The Dolphin Encounter at Anthony’s Key Resort

... tops the list of popular tourist attractions on the island of Roatan. Anthony's Key was the island's first commercial dive resort and over 40 years later remains one of the most popular.

Together with the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences AKR offers a wide variety of dolphin programs. The popular Dolphin encounter held in waist high, crystal clear water does not require swimming. A brief information session is followed by a 25 minute up close and personal petting session with one of the friendly mammals. The cost is $50 per person (staying at the resort) and $62 per person (non-resort guest). Photos may be taken with personal cameras or purchased by professional photographers on site.

The Dolphin Snorkel, in addition to the information session and initial 25 minutes with one dolphin, offers an additional 30 minutes of snorkeling time with a dozen or more dolphins. The cost of the snorkel is $83 for resort guests and $103 for non-resort guests). Cameras are not allowed in the water for the 30 minute snorkeling portion of the swim.

The Dolphin Dive, which requires visitors to present a certification card to participate, begins with the top-side instructions and a question and answer period followed by a 5 minute boat ride to the reef wall where guests are lowered to a sandy bottom 60 feet below the surface where they may interact with dolphins in a natural setting for 45 minutes, accompanied by a dive instructor, a dolphin behaviorist and a videographer. The cost for the dive is $110 and $137 for resort guests and non-resort guests respectively.

AKR also offers a 6 day camp for children, a great option for families where the parents wish to participate in off-site dives knowing that their children are enjoying a safe and educational experience.

For students and avid dolphin lovers there is also a “Trainer for a Day” and a “Two day Dolphin Specialty” course offered.

The Dolphin Encounter and the Dolphin Dive are pre-arranged for cruise ship visitors through the cruise-line website or the shore excursions desk on the ship. Due to time restraints the Dolphin Snorkel is not available to cruise ship visitors.

Reservations may also be made through the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences at roatanims@anthonyskey.com or by calling 2445-3003.

The Pineapple Villas

... Condominium complex in French Harbour is home to two newly opened island hot spots, the Pineapple Grill and Steakhouse and Herby's Sports Bar and Grill.

Situated on the top floor, Herby's Sports Bar and Grill is a happening American style meeting place with the emphasis on not only sports but fun.

Surrounded by jungle with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea sparkling in the distance and the sparkling blue water of the pool area directly below, it's difficult to know where to look first.

We arrived on the early side for lunch on a Monday expecting a small turnout at the newly opened eatery but were amazed at the number of patrons arriving.

“Have you eaten here before? Do you live here at Pineapple Villas? ” I asked a couple that we recognized as I passed their table.

She Says:

“Oh yes, many times, we love the food. No we don't live here but we might as well move here, we eat here so often.

The location is great. We see friends from the both east end, just a short 20 minute drive from here as well as the West End.

The a/c is a refreshing change and the food is fantastic. The menu offers pub grub type choices such as nachos, wings, pizza and fish and chips as well as salads and wraps”.

He Says:

“Herby's claims, Any day, any game, if it's on TV we have it'! 32 LCD T.V.s, tuned to every sport imaginable makes me feel like a kid in a candy store”.
Situated one floor down from Herby's, the Pineapple Grill also offers a choice of air conditioned indoor seating or an outdoor patio with a view of the tropical paradise below.

Monday is Movie night at the Pineapple Grill. A weekly dinner special is served each Monday followed by a weekly feature shown on a 12 foot screen with HD projection and surround sound.

Breakfast is served at the Pineapple Grill from 7-10 am. Several American choices are offered as well as a typico (island style) breakfast. We were not overly impressed with the breakfast. The pancakes, at $7.99 consisted of three small pancakes served on top of each other on a small side plate, without bacon or any meat choice and were barely edible. It was literally impossible to add syrup without requesting a larger plate.

For dinner, prices for Legendary Steaks range from $20.99 for an 8 oz. Tenderloin Filet or a 14 oz. Strip Loin to $27.99 for a 20 oz. Porterhouse. Sides are extra. A half back order of ribs is available for $8.99 and a full back order for $18.99.

There are 4 appetizers, 2 soups and 5 salads to choose from on the dinner menu. A note at the bottom of the menu describes the choices as introductory with the promise of additional choices of prime rib, shrimp scampi, lamb, chicken cordon blue, great pastas and additional sides and appetizers to follow soon.

Marc and Linda Walch,

our “Happy Clients” featured in this issue are no strangers to investment on the island of Roatan. Along with their son Christian, they first happened on the island back in 2003 while on a Carnival Cruise.
After travelling to Tabyana Beach (now known as the popular West Bay Beach) on a dusty school bus, the family fell in love with the natural surroundings and lack of commercialism on the island. Following their initial trip to Roatan, the couple returned to their home of Orlando, Florida and began corresponding with a couple of real estate companies on the island. Back home Marc and Linda operate a real estate brokerage company and work as Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate investors. In addition Marc works as a Consulting Engineer assisting American cities and counties with infrastructure needs and Linda works as a volunteer manager with a hospice called VITAS.

“From our internet research we decided on Marci and ‘About Roatan Real Estate’. We scheduled a week to come down and when we arrived she had already prepared a package of a mix of available properties and lots for us to check out. Initially we were very impressed with Marci, with her energy and passion for Roatan and her clients ....that sold us”, says Marc.

“In 2003 we decided that Roatan would be an excellent place to invest in a second home and possibly develop investment/vacation rental property. We decided to purchase an estate lot in the first Phase (Hillside) of Lawson Rock and then purchased another smaller lot in their second Phase as an additional investment, which would give us a couple options to build a second (possible retirement) home in a secure / safe and prominent subdivision community that was built to US standards. Lawson Rock has continued to mature into one of the Island's premier developments.”

“We saw Las Palmas as an excellent investment opportunity, centrally located, close to shopping and the airport that we could buy into in its early stage and decided to purchase/build our Las Palmas Villas. Las Palmas offered two distinct advantages to us. First, it was a beautifully designed to have a certain "Island" laid back Caribbean feel that we would be comfortable staying at during our visits to Roatan, and it offered a couple of different opportunities for rental / investment income as either a long term rental or weekly rental to tourist guests.”

“We enjoy a 270 degree unobstructed ocean view, have one of the most beautiful private beaches on the island and a reef just a hundred feet offshore that is still rather pristine and a wonderful asset to the resort. Working closely with the original developer/Owner (Kent Owenby) we designed a unique two-story home that is 4 bedrooms / 4 baths with two full kitchens that allows the place to be offered as either two separate Villas or one large home.”

“As we got to know Marci and her family over time, we become great friends and think the world of her, so much so that we have established her as our Honduran Power of Attorney and she serves in this capacity for all our Honduran business, handling our banking, Corporate Returns & Taxes, Municipal taxes and property management. Marci and ARRE have become a ‘one stop shop’ for all of her client's real estate and associated business needs.”

“Marci and her associates know Roatan and understand the local culture. They have a very strong understanding of the challenges associated with real-estate purchase contracts, property survey issues, Legal & Title issues, and have always found a way to get the real estate issues solved,” adds Marc.

Special Properties List

Click here to see some of the property sales
that we think are the best on the Island