We all dream of spending a night in a pleasant beachside cabin on tropical beach. However, few of us find a place to do so. I spent the night at a beachside paradise in Triunfo de la Cruz this weekend! Do I sense a bit of jealousness in you as you read? Instead of being jealous, you should read on and learn more about this unique beachside paradise in Triunfo de la Cruz. If you follow this blog, you are already aware that Triunfo de la Cruz is a small Garifuna Village on the Bay of Tela in Honduras. You also know that this is on the Caribbean Coast of Central America within a unique destination: Atlantida.
This weekend I visited Triunfo de la Cruz and spent the night at the Caribbean Coral Inn. There are several other lodging options in Triunfo, and I will dedicate another post to describe them all and help you decide which is the best for you. For me, Caribbean Coral Inn offers several important assets that make it unique.
Lounge at Caribbean Coral Inn
{%CAPTION%}First, it is right on the beach. And not any beach that is! This a lovely beach with a lot of culture, which brings me to the second asset: It is within a Garifuna Village. The Garifuna culture is part of the Heritage of Humanity intangible assets declared by UNESCO. This means that it is unique and authentic and should be preserved. The Garifuna people are friendly folks and will greet you kindly when you visit their villages. Third, this lodge offers a unique back to nature feeling with all the basic comforts and cleanliness you need. Finally, it is family run operation where the hosts will treat you like if you were part of their family! So, now you know what my requirements are to name a lodge a beachside paradise!
Low relief mural at the entrance to Caribbean Coral Inn
The lodge is inconspicuous within this Garifuna village. So, you will not even see a sign. It is about 250 meters from where the main road ends on the beach. There you must take a left and drive until you see a wall with the decoration of a silhouette of three women. The front entrance has four wood columns that are yellow. This is the entrance. You can always ask and the people from the community direct you to this lodge.
Porch in front of my room at Caribbean Coral Inn
Rooms are small, individual cabins, each with their own private bath. I was lucky to get room number 5, which is right next to the beach. There is a nice hammock in front of the room, together with two wooden beach chairs that are ideal to sit in the breeze and read your book o sip an ice-cold beer. The room had two full size beds, and although it has some fans, I never needed them. The cool breeze from the Caribbean kept my room comfortable all night long. Best of all, having the windows open, I could hear the surf breaking on the beach. A perfect lullaby to fall asleep to! Amenities include cable TV, that I never even turned on and wifi.
Comfortable room at Caribbean Coral Inn in Triunfo de la Cruz
Access to beach is easy and I found the beach to be clean and inviting. Hammocks stung under the palm trees where a bit too tempting for me. I confess I succumbed to their call and got comfortable in one before breakfast. The breakfast was a basic serve yourself continental concept with fresh fruit, coffee, bread and fresh juices. Several different cereals and yogurt were also available. The perfect tropical breakfast to get yourself up and ready for a day full of adventures.
Buffet breakfast as seen from the beach
The Inn has a small bar that operates under the honor system. You serve yourself and jot down what you are consuming. For lunch and dinner, you can wander off in town to a local restaurant or have, Carolina, your host cook a meal for you. She is a great cook and serves a very complete meal. She usually offers a shrimp dish, a pork dish and a chicken dish. Prices are very reasonable, and the quality is outstanding. If you are looking for a beachside paradise in Triunfo de la Cruz, make sure you check out the Caribbean Coral Inn.
