Overview
Ocean Breeze Lodge is a seaside Caribbean retreat in a place that is often overlooked as a fly-fishing destination. Roatan, situated some 30 miles off the coast of Honduras, offers some of the best permit fishing in the Caribbean, as well as high-quality angling for plus-sized bonefish, trophy tarpon, triggerfish and even blue-water denizens like black-fin tuna, wahoo and dorado. That it's all within reach of a private, beachfront villa ideally located on Roatan's quiet east end makes it the perfect destination for anglers and non-anglers alike. In fact, it might be the best destination in the Caribbean for a fly-fishing adventure complimented by afternoon snorkeling right off the villa's dock, or some of the best wreck diving in the world for scuba enthusiasts.
The lodge offers a true tropical escape for couples, families and groups that are looking for a quiet and remote — yet perfectly safe — retreat, where becoming a part of the community is as easy as bellying up to the beach bar next door or hiring a water taxi to tour the "east end." Here, life is real and unfiltered, and smiles are big and welcoming. This isn't just a fishing destination. It's a well-rounded Caribbean adventure for anyone interested in escaping the plastic all-inclusives and the matching-belt-and-shoes cruise crowd. Never considered Roatan? Put it on your bucket list. It's worth it.
The Fishing
Roatan is much more renowned among diving circles, and rightly so. First visited by European colonialists in 1502 when Christopher Columbus arrived on its Bay Islands, Roatan experienced Colonialism at its grandest scale. In the 1600s it was a pirate stronghold, and, over the centuries, it was a maritime stronghold for the French, Spanish and British empires. That means there are literally hundreds of shipwrecks off of its reefy shores.
But that same reef that appeals to the wetsuit crowd also gives sustenance to some incredible inshore fish. The island chain boasts some of the best fly fishing for permit in the Caribbean, bar none. Big schools of cruising permit, some tipping the scales at 30 pounds or more, are common on the grass flats and beachside wave breaks, and they're all within reach of fly casters. Those same flats are home to larger-than-expected bonefish that are relatively unpressured when compared to their brethren in nearby Belize or those in the Yucatan bays of Mexico. Throw in a year-round fishery for both resident and migratory tarpon, and a "grand slam" is totally doable on any day spent with Ocean Breeze Lodge as home base.
Compliment Roatan's stellar flats angling with some of the region's best blue-water fishing for everything from black-fin tuna to wahoo, dorado and even marlin and sailfish, all arranged by the staff at Ocean Breeze, and this fishing adventure has the potential to be epic.
Non-anglers rejoice!
Yes, Ocean Breeze Lodge is an anglers paradise. But the genuine "east end" of Roatan, away from the "spring break" atmosphere of its west side, is ideal for non-anglers or for anglers who might like to mix up their fishing with some world-class snorkeling or diving.
It's also a great spot for families — it boasts its own tidal pool and some great calm-water snorkeling right off the lodge's seaside dock. For those who want a bit more adventure, Ocean Breeze is within easy reach of a real, live iguana farm that offers daily tours, a zip-line adventure and daily mangrove and history tours of the region. And, once the kids are tucked in, just wander next door to the Reef House bar, where locals and expats gather each evening to swap stories.
For groups or couples, hop aboard the island's classic Tiki Boat for a sunset cruise that includes dinner and cocktails, or enjoy home-cooked local fare on the lodge's sheltered deck as the warm, soft Caribbean breeze keeps the worst of the tropical heat at bay. After dinner, pour some quality regional rum over a couple of ice cubes and enjoy a nightcap on the deck or put your feet in the tidal pool and watch the fish swim by. Ocean Breeze is the ideal destination for anglers who love to do more than fish, or for non-anglers in search of a genuine tropical get-away.
Ocean Breeze is much more than just a fishing destination. With so much to do, it offers something for everyone.
Accomodations
LODGING: Ocean Breeze Lodge includes the main three-bedroom house, plus a guesthouse with three more bedrooms, each with either king or queen beds. The main house features two full bathrooms, a full kitchen, a spacious dining room, a cozy living room and a stunning deck overlooking the sea. With room for six anglers and six more non-anglers (the "east end" only has so many available fishing guides), the Villa is perfectly appointed for guests who want to experience multiple activities over the course of their stay. Each bedroom is air-conditioned and drinking water is provided, as is daily maid service and laundry service.
