Roatan’s West End: Eating, Tormenting Turtles and the World’s Best Rope Swing

Yesterday was our first full day on the island of Roatan.  My friend Krista and I are staying at The Beach House in the West End.  It is under relatively new management and being renovated.  Our suite is beautiful.  And the view is ridiculous.  We are right over the water and right next to the most popular bar in the West End.  Sundowners.

Here are a few pictures.

And one of the two comfy beds…they are separated by a partition.

We have a kitchen, huge balcony right over the water, high ceilings, great artwork and a sitting area.

Our balcony.

And our dock…

Here is how we started the day.  To our despair, it was POURING rain in the morning.  We only have TWO DAYS in Roatan!   With umbrellas and rain jackets, we set out to find coffee.  Critical.

We passed some early morning horse back riders.  Thursday is a cruise ship day and the activities start early!

We found Earth Mama’s tucked a bit back from the street.  Very cute.

Delicious smoothies…

And Banana Nutmeg Brown Sugar Creamy Oatmeal for me and Nutella Banana Crepes with Coconut Cream for Krista.

Yum.  After brekkie, a quick walk around the West End to sort out our day.  It is super cute around here.

Excellent question.Cafes bars, restaurants, and dive shops occupying much of the space.

It’s still the slow season and a few places are closed for remodelling or just closed.

Prices here (at least on this part of the island) are generally in US Dollars first and then Honduranian Lempira.  They are now about 20 to $1 US.

Sun!  Time to take a swim and lounge around a bit.  We chatted with Steve at Steve’s Paddle Board shop (you can see it on the very right of the pictures below)…to put on our list of tomorrow’s activities.  Strenuous activities are always for tomorrow.

The water felt fantastic and gets deep quite quickly.  I like that.   By the end of the dock, it must be about 10 feet.

The West End is settled along a sandy cove, a small bay that is protected by coral.  You can swim out to the coral for snorkelling but just before you get there is the coolest rope swing.

There is a wooden sailing boat that we noticed is a bit tilted.  On the back is a high platform and from the mast hangs a long rope.  A swing.

Awesome, right?

Time to head out to lunch but a quick stop.  I had seen this intriguing sign in the morning and for $1?  I had to stop in…

So many?  It will make me happy?  Let’s do it.  But first, I needed to wake the gentleman at the front gate.

 

Excuse me…sir?  Sir?  He didn’t even flinch…

I need to end it here for today.  Since you did not pay this gentleman for the happiness these turtles MAY bring, you must wait.  Plus, I have lots and lots and lots of good stuff planned.  Zip lines, snorkelling trips, the West Bay.  And the weather so far seems…good to very good.

I don’t want to jinx it.  More about Roatan’s West End is coming!