Ok I'll fire the opening questions/shots here on Roatan.
Its been on my radar for sometime, I think the thing thats been holding me back is the sand flies issue. I like to go to the beach and Im unclear if they make the beaches unoccupiable??????
There is no problem if you slather up with DEET. Yes, the Sand Flies (Sand Fleas, No See Ums, whatever) are what I would attribute the still affordable land prices to. Just my guess. DEET works, other than that, it's paradise.
What Ive found I like is great diving, great party scene, beaches, swimming, on land adventures etc.
so far my favorites are Tulum MX, Belize Keys, Coco MAntonio and P.Viejo Costa Rica.
So I already pretty much know I want to go to West End.
Man who knows what he wants, and even better- knows where to find it!
I like very cheap accoms, Ive heard of Seagrape budget and Milkas place in the 8-10$ range for shared bath, any thoughts on these or others?
what is best price for private bath place?
Seagrape is well regarded. Milkas? Others on this open forum are better resources for this. HELP!
Who would you dive with? I may do my AOW there.
My favorite day-dive walk-in ops? Far and away, I like Subway the best. They are not on West End, but they will hook you up. Look also at Bananarama and Native Sons, Pura Vida.
What about the Matt 6:20 place? seems to have great prices, I know its a little ways from town but should be no problem to get a taxi there/back for a dollar or two correct?
More precisely, they are a little way from the West End. "Town" as it is considered locally, is "Coxen Hole", which is no-where near anything. But yes, a short ride away from West End to his location in Sandy Bay. I don't know of them, but I looked over their website http://www.treasurehuntermatt620.com/ , last message/update that they posted is now coming up to 90 days old. I would think that clues like this should be part of judging an operation. They make no mention of Night Diving. As a matter of fact, they don't seem to do dive trips at all, just instruction. The 'gear for sale' section looks like he is selling out and moved back to England. There is absolutely no description of the boat. I have heard previously that they do great pizza, however.
Personally, I would rather dive with a good local DM that can point out the cool stuff (other than the Nurse Shark that seems to have captivated the op you referenced)
Right now when diving I like seeing big stuff and sharks but Im trying to learn to enjoy the little stuff, and it sounds like R is great for the small stuff. Thoughts?
That's the reason you go to Roatan, for sure. I would advise spending more time on absolutely perfecting your buoyancy and observational skills. I would rather see folks go for the Underwater Naturalist specialty and Peak performance Buoyancy than any AOW program.
Is it worth the expense to try and do some dives on the east end of the island? how about cayo chinos?
Yes to both. But not easy. Worth the hassle. Maybe explore the "regular sites" first?Subway is probably your best day-dive option for doing that pair, however.
Maybe this is not your thing but what would you say about the party scene in WE, even things you cannot get at the bar???
Are the local girls friendly? available?
No, it's not my scene, but I know the drill. You can get anything you want, plus a whole lot of things you might not have bargained for. Be careful, be smart. I think for any one of a list of about 10 reasons your amorous intentions might be better directed to a honey from Texas rather than a local. Locals have boyfriends/brothers who are usualy drunk and po'd when you least expect it, and did you know- the Caribbean is rife with HIV?
Just to give you some further indications... The "Casino" was located at Anthony's Key- it closed back in the 80's. Some bright shining star got the idea to open a "Vegas Style Gentlemans Club" and brilliantly named it "Tony Montanas" (Yes, you read that correctly). Some local gals were hired and from reports they didn't understand what the brass pole was to be used for, but irrelevant as the local women screamed so loud that he closed within days. This is a very conservative island. And- as with all clean, neat and tidy places, if you go poking around flipping over rocks, you'll find whatever you are looking for- and more. Recreational drugs are ill advised. If you think the Police in the US are still on that Nancy Reagan kick about the evils of drugs, wait till you see what they do in Central America. Take a pass on that kind of distraction.
Thanks for all your advice
