Roatan, Honduras

[WV-FAN]

any of you ever been? my daughter wanted a cruise for her senior vacation and one of the stops was this island. i've an acquaintance who's went this past january and had nothing but great things to say. they're going back in january 24. the missus has decided we're going end of dec, first of jan. we didn't get to explore the island very much when there as she had us setup on a tour that basically took us to the smaller island, maya key, beside of it that's used for cruise ship traffic only.

is there any other low key carribbean destinations you'd rather? i'm wanting a low touristy spot. roatan seems to fit that, just wondering what other location gems such as that anybody may be aware of.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Pro tip: bring home a bag of the chronic. See Sistersville for the latest strain.

 

[greengeezer]

I had some friends who recently returned from a vacation in the Dominican Republic. They said the resort was pleasant but it was like staying in an armed military camp. Guards with weapons everywhere.

 

[mlblack16.]

FAN gone get kidnapped and since nobody back home cares enough about him to pay ransom, he will be sold as a ladyboy to some sick billionaire.

 

[GeauxHerd]

FAN gone get kidnapped and since nobody back home cares enough about him to pay ransom, he will be sold as a ladyboy to some sick billionaire.

He probably wants to be kidnapped

 

[GeauxHerd]

Pro tip: bring home a bag of the chronic. See Sistersville for the latest strain.

Did you mean Colonic?

 

[MichiganHerd]

Did you mean Colonic?

To be honest, I have no idea what I mean on an overwhelming majority of my posts. More times than not, I'm either blown out of my mind, or still feeling the next morning effects of being blown out of my mind.

To answer your question, I'm not sure.

 

[WV-FAN]

FAN gone get kidnapped and since nobody back home cares enough about him to pay ransom, he will be sold as a ladyboy to some sick billionaire.

 

[WV-FAN]

welllll, this obviously isn't the place for such a question. forgot i'm dealing with a bunch of misfits that haven't made it farther south than florida's redneck riviera.

 

[i am herdman]

I have been to Honduras. Didn't even know they had cruise ships there or why anybody would want to go there for a vacation. When I was in Honduras it was pretty much like third world, no way a Gringo would go out by themselves in the day, let alone at night. But, I was not near a port. I would imagine it is stll rough in most places. I was closer to the Pacific side, but did go throught the capital and some other areas as well.

 

[WV-FAN]

I have been to Honduras. Didn't even know they had cruise ships there or why anybody would want to go there for a vacation. When I was in Honduras it was pretty much like third world, no way a Gringo would go out by themselves in the day, let alone at night. But, I was not near a port. I would imagine it is stll rough in most places. I was closer to the Pacific side, but did go throught the capital and some other areas as well.

not on the mainland. roatan is an island off the coast. pretty cool place, low tourism, very safe. cheap to go. can go there cheaper than the emerald coast and not have to deal with the rifraff posting ITT. going to cost around $2800/couple for airfare from DC, VRBO house for 6 nights, and rental vehicle (4 people, $5600 total plus food/drink).; wife and i and another couple going. guy that went last jan said he had 3 lobster tails for his birthday that cost him $21.

 

[big_country90]

any of you ever been? my daughter wanted a cruise for her senior vacation and one of the stops was this island. i've an acquaintance who's went this past january and had nothing but great things to say. they're going back in january 24. the missus has decided we're going end of dec, first of jan. we didn't get to explore the island very much when there as she had us setup on a tour that basically took us to the smaller island, maya key, beside of it that's used for cruise ship traffic only.

is there any other low key carribbean destinations you'd rather? i'm wanting a low touristy spot. roatan seems to fit that, just wondering what other location gems such as that anybody may be aware of.

I’ve been and it was phenomenal. One of my favorites. Belize was cool too. So was Aruba and Curaçao. Grand Cayman is nice and probably has the best infrastructure of any Caribbean island.

 

[mlblack16.]

welllll, this obviously isn't the place for such a question. forgot i'm dealing with a bunch of misfits that haven't made it farther south than florida's redneck riviera.

I was part of a combat-ready unit in Ft. Lewis, WA that routinely deployed to Honduras as well as Panama to serve as an augmentee unit for USARSO (US ARMY South).

As for Honduras, best I can do is say I only went to Panama, to live in the fvcking jungle for 6 months as part of Operation JTF Safe-Haven.

Does that help answer your question?

