Here is an inexpensive and interesting way to travel to West Bay

[Englishchap]

A trip from the ship port to West Bay by bus and water taxi is interesting

and fun too.

 

Here is how to go. Go outside the dock to the main road, look for the

number 2 bus (mini bus) Make sure it is going left (west) to West End.

At West End, about a thirty minute ride and $2 fare, get off the bus

before it turns onto a dirt road and walk to the left. Walk on the dirt

road about 200 yards towards the water and you will see Fosters Bar

in the distance. On the water to your right you will see the Water Taxi

Dock.

 

Get on a Water Taxi, fare $3, ask to go to Infinity Beach dock, a ten minute ride.

 

You will wind up on the beach in front of Infinity Bay Condominiums.

This is a public beach right along the shoreline. To your left is

Bananarama, to your right is Tabyana and a little further right is

the beach with the best snorkeling on Roatan.

[crewsweeper]

Just be aware that the minibuses stop running at 5PM. You'll need to catch one much earlier and there's no set schedule. And they do go all the way to the West End, so you don't have to stop and take a water taxi. Cost is around 30 Lempiras (19 lempiras to a US $1) and unless it's changed at one time you needed to use lempiras to ride the minibuses. Water taxis (50 lempiras) go all the way to Fosters or Crystal Cabins on the West End. You'll need to confirm with them about their return schedules.

[ownercarry]

crewsweeper,

confused about this, you say,

 

"and unless it's changed at one time"

 

are you basically saying the minibuses don't take dollars? we'd need to get local currency to ride them?

 

we had planned to take one out to foster's but because of their schedule, take a water taxi back (different view on the way back too!)

 

want to make sure we do it right. we're going to walk around downtown a bit before we take off for the foster's area so if we needed local $$, we'd have time exchange it.

 

thanks for the help!

[Englishchap]

The mini buses now accept US currency, although at one time

they only accepted Lempiras.

 

The lempira is worth a little over 5 cents, so 30 lempira for the bus

ride exchanges at $1.58.

 

In my experience the bus fare rounds out to $2 and the 50 lempiras

for the water taxi rounds out to $3

[ownercarry]

excellent, thanks for the advice.

 

one more quick thing.

i'm wondering if it's possible to bus to west bay and then make your way to west end and its resorts, finally going back to the ship on the water taxi you mentioned. looks like a 1.5-2 mile walk. might be somewhat adventurous. then again, there may be enough to do in west bay.

 

thanks

[Roos]

There is no public bus to West Bay. You'd have to take the mini-bus to West End and then either walk the beach or take a water taxi to West Bay and back again.

[crewsweeper]

There is no public bus to West Bay. You'd have to take the mini-bus to West End and then either walk the beach or take a water taxi to West Bay and back again.

And there is a pathway along the beach. If its not too hot, not a difficult walk.

[ownercarry]

ok, very sorry, got them mixed up, thanks for pointing it out.

 

would mini bus to west END first. then it looks like you can walk yourself down to west BAY to see the resorts and their beaches.

 

from there, there is certainly a water taxi back to coxen hole and the ship since it was mentioned earlier that you could have the water taxi go from coxen hole to the public area in west bay.

 

so i think i have it then. my helpful experts are in agreement? i can walk myself to mini bus pickup near the post office, then with $2 american per person, get to the west end. once there, if i'm bored i can walk to west bay and then water taxi back to the ship from there. and if i like west end so much i don't go to west end, i can still take a water taxi back to the ship from west end.

 

all that correct?

[jms2362]

And there is a pathway along the beach. If its not too hot, not a difficult walk.

 

Don't know anything about the island yet. Has anyone done the ziplining, if so have you done it before and how would you rate it? Thanks, Jim

Edited August 23, 2010 by jms2362

[jms2362]

A trip from the ship port to West Bay by bus and water taxi is interesting

and fun too.

 

Here is how to go. Go outside the dock to the main road, look for the

number 2 bus (mini bus) Make sure it is going left (west) to West End.

At West End, about a thirty minute ride and $2 fare, get off the bus

before it turns onto a dirt road and walk to the left. Walk on the dirt

road about 200 yards towards the water and you will see Fosters Bar

in the distance. On the water to your right you will see the Water Taxi

Dock.

 

Get on a Water Taxi, fare $3, ask to go to Infinity Beach dock, a ten minute ride.

 

You will wind up on the beach in front of Infinity Bay Condominiums.

This is a public beach right along the shoreline. To your left is

Bananarama, to your right is Tabyana and a little further right is

the beach with the best snorkeling on Roatan.

 

Is there a taxi to get there? If so about how much?

[Roos]

There is no water taxi service from West Bay to Coxen Hole. Once in West Bay, you can either return to West End and take the mini-bus from there, or take a taxi to Flower's Bay and from Flower's Bay take the mini-bus to Coxen Hole.

 

Also note that if your ship docks at Mahogany Bay, the public bus only comes once every half hour. Then you have to get to the place where the mini-busses take you to West End. Be prepared to spend a lot of precious time waiting.

[ownercarry]

arrrgghhh.

ok, so now either roos is getting west bay and west end mixed up like i first did or we have conflicting reports. plus an attempted thread hijack.

 

english chap says you can water taxi to the public area of west bay. roos says you can't.

 

OR, roos, are you saying you can get there from coxen hole but for some reason you can't go back? that wouldn't make sense.

 

and we're on celebrity solstice so i know we're docked at coxen hole.

 

someone please clarify.

