The Sundancer community is composed primarily of Americans, Canadians and Europeans, some of whom live here year round. Most, however, only get to spend a month or few weeks here each winter and, like us, have chosen to offer their homes as vacation rentals. Our Rental Manager, who lives full-time at Sundancer, will be waiting for you at the airport and will return you there for your flight home. The Sundancer office, across from our beach house, is open in the mornings; and the staff will be able to meet all your information needs as well as arrange car rental, diving excursions and many other services.
Sundancer is located in Sandy Bay less than three miles directly across the island from the major town, Coxen Hole, and about five miles from the airport. Travelling on the island’s major road in the other direction brings you to the very laid-back village of West End and, by water taxi around the point, to West Bay Beach considered one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.
When the small private Sundancer community was built, the developer respected the unique natural environment and tucked the island-style homes among the trees. The homes are well spaced and the – at times – dense jungle foliage provides a pleasant degree of privacy. Sundancer’s full-time gardener ensures that you will enjoy a year-round display of flowering plants and shrubs. In addition, the property is well shaded from the tropical sun by palm trees and huge fruit and nut trees (mango, lime, avocado, guava, sugar plum, cashew, sea grapes and, of course, coconuts). Follow the garden trails and you will come to the centre of Sundancer where you will find one of the largest private fresh water swimming pools on the island and a large deck with patio furniture and a charcoal BBQ for your use.
Best of
all are the beach, the pier and the coral reef. Sundancer has a beautiful sunny
beach and a pier that juts out 300 feet over the water. At the end of the pier
is a thatched shade cabana where you can hang your hammock, as well as a
two-story sun deck for the sun worshipers. The sundeck is also popular for
morning coffee and sunset cocktails. No matter how warm the day, the Trade
Winds provide a gentle cooling breeze. Stairs at the end of the pier allow easy
access into the astonishingly warm Caribbean Sea. The waves break on the coral
reef about 250 to 300 yards off shore providing a safe calm area for swimming
and snorkeling.
The snorkeling at Sundancer is sensational. The calm, buoyant, salt water makes snorkeling easy for even the timid swimmer. Outcrops of coral and an array of sea creatures can be found within 200 feet of the pier. The real joy, however, is the coral reef itself that runs all along Sandy Bay and is part of the protected Roatan Marine Sanctuary. No commercial fishing, conch collecting or lobster trapping is allowed in the sanctuary. The reef is second only to the Great Australian Barrier reef, but you don’t need a boat to reach ours! Approximately 96% of all species of Caribbean marine life can be found here. The enormous biodiversity, the colours, and the excitement of seeing a manta ray swim by would take pages to describe. Short of experiencing it yourself – obtain a copy of the Lonely Planet book Diving & Snorkeling Honduras’ Bay Islands.
A deep
channel in the reef near Sundancer provides boat access to the deeper water,
which is perfect for game fishing. In the short 2-mile stretch from Sundancer
to Anthony’s Key Resort (AKR) there are 4 moored dive sites allowing wall
dives.
Sandy Bay is a residential community with only a few small hotels. As a result, you will find that you have the beach largely to yourself. A great walk is along the beach, around Lawson’s rock and on to AKR, where you will find the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences and have the opportunity to swim with the dolphins. Along the way to AKR you will pass a couple of small beach restaurant/bars; but, if you are arrive at AKR at sunset, you will want to take advantage of the view from the deck of their hill-side bar.
