West Bay Beach Access

[Mooreland1999]

I'm going to be on a cruise in a couple months that includes a stop in Roatan.  We are planning on booking a private tour (probably through Rony's) and would like to do some snorkeling on our own.  We are not beach or even resort people and this entire concept of beach resorts/clubs, day passes, etc.. is foreign to us.  If we just go to lunch at Grand Roatan's Iron Grill, will we be able to simply snorkel from the beach there after lunch, or will we need to buy a pass?  Similarly, do "day passes" at other place include food, or are you just paying to access the water? 

 

One more question, I've read the reef is really close to shore and pretty good at the Grand Roatan side of the beach.  If we snorkel there will we need fins?  We plan on bringing our own mask and snorkel.     

 

Thanks

[Guest 2000]

7 minutes ago, Mooreland1999 said:

I'm going to be on a cruise in a couple months that includes a stop in Roatan.  We are planning on booking a private tour (probably through Rony's) and would like to do some snorkeling on our own.  We are not beach or even resort people and this entire concept of beach resorts/clubs, day passes, etc.. is foreign to us.  If we just go to lunch at Grand Roatan's Iron Grill, will we be able to simply snorkel from the beach there after lunch, or will we need to buy a pass?  Similarly, do "day passes" at other place include food, or are you just paying to access the water? 

 

One more question, I've read the reef is really close to shore and pretty good at the Grand Roatan side of the beach.  If we snorkel there will we need fins?  We plan on bringing our own mask and snorkel.     

 

Thanks

 

All of the beaches of Roatan are public, some are just more difficult to access than others. West Bay can be accessed two ways via public routes, one is a water taxi from West End and the other is the road between Bananarama and Paradise Beach  Club. 

 

One can access the reef snorkeling by swimming through the first reef in front of Infinity Bay, when next I am near my computer I will dig up the map. 

 

Day passes are for loungers, potties and other amenities, food is not included in basic passes. And there is no need to eat at a place on West Bay if you are going only to snorkel. 

 

Everything on West Bay is Americanized, reccommed you ask your driver his favorite Local place to eat, maybe you will get lucky and he will take you to meet his auntie who cooks. 

 

I always think fins are a very good idea. You could rent them. 

[Guest 2000]

The map.... Green is swimable, yellow is a challange over the reef, red is boat lane, be aware. 

 

[Mooreland1999]

Thanks for the map.  I've heard some reviews that say the area right along the rock cliff is good with acces from the beach without having to go out the sand channel and along the outside.  Thoughts? 

[Guest 2000]

6 minutes ago, Mooreland1999 said:

Thanks for the map.  I've heard some reviews that say the area right along the rock cliff is good with acces from the beach without having to go out the sand channel and along the outside.  Thoughts? 

 

I always go both in and out through the channel, I don't like the possibility of damaging the reef in any other spot on the way out to deeper water. 

 

I go out the way marked with green flags, swim toward the wall, go out farther to the deeper reef and swim back along to to exit the same way I went in. All of it is worth exploring. 

 

Is there a reason I am unaware of NOT to go out via the green flags? 

[Mooreland1999]

5 hours ago, Guest 2000 said:

Is there a reason I am unaware of NOT to go out via the green flags? 

I thought the recommendation to go off the beach by the wall was to stay on the beach side, not to go out into the deeper part.  Is there a big difference between the reef on the outside and the inside?  How close is the top of the inner reef to the surface?    

 

[Guest 2000]

26 minutes ago, Mooreland1999 said:

I thought the recommendation to go off the beach by the wall was to stay on the beach side, not to go out into the deeper part.  Is there a big difference between the reef on the outside and the inside?  How close is the top of the inner reef to the surface?    

 

 

Why would you need to stay on the beach side?  If you are entering the water against the wall you are still going toward deep water. I must not be understanding something. By the by - if you get far enough out along the wall the current increases greatly. I was out there one day, having arrived from the green flags in front of Infinity, and thought I was going to end up at Ulita or at the very least battered against the rocks of the point.

 

The difference between the beach side of the inner reef and the water side of the inner reef is the water side is healthier, less traffic. 

 

The green flags are there to give people a visual on the best way through the reef. The areas marked in yellow the reef breaches the water, it is not safe for the reef or people. Don't get me wrong plenty of people do it BUT that is the reason the reef is both overloved and damaged. It is possible most of them don't know any better, not having seen this map. 

 

 

[Mooreland1999]

Thanks for the great info.  I did find you responded to a similar post a couple years ago.  Should have searched better. I appreciate you answering again.  As for this question:

 

6 hours ago, Guest 2000 said:

Why would you need to stay on the beach side?  If you are entering the water against the wall you are still going toward deep water. I must not be understanding something.

 

The answer is simple ignorance.  I look at the map and just see a bunch of coral which makes me wonder why I would swim all the way around to look at the far side when I could wade out 10' and see the close side.  Thanks for helping explain it.

[Guest 2000]

2 hours ago, Mooreland1999 said:

Thanks for the great info.  I did find you responded to a similar post a couple years ago.  Should have searched better. I appreciate you answering again.  As for this question:

 

 

The answer is simple ignorance.  I look at the map and just see a bunch of coral which makes me wonder why I would swim all the way around to look at the far side when I could wade out 10' and see the close side.  Thanks for helping explain it.

 

 

Ahh yes, communication can be a challenge. :0) 

 

I swim all the way around, one to stay off the reef and two to cover the whole area where the boats are not allowed.  I enter where the green flags are in front of Infinity, swim to the wall along the sea side of the inner reef, go out a bit deeper to were the big blue is, swim along back along  it far enough to turn toward the beach and swim back to through the green flags. It is a bit of a loop thing I have going on. 

 

Enjoy your time on the island. 

[SG65CB]

19 hours ago, Mooreland1999 said:

I thought the recommendation to go off the beach by the wall was to stay on the beach side, not to go out into the deeper part.  Is there a big difference between the reef on the outside and the inside?  How close is the top of the inner reef to the surface? 

 

You can snorkel closer to the wall. It's like a maze through the coral, some of the formations are pretty tall (come up almost to the water surface) and you have to be careful not to touch. Lots of interesting things to see, fish and coral, without swimming all the way out to the deeper water, just be prepared to do a lot of backtracking and zig-zagging through the formations. If you follow the green flags out to the deeper water there are larger more spectacular coral formations. 

[day-day]

It is also a sight to see when looking down into the blue where the depth drops off from around 20-25 feet to 75-80 feet.