[Englishchap]

WEST END is the town on the east end of the beach area. There is a beach called

Half Moon Bay. It is OK, but not as good as the beach two and a half miles to the

west called WEST BAY.

 

West Bay Beach includes names like Bananarama, Infinity Bay, Tabyana plus some

others.

 

The whole beach from West End to West Bay (about 2 1/2 miles) is public beach

at the shoreline. The above mentioned names are privately owned places that

give access from the road to the public beach. and also sell chairs and food etc.

 

There is a path from West End to West Bay, but not very comfortable to walk

on a hot day.

 

The public bus only goes as far as West End, Therefore you would have to get

to the good beach at West Bay by Water Taxi as explained above, or tough it

out by walking. There is no public bus going all the way to West Bay.

 

I do not think a water taxi goes around the island to Coxen Hole. However, there

are plenty of water taxis and buses available for the return trip to the ship.

Just reverse the travel points.

 

I hope this explanation clears up the confusion.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Englishchap

[watchdiva]

I live on the Island and to the best of my knowledge there is no public water taxi service from Coxen Hole to either West End or West Bay. It's possiblel that you could arrange in advance for a private water taxi but not even sure how you would do that or what the $$ would be. There IS public water taxi service between West End and West Bay (as already mentioned). To get to where you can hop on a water taxi to West Bay, you will need transportation from Coxen Hole to West End where you can catch the water taxi. Cabs are plentiful around the dock area - alternatively you can book a private car/driver for the day to provide take you where you want to go, give you an Island tour, take you to beaches and provide you with a "feel" for Roatan.

 

Either way - enjoy your stay!

[ownercarry]

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH

 

once again, i misunderstood english chap's original post.

 

now i get it. you can mini bus to west end and then if you want to go to west bay, THAT'S the water taxi.

 

i misunderstood in that he was giving 2 ways to over to the west side. but he was speaking of just taking the mini bus there, with the water taxi taking you a bit further south to west bay if you wanted to go there from west end.

 

again, thank you all a LOT. i can picture myself leaving not enough time to get back to coxen hole because i would have been thinking i could get back with a fast water taxi.

 

but now i get it. i'm sure we'll mini bus it over there, figure out what to do when there and if we want to go south and then likely negotiate a taxi rate back or go with another couple back to share the cost (again, after we've negotiated a rate!).

 

our cruise starts 9/12, i'll report back then :)

[dvan68]

What would the taxi fare be from the Mahogany port to West Bay? Sometimes a few extra dollars is worth the hassle that the above procedure may entail. Is Coxen Hole closer or further away from West Bay Beach?

thank you!

[watchdiva]

Of the two docks, Coxen Hole is closest to West End/West Bay.

[ReeRee47]

We will be returning to Roatan in January, and want to go back to the beach in front of Infinity Bay. You mentioned a good snorkling spot, in reference to Infinity, where would that spot be? Thanks:)

[watchdiva]

We will be returning to Roatan in January, and want to go back to the beach in front of Infinity Bay. You mentioned a good snorkling spot, in reference to Infinity, where would that spot be? Thanks:)

 

Standing facing out to the water, you can turn to your left and walk down the beach towards the rock wall about 30 feet (or any spot PAST all of the white chairs for the cruise passengers). Enter the water and swim out about 20 yards (just a guesstimate) and you'll be almost directly over the reef system. Swim/drift over the reef zigzagging and if you're lucky, you'll eventually wind up over the starfish field (an area of sandy bottom that for some reason has become the hang-out spot for tens of starfish). It's probably one of the most astonishing things you'll ever see. We snorkel that area weekly and have been lucky enough to "find" it several times.

 

Keep swimming towards the rock wall, eventually head into shore and exit the water near the wall...

 

Hope this helps!

[ReeRee47]

We loved Roatan so much, would love to retire there. My family thought it was one of the prettiest places we've ever seen! We are hiring a driver for the day, what is that area called?

[watchdiva]

If you're referring to my post re: good snorkeling spot, just tell your driver that you want to go to West Bay Beach and have him drop you near Bananarama or Infinity Bay....

[ReeRee47]

A couple more questions, any other points of interest that you would recommend that is a must see on our tour? How about where we could buy some art by local artist. Thanks:)

[fortheloveofthesea]

I live on the Island and to the best of my knowledge there is no public water taxi service from Coxen Hole to either West End or West Bay. It's possiblel that you could arrange in advance for a private water taxi but not even sure how you would do that or what the $$ would be. There IS public water taxi service between West End and West Bay (as already mentioned). To get to where you can hop on a water taxi to West Bay, you will need transportation from Coxen Hole to West End where you can catch the water taxi. Cabs are plentiful around the dock area - alternatively you can book a private car/driver for the day to provide take you where you want to go, give you an Island tour, take you to beaches and provide you with a "feel" for Roatan.

 

Either way - enjoy your stay!

 

 

Is there mini bus service from Mahogany Bay to West End?

[SuperTrooper00]

2 questions:

1. Is the mini-bus from Coxen hole to West End safe?

2. How long would the trip take?

[jms2362]

2 questions:

1. Is the mini-bus from Coxen hole to West End safe?

2. How long would the trip take?

 

We took a tour with Victor Bodden Tours in a minivan, there were 4 of us. We never saw anything that looked dangerous. We felt very safe with our great guide. We worked our way to the West End beach, went geocaching, ziplining, visited with the monkeys and parrots! It was a wonderful day and would recommen it highy to anyone. It is a beautifu island and they people were very friendly.