 

[WV-FAN]

I’ve been and it was phenomenal. One of my favorites. Belize was cool too. So was Aruba and Curaçao. Grand Cayman is nice and probably has the best infrastructure of any Caribbean island.

Favorite of all of those? we're getting ready to book and figured i'd see where it ranks for someone who's been there and other places. again, highest priority is lowest tourism. doesn't even have to be a really happening area with a bunch to do as long as it has a few hole-in-the-wall type places to eat and drink.

 

[WV-FAN]

Does that help answer your question?

 

[riflearm2]

A high school friend has a house on the water there. I haven’t been, but he and friends have sent me pictures over the years trying to entice me to visit with them.

He lives in New Orleans most of the time, so it’s probably available if you want me to check on it:

 

[WV-FAN]

A high school friend has a house on the water there. I haven’t been, but he and friends have sent me pictures over the years trying to entice me to visit with them.

He lives in New Orleans most of the time, so it’s probably available if you want me to check on it:

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do you know how many bedrooms? need at least 3 bedrooms, possibly 4. my son is going plus another couple and possibly their kid.

also, where abouts on the island is it located? we're wanting to get something around west bay. i've looked at a couple VRBO's that range in the $265 - $300 per night.

 

[i am herdman]

I was part of a combat-ready unit in Ft. Lewis, WA that routinely deployed to Honduras as well as Panama to serve as an augmentee unit for USARSO (US ARMY South).

As for Honduras, best I can do is say I only went to Panama, to live in the fvcking jungle for 6 months as part of Operation JTF Safe-Haven.

Does that help answer your question?

We flew in and out of Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras. These were where they housed you before you went out from there or when you were flying back out. Apparantly, they are still there. Found these doing a web search.

This is one of the villages near where I went. Aremecina. Workd aroudn that area.

We were on a base camp near there and would go out and do our job from the base camp in convoys. Had Honduran soliders with us, an intrepretor. Here is what the mountains looked like. Went and found these pictures on the net. On the base camp we slept in GP medium tents with a squad or platoon in them. Triple Strand concetena wire around the camp. 24 hour security. Half Marines and half Army. They brought some Air Force guys in and they literally were a mess.

Found this on the internet. Looks just like it did then for the most part. When the convoys would go out the kids would run to the sides of the roads yelling for candy. Food, etc.

 

[big_country90]

Favorite of all of those? we're getting ready to book and figured i'd see where it ranks for someone who's been there and other places. again, highest priority is lowest tourism. doesn't even have to be a really happening area with a bunch to do as long as it has a few hole-in-the-wall type places to eat and drink.

If you’re looking for relaxation, Honduras would be # 1. It looks like WV hills right by a Caribbean beach. Just lovely.

I highly recommend going to all of the places I mentioned though. We have been to a bunch more as well. Happy to answer any other questions you might have.

 

[MichiganHerd]

welllll, this obviously isn't the place for such a question. forgot i'm dealing with a bunch of misfits that haven't made it farther south than florida's redneck riviera.

Were you expecting more from a bunch of rednecks on a redneck message forum? I have Sistersvilles phone number if you want some more thorough information.

 

[riflearm2]

do you know how many bedrooms? need at least 3 bedrooms, possibly 4. my son is going plus another couple and possibly their kid.

also, where abouts on the island is it located? we're wanting to get something around west bay. i've looked at a couple VRBO's that range in the $265 - $300 per night.

I can ask. This is his website for it, but it looks like it’s down:

Paradise Point

A Traveler\'s Paradise

paradisepointroatan.com

 

[WV-FAN]

I can ask. This is his website for it, but it looks like it’s down:

Paradise Point

A Traveler\'s Paradise

paradisepointroatan.com

Think I Found it. Looks like an extremely nice place. Just not on the side of the island that I want to be on based on what someone else that's been there has told me. At the end of the day, I don't think it really matters what side of the island we are on, just going with advice from a friend. Thanks for checking.

 

[WV-FAN]

we made the treck to roatan and had an absolute blast. if anybody ever goes, which is highly recommended, some tips . . .

