I've only looked at West Bay Lodge online but it seems like it would be great for your family. You could go to Mango Creek first and be waited on, then move to West Bay Lodge and do some of your own cooking and move around the island a bit.

MCL is really lovely and the snorkeling and fishing were both great. We liked how secluded and special it was. I think it's smart not to stay secluded the whole time, though.

WBL would be an easy water taxi to West End and you could go to the park (Gumbalimba?) for some adventure; I haven't been there but I really enjoyed hiking in the Carambola Reserve.

There's a website somewhere to help you find out when the cruise ships will be in town so you can avoid touristy areas on those days. We were there in August 2006 and there were only 2 ships that whole month, both on Wednesdays. The rainy season in that area doesn't really start until fall, though there is a slight risk of hurricanes. It's a great time to visit.

I'll be in Copán Ruinas for 2 weeks ending in early August and my husband will fly down and meet me. We haven't decided yet where we'll spend the following 2 weeks, though, probably split between Utila and Roatán or maybe Guanaja.

The area around La Ceiba has some great options, too, but you might already know that if you've read my travelogue.

Let me know if there's anything more I can help with. Happy trails and keep us posted!

Hopefulist - Thanks so very much for your reply!! You are one of the people that makes fodors.com such a great and helpful forum!

I did consider La Ceiba (and found a lot of great options), but I also then found a direct flight to Roatan and (as you might imagine) we'd really like to cut our travel time with a little one in tow. We're also huge history buffs and would love to see Copan, but I'm just not sure if it's realistic for this trip.

I also notice that you take Spanish classes when you travel -- I also study Spanish independently and I've hoped that when my daughter is a little older that she and I can travel in the summers studying together. I'm going to read your reports in more details to get ideas. Thanks so much for your thorough reports and assistance!

Thanks - glad to help! Your plan to study with your daughter is wonderful. I must warn you, though: traveling with her now may create a life-long urge in her to do so. We spent a month exploring Belize together in 2003 as a family and the next year all 3 of our kids left for overseas study and service programs (Holland, Australia, and Panamá); that was a quiet year at our house - empty continent syndrome! They've all been overseas since, one many times for study and service trips, and he will likely live overseas, working in public health as a career. The good news is, between their host families and the AFS exchange students we've hosted over the years, we have a long list of friends to visit in other countries.

Have a great trip and keep me posted - we may be on Roatán at the same time.

>>I must warn you, though: traveling with her now may create a life-long urge in her to do so.

This is my hope


>>We spent a month exploring Belize together in 2003.

You've mentioned another place (Belize) I've considered for our trip. Would you care to comment/compare on the two places for a family vacation. I'll be honest - I worry a little about the crime/safety of Honduras. In fact before we went to Jamaica last year I obsessed a little about it, but once I got there it just wasn't an issue and would have no reservations about returning or bringing my daughter. But you know -- unknown place, etc. I just want to make a prudent decision.

I am going to Roatan in three weeks. Can't wait! We are staying at the West Bay Lodge so I will let you know how it was when I return.
I choose West Bay not only for the location but also because it is run by a couple from Idaho (I believe) so I thought it would just make our trip a bit easier, and of course there is the safety factor as well. I have a three year old boy who is not coming on this trip but I always like to stay someplace that I know could assist me if I needed to make quick plans to get home..
Let me know how it is traveling with your daughter. I have yet to bring my son out of the country except for the Bahamas. He loves to travel within the states though and is fun to be with. I look forward to the days that he can come with me.

ttraveler - I can't wait to hear about your trip! Don't forget to post a report! It'll be nice to hear the perspective of someone that has a small child. Although I've travelled to several places with out dd I'm always on the look out for what that particular location would be like with kids.

Belize and Honduras are both awesome destinations. Lots of folks who want more than just blue water time split their Belize visit between the Cayo district in western Belize and an island, usually Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker. If you're not wanting to stay in separate places for inland and island, you could either choose to do day trips from an island (spendy, full days) or choose a beachy place on the mid to southern coast, like Placencia or Hopkins. August is the heart of the rainy season in Belize and it's wetter the further south you go. The rains fell mostly at night when we were there in July/August and did not slow us down a bit, but we did not choose Placencia or Punta Gorda (further south) in part because of the wet.

Lan Sluder has a new 2008 Fodor's Guide to Belize out and I'm really enjoying it. I'd highly recommend you buy that and the Moon Handbook to Honduras and read up on the cultural and background sections as well as chapters specific to areas you're considering. Check out our photos and travelogue for Belize, too, if you haven't already.

The crime in Honduras is mainly associated with gang issues in the largest cities, San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa. We fly in and out of SPS and continue on, by bus or plane, immediately. Any time you travel to a place where your luggage and camera are worth more than many folks make in a year, there will be petty crime, mostly crimes of opportunity. I follow basic safety precautions and have never had a problem or felt unsafe in either Honduras or Belize, except for one really choppy boat crossing to Glover's Atoll in Belize.

Let me know if you have more questions about Belize, though Lan's guidebook will be much more thorough and up to date than anything I can provide. His website, www.belizefirst.com and the Belize Forum, www.belizeforum.com are also excellent resources. Happy trails!

Well, the situation in Jamaica sounds similar. The worst (most violent) crime being in Kingston and some petty/opportunistic crime in the tourist areas. People treated me like I was a mad woman for going to Negril and not staying in a mega resort. We had an amazing problem free trip (if you don't count missing our luggage for a couple of days )

I'm going to check out these books you've recommended. We're not particularly set on August for a trip. We can go anytime between August and November (I know Hurricaine season!) I just already have a trip to Europe schedule in March and need to space the trips out a bit.

Thanks so much for all of your replies so far!

I've been to CA only in the summer because my husband and I are both educators. I think it's a great time to travel - everything green, the nightly rains cool things off a bit, and there are fewer tourists which can also mean lower rates. Keep me posted!

We are going to Roatan--first time--in April. Our 19-year old daughter has been living in Copan for the past month as a volunteer and she will rendezvous with us. We are an avid scuba family of four (two teenagers) going to Roatan. We are thinking of staying at a combination of Anthony's Key and Palmetto Bay Plantation. Any thoughts on these or other accommodations for a scuba family?

Thanks for any advice.

If you're resort type folks I'm no help as we prefer to stay in out of the way rentals or in villages and do mostly our own cooking. We stayed near AKR in Sandy Bay in 2006 and enjoyed the snorkeling from shore and the hiking in the Carambola Reserve. You'll love Roatan - be sure to post a trip report when you get back! Happy trails!