tabayana beach

we are thinking of going to tabayana beach, but i did not know if you have to use the tour sold through rccl, or if you can go on your own- and if so what would be the benefits of both? any help would be greatly appreciated- we are still trying to decide what to do at this port-thanks a bunch:confused: and do the ccers think this is the best place to beach it in roatan

we are thinking of going to tabayana beach, but i did not know if you have to use the tour sold through rccl, or if you can go on your own- and if so what would be the benefits of both? any help would be greatly appreciated- we are still trying to decide what to do at this port-thanks a bunch:confused: and do the ccers think this is the best place to beach it in roatan

 

It is my understanding that this particular excursion can only be done through the ship.

we are thinking of going to tabayana beach, but i did not know if you have to use the tour sold through rccl, or if you can go on your own- and if so what would be the benefits of both? any help would be greatly appreciated- we are still trying to decide what to do at this port-thanks a bunch:confused: and do the ccers think this is the best place to beach it in roatan

 

 

I have been searching for that answer also. Through a lot of research I have found that beach to be offered exclusively through the cruise line. There is an area right next to it. I think you may have to pay a fee to use it, but you can. Then you can swim to the reef. If you have not I would recommend looking into Victor Bodden tours. For $25 a person he is yours for the day. I have not taking him, I will in Sept., but he comes highly recommended. He is taking the 6 of us, only the 6 of us, in a private van to the iguana farm and half moon bay, which is next to tayana.I figured the cab fare would be close to $25 so why not use his services all day. Victor Bodden - Bodden Tours - Roatan Tours and Roatan Excursions - Roatan Honduras

My gf and I did the zip line and tabayana beach through CCL -- and it was worth the money -- we have cruised four times together and by far our best memories were at Tabayana and the zip line.

 

At Tabayana beach you get a two for one in the sense you get a great beach and if you get or bring snorkel gear you can swim out to a beautiful reef that is about 20 yards off shore.... the fish life on it is amazing... and it's a very short swim.

My wife and I will be in Roatan in November, and I'd pretty much settled on booking a guided tour with Bodden Tours, due to all the rave reviews I've read on this board. But now, I'm wondering if it's worth the extra money.

 

Really, all we're interested in doing on Roatan is a canopy tour and the beach. The school/orphanage sounds really interesting, but at the same time potentially depressing. Having the monkeys jump all over us at Victor's house could be fun -- but then again, maybe not. And the iguana farm may be fun for five or ten minutes, I suppose.

 

If we decide to go with Bodden, it will be $50-$80 (I've read mixed quotes, which tells me it's highly-negotiable) for the two of us. Add another $90 for a zip-line tour at South Shore (which I've heard isn't as nice as the jungle tour.) Add another $14 for the monkeys and iguanas. And maybe another $30 for lunch. Then, another $15 for tipping. Altogether, that's $229.

 

If I book the zip-line/Tabyana tour through NCL, it's a simple $92/person, or $184 total. And from what I've read, it sounds like Tabyana is a much nicer beach than Coral Cay or West Bay.

 

I don't mind paying the extra money if there's a compelling reason to do so. I'm just wondering if maybe I'm missing something?

The question about Tabiyana comes up here with some regularity. Awhile back I posted the following; it was in reply to someone asking for comparison of Tabiyana Beach & some other places. I've posted similar stuff here periodically, and decided to save it to a word doc so I could just copy it over every now & then:

 

Tabiyana is a small section of a much larger beach area known as West Bay beach. WBB is very, very pretty; it is roughly 1/2 to 3/4 mile of white sand beach, blue water, lined iwth palm trees. It is generally considered one of, if not the, nicest beaches on the island. There is a very nice snorkel area at WBB, at the far western end where the sand turns into iron shore (rock). The entire stretch of beach is public access, so you can walk from one end to the other. Behind the "beach line" (roughly where the palm trees start), most of it becomes private property.

