Ten of my Favorite Things to do on Roatan

Honduras’ Island in the Sun

by J. J. Scott

Roatan Island has long been a favorite destination of divers but now it is has been discovered by the cruise crowd who have fallen in love with the unspoiled greenery and are returning for a longer vacation. To meet the needs of the long-stay traveler new resorts are springing up and now there are a plethora of things to do for divers, non-divers, day-trippers, and long-stay visitors. English is commonly spoken. The island is considered one of the safer Caribbean destinations, and it offers some of the best values in the Caribbean.

I have been visiting Roatan since the 1990s and the changes are amazing.  Here are some fun things to do while on Roatan Island. After time on Roatan consider visiting Copan, the Athens of the Mayan World, Tela, the beach area on the mainland, and La Ceiba, where Hondurans go to have fun.  The adventurous will want to head to La Mosquitia for a jungle river trip. There are easy connections to La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula.

Dive in: Roatan is on the world’s second largest barrier reef. The crystal waters and colorful corals are home to rich marine life. Dive resorts offer two to four dive trips daily including occasional night dives.  See spotted manta rays, barracuda, moray eels, parrot fish, and other colorful fish in their natural habitat.

Life’s a beach: The island’s many beaches are the perfect place to laze in the sun. Spend the day in a hammock or on a lounge chair at the beach but have sun and bug protection handy.

Zip it: The island has five zip lines for a bird’s eye view of the canopy.  But it is the adrenaline pumping thrill of zipping nearly a mile through the dense forest that is the real draw.

Rent it: There are several rental car agencies for exploring the island but the more adventurous will enjoy discovering the island on a motorcycle or scooter.  The island is hilly but roads are paved and the island is only 36 miles long. It is almost impossible to get lost.

It is natural: Roatan Nature Park is the newest place to see what is wild and wonderful in Honduras.  It is a refuge for rescued animals including a jaguar, anteater, monkeys, and other animals.  It is also home to a macaw breeding center. Gumbalimba also has several animals including friendly free-roaming monkeys. The Butterfly Garden exhibits a variety of butterflies native to Honduras.

Spa time: While spas are a new addition to the easy life on Roatan with most of the new upscale resorts adding a full-service spa, massages have long been available.  Spa Baan Suerte offers Mayan Mud Wrap and Chocolate Cho-co-LAH-te treatment along with yoga.

Museum time: Anthony’s Key has a modest but informative museum. It is the best place to learn about the island’s exciting history that includes control by the indigenous people, the English and Spanish – and pirates.

Fish and more fish: To catch or to eat, fish are everywhere.  It is only a short boat ride to the fishing hot spots for tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, sailfish, and marlin. Don’t want to fish then enjoy the many fish dishes offered at a variety of restaurants found everywhere on the island.

Dolphin experience: One of the most memorable experiences on Roatan is a dolphin encounter. Even more special is swimming or diving in the open waters with the 20 dolphins at Anthony’s Key Resort.

Something for everyone: Ride a horse along the beach or on mountain trails or take the glass bottom boat on a reef-viewing trip or charter a sailboat for a day sail. Roatan has something for everyone including the adventurous and those who only want kick to back and enjoy the tropics.

Accommodations range from a place to hang a hammock to all-inclusive dive resorts like Anthony’s Key to Turquoise Bay Resort to condo rentals at Infinity Bay to 5-star villas and golf course condominiums at Pristine Bay. The Pristine Bay’s Black Pearl Golf Course opened in January and resort will have a soft opening in April. There are direct connections to Roatan from the United States and also connections via various places in Honduras.

If you go: For more information check www.hondurastips.honduras.com. Free hard copies are available at many locations in Honduras – just ask. And, www.pristinebay.com, www.anthonyskey.com, and www.infinitybay.com.