MEALS: Each package at Ocean Breeze Lodge includes three meals a day: breakfast each morning, a box lunch on the boat for anglers or divers (or lunch at the Villa for those who wish to return for lunch) and locally sourced and delectable dinner prepared by the Villa's crack staff. Evening appetizers accompanied by signature cocktails are also included. Meals are influenced by the local Creole culture and feature fresh veggies, fresh fruits and perfectly prepared chicken, pork and seafood. Local beer — Salva Vida or Berena — and regional rum is included in all packages, and wine and other spirits can be purchased before arriving at the lodge.
AMENITIES: Ocean Breeze is unique in that it features its own dock and a tidal pool right off the deck. It also has access to the lagoon behind the house, which makes it easy to catch a water taxi for some evening bar-hopping or a Tiki Boat cruise. Activities vendors, like snorkeling tours or tours to swim with rays and lemon sharks, will meet you right behind the lodge. For safety and convenience, there is a caretaker on the property at all times.
CONNECTIVITY: Ocean Breeze has high-speed wireless internet and some American cell providers offer service on local cell networks.
Sample Itinerary
You'll meet your shuttle driver just outside the arrivals door at the airport and enjoy a scenic drive through the mountains and the jungle. Just before you arrive, you'll hop out of the shuttle and board a sturdy panga — a Villa staffer will then take you by boat on a short ride to Ocean Breeze. You'll be greeted by the Villa's wonderful staff and be guided to your room. When you're settled, you'll be offered a signature cocktail or you can pour your own rum and Coke or a chilled Salva Vida and take in the views of the Caribbean right off the Villa's incredible oceanfront deck.
For die hard anglers, check the surf break for tailing bonefish and triggerfish. If you wish, grab your 7-weight rod and a pocketful of Gotchas and start fishing. Or, just relax, stretch out in the hammock or grab a nap after a long travel day amid the air-conditioned splendor of your own private room. As evening approaches, the Villa's staff will have an appetizer at the ready and it could be anything from deep-fried plantain chips and fresh pico de gallo to conch ceviche or fried shrimp. Enjoy another chilled cocktail as dinner is prepared.
After an incredible, locally inspired and expertly prepared dinner, pour another cocktail or wander next door to the Reef House for cheap drinks and lively conversation with locals and expats who will happily give you the inside scoop on anything you might like to do in the beautiful little community of Oak Ridge.
For anglers, it's time to shake off the rust of your saltwater cast. You'll meet your guide after breakfast behind the Villa and be transported to one of several stunning oceanfront flats where you'll begin your hunt for Roatan's lively bonefish. These fish travel in groups of four or five, and they tail in the shallows on both incoming and outgoing tides. Walk and wade with your guide (very little fly fishing is done from the boat), and prepare to be amazed when he finds fish on these grass-covered flats that you likely would never see. It might take a shot or two, but, eventually, you'll hook up and the real fun begins.
Non-anglers in the group will enjoy a leisurely breakfast embark on an activity they've booked ahead of time, all with the help of the Villa's staff. This day, it's a snorkeling adventure highlighted by the rare — perfectly safe — opportunity to swim with lemon sharks and rays over a host of gorgeous sandy shoals about a 45-minute boat ride to the east. These gregarious fish are curious and harmless. Nevertheless, be smart and don't get too close. This experience can be life-changing for some.
After determining that you're ready for something more challenging than bonefish, your guide suggested a pre-dawn departure that will put you on the some of best permit flats in the Caribbean. Once there, you'll again walk wade, paying close attention to your guide — he'll very likely see the fish you won't and put you in the right position to make the cast.
The non-anglers back at the Villa will gather up their snorkeling gear after a leisurely breakfast and head to the end of the dock. There, in the gentle waves of the Caribbean, they can snorkel the morning away within sight of the Villa, and hop back inside for a delicious lunch. You'll meet your vacation crew around 4 p.m. for cocktails and appetizers before dinner and then, once the meal is done, you'll all wander next door to the bar for a nightcap.
