Where We Be
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| It's no wonder West Bay Beach is the most popular beach on the island of Roatan: it's simply gorgeous! |
| Roatan, Honduras |
| Seagrape Resort & the West End |
| Puerta Azul |
| West Bay Beach |
| The platform at the end of the walking path offers direct access to the ocean for snorkeling or swimming |
| A fossilized coral reef abuts the shore at Seagrape, but a walking path (shown left) provides easy access to the ocean. From the platform at the end of the path, you can look back and see Seagrape's pool. |
| We liked Seagrape Resort because it was quiet, intimate, and offered ocean and sunset views from its small but lovely freshwater pool |
West Bay Beach (shown left) is a little slice of
Honduran heaven. Powdery sand and clear blue
water stretch for half a mile, with unobtrusive
resorts tucked into the fringing palms. We
strolled from one end of the beach to the other,
popping into the warm waters repeatedly for a
little swim. A highlight was floating on our backs
while holding hands like two sea otters. Another
was being surrounded by fish while standing in
the shallows -- like snorkeling without the mask.
We stayed in the West End (different than West
Bay) for the first four days of our week-long trip,
at a resort called Seagrape, taking water taxis to
and from the beach -- a pleasant 5-minute jaunt
that only costs $3 pp each way. West End offers
more affordable food and lodging options than
West Bay -- but you can't beat the beach at West
Bay. As for our last three days, we spent them at
Puerta Azul in Sandy Bay, just ten minutes north.
This lovely resort, featured on the Today Show,
is more isolated but offers some of the best
snorkeling on the island -- and we took full
advantage of it, snorkeling six times in three
days and seeing octopus, eagle rays, and more.
Honduran heaven. Powdery sand and clear blue
water stretch for half a mile, with unobtrusive
resorts tucked into the fringing palms. We
strolled from one end of the beach to the other,
popping into the warm waters repeatedly for a
little swim. A highlight was floating on our backs
while holding hands like two sea otters. Another
was being surrounded by fish while standing in
the shallows -- like snorkeling without the mask.
We stayed in the West End (different than West
Bay) for the first four days of our week-long trip,
at a resort called Seagrape, taking water taxis to
and from the beach -- a pleasant 5-minute jaunt
that only costs $3 pp each way. West End offers
more affordable food and lodging options than
West Bay -- but you can't beat the beach at West
Bay. As for our last three days, we spent them at
Puerta Azul in Sandy Bay, just ten minutes north.
This lovely resort, featured on the Today Show,
is more isolated but offers some of the best
snorkeling on the island -- and we took full
advantage of it, snorkeling six times in three
days and seeing octopus, eagle rays, and more.
| The pool is a definite highlight. We made daily visits here to cool off from the eighty-degree heat. |
| A tangle of telephone wires nicely frames a small church in West End |
| Restaurants range from the quaint to the luxurious. Eddy's on the Beach (left) offers the "coldest beer on the beach," while Maxim's (right) sits perched over the water and features fine dining |
| West End itself is a paved street filled with restaurants and gift shops, bars and nightlife, water taxis and piers |
| Sundowners offers great specials on island drinks like the Monkey Lala -- a dessert-like drink consisting of Bailey’s, Kahlua, vodka, rum, and coconut cream ($5). We tried it once -- then went back to beer! |
| Two of our favorite options in town were Cafe Escondido (second floor, near the water taxi wharf) and Sundowners Beach Bar -- the perfect place to watch a sunset and chat with expats and other island visitors |
| Even though we didn't stay on West Bay Beach, we got to know it quite well because we visited it twice by water taxi from West End. (Can you blame us?) The water taxi above dropped us right on the beach. |
| Grand Roatan (hidden away in the trees to the left) anchors the southern end of West Bay Beach. Here is where the best snorkeling is. After renting snorkeling gear right on the beach ($10 pp), we snorkeled along the cliff face, out to the rocky island seen above, then all the way back to the mid-beach point near Infinity Bay. |
| A boardwalk at the north end of the beach leads to dining options and a few hidden-away resorts |
| Another favorite (we ate here twice) was Loretta's. Just a minute's walk from Seagrape, it offered excellent island-style cooking at good prices. We decided to take a brief break from our vegetarian lifestyle to enjoy fresh fish and shrimp while here on the island. |
| Roatan sits just off the coast of Honduras, about 1½ hours by ferry from La Ceiba -- although we flew in direct to Roatan's airport (RTB). As the map at left shows, everything we did was focused on the touristed western side of the island. Seagrape and Puerta Azul resorts were only ten minutes apart by taxi, and famous West Bay Beach was an easy five-minute water taxi ride away from West End ($3 pp). |
| An enormous banyan tree with its spreading root system stands near the center of the resort |
| Breakfast (e.g., scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, coffee) is included each morning at the on-site restaurant |
| Cabanas sit near the pool and offer views to the ocean (book early as they fill up fast) |
| The grounds are beautiful. We loved the "off the beaten path" feel of the resort, which offers a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of West End itself. |
| A shared patio provides a good place to relax and check wifi (limited in some rooms) |
| A great option next door is Cafe de Palo. It's open until 6 pm and offers excellent lunch and early dinner choices. |
| We spent several hours here on each occasion, dividing our time roughly equally between swimming, snorkeling, and beach walking |
| The pool at Infinity Bay (mid-beach) beckons. We enjoyed checking out some of the other fancy resorts here, like Paradise Beach and Grand Roatan Resort. |
(Not my photo)
| The common areas, such as the patio dining area, are just up these stairs |
