a new kitesurfing mecca?

Is eastern Roatan becoming a kitesurfing mecca? In the photos that follow, kitesurfing enthusiasts relax and compare notes on the Big Beach at Paya Bay Resort after an afternoon of kiting fun atop warm Caribbean waters.

These kitesurfers (who hail from all over the world) have been attracted to Paya by the strong, steady, reliable tradewinds; the resort's uniquely liberal, "good energy" attitude; and the presence of professional kitesurfers Marilou Lavallée and Chris Burg, a young couple who have chosen the resort as a base to establish a kitesurfing center here in Roatan. When winds are not optimal for kiting, kitesurfers have many other activity options: scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, yoga, exploring the island, etc. The kitesurfers add a youthful, passionate, cosmopolitan energy to the overall 'feeling' of Paya Bay.