Everything You Need to Know About Staying at Paya Bay Resort
During a moment of down time at my job (and truthfully after a particularly long and tough meeting), I scrolled through a travel article I found online that listed out the top 10 islands that nobody has heard of. Sadly, I had heard of most of them, and had even checked a few off the list as having visited them already. I stumbled on one island I didn’t know, however, named Roatan. The more I researched, the more I wanted to go, and 6 months later, I was on a plane to this tiny scuba paradise off the coast of Honduras.
Not a scuba diver myself, I was looking for a place where my Wi-Fi wouldn’t connect on the beach, and where I could leave a little bit tanner. Still completely void of major hotel chains, boutique hotels and Airbnbs rule Roatan. In my search for the perfect place to stay, I stumbled on Paya Bay, the only real European style hotel on the island, and I was all in.
When I arrived, I was greeted with some of the lushest jungle I have ever seen, with giant palm fronds glimmering in the sun and showing off shades of jade, emerald, and parakeet green. I immediately fell in love with Paya Bay, and wanted to share why I loved this place so much.
Everybody working here fosters a sense of family and belonging for all guests of the resort. You will meet people like Tom who have been working for Paya Bay since it opened in the 90’s, and knows everything about the area, from the most impressive snorkeling spots, to the best place to buy snacks for your stay. The owner DaVinci and his dogs, Thelma and Louise, will join you for a dip in the bright turquoise, warm ocean water every day around noon when the sun is scorching hot on the fluffy sand. All of the ladies working the breakfast shift in the main dining room will sit with you and watch the zooming and swarming of iridescent teal hummingbirds while you wait for your baleadas stuffed to the brim with beans, eggs, and Honduran chorizo to make its way out of the kitchen. Eric works at the beach bar every day, playing upbeat music loud enough to enjoy, but not so loud it distracts from the magical beach naps in the warm Caribbean sun. The staff truly makes this place special, and every person feels so comfortable and welcomed during their stay.
Paya Bay sits back on a secluded part of the island that is rarely visited by people not staying at the resort. The major advantage of Paya Bay is the lack of foot traffic. Situated on the East End of the island, a secluded part of the island that is connected by the only road that runs the length of the island. Located off a bumpy, unpaved road, Paya Bay is a hidden gem that makes sure its resources are enjoyed predominantly by its lodgers, though a day pass can be purchased for the beach. With limited rooms, Paya Bay makes sure the entire stay is nothing short of blissfully serene, and you will be able to enjoy seclusion and disconnection from the technical world while laying by the aquamarine ocean.
The activities offered by Paya Bay are top notch. One of my favorite places on the grounds is the Ananda Yoga Pavillion. Even if you aren’t a yoga person, this place has sweeping views of the quiet and verdant inlet on which Paya Bay sits, and has the best cross breezes on the resort. This is also where incredibly restorative massages happen. Listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below, and doze off as the insects of the jungle fly in and out of the many vines hanging from the pavilion.
Don’t miss the chance to snorkel in this area either. Since it is in such a quiet part of the island, the waters are relatively untrekked by anybody other than fisherman and locals wanting to get to another part of the island. Tom will take you out on the boat and show you around reefs where you will be the only snorkeler, and you will be surrounded by fish in varying colors, sizes, and species that will swim up and touch your hand out of pure curiosity. The reef is healthy, vibrant, and holds more fish than I could ever hope to catalog. You can even hop in the Paya Bay snorkel boat for a sunset cruise, and end up at the beautiful La Sirena beach bar, sipping rum punch and noshing on deliciously crispy onion rings while the sun sets on another perfect day.
