Calgarians flee snow for beach in Caribbean
Private beach at Honduras resort one of largest in Central America
Perry McLean’s retirement won’t just be the end of his working days. It’ll also mean saying goodbye to snow and ice.
In three years, the father of three and his wife, Lise, will flee to a sun-soaked beach in the tropics. It’s been long enough coming, he says.
“I’ve done winter for 52 years,” says McLean. “I’m a born and bred Canadian and when I retire, I don’t plan on doing winter for the rest of my life.”
Originally from Kamloops, B.C., he has worked for the City of Calgary for 32 years. Perry and Lise will trade in their toques and winter boots for sunglasses and flip-flops on the sand on Trujillo Beach Eco-Development in Honduras.
At 4.5-kilometres long, the resort’s private beach on the Caribbean is one of the biggest in Central America.
The couple bought a 0.10 hectare lot at the project, which is owned by Canadian firm Recap Investments.
When the McLeans started their search for a tropical getaway, they narrowed their focus to properties in the Caribbean —and, of course, something close to sand and surf. This project had both, with their residential lot about 100 yards from the beach.
“I had been down to the Caribbean many times and really enjoyed it down there,” says Perry.
But Honduras was more than just a tried and true holiday destination for the McLeans. They see it as a purchase that will pay off both as a second home and an investment.
Perry looked into activity in the region and was pleased to hear of plans that include a cruise ship terminal at Trujillo Beach. With that in mind, he sees the region as ripe for tourists and got in before the area reached its full potential — which means buying low.
“That’s going to be a gamechanger,” says McLean.
“I think the next couple of years, I think you’re going to see a dramatic difference there in terms of just tourism overall. But just through the research I have done and people I have talked to and such, you can see where this is going to take off.”
“I think it’s comparable to what Costa Rica was about 10 years ago,” he says. “There is a lot of potential, that’s for sure.”
McLean walked Trujillo Beach last August and remembers being enchanted by the area’s many natural attractions.
“It’s spectacular,” he says. “It’s lush and tropical — mountainous to one side and ocean to the other.”
Trujillo Beach Eco-Development is a 243-hectare property with 121 hectares devoted to building space, which is part of the developer’s effort to leave a small footprint.
“The resort is geared toward modern, eco living,” says sales director David Otanez of Recap Investments.
This includes organic plantations that encompass more than 1,500 species of tropical plants.
The community boasts trails for nature walks, horseback riding and bird watching. “Bird watching in Honduras is a huge activity,” says Otanez.
About 500 buyers have purchased homes in the resort since it opened in 2009, says Otanez.
The resort includes one- and two-bedroom villas ranging from 720 to 950 square feet, along with lots meant for singlefamily homes. These lots start from 0.3 hectares.
These homes may reach 3,500 square feet. Both the villas and single-family homes may come with a furniture and appliance package and qualify to be included in the resort’s rental management program.
Other amenities at the property include a water canal for canoeing, kayaking or fishing. It also includes pools, a gym and a spa.