RoatanMan:The flexibility of the many options of West End are inviting to many. For other, less travelled readers I offer a mathematical comparison. Based on the numbers provided above by the well travelled :flag: mjnansen, and comparing to an AI such as CoCoView, here's the breakdown...
AI (CCV is an 'all inclusive' example) $750-850/week {figuring to $107-120/day} you get all three meals, a room on stilts over the reef, unlimited great real shore diving, the best boats (4 tanks per day), and more stuff 'just designed for divers'. (Other AI's could be compared to this as a standard, there are times that FIBR is being given away- but you get what you pay for.)
Ala Carte? (West End and Sea Grape example) A first level on- shore room would be $50, four dives a day would be $60 making a total (so far) of $110... then there's food. Remember this is a Caribbean Island with prices for food that one might expect. And then there's the time to acquire it as well as the transfer time to and from the dive op. If you are there to dive-this option is going to cost you some serious Lempira$. Most can't eat for $10 a day much less for $20.
A lot of it depends on what you want. Do you want access to diving AND the socialscene? On Roatan, as in most dive destinations, you just can't have both. The West End offers the best possible option to achieve this equilibrium, but as with most comprimises, it is just that.
I still like the West End a lot- It is WNW of the Airport by 8 miles and it has some of the best restaurants such as Garden of Eatin :chineese: and Argentine Grille. (the other same quality and more North American style eateries are Geo's, Romeo's and the French Harbour Yacht Club- located 8 miles E of the Airport in French Harbor)
If I'm dragging all that way, I'm coming to dive. The island culture is all but transparent, now eclipsed by a Jamaica Mon clone version. Honduran beer is just beer, Roatan diving can be incredible.
It's like comparing bananas to plantains! :cwmddd:
Actually Roatan Man your right- it is very different. I seem to find all inclusives always appear to be a good deal until you take into account that the price is per person- a room in West End is usually the same price for two people as it is for one. So your math of $107-120 per day is actually $214-240 per day per couple while going to West End costs about $170 per day per couple without food (based on 4 dives per day each @ $15 per dive and a $50 per night room). Yes you still have to buy food, but I like variety and there are all different kinds of things to try at all different prices (If you don't count drinks which you usually pay more for at a resort anyway, my husband and I would probably have a hard time spending $70 per day on food on Roatan- and we are real good eaters!) That being said, if you want to get your feet wet on Roatan, an all inclusive is a good way to go and see what the island has to offer and look around to see where you'd like to stay the next time!
that's the best there is. They're sure to tell everyone that in any newsgroup, as well.
