West Bay Village

A Collection of Fine Beach Homes on Roatan’s West Bay Beach.
Made Available to You as Private Vacation Rentals.

Island Tips and Information

What to Bring - Currency - Weather - Language/Culture
- Restaurants - Getting Around - Entertainment - Shopping

What to Bring

Valid Passport. For citizens of Canada, US, Mexico and most E.U. countries. VISAS are not needed for stays up to a month (but your passport must be valid for a full 6 months). Diving certification card, diving or snorkeling gear (or you can rent on West Bay Beach); bathing suits and cover ups. Lightweight clothing or cotton blends: t-shirts, shorts, blouses; comfortable walking shoes, sandals or flip-flops. Bring at least one long-sleeve top and slacks. Ladies can enjoy summer dresses for dining out. A very light sweater or jacket; rain-gear if you’re a pessimist. Sunglasses, hats with brims. Favorite personal items, toiletries, medications etc.: don’t count on finding them here. Any favorite foods or spices you have: selections are often limited on the island. Sunscreen, repellent, antihistamines (though the bugs have largely been eliminated now) (Try a great island product called" Cactus Juice" which is both a sunscreen and repellent). Camera, video camera, lots of film, CDs or DVD’s to watch in the evenings. Reading material, friends and a sense of adventure.

Currency

The local currency is the Lempira (Lps.) One US dollar is worth about 19 Lps. US cash is used widely on Roatan but the rates won’t be as good as the bank. Avoid the local banks as you will spend hours of good beach-time standing in lines. Bring U.S. cash in small denomination bills. T.C.’s are also widely accepted. You can change U.S. dollars almost anywhere, but no other currency is changed or accepted; Credit cards are not accepted everywhere. If they are, often an additional charge of 6% to 7%.

Weather

Roatan enjoys a nice little micro-climate. The summer trade-winds keep it cool, but little rain. Don’t be fooled by on-line and printed weather services. They get info from mainland airports. In fall, we love to sit under the stars and watch the lightning and storms over La Ceiba. Temperatures are in the 80's all year round (27-32 degree centigrade), Evenings can get cooler in winter, so bring something warm to wrap up in, too. Rainy season is hard to predict, but generally any month between Nov-Jan.

Language/Culture

Traditionally English has been the dominant language on Roatan, spoken with a Carib accent. Lately there has been an influx of Spanish interest from the mainland, and you will now hear almost as much Spanish as English on the Island, especially in the West End. On the less-developed East End of the island, it’s worth striking up a few conversations, just to hear the old accents and colloquial turns of phrase. With the increase in tourism on Roatan, you’re likely to meet many bilingual Islanders.

Restaurants

Here in West Bay you can try Las Rocas Restaurant, serving Caribbean food with an Italian flair. Next-door to Los Rocas is Bite on the Beach. These are both located at the other end of West Bay Beach, just a 10-minute stroll away. Next-door to us is Paradise Beach Resort, which has a well-established restaurant serving International cuisine, both buffet-style and with a-la-carte menus. For lunches and snacks Cabana Roatana, a fun and friendly place, is just a stroll down the beach. Il Pomodoro is the pizza-place just behind the Village. Best pizza on the island, hands down. Mangiamo is in located in West Bay Mall and offers all the treats from home. It has a deli in it as well with scrumptious deli meats and cheeses for lunch.

In West End Town you will find an even greater selection of restaurants. We thoroughly recommend Dian's Garden of Eatin', located just outside on the West Bay Road. Diane is a fantastic cook, mixing Caribbean and Asian styles, all with freshly prepared sauces and all made daily from local ingredients. Great outdoor dining in her garden here, too. The Argentinian Grill, on the far side of Half Moon Bay, is the place to go for steaks, but you may want to book a table in advance on busy holidays and weekends. At Ooloonthoo Indian Restaurant, chef Paul is a wizard: imported spices and local produce. Pinnochio's Restaurant, run by Patricia and Howie, has a charming atmosphere and the food is a very good Island/Italian style. Bidas in The Palms is your finer dinning choice in West End and Gio’s in French Harbour are famous for their King Crab.

Getting Around

There is no shortage of taxi’s to get you around the Island, just choose one you like the look of. You can always come into our office here in West Bay Village, and we can arrange a taxi for you. Expect to pay about $10 to get into West End, and $20 into Coxen Hole or the Airport. But the best way to get about from West Bay Beach is by “water-taxi” to West End. They operate daily from around 7am ­ sunset. The trip takes about 10 minutes through the lagoon, and will cost about 40 Lps. ($2) per person. If you wish to take a water-taxi outside of these times, you should arrange a special pick-up with one of the captains, especially when visiting West End in the evenings for dinner.

Captain Van's in West Bay and West End offers the best deals on scooter rentals. Their bikes are well maintained and safe. There are many options available for car and truck rental. In general we have found Toyota Rentals to be very reliable (504-445-1166). Other good deals include: Best Car Rental:(445-1494), Arena Rent-A-Car:(445-1882) & Caribbean Rent-A-Car:(455-6950)

Entertainment

For live music, keep an ear open for a number of bands that play in the bars and at special events. Some are excellent, some just plain bad. But all are worth catching on their good nights. Many of the towns and smaller villages on the Island take pride in their history and traditions and have carnivals and special events through their streets. Ask in our office for dates. For dinner and a movie, the Blue Channel in West End offers recent films and good food. But for most, entertainment is meeting up with friends for a few drinks at sunset. Be sure to check out Loafer’s bar on the beach in West End, aptly named “Sundowners”.

Shopping

There are two large supermarkets on the Island: Casa Warren on the main street in Coxen Hole and Eldon's Supermarket in French Harbour. West End Town is just a short boat-taxi ride away and has two or three smaller grocery stores where you can buy all of your essentials. Daily in West End, vegetable trucks park along the beach road, full of fresh fruit and vegetables. You can get ice and rum at Coconut Tree (at the entrance to West End); open 7am-9pm daily. There are now two duty-free stores in West End for wine and other spirits.

Most of the souvenir shops carry Guatemalan goods like hammocks, clothes and carvings. Be on the lookout for Lenca pottery, highly stylized brown and cream-coloured vases from the mainland of Honduras. Watch out for fakes, though, and feel free to try for discounts. Honduras has a wealth of hard-woods, and there are many chests, tables and small pieces of furniture that show a high degree of craftsmanship and attention to detail. Colourful local painters like Virginia Castillo display their art in galleries such as Waves of Art in West End Town (504 403-8819), and Bellas Artes in West Bay.

***Please don’t buy anything that has come from the sea, such as shells, seahorses or jewelry made from black coral. You will be sponsoring poachers in a National Marine Reserve, and it’s likely these curios will be confiscated, either at Honduran customs or your own.***