A resort in the Western Caribbean offering ocean kayak tours and scuba diving around the Bay Island of Guanaja. All cabins have private baths and screened porches. http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Bay_Islands/westpeakinn/hotel/112/6/ en-us Copyright 1998 e-TravelMedia.com/CaribbeanMag.com Sun, 7 Sep 2008 06:14:07 EST Back from the beach at the foot of the hillside sits a scattering of cabins - each unique and nestled in the tropical foliage for added privacy. Kayaking guests begin and end their trips in the cabins. While on tour paddlers will tent camp on beaches around the island or on outlying cayes. From each cabin door guests can stroll to the sandy shore to explore, swim or snorkel the uninhabited beaches. Or, they might wander up the hillside trails for an adventurous hike through the banana and pineapple plantation and up to the West Peak hilltop for full panoramic views of Guanaja, the reefs, and the southern end of the neighboring island of Roatan. Miles of empty beach, gentle surf and coral shoals allow guests to disappear into the warm solitude of their own private palm-shaded cove. These shores are part of one of the largest reef systems in the world. The island has a well-deserved reputation for world class diving and snorkeling. The reef is a protected area and responsible practices are stressed to maintain its fragile beauty. Sometimes during an evening swim the disturbed waters will glow giving your body a sparkling, greenish halo. This bioluminescent phenomena happens only at a handful of locations around the world. AMENITIES: The thatched-roof restaurant shaded by coconut palms is the center of activity at West Peak. The restaurant serves meals to guests, local visitors and passing yachtsman. The bar - with its view of sea and the white sandy beach - is always open for refreshments. Most meals are served family style and the menu is based on the catch of the day, often including lobster as well as local fruits and vegetables grown at West Peak. Guests can usually pick bananas, mangoes and other fruits from the many plants growing on the surrounding hillsides. ACTIVITIES: No high-rise hotels, no hawkers, no throngs of tourists, no roads, cars or telephone wires. None of these things exist on Guanaja to spoil this tropical paradise with its spectacular coral reefs and white sand shores. Though the island is home to several villages of fishermen and merchants, the majority of its land-mass is still a wilderness in the truest sense of the word. From the West Peak docks guests can stroll along 3 miles of empty beach, gentle surf and coral shoals; and allow themselves to disappear into the warm solitude of their own private, palm-shaded cove. Behind the beach at West Peak the mountains raise through fertile, lush green slopes to open up onto a 360 degree panoramic view. When the sky is clear - and that is most of the time - you can see the town of Bonacca, the isle of Barbaretta lying on the southern end of Roatan, and even the mainland of Honduras to the west. Once you arrive at West Peak, outings for the day can be arranged. Such trips might include: a boat ride to a dive site for an afternoon of snorkeling, a trip up the north shore to hike to the waterfalls, or perhaps a visit to the stilted town of Bonacca. And for guests who kayak but do not want to partake of a full week of kayaking, day trips can be easily organized. DINING/RESTARUANTS: Type: Hotel Beach Location: Beach Front (Directly on Beach/Water Front) http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Bay_Islands/westpeakinn/hotel/112/6/ Sun, 7 Sep 2008 06:14:07 EST