Country Article / Postcards

Reasons to Look at La Ceiba

Date: 05/09/2005

Dear International Living Reader,

It's been many years since my first arrival on Roatan, back when the landing strip was almost in the ocean and beachfront land was selling for $1,000 per acre. And boy, have I had great experiences living on that island since.

Roatan remains beautiful today, but it's not as unspoiled as it was back then. And so, about a year ago, I decided to see if I could replicate some of the best of Roatan as I remembered it. In other words, I was hoping to find quiet beaches, modest land prices, and tranquil living.

I flew 12 minutes over to La Ceiba. There I discovered miles and miles of white-sand beaches with dramatic cloud forest and mountain backdrops, crystal clear rivers offering kayaking and rafting, a thriving city with good amenities, lush plantations with 180-degree ocean views including Cayos Cochinos, and a friendly population.

I purchased my first property here with a main house, guest house, and pool on three acres with incredible fruit trees, located one minute from the river and two minutes to the beach…all for the price of a lot on Roatan today.

This dream property was possible to find in part because construction costs in La Ceiba are a mere $40 per square foot, using first class materials and an array of tropical hardwoods.

For me, the situation here is ideal. I get to enjoy being one of only a handful of people on the beach, while also having quick access to a mall, movies, shops, and superb medical care.

Even as I write, though, La Ceiba is already being discovered by investors coming from Costa Rica, seeking here what they found in the 1980s there, much as I came searching for a new Roatan.

Kent Ownbey
For International Living