 

Tabiyana Beach Resort is a small section of this beach; it is a private resort & its facilities can only be used on cruise days if you book the tour through your cruise line. They feed you, they have beach chairs, drinks, bathrooms, showers, etc.

 

Along West Bay beach, there are numerous other bars, restaurants, etc. Some do "cruise beach days" for a fee, some simply are open to the public for eating & drinking.

 

Half Moon Bay is in a nearby community known as West End. The community includes a number of shops, bars, restaurants, and scuba diving shops. There is a beach area there; it's nice but not as nice as WBB. Most of the bars/restaurants are open air, facing the water, some built over the water. A couple are built on the beach area or have chairs & umbrellas on the beach area.

 

You can walk from WB to WE; it is roughly a 1/2 hour stroll. There is a thread on here re whether it is safe. I've never had problems during the day but would not walk it at night as it is very dark & secluded. To me, the best way from WB to WE (or vice versa) is by "water taxi." Basically some small boats that run back & forth; they charge maybe $2 each way, something like that. Nice ride, & you get to see the pretty views of the island from out in the water.

 

On cruise days, it can sometimes be hard to find taxis; I've found it harder from WB than from WE. If I were planning what you want to do, I'd have the taxi drop me off at West Bay, see the beach there & snorkel some, then catch a water taxi to West End. Spend your time there, then catch a taxi back to the cruise dock (best place to catch the taxi would be at the spot where the paved road turns to dirt, that tends to be a drop off point & a spot where the taxis congregate waiting for riders).

I found this photo illustrating SeaPA1's post. Tabyana is only a small section of West Bay Beach... It is located on the far left of this photo (near where you can see 4 round rooftops bunched together). You can see where the reef is located -- it's real close to the beach all along West Bay Beach.

 

The question about Tabiyana comes up here with some regularity. Awhile back I posted the following; it was in reply to someone asking for comparison of Tabiyana Beach & some other places. I've posted similar stuff here periodically, and decided to save it to a word doc so I could just copy it over every now & then:

 

Tabiyana is a small section of a much larger beach area known as West Bay beach. WBB is very, very pretty; it is roughly 1/2 to 3/4 mile of white sand beach, blue water, lined iwth palm trees. It is generally considered one of, if not the, nicest beaches on the island. There is a very nice snorkel area at WBB, at the far western end where the sand turns into iron shore (rock). The entire stretch of beach is public access, so you can walk from one end to the other. Behind the "beach line" (roughly where the palm trees start), most of it becomes private property.

 

Tabiyana Beach Resort is a small section of this beach; it is a private resort & its facilities can only be used on cruise days if you book the tour through your cruise line. They feed you, they have beach chairs, drinks, bathrooms, showers, etc.

 

Along West Bay beach, there are numerous other bars, restaurants, etc. Some do "cruise beach days" for a fee, some simply are open to the public for eating & drinking.

 

Half Moon Bay is in a nearby community known as West End. The community includes a number of shops, bars, restaurants, and scuba diving shops. There is a beach area there; it's nice but not as nice as WBB. Most of the bars/restaurants are open air, facing the water, some built over the water. A couple are built on the beach area or have chairs & umbrellas on the beach area.

 

You can walk from WB to WE; it is roughly a 1/2 hour stroll. There is a thread on here re whether it is safe. I've never had problems during the day but would not walk it at night as it is very dark & secluded. To me, the best way from WB to WE (or vice versa) is by "water taxi." Basically some small boats that run back & forth; they charge maybe $2 each way, something like that. Nice ride, & you get to see the pretty views of the island from out in the water.

 

On cruise days, it can sometimes be hard to find taxis; I've found it harder from WB than from WE. If I were planning what you want to do, I'd have the taxi drop me off at West Bay, see the beach there & snorkel some, then catch a water taxi to West End. Spend your time there, then catch a taxi back to the cruise dock (best place to catch the taxi would be at the spot where the paved road turns to dirt, that tends to be a drop off point & a spot where the taxis congregate waiting for riders).

