Staying in West End

I stayed in West End for a few days before my sea kayak tour.  West End is the most well known place to stay on the island.  West Bay is the other town but West end is more affordable for the average budget traveler.  Prices were not so cheap as you might expect them to be, maybe because you are on an island and things need to get brought out here.  Dinners were close to $20 a person and a room starts at $35 for an average room.  There were lots of places to chose from and it still got dificult at times to find a seat at the good places.  There are lots of places to stay too.  The town is linear and dificult to scout out.  I did some research beforehand and was lucky and got a suggestion from my sea kayak guide to stay at Posada Los Orchideas.

  It is a three storied hotel style place with views of the ocean.   He said it was out of the chicken belt and quieter than the places in the main part of town.  It was a nice place situated on the back harbor on the north End of town.  The neighboring place  the Sea Grape Inn looked nice too.  They have cabins and a few hotel style rooms.  Overall I was not totally enchanted by West End.  It seemed like there were not all that many things to do unless you were going diving. 

I wanted to go diving and I did (with Native Son Divers - Good dive company, very responsible) but there were very few ways to just go snorkewling.  Usually there are several places along the street that have snorkeling tours but not here.  The best way to get in some snorkeling is to go through a dive shop.  The divers will do their thing and the snorkelers can do go off on their own thing.  Yes the diving is the main draw here and it is very good diving.  Some of the best in the world.  And there are lots of places to get certified here too.