Carnival Roatan Excursions Parrot Tree or Tabyana

[phlydude]

Carnival is offering 2 different beach excursions (I wouldn't normally book with the ship but the prices aren't bad $29 pp for Parrot Bay and $33 for Tabyana).

 

Has anyone been to Parrot Tree Plantation Beach? If so, how was it. Ship shows limited time of 3 hrs, could that be correct?

 

How would the 2 compare?

I see Parrot Tree is more a lagoon than open water like Tabyana and is more limited in number of people than Tabyana.

 

help is appreciated!

[Jdleong]

Tabyana Beach is the best snorkeling I have ever done in the Western Caribbean. There are showers,change rooms, lockers and bars at Tabyana.You just walk out, large beach area, lots of chairs and trees to be in the shade if needed. The reef is about 100 ft off shore and you can just float over tons of colorful fish, it was wonderful! They take you there is rickety school buses, past all the poor section of houses ( actually all of it is poor). There are shops close to the dock, we didn't even go there, so I don't know what's available. A taxi to the beach is about $10 I think. Check out the Ports of Call board for Roatan...

[Pumbaamd]

The ride in the school bus is an adventure in itself! Up and down large hills with beautiful views of the ocean.

[phlydude]

Check out the Ports of Call board for Roatan...

Doesn't seem to be much action over there and no one has posted anything on Parrot Tree Plantation

 

Thanks!

[ShanB42]

I searched webshots for both and NOTHING came up for Parrot Tree Plantation. However....Tabyana looks AMAZING!

 

We'll be going to Tabyana.

[robbyxoxo]

we just got back from Tabyana.....white sand, great snorkeling, beautiful backdrop.......ive yet to find anything nicer in the caribbean......no need to take a tour there when you can grab a taxi on your own for $10-15.....bargain for the cab...they will try and get more out of you.....west bay beaches are the best in Roatan.....the rest dont compare

[phlydude]

15 each way for the cab, that isn't per person, is it?

[robbyxoxo]

15 each way, total price, regardless of # of passengers:).....the price you get will depend on who you talk to and how badly they want the fare and all that....but im pretty positive you wouldnt have to pay more than 15....you might even get it a few dollars cheaper.....im sure at first they will want 20 or 30 bucks from you, as the bargaining begins

[phlydude]

Now I read something saying that if you wait for the crowds to subside, you can really get them down - don't know how true that is...

[robtx100]

definitely do Tabyana. I haven't been to the other, but of all the beaches I've been to, it's the best. I have a few pics posted at http://www.photos.yahoo.com/robandtodd when we were there last year.

[parmus]

This website I found for Parrott Tree Plantation. The pics resemble the excursion description. I wonder if Carnival has a deal with this development company. This place looks secluded, but VERY relaxing. I bet it's not crowded like Tabayana. I think it really depends on what you want to do............

http://www.parrot-tree.net/photo15.htm

 

Good luck--we leave in 16 days and I can't wait!:D

[robbyxoxo]

ive not heard of Parrot tree plantation, but it seems like quite the spread....i couldnt find their exact location listed anywhere on their site though.....ive grown to be wary of those locations that advertise themselves as being less crowded...sometimes they arent crowded for a reason...while in Roatan we left Tabyana beach to go check out another resort called Bay Island Resorts, located on Sandy Bay....they make a big deal about the fact they only let so many people on their resort at a time so that they never get as crowded as tabyana beach.....they advertise as having great snorkeling and all that......we get there and of course the owner wont let us pass her property to get to the beach without paying $25 per person.....even though the beaches are open to the public, property owners can deny you access to get through....she had all of TWO customers that day...the beach was entirely empty.....so the taxi took us down the road a couple hundred yards where we could just walk onto the beach.....we then walked down the beach area in front of her resort and parked ourselves........but once there we wished we were back at Tabyana....there was no comparison between the two beaches....Tabyana has white clean sand, blue water and snorkeling everywhere you turn.....Sandy bay beach is no where near as nice looking...the water is full of sea grass with no nice places to even go in to enjoy......the snorkeling was wayyy out and not even worth the swim once you get out there....Tabyana gets crowded for a reason....its the best beach in Roatan........and really its not that crowded, especially if you go down to the far end by the rock wall where the snorkeling is the best...PHLYDUDE....thats probably true.....we were also told by one local that many of the drivers kinda slack off by afternoon and wont take the cheap fares after theyve already made enough money for the day......our first time we went to Roatan we paid $4 for a taxi to take us to the west end....coming back none of the taxis would accept less than $10 to make the return trip.......but you just never know...our last trip there we caught a cab who already had one passenger headed back to the port, we offered him $2 for a ride and he took us.....so sometimes its just all luck

[Momto5boys]

Tabayana is beautiful...when we were there last year they had two "guards" in canoes watching over the roped-off swimming/snorkeling area to keep you from snorkeling too close to the shallow reefs near the back of the area. If you wanted to, they let you out the safe "gate" at the back to snorkel in an area further out. It was AWESOME out there!! Swim out if you get a chance. The snorkeling in the roped area is nice, too. And the beach is lovely....my kids had a great time building sand castles and snorkeling at leisure.

[phlydude]

Sounds like Tabyana is the place to go. Thanks for the advice!

[jdfloyd]

We, family of 6, loved Tabyana Beach! If you go by the rock wall...all the way to the left..you'll see some amazing colorful fish. We even saw a barracuda! Took pictures with a fuji underwater camera. When we got them developed we discovered not just one but FOUR barracuda! The pics came out great by the way. Sorry I don't have access to put them online.

 

Definately do Tabyana Beach!!!

[staylor]

jdfloyd- Next time get them developed at Walmart and ask to get the pics put on a disk....then you can put them on your computer and share them with us! Glad you had a good tome!

[VanessaC322]

I have actually been to Parrot Tree Plantation. It wasn't an excursion when I was there in March 2004. I was there because DH and I booked massages with Angela from Sante Wellness Center (http://www.santewellnesscenter.com) and her beautiful home is located at Parrot Tree Plantation. The whole area is beautiful and very secluded. We had to reach her home by boat. I highly recommend using Angela's spa services and then lounging around her beachfront home and using the services included.

 

Vanessa

[ljrfrm]

I love Parrot Tree Plantation...it's about the most beautiful place on the island....secluded, luxurious, and beautiful. You have the beach and the lagoon, and the water is the bluest you've ever seen. I haven't been there for a cruise excursion, and can't comment on what they have to offer (food, music, etc.) but I at least wanted to post for you to not rule it out....it's beautiful and we had so much fun there! Parrot Tree Plantation is an upper scale resort type area...many Americans are buying there and building their retirment homes. It's not a small, unpopular place at all....they also sell boat slips there and have gorgeous yachts that stop by for the week. That being said, I've been to Tabyana too...and loved it there also. Doesn't take much for me :) Just get me out of the cold and I'm happy! You would have a blast at either place, I'm sure!