 

This is very well but and accurate. I hope you don't mind if I copy and post it to our Voyager Roll Call. I'll give you the credit. My DW and I have been to both West End (lunch at Half Moon Bay Resort) and West Bay Beach (a beach bar right next to Tabayana) but I've had a hard time explaining the difference to our friends.

The word is "put" not "but".

 

Sorry

The word is "put" not "but".

 

Sorry

 

 

Feel free to post it elsewhere, tex. I posted it to try to be helpful, and the more people it helps the better.

Where is West Bay from the cruise dock? We prefer to travel independently so do you have any idea of buses that might get us there or are we talking about taking a taxi? SeaPA1 you certainly helped us decide this was the way to go! Thanks! :D

We were scheduled to go to Costa Maya :( but it looks like we may head to Roatan instead. Since we love to snorkel this may even a better port for us. Hope we are there in a couple of weeks!

Where is West Bay from the cruise dock? We prefer to travel independently so do you have any idea of buses that might get us there or are we talking about taking a taxi? SeaPA1 you certainly helped us decide this was the way to go! Thanks! :D

We were scheduled to go to Costa Maya :( but it looks like we may head to Roatan instead. Since we love to snorkel this may even a better port for us. Hope we are there in a couple of weeks!

 

West Bay is about a 15 minute drive from the dock. There are no buses to jump aboard, so you will have to either:

1) wait until you arrive, and then deal with the chaos of a busy dock in order to grab a taxi, with hundreds of people vying for your hard earned monies, or

2) Arrange a trip with an independent company ;), who will pick you up at the dock, and whisk you away quickly.

 

As you can imagine, the best drivers, and the ones who speak English, are the ones who already have bookings prior to the ship arriving.

In addition to going to West Bay beach, there are lots of other things to see and experience while on our beautiful island of Roatan.

Where is West Bay from the cruise dock? We prefer to travel independently so do you have any idea of buses that might get us there or are we talking about taking a taxi? SeaPA1 you certainly helped us decide this was the way to go! Thanks! :D

We were scheduled to go to Costa Maya :( but it looks like we may head to Roatan instead. Since we love to snorkel this may even a better port for us. Hope we are there in a couple of weeks!

I have been to Costa Maya and Roatan and Roatan is by far my favorite. It is absolutely beautiful! You will be so glad you went there. we went on the zipline tour and tabyana beach and it was unforgettable. the snorkling was amazing right off of the beach! have fun!

If we decide to follow SeaPA1's suggestion and make our own excursion to West Bay and West End, how much would a taxi cost from the port to West Bay and from West End back to port? Sounds like a great plan!

If we decide to follow SeaPA1's suggestion and make our own excursion to West Bay and West End, how much would a taxi cost from the port to West Bay and from West End back to port? Sounds like a great plan!

Nearly all taxi drivers at the pier will show you a card saying $20 per person, as if that's the "official" price. This price supposedly can be negotiated down but we were unable to get a discount when my DH & I were there three weeks ago. As for the return trip, most fare quotes are for a round trip. The driver will wait for you (most likely at a bar near the beach) until you are ready to go back. Then you pay him at the end. Beware, however, of drivers who say they are taking you directly to the beach and then when you're almost there (although you won't know it because you'll be surrounded by jungle) force you to pay another $10 or more to get to the beach through a local "resort." This is what happened to us despite our knowing there are free beach acess points to West Bay & West End in several places. Due to this experience, the lackluster snorkeling (most of the coral is dead) and flea infested sand, we hope to never see Roatan again.

 

Needless to say, our dishonest driver did not get a tip on top of his $40. In my best Spanish, I told him his tip was back at the bar where we were forced to pay the extra money. That bar (a dumpy place called Cabana Lana) apparently gives a kickback to each driver who brings tourists to them. So lots of drivers end up there, drinking until you show up to return to the ship.