• stay in the west end area unless yore a high roller like @riflearm2, or if you think you're too good to be in semi-slummy place then spring for one of the nicer places in west bay. we stayed north east of the two in sandy bay at a VRBO (there were 8 of us) and took a taxi to west end daily. if it were just my wife and i, i'd likely stay at Mr. Tucan, a shitty looking place on the outside just across the street from the beach; rooms are pretty decent. west end has a dozen, give or take, pretty decent places to eat and a couple decent bars.
• have transportation lined up from airport to hotel before you leave, same with any tours you want to do. when i got through customs there was a guy there with my name on a sign; so much better than trying to grab other transportation when there's 200+ other people doing just that.
• if staying in west end, take the 8 minute water taxi ($5/person each way) from west end to west bay and spend a day or two or however many. they have it fixed up pretty nice for the tourism/cruise ships; much busier than west end.
• eat at beacher's on monday night. mondays are lobster night: 3 tails for $22.
• do a whole island tour. @i am herdman's pics above are an upgrade to how most live on the island. it'll really give you perspective on just how damn good we have it if you've never witnessed it.
• do a snorkeling tour. we didn't and swam out from the beach and snorkeled around some but i'm thinking if we'd have gotten a tour to take us out farther, it'd have been much better. i did one of those tours off the cost of cancun years ago and it was great.
• i never once felt unsafe anywhere. there were armed guards about everywhere and they were pretty cool for the most part and went out of their way to greet us and make us feel safe. we talked to one for about an hour; he has a wife and a couple kids and said he makes like $1.70/hour. he was high on life, though, and appreciated the job and life, in general.

next up, at the recommendation of @big_country90, we're booking a house in aruba next christmas/new year. actually, the wife told me that's where she wants to go next . . . maybe bc and her been "talking".

 

[big_country90]

next up, at the recommendation of @big_country90, we're booking a house in aruba next christmas/new year. actually, the wife told me that's where she wants to go next . . . maybe bc and her been "talking"

I plead da fif.

Honduras and Aruba are both awesome. Aruba (at least where we stayed) didn’t have great beaches. You basically had a sidewalk that you were walking on by the road with the ocean about 6 feet away. It’s kind of wild. We watched a local feed tarpon with chum and within 30 seconds about 100 tarpon showed up. All of them were at least 6 feet long. It was really cool.

I would go back to Aruba and Honduras tomorrow.

 

[WV-FAN]

I plead da fif.

Honduras and Aruba are both awesome. Aruba (at least where we stayed) didn’t have great beaches. You basically had a sidewalk that you were walking on by the road with the ocean about 6 feet away. It’s kind of wild. We watched a local feed tarpon with chum and within 30 seconds about 100 tarpon showed up. All of them were at least 6 feet long. It was really cool.

I would go back to Aruba and Honduras tomorrow.

What part of Aruba do you recommend?

 

[big_country90]

What part of Aruba do you recommend?

We ported at Oranjestad, which is also known as the place Natalie Holloway disappeared. Beautiful place with good shopping and good food but, like I said before, it was hard to find a beach.

Look around online and research the best place in Aruba you can fly or cruise into. You can’t go wrong.

Piece of advice…don’t ever go to Montego Bay, Jamaica. That was, by far, the worst destination we have ever been to. Looked liked a third world and the locals were shady.

 

[WV-FAN]

We ported at Oranjestad, which is also known as the place Natalie Holloway disappeared. Beautiful place with good shopping and good food but, like I said before, it was hard to find a beach.

Look around online and research the best place in Aruba you can fly or cruise into. You can’t go wrong.

Piece of advice…don’t ever go to Montego Bay, Jamaica. That was, by far, the worst destination we have ever been to. Looked liked a third world and the locals were shady.

thanks. looks like we're going to book a house in the noord/palm beach area walking distance from beach, restaurants, bars, etc.

 

[MUAlum2004]

Good info on Roatan. It’s been on the list. Get all the real estate updates and simply based on price, I’d buy tomorrow. Misses wouldnt like all the armed guards. Always wondered if it was safe.

Aruba for the first time in March. Was never on the list but going for a 50th bday celebration.

Hit Cayman last fall. Definitely the most infrastructure, costs more, not as much island life for me.

Virgin Islands have been a stop the last few years. Very much enjoyed St John. Never felt unsafe anywhere. We might do a caterman with a few couples soon for a week.

St Lucia was a solid trip. Enjoyed local culture and people. Ventured off the resort quite a few times. Probably not the safest place but was fine for me.

Friends have a condo in Belize. Spent a week on Ambergris Caye and had a great time. Scuba and water was fantastic. Dig the golf cart lifestyle. Again, very safe, great people and culture. Could see us spending some extended time there in the future.