Pristine Bay Resort (Roatan, Honduras): Dye Designs’ Black Pearl Coming Soon

It may be hard to believe, but more than 500 years after Christopher Columbus first sailed his fleet into the Caribbean there's still an island that's been largely unexplored. Roatan, located 35 miles off the coast of Honduras, boasts uncrowded sugar sand beaches that bump up against the world's second-largest coral reef.

Not only is Roatan breathtakingly beautiful, but the 40 mile long by five mile wide island (at its widest point) is accessible via non-stop flights on Continental from Houston. Other major carriers offer service into San Pedro Sula, with continuing service to Roatan.

Long a haven for scuba divers and snorkelers, Pristine Bay Resort (www.pristinebayresort.com) is leading Roatan's charge into the luxury golf resort market. Its Pete and Perry Dye-designed course, The Black Pearl, is scheduled to open in December.

The par-72, 7,257-yard layout is Dye Design's first project in Honduras and the first golf course on Roatan. It starts at the ocean's doorstep, rises into the island's rolling foothills, and then takes golfers on a wild ride back to the seaside clubhouse. The Black Pearl will feature one of Dye's signature island greens, and 14 holes will offer stunning vistas of the ocean and the Meso-American Barrier Reef.

A state-of-the-art practice facility, including short game area and multiple putting and chipping greens is being developed in concert with the golf course to host a variety of instructional programs.

Dye Designs, pioneers of the use of Paspalum turf for tropics-based projects, is grassing The Black Pearl with this salt-water tolerant strand known for its environmental compatibility, ease of irrigation and maintenance, and translucent green hue. Its appearance - juxtaposed against the turquoise waters offshore - inspired the Black Pearl's tagline: "The Best Greens and the Best Blues."

"The Black Pearl will be scenic, strategic and playable, and is laid out on one of the best canvases we've worked with," says Pete Dye, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2008 for his immeasurable impact on the modern game.

But golf isn't the only alluring aspect of Pristine Bay. The 120-room, five-star Resort and Spa at Pristine Bay is scheduled to open along with the Black Pearl and will set the gold standard for customer service on the island, according to resort officials.

Guests will have access to a beach club as well as the ocean-front Bay Village at Pristine Bay with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, cafes and other entertainment options. And a 155-slip full-service marina located near The Black Pearl clubhouse will provide deep-water access for an array of sea-going vessels.

Pristine Bay also offers a variety of residential products including bay view and golf course condominiums, two-, three-, and four-bedroom villa units and one-quarter-acre custom home lots, many with unobstructed views of the ocean. Condos start at $348,000 and range up to $700,000; villas start at $600,000 and range up to $1 million; and lots start at $230,000 and range up to $700,000.

Getting There: Roatan International Airport (RTB) is served by nine weekly, non-stop flights from the United States (Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Newark) on Continental, Delta and TACA. Flights to the island through the Honduran cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are also available.