Cheap ideas other than staying in Mahogany Bay

Hi,

This will be our 4th trip to Roatan and are trying to come up with ideas for an inexpensive excursion other than simply staying at the beach at the port.

We have been to Roatan 3 times previously and have done Victor Boden with the zip lining, monkeys/birds and island tour. We have been snorkeling at Tabayana. And we have done Gumbalima park. All three were big hits, but I am not sure that I want repeat, and of the 3, Tabayana comes in cheapest.

Our boys are 16 and 10 and love animals and nature. Has anyone got any ideas that won't break the bank? We are doing expensive excursions in Cozumel and Belize and have pretty much blown the excursion budget on those.

Thanks for your thoughts!

We are making our first visit to Roatan and Belize in November. My boys are 1.5 and 6 so pretty much anything other than parks/beaches is not worth it for us. I am planning on heading to west bay/west end and maybe even Tabyana beach to spend the day. Belize, for us is still a maybe because we are contemplating just taking a rest day. I am planning to head to Chankanaaba park in Cozumel and maybe even out to Paradise beach. I think West Bay, west end, and Tabyana are open to public free walk in beaches, correct? The amount of money you spend there is up to you? Am I correct in my assumption?

We are making our first visit to Roatan and Belize in November. My boys are 1.5 and 6 so pretty much anything other than parks/beaches is not worth it for us. I am planning on heading to west bay/west end and maybe even Tabyana beach to spend the day. Belize, for us is still a maybe because we are contemplating just taking a rest day. I am planning to head to Chankanaaba park in Cozumel and maybe even out to Paradise beach. I think West Bay, west end, and Tabyana are open to public free walk in beaches, correct? The amount of money you spend there is up to you? Am I correct in my assumption?

Indeed one could walk the village of West End and the beach of West Bay all day long and never spend a penny.

It is also possible to walk the beach between the two, but there have been rumors of locals stopping people to rob and there is a portion of rock which may be tricky with a child. As an alternative, hop the water taxi for $3 a person.

Tabyana is part of West Bay Beach.. you will not be allowed on their property or any other without intention to spend some cash. Both the sand and the water all around the island are free, though sometimes access can be a challenge.

We are making our first visit to Roatan and Belize in November. My boys are 1.5 and 6 so pretty much anything other than parks/beaches is not worth it for us. I am planning on heading to west bay/west end and maybe even Tabyana beach to spend the day. Belize, for us is still a maybe because we are contemplating just taking a rest day. I am planning to head to Chankanaaba park in Cozumel and maybe even out to Paradise beach. I think West Bay, west end, and Tabyana are open to public free walk in beaches, correct? The amount of money you spend there is up to you? Am I correct in my assumption?

Tabayana is part of West Bay and seems to be a Carnival (or cruiseline) exclusive. You can however take transportation to West Bay and walk to your left toward the rocky outcropping; Tabayana is the beach next to that. It is worth the money (IMHO) to take the ship excursion here. If you go early, you can get loungers under the palms. The beach is very flat and the water calm so the kids can play easily. Also, if you bring snorkel gear, mom and dad can take turns; it was the best "from the beach" snorkeling I have ever experienced. Victor Boden for an island tour and kid friendly stops would also be an excellent choice.

Chankanaab is also a good choice, but the shallow "beach" is very very small. Most of the sand is man made on top of a coral wall; they have cut steps into the coral wall that you can walk down, again for some very good snorkeling. Book independent of the cruise line and take a cab there. They have a lagoon that you can walk around as well as a playground and a small animal area with crocs etc. The other option is to simply take a cab to one of the free beaches. There are tons recomended on this board and I can also the cab drivers will hook you up. Drinks are cheap and good and the beach is free.

Belize is difficult because almost everything there centers around the water. However, they do have the zoo which gets good reviews though I personally have never been. The Goff's key excursion allows you to get off on the tiny island and enjoy the beach. My then 2 year old son had a blast exploring the beach (lots of hermit crabs and stuff in shallow water) while my then 8 year old got to snorkel off shore or from the beach. If your little one travels well, and can handle an hour or so bus ride, we really really enjoyed Altun Ha and River Walace. The boat ride would keep everyones attention as we saw everything from bats to crocs to manatee to iguana to dolphins.

Another option which I know some parents are hesitant to take is to leave the little one(s) on board the ship and do a more adult excursion. I did this one year in Costa Maya so we could take my older son to some ruins, and another year in Belize, if I recall. Both times we did morning excursions and were back on the ship by very early afternoon and took our son to the pool. He never missed us and had a blast in camp while my older son got some one on one time which he was well over due with a little brother on board.

hope that helps...

Hi,

 

This will be our 4th trip to Roatan and are trying to come up with ideas for an inexpensive excursion other than simply staying at the beach at the port.

 

We have been to Roatan 3 times previously and have done Victor Boden with the zip lining, monkeys/birds and island tour. We have been snorkeling at Tabayana. And we have done Gumbalima park. All three were big hits, but I am not sure that I want repeat, and of the 3, Tabayana comes in cheapest.

 

Our boys are 16 and 10 and love animals and nature. Has anyone got any ideas that won't break the bank? We are doing expensive excursions in Cozumel and Belize and have pretty much blown the excursion budget on those.

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

Not sure what your budget is but I would suggest you look at Club Natale for a change of scene and pace. It is a rustic, laid-back resort close to the ports with clean, quiet amenities. It offers day passes at various levels to suit different needs and budget. Some items can be added a la carte.

http://www.clubnatalebayvillas.com/day-tourspasses/

There is a great swimming pool. Snorkeling,kayaking, volleyball are available and supposedly hiking trails but you would need to email and ask about those because I didn't see them. The owner has a passion for conservation and ecotourism.

http://www.clubnatalebayvillas.com/about/

http://www.clubnatalebayvillas.com/media/

Bananarama has different packages for cruise ship passengers. The $35 package includes transportation, use of the facilities, a welcome drink, and 2 hours of snorkeling. It's near Tabyana.