Having tried both bones and permit, your guide suggests something totally different. After breakfast, you'll board the panga and motor just a few minutes away to a big industrial boat basin. You might be wondering what you're doing in this gritty and odd locale ... until you see the 70-pound tarpon rolling. Grabbing a 10-weight and Tarpon Toad, you'll start casting. Eventually, your fly and the tarpon will meet up, and what happens next is fly fishing's version of a rodeo. If you hook a big one, you'll be busy for an hour. If you're a spectator, man the camera. Roatan's tarpon are acrobatic like a saddle bronc and as mean as an angry brahma.
Back at the Villa, the rest of the group boards a panga and rides to the water taxi stand where they'll take an air-conditioned Villa van, first to the iguana farm for some up-close time with Roatan's indigenous reptiles, and then to the local zipline for some heart-stopping thrills. You'll meet your angling friends back the Villa for appetizers and cocktails. Then, rather than dinner at the Villa, you'll board the funky little Tiki Boat for a sunset dinner cruise you'll never forget.
There may not be a better angling destination where an accomplished fly fisher can notch a "grand slam" — catching a permit, bonefish and tarpon all in the same day — than the flats around Ocean Breeze Villa. You'll start early, and hope to notch a permit in the low, morning light. On the same flat, you'll begin your hunt for bonefish, and, if you're lucky and you connect with both prized flats fish, you'll motor across the bay to a known tarpon hangout. If it all comes together, you can have your slam before lunch. If it doesn't, it was sure fun to try.
Back at the Villa, the non-anglers hop aboard a tour where they'll join other snorkelers and scuba divers on a visit to the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Here, over one of many sunken ships, they'll revel in the warm, clear waters of the Caribbean for a few hours before heading back to the Villa to meet their angling friends. Tonight, fish tacos on the deck and some spincasting off the dock for jacks and snappers.
Remember that 10-weight you used for your big tarpon in the boat basin? Grab that rod and venture out into the blue on the Villa's very own twin-outboard cruiser. And you don't have to go far — the blue water begins 100 yards off the beach. The Caribbean around much of Roatan is hundreds of feet deep within easy sight of land. Today, you're chasing a school of blackfin tuna and bonita. Cast a Clouser into the fray and, with a little luck, you'll be into a fish that feels like you might have hooked an F-150. You'll spend the day cruising the shoreline in search of more tuna, dorado or, depending the season, dorado or big barracuda. The sun is bright, the beer is cold and the fish ... well, when you arrive back at the Villa with sashimi for the whole gang, you'll be the hero.
For the non-angling crowd, a leisurely tour of Roatan's mangrove maze is in order, and it comes replete with a talk about the region's pirate lore and some of the coolest scenery in the Caribbean. You'll have lunch at a funky little restaurant on the water, and motor home to the Villa in time for evening cocktails.
It's your last day at Ocean Breeze Villa, and it's all happened so fast. This day, you give the guide the day off and wander the flats on your own in search of bonefish, permit, triggerfish and more. Your non-angling friends are frolicking in the Caribbean off the Villa dock and, as hear the occasional happy exclamation, you're quietly planning a sequel to this incredible trip.
Included
- Guided fishing All guided fly fishing on Roatan's expansive flats and/or blue-water fishing with each fishing package
- Lodging Lodging in air-conditioned rooms at the Villa or in the adjacent guesthouse
- Meals and beverages Three daily home-cooked meals inspired by the local Creole cutlure, and all non-alcoholic beverages. Local rum and beer included.
- Pre-planned tours and activities Snorkeling, diving, mangrove tours, zip-line adventures, iguana farm visits and Tiki Boat excursions planned prior to arrival.
- Daily maid service and laundry Your bed will be made daily, and you'll be provided a laundry hamper should you choose to do laundry
- Airport shuttle Transfer from Roatan's international airport to Ocean Breeze Villa and back on the day of departure
Getting There
Roatan's Juan Manuel Galzez Internation Airport is very easy to reach from U.S. and worldwide destinations. Several American cities offer direct service to Roatan, including Dallas, Houston, Denver and Miami, among others. Prices are perfectly reasonable, too. Upon arriving at the airport, you'll grab your luggage and go through customs. A representative from Ocean Breeze Lodge will meet you outside of the arrivals door, and you'll be shuttled in an air-conditioned van to the lodge — if you wish, you can stop at a local grocery store for any snacks you might like or any beer, wine or spirits not offered by the lodge. The ride is about 45 minutes, and the last 10 minutes or so are via panga — the lodge is not accessed by Roatan's road system, making it safe, quiet and secluded.