 

Good luck in Roatan!

how far is infinity spa and resort from tabiana and what are the facilities like,, pool?,, restaurant? bar?.. etc..

Infinity is still under construction but I think when we were there it is right next to the ship's excursion which is kind of crowded but there are more options along the beach like Mayan princess or paradise beach club or Foster's West Bay. As for Infinity I'm not sure about an openning date but it seemed almost ready to open.

Infinity is still under construction but I think when we were there it is right next to the ship's excursion which is kind of crowded but there are more options along the beach like Mayan princess or paradise beach club or Foster's West Bay. As for Infinity I'm not sure about an openning date but it seemed almost ready to open.

we were thinking of mayan princess but from the map it looks like a long walk to get to the tabiana snorkeling..our guide was recommending infinity so maybe they are up and running..thanks for the info...

we were thinking of mayan princess but from the map it looks like a long walk to get to the tabiana snorkeling..our guide was recommending infinity so maybe they are up and running..thanks for the info...

 

Infinity Bay is (will be) a private resort, with no access to cruise ship customers. What that means is that while you can stroll along the beach in front of the Infinity Bay condos, you cannot walk into the resort grounds to use their facilities (restrooms, pool, showers, etc.).

 

Secondly, Infinity Bay is under construction, and there are only a handful of condos that are occupied as of this week. The current beach bar that is on the beach, is closing on OCT 28th, and there will be a new one built soon, run by Infinity. People from the beach will be able to access that new bar....when it opens..

 

I think your guide may have been referring to Tabyana beach resort (which is next to Infinity), but again that resort is off limits to all, unless you have booked said excursion from the ship. Walk-ins are not allowed.

 

All the beaches on Roatan are free to use...It's just that there are NO PUBLIC facilities... That means paying extra to those that offer the service, and you need to be aware of that when looking at your budget to visit West Bay beach (or Half Moon Bay, etc). Proper tour operators will ensure that you are not just dropped off at a beach...to fend for yourself.

Infinity Bay is (will be) a private resort, with no access to cruise ship customers. What that means is that while you can stroll along the beach in front of the Infinity Bay condos, you cannot walk into the resort grounds to use their facilities (restrooms, pool, showers, etc.).

 

Secondly, Infinity Bay is under construction, and there are only a handful of condos that are occupied as of this week. The current beach bar that is on the beach, is closing on OCT 28th, and there will be a new one built soon, run by Infinity. People from the beach will be able to access that new bar....when it opens..

 

I think your guide may have been referring to Tabyana beach resort (which is next to Infinity), but again that resort is off limits to all, unless you have booked said excursion from the ship. Walk-ins are not allowed.

 

All the beaches on Roatan are free to use...It's just that there are NO PUBLIC facilities... That means paying extra to those that offer the service, and you need to be aware of that when looking at your budget to visit West Bay beach (or Half Moon Bay, etc). Proper tour operators will ensure that you are not just dropped off at a beach...to fend for yourself.

 

he definitely was referring to infinity as he said it was right next door to ttabyana where we could enter the beach there for the snorkeling..we would prefer someplace that had facilities, yet close enough for the snorkeling..at tabyana.. thanks for any info

he definitely was referring to infinity as he said it was right next door to ttabyana where we could enter the beach there for the snorkeling..we would prefer someplace that had facilities, yet close enough for the snorkeling..at tabyana.. thanks for any info

 

...don't know if this will help any...but there are fairly current photos of the Infinity Bay Resort here: www.infinitybay.com The resort is still under construction, but looks much more "finished" than it did when I was there in July!

 

BTW, from Mayan to the cruise ship's "Tabayana Beach" is a nice 5-10 minute stroll (at a vacation-pace!) Clear water and white sand make it seem like MUCH less (especially when looking back on it, wishing you were there!)

 

I've got some Roatan photos on my Webshots Album (link below) -- they're from my 2004 cruise. OK, so I lied...there's almost 200 pictures from our short time in port!!! I fell in love with the island and went back for a week this past July...and am heading back for a week over Thanksgiving!