There is an insistence on wholistic wellness here. Whether it is 24 hour access to the Ananda Yoga Pavillion, food that is made from what can be bought in local markets and is eaten regularly on the island, or the attention to detail in spiritual wellness, Paya Bay has put a lot of thought and care into the vibe and experience they offer to all of their travelers. Take a morning hike everyday as I did, and make a stop at the Earth Energy Center, a place noted by a Mayan Shaman as having the feminine energy of the Mother of Life. Climb into the Earth Energy crevasse and meditate and take in all of the energy of the space, breathing the cool, damp air of the cave. Be sure to make your way to the Labyrinth and walk around the multileveled spiral, taking the time to think about your life journey and how you would like the trajectory of your life to play out. Leave the maze by letting go of your past and welcoming the future into your life with open arms. At Paya Bay, you are able to fully embrace spiritual and physical wellness in a place that nurtures the individual.
Paya Bay has a strong desire to protect the natural beauty of the area. Small hermit crabs scuttle across the gravel paths all over the grounds. Varying in size, you will see them on early morning hikes, and they will make the ground look like it is moving if you don’t look closely enough, or are still a little bit sleepy! Larger crabs can be seen waddling on the edges of paths, and can be heard rustling through the leaves on the jungle floor, claws raised in the air as if to warn any passerby to step back. Charcoal and white striped iguanas rule the roost of most places here, and can be seen sunning themselves on just about every pathway on the entire resort. Quite afraid of the humans who roam the grounds, the iguanas will flee the scene at the sight of you, and don’t have a territorial bone in their bodies. Even the drinks here are ecofriendly, always adorned with a paper straw that breaks down after one use, and all cans are collected and recycled responsibly.
This place is low energy, and that’s how I like it. Most resorts accommodate hundreds of people, music is blaring at all times, employees are constantly trying to get you up out of your lounge chair to join activities, and all around don’t let you have your vacation your way. Not here, not even by a long shot. Yoga is a come if you would like activity. Snorkeling can be arranged the morning of for a time that fits you. Feel like body painting? All the supplies are in the body painting tent and can be used as you please. Paya Bay is a place of relaxation, and you can do just that when you’re there with zero guilt.
It is totally safe. With zero-foot traffic that wanders onto the property or its beaches, and staff that has worked at Paya Bay for years, this place felt more like a big house than a resort. Safes are available, but I never used it, and left all of my photography gear out all week. My purse with my passport sat on the floor, and my laptop on the side table. None were moved even an inch, and I had no fear that they would be touched during my stay. One person who stayed at Paya Bay while we were there didn’t even lock his door when he left his room. This place is as safe as it comes, and I loved that I didn’t have to think twice about my belongings, and knew they would be in the spot I left them when I arrived.
Everything is there. Feel like having a quesadilla at 2 pm? Run up to Eric at the beach bar and he’ll send to the kitchen to have one made for you to enjoy within the hour. Feel like yoga at 8 am? Walk on up to the yoga pavilion and guide yourself through a few sun salutations, or arrange for a class with the resort yoga instructor.
When I stay at resorts that have food, activities, and a place to stay all in one, I often get stir crazy and feel claustrophobic. I never felt like I needed to leave Paya Bay and get away from my vacation spot. The grounds at Paya Bay are so expansive, and the amount of time you can go without seeing anybody else is so great that you feel like you’re on the most epic stay-cation of your life. You aren’t held to the grounds either which makes it feel even bigger. Nobody is standing at the entrance asking where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Nobody tells you how dangerous the outside world is (yes, I have had a resort tell me this before), and you can wander to your heart’s delight.
It is a European experience. No, you won’t be seeing cathedrals or eating croissants. What I mean is the beaches, and even some of the walking paths are clothing optional. There is no feeling in the world more gross than sitting in a wet bathing suit and baking in the hot sun, never fully drying off. Being able to strip down, float in the gorgeous and refreshing ocean, and step back on the beach, being dry in a matter of minutes was nothing short of a blessing. For naturists, Paya Bay is a must do vacation.
Paya Bay was the ultimate in relaxation. Not worrying about a thing, but having a good time and meeting genuinely nice people is always at the top of my list for a good vacation, and both of those things can be found at Paya Bay. If you want to add a little adventure to your next trip and want to go somewhere not many people have heard of, add Roatan, Honduras to the top of your list, and be sure to add Paya Bay to your itinerary.