Great Vacation in West Bay Beach, Roatan

West Bay beach is the place to be on Roatan. All the activities are here and the beach is unforgettable. The places to stay are limited to either rustic dive resorts or a few timeshare condo complexes. Fortunately, there are a few great beach houses in this small stretch of beach, and we were lucky to stay at on of these in the West Bay Village complex of six homes. See http://www.westbayvillage.com/barefoot.htm.

Quick Tips:

The beach and snorkeling right in front of West Bay Village is the best on the island. Snorkel gear, kayaks, parasailing, and catamarans are all steps away. The same applies for some of the best dining in West Bay. If you are interesting in getting your open-water certification, try Reef Gliders. All our kids got certified.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is no need to rent a car on the island. If you stay at West Bay Village, they have a driver they use to pick you up at the airport and take you where you want to go. Water taxis stop right in front of this property, which is a definite plus.

This is a fantastic beach house with a great covered outdoor deck and hammock. It is very nicely furnished with quality handmade furnishings. It is private, yet less than 100 feet from the water's edge. There is a bucket of water to wash off your feet when you enter the house to give you an idea. This is a two-bedroom unit that can accommodate up to six people. There is a nice dining area and fully stocked kitchen. Clean, clean, clean! It's a must. We are returning in June.

See http://www.westbayvillage.com/barefoot.htm.

It's right on the ocean, with great sunsets. There is music on weekends. It offers good lobster, and it's a nice place for a beer. You can watch Morey eels just off their deck over the water.

West bay beach is a 2-mile stretch of white limestone sand overlooking crystal-clear blue water that is as calm as a swimming pool. The second largest reef in the world is less than 100 yards off the beach. You can easily swim to it with your snorkel gear. The Barefoot Dream beach house is less than 100 feet from the water.

Three adults and four teens got open-water certified in 5 days, and it was a blast. We used Reef Gliders in West End, and they were great. The price was $200 per person, which is a bargain. I can not imagine a better or easier place to get certified. They water was sooo calm, and the dives were very close to shore as the reef is right there. Awesome experience. We saw HUGE schools of fish, green sea turtles, as well as Morey eels. Visibility was great.

We have been to Cozumel and the Hawaiian Islands. The water and snorkeling in West Bay Beach has them all beat. The clear, calm water and the close proximity to the second largest reef in the world makes this one of the best places to snorkel for the novice and the experienced. You can simply swim 50 yards or so and start snorkeling your way to the reef, where there is a drop-off wall about 100 to 150 yards out. You can also take a kayak out with friends in tow and snorkel as well. The reef is so lively and the fish are abundant. The key is that you are not elbow to elbow with tourists.

If you like just relaxing on the beach and watching sunsets and frolicking in the water, this is the place for you. The sand is white limestone, and the water is warm and clear as a pool. On most days we would take our lounge chairs and place them in the water just off the shore line... other times we just floated in tubes and rafts with drinks in hand, with the Ipod playing tunes, off the beach.