A Hot Buy in Honduras

You know about Honduras' Bay Islands...but you probably know little about this country's mainland coast. Few do. This is the Caribbean at its undiscovered best...and the time for you to take a look is now, before the rest of the world catches on. The sandy beaches along the north coast of Honduras are beginning to attract the attention of both vacationers and investors in search of the next Caribbean hot spot. Own your own resort villa here for $65,000...play a round of golf for 12 bucks.

Dear International Living Reader,

Thinking of buying a vacation home in a tropical setting? Why not buy a villa and get a whole resort thrown in?

These villas are just behind the main hotel of an upscale resort in a residential setting with swimming pools and beautiful landscaping…and they sell from $65,000. They're fully equipped with appliances, including a washer and dryer, and can be furnished for around $2,000. You'll pay for electricity and a monthly maintenance fee of $106, which covers cable television and all outdoor maintenance, including pools and grounds, security, and water.

When we found this Caribbean gem we were surprised that only a few villa owners are non-Honduran. The manager tells us they haven't advertised outside Honduras--but that they'd like to start doing so. You're now among the first to hear of this place, which offers not only the beach at your front door and the rain forest behind, but amenities, including three pools (and two children's pools), all-inclusive packages for food and beverage, two theaters, a restaurant, snack bar, water park, conference areas, lit tennis courts, facilities for other sports, transportation around the hotel complex by small train, and transportation to La Ceiba, the airport, shopping, and other areas.

Outside the resort, there's plenty to do. La Ceiba is only a taxi ride away; you can shop there in a mall or in the local markets where you'll find anything from apples to zucchini, from Honduran cigars to local art work, from wood carvings to fabric by the yard or by the pound (a friend of mine recently bought 30 yards of high-quality material to make a duvet cover, shams, and curtains for around $60), and much, much more. The adventurous can take eco-tours of the Pico Bonito national park to see jaguars, macaws, and other magnificent creatures in their natural setting or raft the rapids of the Cangrejal River. How about a canopy tour over the forest? A day of golf for $12? Some of the best scuba diving in the world is less than a half-hour away, and deep-sea or bone fishing is close as well.

Part of the appeal of these villas is that you can do as much or as little as you desire and still relax in your own home. When you're not there, your villa is safe and secure, the grounds well-maintained. If you'd like, the hotel will rent your villa for you when you're not in residence through an on-site property manager who handles all aspects of rentals and billing and who takes care of any needed repairs using the hotel cleaning and maintenance staff. Rentals rotate so everyone gets a return; in high season most villas are rented out on average eight nights per month, and owners receive $92 per night. Occupancy rates should increase as the hotel's popularity continues to grow. For instance, in December a group of Canadians is renting half the hotel's rooms for four months!

Owners can also send their own rentals if they choose. Or, if you don't want to rent out your villa, you can send family, friends, or colleagues down for a vacation--just let the management know when guests are coming, and they'll take care of the rest.

For more information, drop us a line by e-mail: Honduras@InternationalLiving.com.

Ron and Janine Goben
For International Living in Honduras

Editor's Note: We spoke a few minutes ago with our man on the scene, Lief Simon, in Panama this week for our annual Offshore Opportunities Conference. Lief couldn't talk long. He's got his hands full. Two-hundred-and-fifty International Living and Sovereign Society readers have converged in Panama City for this sold-out four-day event. Lief will kick things off this afternoon with a "Why Panama?" presentation that will detail the many benefits and advantages of living, retiring, and investing in this beautiful and unique haven. Subscribers to the print edition of International Living know that we've ranked Panama as the world's top retirement haven for the past four years running, and the Sovereign Society this year ranked it as the world's top offshore haven. Panama is the hub of the Americas...with First World infrastructure in Panama City (which also boasts a skyline to rival that of any major U.S. city)...great weather, especially in the mountainous interior...world-class banking facilities...and the world's top program of special benefits for foreign retirees. Panama is also the easiest place to establish residency as a foreigner, with an eye toward second citizenship. Subscribers to the print edition can read the full story in the September 2004 issue, available in pdf format here.

P.S. Lief reports that a steady stream of readers is passing by to see our new offices in Panama City. Remember: We've moved...to Casco Viejo. You'll find us now installed in a beautiful old French colonial building on Plaza Catedral just across from the Panama Canal Museum. Stop by anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you can't make it by but would like to speak with our in-country team, you can reach them at (507)212-0344.