SITTING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY, WATCHING THE SUNSET: WEST BAY & WEST END
Apr 04 '05 (Updated May 09 '05)
The Bottom Line More than a great sunset, but still a great sunset nonetheless.
The brilliant sphere in the distance seems to pause just for a second silhouetted against the deep orange tint of the western sky. It’s almost as if it knows that so many people were watching and hovers to allow another camera to capture it, another person to enjoy this visual feast. Then the sun quickly sinks below the horizon. Just like that another day in the Caribbean paradise known as Roatan ends.
Roatan is the largest of the Honduran Bay islands, located just off of the Caribbean coast of that Central American country. Like most Caribbean islands it is a picturesque place, and no more so than on it's western end.
Naturally being at the west end of island the sunsets are spectacular here. There are several places where one can sit and enjoy this daily ritual while sipping a cold drink, in addition to just grabbing a seat on the beach itself.
Perhaps one of the most popular places is Eagle Rays Bar and Grill at the south end of West End Village. Eagle Rays is a large ramshackle wooden building built on a pier over the water. The lower floor contains a dive shop. The upper floor is a bar and restaurant with one of the largest patios in West End. It provides the perfect vantage point to watch the sun slip below the horizon. It's also no coincidence that Eagle Rays popular happy hour is the same time as sunset either.
There's more to do here than just sit and watch the sunsets though. The western edge of Roatan Consists of Half Moon Bay, West End Village and West Bay including West Bay Beach. West End is a tiny and colourful village and the heart of the tourist industry on the island.
The first to tourists to "discover" Roatan were the backpackers and West Bay still caters to both. A walk down the main street, and it seems that almost every second place is a devoted to diving, snorkelling or some other water sport. Anything and everything from renting a mask and set of flippers through to a complete dive package are available here.
Interspaced in between these are the aforementioned bars and restaurants, as one does not live by diving alone. There are also plenty of small shops offering a selection of assorted local souvenirs, some quite artistic, others just tacky.
There's plenty of accommodation here, although most of it is in the simple or budget category. Inexpensive cabins and/or small hotels that still cater to the back packer crowd. The large resorts and luxury accommodations such as they are on Roatan are located elsewhere for the most part. Recently though some newer times shares and condos have begun to encroach on the western tip of the island.
If West End is hectic and colourful, the West Bay to the south is the exact opposite. At onetime the only way to reach this pristine beach was by water taxi from West End, or a rather lengthy walk along the beach passing the small laid back community of Sandy Point. The road after a fashion now reaches almost to the very tip of Roatan at West End Point. Such is progress.
Finally for those so inclined, there is a way to explore the riches under the water of Roatan without getting your feet wet, or anything else for that matter. Just north of West End Village are the Half Moon Cabins, docked here is the Underwater Paradise, a glass bottom boat that offers regular tours out to the coral reef three times a day.
The Underwater Paradise is about 44 feet/15 metres long and there is room for thirty passengers in the hollow keel. Here large windows allow a spectacular look at the fascinating world under the water's surface. There are informative guides who will point out the various types of fish and coral formations. Occasionally one will see scuba divers or snorkellers doing it the hard way.
Tours last about forty minutes and cost $20.00 US for adults, $10.00 for children under 12. Children under 2 ride for free.
The last trip of the day on the Underwater Paradise ends around 3:00 pm. That means there’s still plenty of time to stroll over to your favourite beach bar and get a seat for the best free show in town.
Other articles on Honduras
Omoa
http://www.epinions.com/content_3637158020
Pia’s Place Omoa
http://www.epinions.com/content_110242926212
Flamingo Hotel, Omoa
http://www.epinions.com/content_110244564612
Sunset Beach Bar Omoa
http://www.epinions.com/content_2553454724
Copan Mayan Ruins
http://www.epinions.com/content_2715590788
Hotel California Copan
http://www.epinions.com/content_55179447940
Tunkel Bar & Restaurant Copan
http://www.epinions.com/content_2551947396
Roatan Bay Islands
http://www.epinions.com/content_176973254276
Roatan International Airport
http://www.epinions.com/content_4292583556
Roatan Dive & Yacht Club
http://www.epinions.com/content_174636699268
Fantasy Island Dive & Beach Resort
http://www.epinions.com/content_174649413252
Oak Ridge
http://www.epinions.com/content_4264206468
Roatan Wildlife
http://www.epinions.com/content_4328628356
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