exchanging paperback books at Casi Todo in
Coxen Hole.
Sand flies and too many tourists from cruise
ships (1500-1800 people each Thursday descended on the island
and made some beaches crowded and buses hard to find) were the
only minor things that made this island vacation less than perfect.
Must eat seafood at...
Cindy's-West End
Lighthouse-West End
Pinnochios-West End
Eat Thai at the The Big Blue, over the dive shop. Get
your baked goods at the Boulangerie, Bakery. A true
French Bakery.
Sit down breakfast at Rudy's, home of the Caribbean's best
banana pancakes. Must do sunset drinks at Sueno Del Mar...foods
good too, but $$$$-West End
Must dive with...
West End Divers-West End
Dive with Dolphins at Anthony's Key Resort-near Sandy
Bay
E-mail and eat at the Que Tal Cafe in Coxen Hole
Spend the day at the beach and snorkel at West Bay Beach.
Take a water taxi from Fosters.
The cheapest accommodations are in West End. Ranging from
5-70 dollars a night. Week-long stays are somewhat cheaper.
