Deciding where on Roatan to stay can be tricky if you've never been here before. All areas have their pros and cons, and people have different factors that are important to them. If you've done a bit of research, you'll have seen that Roatan Backpackers Hostel has a great reputation, and the price point is in your budget, but what about the location of Sandy Bay? Why would anyone pick to stay in Sandy Bay instead of the tourist hotspots of West End or West Bay? Here are just a few of the great things about Sandy Bay:
1. It's not a tourist hotspot- that means you'll get a feel for more authentic island life, which is usually something backpackers are looking for. Inexpensive little local eateries (called comedores) to have some tipico dishes, long walks on the beach and interactions with people in the neighbourhood who aren't trying to sell you on anything touristy, beautiful reef to snorkel at without having tourist boats zip by you every few minutes
2. It can save you money- there's a grocery store in walking distance, and many of the places to eat are aimed at the local population with low salaries, rather than high priced restaurants geared towards tourists
3. The evenings are quiet, but the night life is just a short taxi ride away (with taxis generally costing $2-$5 per person, depending on the time of night) That means that you can get a good night rest, and only go out to find the nightlife if it calls to you, rather than trying to block out the sounds of bars when you're trying to sleep
4. Even though it's not touristy, there are several activities/attractions in Sandy Bay- the Carambola Botanical Gardens, the dolphins at Anthony's Key, several dive shops in the area (including Roatan Ocean Divers, which is just a 5-10 min walk from the hostel), and some really great snorkeling from shore
5. Public transportation is easy if you want to visit the more touristic spots- staying in Sandy Bay doesn't mean that you can't see other areas of the island. We're on a bus route, so it costs just a little over $1 to travel the 4 km to get to West End, and from there, you can take a water taxi if you want to see West Bay.
Are you a fan of staying in Sandy Bay? Share this blog post with someone you know who is planning a trip to Roatan.
1. It's not a tourist hotspot- that means you'll get a feel for more authentic island life, which is usually something backpackers are looking for. Inexpensive little local eateries (called comedores) to have some tipico dishes, long walks on the beach and interactions with people in the neighbourhood who aren't trying to sell you on anything touristy, beautiful reef to snorkel at without having tourist boats zip by you every few minutes
2. It can save you money- there's a grocery store in walking distance, and many of the places to eat are aimed at the local population with low salaries, rather than high priced restaurants geared towards tourists
3. The evenings are quiet, but the night life is just a short taxi ride away (with taxis generally costing $2-$5 per person, depending on the time of night) That means that you can get a good night rest, and only go out to find the nightlife if it calls to you, rather than trying to block out the sounds of bars when you're trying to sleep
4. Even though it's not touristy, there are several activities/attractions in Sandy Bay- the Carambola Botanical Gardens, the dolphins at Anthony's Key, several dive shops in the area (including Roatan Ocean Divers, which is just a 5-10 min walk from the hostel), and some really great snorkeling from shore
5. Public transportation is easy if you want to visit the more touristic spots- staying in Sandy Bay doesn't mean that you can't see other areas of the island. We're on a bus route, so it costs just a little over $1 to travel the 4 km to get to West End, and from there, you can take a water taxi if you want to see West Bay.
Are you a fan of staying in Sandy Bay? Share this blog post with someone you know who is planning a trip to Roatan.
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