...don't know if this will help any...but there are fairly current photos of the Infinity Bay Resort here: www.infinitybay.com The resort is still under construction, but looks much more "finished" than it did when I was there in July!

 

BTW, from Mayan to the cruise ship's "Tabayana Beach" is a nice 5-10 minute stroll (at a vacation-pace!) Clear water and white sand make it seem like MUCH less (especially when looking back on it, wishing you were there!)

 

I've got some Roatan photos on my Webshots Album (link below) -- they're from my 2004 cruise. OK, so I lied...there's almost 200 pictures from our short time in port!!! I fell in love with the island and went back for a week this past July...and am heading back for a week over Thanksgiving!

 

mathew,

thanks for the response.. were your snorkel pics taken at tabyana?.. we just might do mayan.. they want 10.00 pp to use all facilities.. not a bad deal and then we can walk the short walk to tabyana to snorkel.. sounds like a better plan if Infinity isn't open for business to day trippers.. see you there thanksgiving week!.. actually we'll be there nov. 22 :) on the navigator of the seas

mathew,

thanks for the response.. were your snorkel pics taken at tabyana?.. we just might do mayan.. they want 10.00 pp to use all facilities.. not a bad deal and then we can walk the short walk to tabyana to snorkel.. sounds like a better plan if Infinity isn't open for business to day trippers.. see you there thanksgiving week!.. actually we'll be there nov. 22 :) on the navigator of the seas

 

Yes! The snorkel pictures are all from West Bay beach over Thanksgiving 2004...just before you get to Tabayana Beach.

 

The folks at Tabayana create a "wall" of lounge chairs so you know when you're approaching "their area", however the beach area is public...I think they just want you to know that they're there! You really don't need the visual warning, though, because you'll see LOTS of cruise ship passengers snorkeling just off shore.

 

We avoided the "Tabayana-designated" area and went to the reef just before we saw all the other cruisers! The great thing about West Bay...the reef is just off shore (and you can see it with the clear water). When you get to a point that you feel comfortable with...just head on out and explore!

 

I will definitely be at the Mayan Princess beach bar during the "cruise ship days". The people-watching is great...and the "Monkey La-La's" are even better! If you have time give one a try...Kahlua, Vodka, Coconut Milk, etc...named after the "Monkey La-La" lizard that runs around the island! They're pretty tasty...and I'm a beer-drinker usually!

 

There are lots of cute beach bars and restaurants at the hotels/resorts along West Bay...and a good option if you don't require a swimming pool/lounge chair on the beach! I'm sure Captain Van could offer a few names...as I can't think of their names!

 

One that we enjoyed over the Fourth of July week was just a few steps down from the Mayan in the direction of Tabayana -- Bananarama, I think. It was not charging any sort of "resort fee" at the time, but I'm not sure if this changes during the peak cruise season... There wasn't a pool, but there were tables that you could sit at and "people watch" before heading down the beach!

 

Regardless...I hope you enjoy Roatan as much as I have! I'm definitely look forward to another week in Roatan!!! Have a great trip!

Do you contact the resort directly and ask for a daypass? (Mayan) TIA! :D

Do you contact the resort directly and ask for a daypass? (Mayan) TIA! :D

 

When we were there over the Fourth, here's what they did...

 

As guests of the hotel, we were giving wristbands which we wore all week. Our package included breakfast, so our wristbands were a different color from the guests that had a scuba package, lunch package, etc.

 

There was a resort employee on the beach "selling" wristbands to the day-trippers. He would then drag the lounge chairs out for the group... This guy seemed to take care of the tourists walking down the beach.

 

For those taken directly to the Mayan by taxi or tour guide, they were selling the day-pass wristbands at the front desk.

 

I don't know if it's still done the same way...but I would imagine it is! You can contact the resort via email from their website, and they're pretty good about responding...