| The fresh filet of fish was excellent. The menu above gives a good idea of prices for snacks, lunch, and dinner. |
| Of course there are always sunsets over the water to enjoy at the end of each day |
| Delicious breakfasts are included each morning -- and the optional lunches and dinners are worth every penny. There are few good eating options nearby, so the best answer is to let Puerta Azul's excellent chef cook for you. |
| A platform with ladder (to the left and in front of the cabana) makes it simple to get into the water |
| The long pier is crucial, offering easy access to deeper water for snorkeling |
| At the end of the pier is an open-air cabana with hammocks, perfect for whiling away the day |
| The blue door ("puerta azul" in Spanish) leading out to the pier gives the resort its name -- and makes for some fun photo ops |
| The beach is decent enough, and the property offers free kayaks and paddleboards to its guests |
| The bungalow came with a king bed, great AC, slatted windows with screens to let in the ocean breezes, and excellent wifi |
| Our oceanfront bungalow offered a private patio with chairs and hammocks -- perfect for relaxing at the end of the day |
| Puerta Azul is currently the best-rated place to stay on TripAdvisor for all of Roatan. The property was recently featured on NBC's Today Show. |
| Closer towards Seagrape, on the north end of town, lies Half Moon Bay -- not a bad beach in its own right, but still no match for West Bay Beach |
| A happy traveler once again! |
| Sheer curtains offer a glimpse of greenery from our room |
| Hibiscus and other flowers bloom all over the property |
| Did we mention Seagrape faces west? That means terrific sunsets. |
| You can go swimming or snorkeling at Half Moon Bay (west side, by the buoys) -- or jump off the pier into the water for a swim like the local kids do |
| A short walk towards the main road into town takes you past this surprising sight (a turtle atop a Chinese restaurant) and lets you sample the award-winning chocolates at Mayak Chocolate |
| Snorkeling at Puerta Azul |
The snorkeling and scuba options in Roatan are
nothing short of spectacular, since the island
essentially sits right out in the middle of the
Mesoamerican Reef -- the second largest coral
reef in the world. We liked snorkeling West Bay
Beach for its ease of access, but the fish were
less varied and the coral more damaged than at
Puerta Azul. Puerta Azul's more remote location
means far less people impacting the reef. You'll
see loads of colorful fish here, as well as intact,
healthy coral -- especially sea fans.
To get to the coral reef from the pier, don your
snorkel gear and swim out about one hundred
yards beyond the pier over seagrass. It's here
in the seagrass you'll have your best chance of
spying spotted eagle rays -- we saw two of them,
one enormous, the other curious as it circled
around us. At the reef itself, we saw the largest
pufferfish we've ever seen, along with a huge
variety of colorful tropical fish. Don't ignore the
pier itself: we spied an octopus camouflaged
inside a broken concrete block, a spiny lobster,
a family of squid, and a lionfish.
We snorkeled six times in three days and loved
every minute of it. Out to the right was where
we saw the most fish; typically we'd drift-snorkel
our way back towards the pier. But if you want a
real thrill, try heading to the left, where you'll
find SPOOKY CHANNEL, one of the premier
snorkeling sites in all of Roatan. A narrow cut
cleaves right through the barrier reef. It's some
ninety-five feet deep, with coral-covered cliff
walls to either side. It really is spooky because
of the silty water and murky visibility inside the
channel itself; but keep on swimming, and after
a hundred feet or so, you'll emerge on the other
side, where the water suddenly clears and you
can see two-hundred feet down to the bottom.
(We could see scuba divers far down below us.)
This snorkel can be a little intimidating, so ask
your host Talia for guidance first. We only did
Spooky Channel once, but we'll never forget it!
nothing short of spectacular, since the island
essentially sits right out in the middle of the
Mesoamerican Reef -- the second largest coral
reef in the world. We liked snorkeling West Bay
Beach for its ease of access, but the fish were
less varied and the coral more damaged than at
Puerta Azul. Puerta Azul's more remote location
means far less people impacting the reef. You'll
see loads of colorful fish here, as well as intact,
healthy coral -- especially sea fans.
To get to the coral reef from the pier, don your
snorkel gear and swim out about one hundred
yards beyond the pier over seagrass. It's here
in the seagrass you'll have your best chance of
spying spotted eagle rays -- we saw two of them,
one enormous, the other curious as it circled
around us. At the reef itself, we saw the largest
pufferfish we've ever seen, along with a huge
variety of colorful tropical fish. Don't ignore the
pier itself: we spied an octopus camouflaged
inside a broken concrete block, a spiny lobster,
a family of squid, and a lionfish.
We snorkeled six times in three days and loved
every minute of it. Out to the right was where
we saw the most fish; typically we'd drift-snorkel
our way back towards the pier. But if you want a
real thrill, try heading to the left, where you'll
find SPOOKY CHANNEL, one of the premier
snorkeling sites in all of Roatan. A narrow cut
cleaves right through the barrier reef. It's some
ninety-five feet deep, with coral-covered cliff
walls to either side. It really is spooky because
of the silty water and murky visibility inside the
channel itself; but keep on swimming, and after
a hundred feet or so, you'll emerge on the other
side, where the water suddenly clears and you
can see two-hundred feet down to the bottom.
(We could see scuba divers far down below us.)
This snorkel can be a little intimidating, so ask
your host Talia for guidance first. We only did
Spooky Channel once, but we'll never forget it!
| View looking back at Puerta Azul from the pier. The bungalows and common areas are hidden away in the trees. |
| I think we look happy! |
| Do we look happy? |
| A pleasant seating area is located next to the patio dining area |
